Read in English · with German
Read Cranford in English, with German beside it
by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell · 1810–1865
"Cranford" by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell is an episodic novel published in 1853. Set in a small English country town, the work affectionately portrays a society of elderly women navigating genteel poverty and rigid social codes in a world slowly changing around them. Through the eyes of visitor Mary Smith, readers encounter the "Amazons" of Cranford—widows and spinsters maintaining appearances through "elegant economy" while resisting the industrial age creeping beyond their boundaries. This gentle chronicle explores class, tradition, and the gradual shift from rank-based society toward human kindness.
Summary generated automatically by Project Gutenberg.
- Read time
- 321 min
- Words
- 70,676
- Chapters
- 16
- Paragraphs
- 717
- Price
- Free
- England -- Fiction
- Female friendship -- Fiction
- Older women -- Fiction
- Pastoral fiction
- Sisters -- Fiction
- Villages -- Fiction
“No; but they did not like Miss Matty to marry below her rank.
„Nein; aber sie mochten es nicht, daß Miss Matty unter ihrem Stand heiratete.
You know she was the rector’s daughter, and somehow they are related to Sir Peter Arley: Miss Jenkyns thought a deal of that.”
Du weißt, sie war die Tochter des Pfarrers, und irgendwie sind sie mit Sir Peter Arley verwandt: Fräulein Jenkyns hielt sehr viel davon.“
About the author
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell1810–1865
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell was an English novelist, biographer, and short story writer born in London in 1810 and died in Alton in 1865.
The Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell page, and where to start →Read it in another language
Questions about Cranford
Can I read Cranford in English with German side by side online?
Yes, free. Paralelo shows the English original with a German machine translation beside it, aligned phrase by phrase: hover or tap a phrase and its counterpart lights up in the other column. Anyone can read a passage; a free account opens the whole book.
What level do I need to read Cranford here?
There is no set level. Cranford runs to 70,676 words in 16 chapters, and the translation sits beside it, aligned phrase by phrase, so you can start below the level the original would need on its own and lean on the translation only where you stumble.
Is Cranford really free to read?
Yes. The text is in the public domain, and the translation and alignment are ours to give. A free account opens the whole book; the paid tier is for unlimited explanations.
Can I read Cranford in another language?
Yes. It is also published in French, and switching keeps your place, because both columns share one paragraph numbering.
How long does Cranford take to read?
About 5 hours at a normal pace, longer if you stop to look at the alignment, which is rather the point.
Book details
- Original language
- English
- Translation
- German, machine translation
- Source text
- Project Gutenberg #394
- Licence
- Public domain worldwide
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