Elizabeth Gaskell's North and south is one of the most influential novels
             of the industrial age with its clear depiction of social, economic and
             political conditions prevailing in that era. We are all well aware pf the
             fact that capitalism was the biggest problem in the industrial age and it
             was viewed as the sole enemy of mankind since it gave rise to numerous
             social and economic problems for the urban poor. Gaskell has captured all
             these problems skillfully in her novel thus focusing on the major problems
             of these times. However it is not just the social or economic conditions
             that make this novel a success, but also the depiction of the religion and
             religious controversies that set this work apart from other novels of 19th
             The author has tried to maintain an objective stance on the subject of
             religion but she has written clearly about doubts and various other
             problems that Christianity suffered during this troubled times. As man
             himself was undergoing severe social and economic problems, his religious
             beliefs also suffered a setback and author has transferred these doubts
             carefully yet clearly onto the pages of her novel. Many people believe that
             it is Nicolas Higgins who represents the center of religious controversy
             but that is not entirely true. We notice a religious motif running
             throughout the novel and various religious doubts and belief surface from
             time to time through different characters beginning from Margaret Hale's
             father. However it is true that it is in Higgins that religious controversy
             is most pronounced. It is important to study the many different references
             to religious doubt and controversy that occur in this novel to fully
             comprehend the problem that had surfaced in those days. While people
             suddenly began doubting religion is unclear from the novel, however it
             appears that the problems of the age had created doubts in the minds of
             some people who later decided ...