Virginia Woolf famously said that Middlemarch is “one of the few English novels written for grown-up people.” It is also frequently said to be the best nineteenth-century novel written in English and the most perfect example of classic British realism. Its capacious scope, depth of compassion, and careful attention to the details of human experience transcend its Victorian origins; it continues to attract ardent devotees almost 150 years after its publication. In this course we will examine the language of Middlemarch and nuances of form, plot, and character. We will explore George Eliot’s life and take a sustained interest in the historical context of the novel, including its relation to science, religion, political economy, and social history. The focus of the course will be on the pleasures of reading one of the great novels of all time and investigating materials that can enrich that experience.
