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Study Guide For George Eliot's The Mill On The Floss

Lucas Reed

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This comprehensive study guide is an invaluable resource for students studying George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss. With detailed summaries of each chapter, analysis of key themes and characters, and thought-provoking discussion questions, this guide will help you to understand and appreciate this classic work of literature.

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1: Introduces the main characters, Maggie and Tom Tulliver, and their family background. Maggie is a passionate and intelligent girl, while Tom is more practical and cautious. The chapter also foreshadows the tragic events that will occur later in the novel.
Chapter 2: Maggie and Tom's father, Mr. Tulliver, is a miller who is struggling financially. He is also a harsh and unloving father, which causes Maggie to seek solace in books and learning.
Chapter 3: Maggie meets Philip Wakem, a sickly and intelligent boy who lives with his father, a lawyer. Maggie and Philip develop a close friendship, but their relationship is threatened by Mr. Tulliver, who is prejudiced against Philip because of his deformity.
Chapter 4: Maggie and Tom's relationship is tested when Tom is sent away to school. Maggie feels abandoned and alone, and she begins to resent her brother.
Chapter 5: Maggie's mother, Mrs. Tulliver, dies, and Maggie is sent to live with her aunt and uncle, the Pullets. Maggie finds life with the Pullets to be stifling and unfulfilling.
Chapter 6: Maggie returns home to find that her father has remarried. Her stepmother, Mrs. Glegg, is a cold and unsympathetic woman who makes Maggie's life miserable.
Chapter 7: Maggie falls in love with Stephen Guest, a charming and wealthy young man. However, Stephen is engaged to Maggie's cousin, Lucy Deane. Maggie's love for Stephen leads to her downfall.
Chapter 8: Maggie and Stephen run away together, but their affair is short-lived. Stephen abandons Maggie, and she returns home, brokenhearted and pregnant.
Chapter 9: Maggie gives birth to Stephen's child, but the baby dies shortly after birth. Maggie is overcome with grief and guilt, and she drowns herself in the river.

Key Themes

The power of love: Love is a major theme throughout the novel. Maggie's love for Philip, Stephen, and her family drives her actions and shapes her destiny.
The importance of education: Maggie is a passionate learner, and her education is essential to her development as a person. However, her education is also a source of conflict, as it sets her apart from her family and community.
The role of society: Society plays a significant role in the novel. Maggie's life is shaped by the expectations and prejudices of her family and community. These expectations and prejudices ultimately lead to her downfall.
The nature of good and evil: Eliot explores the nature of good and evil through the characters of Maggie and Tom. Maggie is a good person who makes mistakes, while Tom is a flawed person who ultimately does the right thing. Eliot suggests that good and evil are not always clear-cut, and that even the best of people are capable of ng bad things.

Character Analysis

Maggie Tulliver: Maggie is the protagonist of the novel. She is a passionate and intelligent girl who dreams of a life beyond the limitations of her family and community. However, her dreams are ultimately thwarted by society's expectations and prejudices.
Tom Tulliver: Tom is Maggie's older brother. He is a practical and cautious young man who values his family and community above all else. However, Tom is also flawed, and he makes several mistakes that contribute to Maggie's downfall.
Philip Wakem: Philip is a sickly and intelligent boy who becomes Maggie's best friend. Philip is a kind and compassionate person, and he is the only person who truly understands Maggie.
Stephen Guest: Stephen is a charming and wealthy young man who falls in love with Maggie. However, Stephen is also a weak and selfish man, and he ultimately abandons Maggie.
Lucy Deane: Lucy is Maggie's cousin and Stephen's fiancee. Lucy is a kind and gentle young woman, but she is also overshadowed by Maggie's more vibrant personality.

Discussion Questions

How does Maggie's character compare to that of her brother, Tom?
What are the different ways in which society shapes Maggie's life?
How does Eliot explore the nature of good and evil through the characters of Maggie and Tom?
What is the significance of the river Floss in the novel?
How does the novel reflect the social and cultural changes that were taking place in England during the Victorian era?

The Mill on the Floss is a complex and moving novel that explores the power of love, the importance of education, the role of society, and the nature of good and evil. Maggie Tulliver is a memorable and tragic character, and her story is one that will stay with readers long after they have finished the book.