Ruth

Since many characters fall sick at various points in the plot, illness is a significant motif in the novel and also reflects health and hygiene in the Victorian era. Bellingham’s illness in Wales marks the turning point in his relationship with Ruth, Ruth falls seriously ill after she is abandoned, Leonard and Mary Bradshaw both experience childhood illnesses, and the plot climaxes with first Bellingham and then Ruth contracting typhus during an epidemic in the town. Illness is a significant motif in the novel because it reflects themes of interconnectedness, influence, and vulnerability. Many of the illnesses depicted in the novel are contagious, and caring for others during illness can pose significant risks; when Ruth volunteers to nurse typhus patients, she is described as going “into the very jaws of the fierce disease” (318). Therefore, illness reveals how the fates of individuals are tied up with one another; just as an individual might die if someone does not risk infection by nursing them, Ruth’s life would have been ruined if Mr. Benson had not taken on the social risk of caring for her. Some individuals, such as Ruth and Mr. Benson, are shown taking significant personal risks for the greater social good, while others are much more concerned with protecting their own health or reputation.

The illness motif also reflects the notion of moral contagion, which lay at the heart of why fallen women were often ostracized in Victorian society. Mr. Bradshaw is horrified to learn that Ruth has been spending time with his daughters because he worries they might be infected by her and become fallen themselves, just as someone might contract a virus from a contagious patient. He blames Ruth for “the corruption this wanton has spread in my family” (252), using explicit imagery of contagion and illness, and he later lashes out at Mr. Benson for allowing his “innocent children to be exposed to corruption” (259). Because Ruth is accused of being a source of contagion and infection, she can only fully complete her arc of redemption when she voluntarily exposes herself and becomes a victim of infection rather than a source of its spread.

Finally, the motif of illness creates vulnerability and the opportunity for compassion. When Faith first comes to Wales and learns Ruth’s story, she is initially judgmental, but she develops concern and affection for Ruth while nursing her during her illness. Likewise, Ruth rejects Bellingham when he asks her to resume their relationship but feels compelled to go to him when she learns he is dangerously ill. As she explains to Mr. Davis, “I don’t think I should love him, if he were well and happy –but you said he was ill—and alone—how can I help caring for him?” (326). Despite all the pain he has caused her, Ruth finds compassion in her heart for Bellingham in the face of his vulnerability. Most poignantly, Ruth’s final illness and death lead others to lose any last traces of judgment toward her and fully celebrate how kind and caring she was during her lifetime.