North and South

North and South is an social novel by Elizabeth Gaskell, first serialised in 1854–55, which dramatises the conflict between the values of the industrial North, embodied in Milton mill-owner John Thornton, and the rural South/fashionable London, embodied in vicar's daughter Margaret Hale. 
It is one of her best-known novels and was adapted for television three times (1966, 1975 and 2004). The 2004 version renewed interest in the novel and attracted a wider readership.
==Canon==
Set in cotton capital Milton (Gaskell's Manchester home), the plot turns on a strike that culminates in a riot in which Margaret, who sympathises with the striking workers, is injured trying to protect Thornton from them. Her action causes Thornton to become conscious of his love for her, but his proposal goes awry – Margaret believes it to stem from Thornton's belief that she has compromised herself, and she also does not then consider him a gentleman. 
The remainder of the novel mirrors Pride and Prejudice, as Margaret slowly becomes aware of her feelings for Thornton while misunderstandings and circumstances conspire to drive the pair apart. Margaret reassesses her understanding of gentleman/man, and Thornton learns to consider his workers as human beings via getting to know Margaret's friend and strike leader Nicholas Higgins.
Other characters who sometimes appear in fanfiction include Margaret's brother Frederick, on the run for naval mutiny; her Aunt Shaw, cousin Edith, Edith's husband Captain Lennox and his brother Henry, a rival suitor for Margaret; the Hales' maid Dixon; Thornton's mother Hannah and much younger sister Fanny; Higgins' daughters Bessy and Mary; and (from 2004 miniseries) Ann Latimer, a rival suitor for Thornton.
===Adaptations===
In the first television adaptation (in 1966), Richard Leech played Mr. Thornton and Wendy Williams played Margaret Hale.
In 1975 adaptation, Patrick Stewart played Mr. Thornton and Rosalie Shanks played Margaret Hale. Tim Pigott-Smith, who played Mr. Hale in the 2004 adaptation, played Frederick (his son) in the 1975 version.
And in 2004 a four-episode serial with Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage in the lead roles, where Sandy Welch wrote the screenplay, and Brian Percival directed. 
All three adaptations were produced by the BBC, but the most fannish interest is sparked by the 2004 adaptation, even though there wasn't that much publicity for this miniseries.
==Fannish Reaction==
Reactions to the 2004 miniseries:
==Fandom==
The popularity of the 2004 adaptation turned N&S overnight from a rarelit microfandom into a flourishing small fandom. The height of fannish activity was in the mid-2000s, and since then many fansites have gone offline. Armitage's starring role in The Hobbit films led to a resurgence of interest, with, for example, 12 requests at Yuletide in 2013. N&S was an entry fandom for some, many of whom have followed Armitage into other fandoms. Substantial overlap also exists with other costume drama fandoms, particularly Austen fandom. Fannish activities include fanfiction, fan art, fanvids, picspam and discussion.
The vast majority of fanfiction is in the canonical pairing of Margaret/Thornton. Obstacles to the couple's union (particularly Henry Lennox and Ann Latimer) are often demonised. Many works tackle Margaret's sexual awakening and Victorian attitudes to sex; sometimes Thornton is also a virgin or more commonly simply inexperienced. Common scenarios include AUs in which the two get together earlier, including forced marriage scenarios in which Margaret's reputation is irreparably damaged by her actions during the riot. Stories that continue the romance from the novel or miniseries ending to their marriage and wedding night are common, and sometimes try to reconcile book canon with miniseries canon. Novel-length sequels which follow the couple's marriage also exist. Several continuations and AUs have been self-published via Amazon. There is also a small amount of Thornton/Higgins slash.
Modern AUs are reasonably common, though nowhere near as prevalent as for Pride and Prejudice. Occasional same actor crossovers have been written, particularly with The Hobbit where Armitage plays Thorin Oakenshield in Peter Jackson's film trilogy. There's also at least one crossover with another work by Gaskell.Age of Evolution by SummerRed is a crossover with Gaskell's Wives and Daughters, written for Yuletide 2011
==Example Fanworks==
===Fanfiction===
*Pack Clouds Away by lstone. Close to canon bookverse continuation (membership required)
*Mistress of Marlborough Mills by Louisa. Miniseries-verse continuation that stretches into the couple's first months of marriage (WiP) (membership required)
*Sick of Shadows by lettered. A popular take on the forced marriage scenario that not only deals with Margaret's sexual awakening but also highlights the pair's intellectual differences (WiP)
*A Heart for Milton by Trudy Brasure. Popular AU novel with a different departure from canon than most
*Hors de Combat, Hors de Commerce by tofty. Post-series short that attempts to fix the miniseries ending
*Lavender and Ink by FadingWinter. Thornton-centric vignette
*the careful regularity by pogrebin. Rare piece of Thornton/Higgins slash, which plays with the use of "hands" for "workers"
====Recs & Reviews====
*Recs from AgzyM
*Rant & recs from Espresso Addict
*Recs from meretricula
===Fan art===
*North and South. Watercolour of Margaret & Thornton by kakao-bean
*Trainstation Kiss. Pencil drawing of Margaret & Thornton by olde-fashioned
*John Thornton in oil. Oil portrait by zeldat 
*Thornton, So, you are going.... Pencil portrait by Joane/jos2507
*Window. Digital portrait of Thornton by Finnguala
===Fanvids===
*"Addicted" by Heathra (linked here). Unusual AU vid that portrays Thornton as a stalker
*"Cosmic Love" by gss42x. More conventional Thornton/Margaret
===Meta===
*Was Thornton a virgin? by Trudy Brasure. Bookverse essay, with long discussion in comments
==Fansites==
*Foolish Passion (offline)
*West of Milton blog by LoriBear with occasional guest posts; also links to fanfiction, graphics and vids
==Archives==
===Fanfiction===
*North and South@AO3 ~30 stories
*North and South@C19 ~150 stories (members only)
*North and South@ff.net ~150 stories
*The North & South Fanfiction Archive (formerly at Yellow Rose) (both offline)
===Fan art===
*John Thornton at Richard Armitage gallery on DeviantArt
*John Thornton at Armitage Army gallery on DeviantArt
===Fanvids===
*FoolishPassion.org 14 vidders
*FoolishPassion.com (offline) 5 vidders
==Communities==
*C19 has several active N&S-related discussion boards and fanfiction
===Livejournals===
*foolish-passion LJ community for discussion and fanworks
*ns-icons icons
*ns-stillness icontest
===YahooGroups===
*ThorntonandHaleClassic fanfiction set in the 19th century (2004 miniseries)
*ThorntonandHaleModern modern AUs (2004 miniseries)
==References==
Category:North and South