Middlemarch by George Eliot

First, a cautionary tale for English teachers: More than 50 years ago, when I was a junior in high school, the English curriculum included Silas Marner by George Eliot. My teacher sought to combine grammar and literature by giving us the assignment of finding examples in each chapter of a compound sentence, a complex sentence, a prepositional phrase, a direct object, and so forth. We had a whole list of grammatical elements to search for. I not only completed the tedious assignment for myself, but also kindly helped my best friend. And by the end of this, despite the fact that I could find something to like in almost any book, I hated Silas Marner and avoided ever reading another Eliot novel, until now. (To be fair, my teacher was an outstanding instructor in grammar, responsible for the fact that I can still diagram a sentence in my head to figure out whether to use "who" or "whom.") The moral for teachers: At least do no harm. I surely hope that I never caused a student to hate a book.

Thus, when I have finally overcome my prejudice enough to read Middlemarch, I find myself totally surprised to discover that it is not just a good book, but a great book.

The highly interesting plot concerns itself with the doings of the middle class in England in the 1830s, particularly with three intertwined "love stories." But the actions are much more involved and realistic than in a standard marriage plot novel, involving disappointed dreams and compromise as often as fulfillment and unblemished happiness. What makes the novel outstanding is Eliot's perceptive portrayal of the characters, whose actions and motivations are entirely logical and realistic and recognizable, so that each character seems like someone you might meet. Or perhaps you might even see something of yourself. The most admirable characters sometimes reveal less than perfect traits, and the least admirable are not entirely devoid of worth. I have never read a novel with characters who seemed more real.

Eliot also excels in her depiction of the events and attitudes of the time and place, placing her characters and their actions and reactions in relation to their setting.

And Eliot is often very humorous, in a subtly ironic and satiric way. I often chuckled out loud.

For potential readers, I must say that this is not an easy book to read at all; it took me a much longer time to read than is usual for me. I don't think younger people, who want to believe that love always conquers all, would appreciate it. It perhaps requires a certain amount of compassionate cynicism.

I'll boldly proclaim that this may be the most well written book I have ever read. That is not to say it is my favorite book, but that is only because of my less-than-intellectual bent for high drama.