The novel is subtitled "A Tale of Manchester Life."

Though the book was first published anonymously, it came to be known widely that Elizabeth Gaskell was the author of the book.

"Mary Barton" received mixed reviews after its first publication. The positive ones praised its honesty and fidelity to fact, whereas the negative reviews mostly criticized it for presenting a distorted picture of the relationships between the employer and employee in England.

Since the novel was published anonymously, it created an obvious sensation. According to Elizabeth Gaskell, she was also sometimes a part of the group of authors who made guesses about the writer of the book.

Quick Guide: Mary Barton
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction and Overview
Chapter Two: Characters
Chapter Three: Plot Summary
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis