Middlemarch

by Catherine Neale

"Eternally to strive towards the highest state of being"

This line from Goethe's Faust, which is quoted in the text, is indicative of the main preoccupations in Middlemarch. In it George Eliot portrays the eternal confict between individual egoism and the need for social duty and reveals a persuasive enthusiasm for a development from egoism to altruism.

In her discussion of theme and characterization Catherine Neale analyses the degree to which the characters manage to achieve this aim. She also considers the intellectual climate in which George Eliot lived-- a time that saw the emergence of Darwin's theory of evolution and was suspicious of the self-seeking core of human nature, be it called selfishness or subjectivity-- and examines its influences on George Eliot's ideology and writing.

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 2, 1990

Reviews

[Kathleen Flynn]

An old-fashioned sort of critical study (published 1989), but enjoyable all the same. I am always happy to have an excuse to think about Middlemarch, one of my all-time favorite books.

[Julia Rivière]

A great introduction to the study of Middlemarch and an extended overview of the main issues at stake. One or two chapters were maybe a bit weaker than the others, but all the second part about the Context was especially insightful and useful.

[Jessica]

Only moderately useful in terms of studying Middlemarch.