The Mill on the Floss in Reading the Classics

Mar 27, 2024 Henry Avila rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This could be retitled the Ecstasy and the Agony for what follows in George Eliot's ( Mary Ann Evans) superb novel, not surprisingly since I've read others of her excellent books. An ordinary setting just before the Victorian age of late 1820s England, in a small fictional rural port town St. Ogg's (modeled after Gainsborough) by a river where inevitably trade is how people there lived and survived. A routine story (but not) about two siblings older brother Tom Tulliver and younger sister Maggie This could be retitled the Ecstasy and the Agony for what follows in George Eliot's ( Mary Ann Evans) superb novel, not surprisingly since I've read others of her excellent books. An ordinary setting just before the Victorian age of late 1820s England, in a small fictional rural port town St. Ogg's (modeled after Gainsborough) by a river where inevitably trade is how people there lived and survived. A routine story (but not) about two siblings older brother Tom Tulliver and younger sister Maggie by four years, unusually close in fact but this will change in the future. Their father Jeremy is hot- tempered to his detriment, owner of the mill in the plot, suing Mr. Wakem wealthy lawyer for interfering with his building he believes. Bessy Tulliver a simple woman and mother of Tom and Maggie from a prominent family jealous of her three rich sisters, they married well. The children grow and the troubles with them too, Maggie, intelligent yet awkward in local society, feels abandoned when big brother goes off to school, ironic because she's smarter than he but back then women were ignored in education, it seemed superfluous. Little sister sprouts in beauty and the first to notice is Philip Wakem hunchbacked classmate of her brother...yes the son of hated Mr. Wakem, not a good situation for the family, she as a girl, ran away from home to join the Gypsies! Still more complications occurs meeting rich Stephen Guest at her beloved cousin Lucy's party. The attractions are powerful however this is Lucy's beau, from the frying pan into the fire, as temperatures rise Maggie's heart freezes , the chill wind can eviscerate an organ. One, two , too many boyfriends and both unacceptable to the stuffy village's traditions. The plot gets worse but you will need to read the novel to learn the particular consequences. George Eliot had a tumultuous life not common place indeed and this unconventional narrative reveals that in an otherwise era. A dark novel which won't be forgotten easily, still this has aspects of wisdom for those who desire it, always interesting though and an exciting ending. ...more

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May 13, 2011 Mickey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

About halfway through this book, after Tom Tulliver wrote his determination to seek revenge on the Wakem family in the family Bible and Phillip and Maggie were meeting secretly, I was all in a swoon. I said to myself, 'This is the 19th century version of Romeo and Juliet!' I found the pairing of Phillip and Maggie to be so sweet. She was still unformed and child-like. She trusted Phillip without question and was without affectation or coyness in her conversation with him. Phillip was less forth- About halfway through this book, after Tom Tulliver wrote his determination to seek revenge on the Wakem family in the family Bible and Phillip and Maggie were meeting secretly, I was all in a swoon. I said to myself, 'This is the 19th century version of Romeo and Juliet!' I found the pairing of Phillip and Maggie to be so sweet. She was still unformed and child-like. She trusted Phillip without question and was without affectation or coyness in her conversation with him. Phillip was less forth-coming about his intentions, but he was so solicitous of her best interests. He was patient and kind to her and spent time to encourage her to use her mind and enjoy herself, all in the name of making her happier. I thought they were great together. I was looking forward to the overcoming of the family obstacles or the less happy scenerio of them pining for each other for the rest of their lives.

Then I started to get suspicious. Why had I never heard of them before as I've heard of Darcy and Lizzy? Or Heathcliff and Cathy? Why aren't their names paired as one of the power couples of literature? Another thought crossed my mind: It's been my experience with Eliot that she won't do straight romance. She is too entrenched in realism to leave that little bit of fairy tale necessary for a romance. She may also have been trying to avoid the stereotype of "lady novelists" of her time. I now had a definate fear that she had "ruined" the ending.

Enter Stephen Guest. I was not happy when he arrived, although the argument between Stephen and Maggie when she had decided to go back home without eloping almost won me over. They were steamy together. She would've been a better wife for Stephen than Lucy. He needed someone to snap him out of his self-satisfaction. Maggie was a different woman than she was when she was with Phillip in their secret meetings. She was a few years older. She definately formed her own opinions on things and had become more independent and stronger. Stephen might have been a better "fit" for her now, but I still wanted Phillip and Maggie together.

Of course, the actual ending was not one that anyone could've predicted.

You know, I won't second guess George Eliot. She's one of the greatest novelists of all time. It wasn't an updated 'Romeo and Juliet'. She never meant it to be. It was not meant to follow a formula. I can't fault her for that. I do think that if she had followed the formula, people would know this book and people would know Phillip Wakem and Maggie Tulliver.

Wonderful book. It's worth every minute you'll spend reading it. ...more

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