The novel Ruth written by Elizabeth Gaskell was an extremely controversial book to be released during the time. During the time period there were very few novels that would focus on the hard problems that plagued society. One of the topics that was talked about the least was illegitimate children. All of the novels of the time that even discussed the topic fully condemned it, and believed that the people who participated in this act should be social outcasts. This is where the novel separates itself from the other's in the time period, "Mrs. Gaskell's novel was very sympathetic toward the poor victimized mothers of bastard children and blamed society as the real cause of illegitimacy" (Haller). In the novel, Ruth was met with much sympathy for the situation she found herself in "Even when it is discovered that Ruth is to have a child, an event that could make her ordeal as a social outcast even more painful, Mr. Benson can see that it, too, is a blessing if approached properly" (Malcolm). This novel made little change to the views of the people though, many families wouldn't allow their daughters to even read the novel in fear that they would see illegitimacy in a positive light. 

Sources: 

Haller, Dorothy L. Bastardy and Baby Farming in Victorian England, people.loyno.edu/~history/journal/1989-0/haller.htm.

Malcolm, Elizabeth. Ruth, www.victorianweb.org/authors/gaskell/malcolm/4.html.