George Eliot: An Intrusive Author
Edith Suhartono, 48063754, ENN314Q, Assignment 2, No. 343304, 1st Semester, 2013
English III ENN314Q
Reading Classics
Assignment 02 Unique assignment number: 343304 First Semester 2013 By Edith Suhartono Student no.: 48063754 Topic:
Georg Eliot Middlemarch
0
Edith Suhartono, 48063754, ENN314Q, Assignment 2, No. 343304, 1st Semester, 2013
George Eliot - an Intrusive Author
In Middlemarch George Eliot shows us a variety of different characters, different living circumstances and classes. Eliot is able to vividly mirror live and fates in her characters by creating contrasts and parallels, whereby she openly weaves in her own opinion and morality about a wide range of subjects such as women and marriage, class and rank, religion and morality as well as money. Mroz summarises well: “Middlemarch is about the process of understanding the experiences and perceptions of others, and of suffering through self-deception and disillusionment, social positioning, class consciousness, and the ambition for selfimprovement with its concomitants: education and money” (Mroz R. M.2004). An omniscient narrator and in addition a constantly interfering one ensures that the reader is well informed about her opinion and hardly is able to form an own one different from hers. However she pretends to look at her characters in a scientific way. The subtitle sounds like a title for a dissertation: ‘Study of Provincial Life’ which calls for objectivity. Eliot very seldom directly states her personal opinion, like when she says: "For my part I am very sorry for him" (Elliot G.:3.29) in contrast to the "strong [microscopic] lens applied to Mrs Cadwallader 's matchmaking" (Elliot G.:1.6). The reason for this scientific approach might be a deep desire to morally lift up society and this way she tries to influence humankind. Eliot had a secular understanding of morality. Newton sees it “as signs of an excessive moralism” (Newton K.M.). However I do not agree with him, but believe that she wanted
English III ENN314Q
Reading Classics
Assignment 02 Unique assignment number: 343304 First Semester 2013 By Edith Suhartono Student no.: 48063754 Topic:
Georg Eliot Middlemarch
0
Edith Suhartono, 48063754, ENN314Q, Assignment 2, No. 343304, 1st Semester, 2013
George Eliot - an Intrusive Author
In Middlemarch George Eliot shows us a variety of different characters, different living circumstances and classes. Eliot is able to vividly mirror live and fates in her characters by creating contrasts and parallels, whereby she openly weaves in her own opinion and morality about a wide range of subjects such as women and marriage, class and rank, religion and morality as well as money. Mroz summarises well: “Middlemarch is about the process of understanding the experiences and perceptions of others, and of suffering through self-deception and disillusionment, social positioning, class consciousness, and the ambition for selfimprovement with its concomitants: education and money” (Mroz R. M.2004). An omniscient narrator and in addition a constantly interfering one ensures that the reader is well informed about her opinion and hardly is able to form an own one different from hers. However she pretends to look at her characters in a scientific way. The subtitle sounds like a title for a dissertation: ‘Study of Provincial Life’ which calls for objectivity. Eliot very seldom directly states her personal opinion, like when she says: "For my part I am very sorry for him" (Elliot G.:3.29) in contrast to the "strong [microscopic] lens applied to Mrs Cadwallader 's matchmaking" (Elliot G.:1.6). The reason for this scientific approach might be a deep desire to morally lift up society and this way she tries to influence humankind. Eliot had a secular understanding of morality. Newton sees it “as signs of an excessive moralism” (Newton K.M.). However I do not agree with him, but believe that she wanted
Bibliography: Department of English Studies. 2008. Reading Classics. Only Study Guide for ENN 314Q. Pretoria: University of South Africa Eliot, G Mroz, R. M. 2004. George Eliot 's Complex Characters in “Middlemarch”. Lakhead University, Ontario. Available at: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/eliot/middlemarch/mroz1.html (accessed on 29 March, 2013) Newton, K 9 Edith Suhartono, 48063754, ENN314Q, Assignment 2, No Declaration Name and student number: Assignment topic: Suhartono Edith Andrea Christine, 48063754 George Eliot, Middlemarch Date: 07 April, 2013 Please return the corrected assignment by email