Publisher's Synopsis
Life in the Iron Mills is a novella written by Rebecca Harding Davis in 1861. The story is set in a small industrial town in the United States during the mid-19th century. The main character, Hugh Wolfe, is a Welsh immigrant who works in an iron mill. He is a talented sculptor, but due to his social status, he is unable to pursue his passion for art. The story explores the harsh conditions of the working-class and the struggles of immigrants during the industrial revolution. The novella is a social commentary on the dehumanizing effects of industrialization and capitalism. Davis portrays the workers as oppressed and exploited, living in poverty and struggling to survive. The story also highlights the gender and class inequalities of the time, as women and minorities were often marginalized and overlooked. Life in the Iron Mills is considered a groundbreaking work of American literature for its realistic portrayal of working-class life and its critique of industrial capitalism. The novella was initially published in The Atlantic Monthly and received critical acclaim for its social relevance and literary merit. It remains a significant work of American literature and a testament to the struggles of the working-class during the industrial revolution.Wolfe, while Deborah watched him as a spaniel its master, bent over the furnace with his iron pole, unconscious of her scrutiny, only stopping to receive orders. Physically, Nature had promised the man but little. He had already lost the strength and instinct vigor of a man, his muscles were thin, his nerves weak, his face ( a meek, woman's face) haggard, yellow with consumption.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
