Sylvia's Lovers

Elizabeth Gaskell’s Sylvia’s Lovers, written in 1863, takes place on the coastal Yorkshire town of Monkshaven during the Napoleonic Wars, centering on Sylvia Robson and the two men who love her—Philip Hepburn and Charley Kinraid. Impressment—the forced conscription of sailors by the British Navy—plays a central role in the plot, reflecting the anxieties of Gaskell’s time about individual freedom and national duty. This was during a time where conflicts overseas were very rampant and a lot of men were being called to action to fight in the navy.

The sea in this context provided a sense of adventure and masculine heroism, yet is portrayed as a force that provided uncertainty, as the ocean was a place that didn't allow for people to be easily followed. It portrayed a romantic image for Victorian women, where their livelihoods were divided by war and commerce, as represented by the sea.