Plot of Middlemarch

Name :- Zala Krutikadevi. D

Paper :- 6. The Victorian Literature

Sem :- 2

Roll no:- 17

Topic :- Plot of Middlemarch

Submitted to :- Smt. S.B. Gardi

                       Department of English

                       M.K. Bhavnagar University.

Introduction

* George Eliot :-
  
George Eliot was the English novelist , journalist , translator and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era.
George Eliot was also known by her pen name 
" Mary Anne Evans ", she was born on 22, November
1819 and died on 22, December 1880. Her first novel " Adam Bede " and was a great success. She used a male pen name to ensure her works were taken seriously in an era when female authors were usually
associated with romantic novels. After that her another famous novels are - 

1. The Mill on the Floss
2. Silas Marner
3. Romala
4. Middlemarch
5. Daniel Deronda

These all are famous novels by Eliot give a grand popularity to her brought social acceptance , and Lewes and Eliot's home became a meeting place for writers and intellectuals.

Her work " Middlemarch " has been described by Martin Amis and " Julian Barnes " as the greatest novelist the English Language.

Middlemarch 

Author :- George Eliot ( Marian Evans )

Language :- English

Genre :- Novel , Social Criticism

Publication Date :- 1874

Middlemarch - " a study of provincial life " is a novel by George Eliot. It is her 7th novel, started in 1869 but put it a side during the illness of her son. But during 1871 - 1872 the novel appeared in serial form. The first one volume edition was published in 1874 with a large success and sales.

" A study of provincial life " is subtitled of Middlemarch , is set in the midlands town of Middlemarch. Middlemarch is one of the best novel of Eliot in English literature which has multiple plots with a large numbers of characters , including various types of idealism , the nature of marriage , religion , political reform and education. Here the pace is leisurely , the tone is mildly didactic with an authorial voice that occasionally bursts through the narrative , and the canvas is very broad.

There are many major and minor characters in this novel like :-

With a large number of characters, Middlemarch has different types of plot and situations.

1. Initial situations :-

Dorothea marries Mr. Casaubon and Lydgates marries Rosamond. Here as the Victorian age Middlemarch is totally against it tradition when main protagonist gets married at the end of the first volume.

“The difficult task of knowing another soul is not for young gentlemen whose consciousness is chiefly made up of their own wishes.”

2. Conflicts :-

The main problem is marriage here. Dorothea finally tied up with Mr. Casaubon and she doesn't look up to him enough. This way an another side Rosamond  discovers that Lydgate lives for his work not for her. The both marriages became a major problem between couples. 

“When a man has seen the woman whom he would have chosen if he had intended to marry speedily, his remaining a bachelor will usually depend on her resolution rather than on his.” 

3. Complications :-

Now another complications is happening when Dorothea becomes friend with Will Ladislaw. At that time Mr. Casaubon is  feeling  jealousy about it.

“One can begin so many things with a new person! - even begin to be a better man.”

4.  Climax :- 

Climax is like a soul of story and also valuable part of any story. Now Dorothea is ready for remarriage with Will , he feels like he can't go anywhere near her without people whispering about how he's only after her money.

“Confound you handsome young fellows! You think of having it all your own way in the world. You don't understand women. They don't admire you half so much as you admire yourselves.”

5. Suspense :-

Now one day Dorothea found Will and Rosamond together. There is a big misunderstanding happening by Dorothea , that there is a secret affair between Willl and Rosamon.

“Our deeds still travel with us from afar/And what we have been makes us what we are.” 

6. Denouement :-

Finally Rosamond explains everything to Dorothea and Dorothea is trying to save her relationship with Will. 

“People are almost always better than their neighbors think they are.”

7. Conclusion :-

At the final step of the novel , after all problems finally Dorothea and Will married after Mr. Casaubon's funeral.But on another side Rosamond can't save her marriage with Lydgate and after sometimes Lydgate dies and now Rosamond is free to remarry.

“But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.”

** THANK YOU **