“Middlemarch: A study of provincial life”

“Middlemarch: A study of provincial life” - George Eliot

Hello everyone,

In my M.A (Semester 2) syllabus, I studied the most confusing novel “Middlemarch” by Marry Ann Evans. I would like to share something about this novel.

Marry Ann Evans (22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880) was well-known English Novelist, poet, journalist, translator and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She is known by her pen name ‘George Eliot’. Most of her novels are set in provincial England.

“Middlemarch: A study of provincial life” was first published in eight instalments during 1871-72. The novel is set in the fictitious midlands town of Middlemarch during 1829-32.

There are more than 25 characters which make the novel difficult to understand. It also creates confusion in remembering the sequence of the plot also. There are many families living in Middlemarch. Middlemarch is in middle and all the families march around it in different direction.

The town is also divided into two parts: - old and New. Old was more dominant on new. Even the religion was divided in this town. This divided the town as well as the characters in different ways.

The plot of the novel moves around four different stories apart from other small episodes which contribute in the main plot. They are:-

· Dorothea – Casaubon – Ladislaw story
· Rosamond – Lydgate story
· Fred Vincy – Mary Garth story
· Bulstrode’s Episode

To read more about the plot, characters and cobweb of relations, CLICK HERE.

The novel gives us realistic, vivid and comprehensive picture of provincial life of England. The number of characters belongs to different age group and profession. All the characters have their own story. Therefore, there are many different stories in this novel which makes the novel more complicated, but an interesting one.

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