Middlemarch: Background, Resources, Reading Schedule

[Lady Clementina, Moderator]

Born on 22 November 1819, Mary Ann Evans Cross or George Eliot turns 200 later this year, and to celebrate, we’ll be reading Middlemarch over October and November. Middlemarch was first published in 1871–72 in eight instalments. Set forty years earlier, between 1829 and 1832, the book follows various storylines and themes ranging from relationships to the status of women, education to religion and historical events including the unrest preceding the 1832 Reform Bill/Act. One central character, our ‘heroine’ so to speak is Dorothea Brooke, a nineteen-year-old living with her sister and uncle, and taking an interest in renovating tenant farmers’ buildings. She is courted by Sir James Chettam but finds herself more interested in the Revd. Casaubon, a much older scholar. Alongside we also follow the story of Dr Tertius Lydgate, a new doctor in Middlemarch, idealistic, talented, but also naïve; and also of Fred and Rosemary Vincy, children of the mayor of Middlemarch, among others.

[Lady Clementina, Moderator]

Find the book in various formats here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/145

Public domain audiobook here: https://librivox.org/search?title=Mid...

[Lady Clementina, Moderator]

The Victorian Web has a lot of detailed analysis on the book on setting, characterization, religion, science and technology, gender, and several other themes which appear in the book: Find that here: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/e...

[Lady Clementina, Moderator]

Reading Schedule
The book is luckily divided into eight parts, so I’m scheduling our read accordingly; the first and last instalments will be a touch longer with the short prelude and finale added to these. We’ll be finishing up just a day after George Eliot turns 200!

Week 1: 5th October: Prelude and Book 1
Week 2: 12th October: Book 2
Week 3: 19th October: Book 3
Week 4: 26th October: Book 4
Week 5: 2nd November: Book 5
Week 6: 9th November: Book 6
Week 7: 19th November: Book 7
Week 8: 23rd November: Book 8 and Finale

[Brittany (Lady Red)]

Awesome thanks for breaking it up like that.

[Lady Clementina, Moderator]

George Eliot or Mary Ann Evans Cross was a novelist, poet, and translator. She wrote seven novels of which Middlemarch is the second-last. Themes she has explored include politics, women, religion, and rural life among others.

Find bios here : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_...

Here https://www.notablebiographies.com/Du...

And various biographical articles here: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/e...

[Renee, Moderator]

This is such a great book. I hope you all have a wonderful time reading and discussing. There’s so much to talk about!

[ConnieD]

Downloading it from Librevox tonight and I'll be ready to go.

[Nidhi]

I like all the book i have read by George Eliot , Middlemarch was most lengthy, The Mill on the Floss is my favorite because of Brother Sister theme. Adam Bede and Silas Marner also i admire, now i am planning to read either Daniel Deronda or Romola. May be they will be read by a group here on GR next year.

[Piyangie, Moderator]

I've read only Mill on the Floss by Eliot, so looking very much forward to the read. Have the oxford paperback ready. :)

[LiLi]

Oh man, I might have to join you for this one. I haven't read this book since 2001! It's so good.

[Lady Clementina, Moderator]

Good to hear that. Looking forward to the discussion.

[Kirsten]

A good companion book would be My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead

[Lady Clementina, Moderator]

Kirsten #EndGunViolence wrote: "A good companion book would be My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead"

Thanks for sharing that Kirsten!

[Robin]

I started reading this novel before I realised I should have waited. Anyway, I'll pause read some light rubbish, and join you. One interesting feature so far is a quote at chapter 5 from Burton's Anatomy of Melancholia. I was recently at a conference in Bagni Di Lucca which revolved around health (to be rather casual about the topic) and this book featured. It was a really good start to what could have been a feminist debate, and I'm interested that Eliot used the quote.

[Lady Clementina, Moderator]

Robin wrote: "I started reading this novel before I realised I should have waited. Anyway, I'll pause read some light rubbish, and join you. One interesting feature so far is a quote at chapter 5 from Burton's A..."

Interesting-we'll discuss this when we start chatting about the book later this week :)

[Lady Clementina, Moderator]

Sorry I am a little late putting up the discussion this week but I'll have it up soon.

[Charlotte]

Middlemarch is on this BBC list under the category Family and Friendship

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arti...

[Lady Clementina, Moderator]

Charlotte wrote: "Middlemarch is on this BBC list under the category Family and Friendship

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arti..."
Thanks for sharing :)