Novels Bibliography Course

8/13/2019 Novels Bibliography Course

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Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bront was born in Yorkshire, England on April 21, 1816 to Maria Branwell andatri!k Bront" Be!a#se Charlotte$s %other died when Charlotte was &i'e years old,

Charlotte$s a#nt, a de'o#t Methodist, helped her brother(in(law raise his !hildren" )n 182*

Charlotte and three o& her sisters+Maria, Eliabeth, and E%ily+were sent to Cowan Bridge,

a s!hool &or !lergy%en$s da#ghters" -hen an o#tbreak o& t#ber!#losis killed Maria and

Eliabeth, Charlotte and E%ily were bro#ght ho%e" .e'eral years later, Charlotte ret#rned to

s!hool, this ti%e in /oe 0ead, England" .he be!a%e a tea!her at the s!hool in 18 b#t

de!ided a&ter se'eral years to be!o%e a pri'ate go'erness instead" .he was hired to li'e

with and t#tor the !hildren o& the wealthy .idgewi!k &a%ily in 183, b#t the 4ob was a %isery

to her and she soon le&t it" 5n!e Charlotte re!ognied that her drea% o& starting her own

s!hool was not i%%ediately realiable, howe'er, she ret#rned to working as a go'erness,

this ti%e &or a di&&erent &a%ily" inding hersel& e7#ally disappointed with go'erness work the

se!ond ti%e aro#nd, Charlotte re!r#ited her sisters to 4oin her in %ore serio#s preparation &or

the establish%ent o& a s!hool"

Altho#gh the Bronts$ s!hool was #ns#!!essl, their literary pro4e!ts &lo#rished" At a yo#ng

age, the !hildren !reated a &i!tional world they na%ed Angria, and their %any stories, poe%s,

and plays were early predi!tors o& shared writing talent that e'ent#ally led E%ily, Anne, andCharlotte to !areers as no'elists" As ad#lts, Charlotte s#ggested that she, Anne, and E%ily

!ollaborate on a book o& poe%s" he three sisters p#blished #nder %ale pse#dony%s9

Charlotte$s was C#rrer Bell, while E%ily and Anne wrote as Ellis and A!ton Bell, respe!ti'ely"

-hen the poetry 'ol#%e re!ei'ed little p#bli! noti!e, the sisters de!ided to work on separate

no'els b#t retained the sa%e pse#dony%s" Anne and E%ily prod#!ed their %asterpie!es in

18*:, b#t Charlotte$s &irst book, The Professor, ne'er &o#nd a willing p#blisher d#ring her

li&eti%e" Charlotte wrote Jane Eyrelater that year" he book, a !riti7#e o& ;i!torian

ass#%ptions abo#t gender and so!ial !lass, be!a%e one o& the %ost s#!!essl no'els o& its

era, both !riti!ally and !o%%er!ially"

A#tobiographi!al ele%ents are re!ogniable thro#gho#t Jane Eyre" Jane$s e


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who ran Cowan Bridge" Charlotte took re'enge #pon the s!hool that treated her so poorly by

#sing it as the basis &or the &i!tional =owood" Jane$s &riend 0elen B#rns$s tragi! death &ro%

t#ber!#losis re!alls the deaths o& two o& Charlotte$s sisters, Maria and Eliabeth, who

s#!!#%bed to the sa%e disease d#ring their ti%e at Cowan Bridge" Additionally, John

/eed$s de!line into al!oholis% and dissol#tion is %ost likely %odeled #pon the li&e o&

Charlotte Bront$s brother Branwell, who slid into opi#% and al!ohol addi!tions in the years

pre!eding his death" inally, like Charlotte, Jane be!o%es a go'erness+a ne#tral 'antage

point &ro% whi!h to obser'e and des!ribe the oppressi'e so!ial ideas and pra!ti!es o&

nineteenth(!ent#ry ;i!torian so!iety"

he plot o& Jane Eyre&ollows the &or% o& a Bild#ngsro%an, whi!h is a no'el that tells the

story o& a !hild$s %at#ration and &o!#ses on the e%otions and eothi! genre originated in >er%any" )t be!a%e pop#lar in England in thelate eighteenth !ent#ry, and it generally des!ribes s#pernat#ral e


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Jane Eyre is a yo#ng orphan being raised by Mrs" /eed, her !r#el, wealthy a#nt" A ser'ant

na%ed Bessie pro'ides Jane with so%e o& the &ew kindnesses she re!ei'es, telling her

stories and singing songs to her" 5ne day, as p#nish%ent &or &ighting with her b#llying !o#sin

John /eed, Jane$s a#nt i%prisons Jane in the red(roo%, the roo% in whi!h Jane$s n!le

/eed died" -hile lo!ked in, Jane, belie'ing that she sees her #n!le$s ghost, s!rea%s and

&aints" .he wakes to &ind hersel& in the !are o& Bessie and the kindly apothe!ary Mr" =loyd,

who s#ggests to Mrs" /eed that Jane be sent away to s!hool" o Jane$s delight, Mrs" /eed

!on!#rs"

5n!e at the =owood .!hool, Jane &inds that her li&e is &ar &ro% idylli!" he s!hool$s

head%aster is Mr" Bro!kleh#rst, a !r#el, hypo!riti!al, and ab#si'e %an" Bro!kleh#rst

prea!hes a do!trine o& po'erty and pri'ation to his st#dents while #sing the s!hool$s nds to

pro'ide a wealthy and op#lent li&estyle &or his own &a%ily" At =owood, Jane be&riends a

yo#ng girl na%ed 0elen B#rns, whose strong, %artyrlike attit#de toward the s!hool$s

%iseries is both helpl and displeasing to Jane" A %assi'e typh#s epide%i! sweeps

=owood, and 0elen dies o& !ons#%ption" he epide%i! also res#lts in the depart#re o& Mr"

Bro!kleh#rst by attra!ting attention to the insal#brio#s !onditions at =owood" A&ter a gro#p o&

%ore sy%patheti! gentle%en takes Bro!kleh#rst$s pla!e, Jane$s li&e i%pro'es dra%ati!ally"

.he spends eight %ore years at =owood, si< as a st#dent and two as a tea!her"

A&ter tea!hing &or two years, Jane yearns &or new e

does not deny Mason$s !lai%s, b#t he e


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also 'al#es intelle!t#al and e%otional l&ill%ent" 0er strong belie& in gender and so!ial

e7#ality !hallenges the ;i!torian pre4#di!es against wo%en and the poor"

/ead anin(depth analysis o& Jane Eyre"

Edward Rochester( Jane$s e%ployer and the %aster o& horn&ield, /o!hester is a wealthy,

passionate %an with a dark se!ret that pro'ides %#!h o& the no'el$s s#spense" /o!hester is

#n!on'entional, ready to set aside polite %anners, propriety, and !onsideration o& so!ial

!lass in order to intera!t with Jane &rankly and dire!tly" 0e is rash and i%pet#o#s and has

spent %#!h o& his ad#lt li&e roa%ing abo#t E#rope in an atte%pt to a'oid the !onse7#en!es

o& his yo#thl indis!retions" 0is proble%s are partly the res#lt o& his own re!klessness, b#t

he is a sy%patheti! &ig#re be!a#se he has s#&&ered &or so long as a res#lt o& his early

%arriage to Bertha"

/ead anin(depth analysis o& Edward /o!hester"

St. John Rivers( Along with his sisters, Mary and iana, .t" John @prono#n!ed F.in4inGser'es as Jane$s bene&a!tor a&ter she r#ns away &ro% horn&ield, gi'ing her &ood and shelter"

he %inister at Morton, .t" John is !old, reser'ed, and o&ten !ontrolling in his intera!tions

with others" Be!a#se he is entirely alienated &ro% his &eelings and de'oted solely to an

a#stere a%bition, .t" John ser'es as a &oil to Edward /o!hester"

/ead anin(depth analysis o& .t" John /i'ers"

Mrs. Reed ( Mrs" /eed is Jane$s !r#el a#nt, who raises her at >ateshead 0all #ntil Jane is

sent away to s!hool at age ten" =ater in her li&e, Jane atte%pts re!on!iliation with her a#nt,

b#t the old wo%an !ontin#es to resent her be!a#se her h#sband had always lo'ed Jane

%ore than his own !hildren"

Bessie Lee( he %aid at >ateshead, Bessie is the only &ig#re in Jane$s !hildhood who

reg#larly treats her kindly, telling her stories and singing her songs" Bessie later %arries

/obert =ea'en, the /eeds$ !oa!h%an"

Mr. Lloyd( Mr" =loyd is the /eeds$ apothe!ary, who s#ggests that Jane be sent away to

s!hool" Always kind to Jane, Mr" =loyd writes a letter to Miss e%ple !on&ir%ing Jane$s story

abo#t her !hildhood and !learing Jane o& Mrs" /eed$s !harge that she is a liar"

Georgiana Reed( >eorgiana /eed is Jane$s !o#sin and one o& Mrs" /eed$s two da#ghters"

he bea#til >eorgiana treats Jane !r#elly when they are !hildren, b#t later in their li'es shebe&riends her !o#sin and !on&ides in her" >eorgiana atte%pts to elope with a %an na%ed

=ord Edwin ;ere, b#t her sister, Elia, alerts Mrs" /eed o& the arrange%ent and sabotages

the plan" A&ter Mrs" /eed dies, >eorgiana %arries a wealthy %an"

Eliza Reed( Elia /eed is Jane$s !o#sin and one o& Mrs" /eed$s two da#ghters @along with

her sister, >eorgiana" ot as bea#til as her sister, Elia de'otes hersel& so%ewhat sel&(
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#Jane-Eyrehttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#Jane-Eyrehttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#Edward-Rochesterhttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#Edward-Rochesterhttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#St.-John-Rivershttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#St.-John-Rivershttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#Jane-Eyrehttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#Edward-Rochesterhttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#St.-John-Rivers


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righteo#sly to the !h#r!h and e'ent#ally goes to a !on'ent in ran!e where she be!o%es

the Mother .#perior"

John Reed( John /eed is Jane$s !o#sin, Mrs" /eed$s son, and brother to Elia and

>eorgiana" John treats Jane with appalling !r#elty d#ring their !hildhood and later &alls into a

li&e o& drinking and ga%bling" John !o%%its s#i!ide %idway thro#gh the no'el when his

%other !eases to pay his debts &or hi%"

Helen Burns( 0elen B#rns is Jane$s !lose &riend at the =owood .!hool" .he end#res her

%iserable li&e there with a passi'e dignity that Jane !annot #nderstand" 0elen dies o&

!ons#%ption in Jane$s ar%s"

/ead anin(depth analysis o& 0elen B#rns"

Mr. Brocklehurst( he !r#el, hypo!riti!al %aster o& the =owood .!hool, Mr" Bro!kleh#rst

prea!hes a do!trine o& pri'ation, while stealing &ro% the s!hool to s#pport his l#ra!e oole, whose

o!!asional bo#ts o& inebriation so%eti%es enable Bertha to es!ape" Bertha e'ent#ally b#rns

down horn&ield, pl#nging to her death in the &la%es"

Grace &oole( >ra!e oole is Bertha Mason$s keeper at horn&ield, whose dr#nken

!arelessness &re7#ently allows Bertha to es!ape" -hen Jane &irst arri'es at horn&ield, Mrs"

air&a< attrib#tes to >ra!e all e'iden!e o& Bertha$s %isdeeds""d'le (arens( Jane$s p#pil at horn&ield, Ad?le ;arens is a li'ely tho#gh so%ewhat spoiled

!hild &ro% ran!e" /o!hester bro#ght her to horn&ield a&ter her %other, Celine, abandoned

her" Altho#gh Celine was on!e /o!hester$s %istress, he does not belie'e hi%sel& to be

Ad?le$s &ather"

)eline (arens( Celine ;arens is a ren!h opera dan!er with who% /o!hester on!e had an

a&&air" Altho#gh /o!hester does not belie'e Celine$s !lai%s that he &athered her da#ghter
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#Helen-Burnshttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#Helen-Burnshttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/janeeyre/canalysis.html#Helen-Burns


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Ad?le, he nonetheless bro#ght the girl to England when Celine abandoned her" /o!hester

had broken o&& his relationship with Celine a&ter learning that Celine was #n&aithl to hi% and

interested only in his %oney"

So!hie( .ophie is Ad?le$s ren!h n#rse at horn&ield"

Richard Mason( /i!hard Mason is Bertha$s brother" #ring a 'isit to horn&ield, he is

in4#red by his %ad sister" A&ter learning o& /o!hester$s intent to %arry Jane, Mason arri'es

with the soli!itor Briggs in order to thwart the wedding and re'eal the tr#th o& /o!hester$s

prior %arriage"

Mr. Briggs( John Eyre$s attorney, Mr" Briggs helps /i!hard Mason pre'ent Jane$s wedding

to /o!hester when he learns o& the eranby"

John Eyre( John Eyre is Jane$s #n!le, who lea'es her his 'ast &ort#ne o& 2H,HHH po#nds"

-ncle Reed( n!le /eed is Mrs" /eed$s late h#sband" )n her !hildhood, Jane belie'es that

she &eels the presen!e o& his ghost" Be!a#se he was always &ond o& Jane and her %other

@his sister, n!le /eed %ade his wi&e pro%ise that she wo#ld raise Jane as her own !hild" )t

is a pro%ise that Mrs" /eed does not keep"

Jane Eyre

he de'elop%ent o& Jane Eyre$s !hara!ter is !entral to the no'el" ro% the beginning, Jane

possesses a sense o& her sel&(worth and dignity, a !o%%it%ent to 4#sti!e and prin!iple, a

tr#st in >od, and a passionate disposition" 0er integrity is !ontin#ally tested o'er the !o#rse

o& the no'el, and Jane %#st learn to balan!e the &re7#ently !on&li!ting aspe!ts o& hersel& so

as to &ind !ontent%ent"


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An orphan sin!e early !hildhood, Jane &eels e


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in&l#en!ed by her own po'erty, loneliness, psy!hologi!al '#lnerability, or passion"

Additionally, be!a#se /o!hester has been blinded by the &ire and has lost his %anor ho#se

at the end o& the no'el, he has be!o%e weaker while Jane has grown in strength+Jane

!lai%s that they are e7#als, b#t the %arriage dyna%i! has a!t#ally tipped in her &a'or"

St. John Rivers

.t" John /i'ers is a &oil to Edward /o!hester" -hereas /o!hester is passionate, .t" John is

a#stere and a%bitio#s" Jane o&ten des!ribes /o!hester$s eyes as &lashing and &la%ing,

whereas she !onstantly asso!iates .t" John with ro!k, i!e, and snow" Marriage with

/o!hester represents the abandon%ent o& prin!iple &or the !ons#%%ation o& passion, b#t

%arriage to .t" John wo#ld %ean sa!ri&i!ing passion &or prin!iple" -hen he in'ites her to

!o%e to )ndia with hi% as a %issionary, .t" John o&&ers Jane the !han!e to %ake a %ore

%eaningl !ontrib#tion to so!iety than she wo#ld as a ho#sewi&e" At the sa%e ti%e, li&e with

.t" John wo#ld %ean li&e witho#t tr#e lo'e, in whi!h Jane$s need &or spirit#al sola!e wo#ld be

&illed only by retreat into the re!esses o& her own so#l" )ndependen!e wo#ld be a!!o%panied

by loneliness, and 4oining .t" John wo#ld re7#ire Jane to negle!t her own legiti%ate needs

&or lo'e and e%otional s#pport" 0er !onsideration o& .t" John$s proposal leads Jane to

#nderstand that, parado

represents a %ode o& Christianity that stresses toleran!e and a!!eptan!e" Bro!kleh#rst #ses

religion to gain power and to !ontrol othersI 0elen as!eti!ally tr#sts her own &aith and t#rns

the other !heek to =owood$s harsh poli!ies"

Altho#gh 0elen %ani&ests a !ertain strength and intelle!t#al %at#rity, her e&&orts in'ol'e sel&(

negation rather than sel&(assertion, and 0elen$s s#b%issi'e and as!eti! nat#re highlights

Jane$s %ore headstrong !hara!ter" =ike Jane, 0elen is an orphan who longs &or a ho%e, b#t

0elen belie'es that she will &ind this ho%e in 0ea'en rather than orthern England" And

while 0elen is not obli'io#s to the in4#sti!es the girls s#&&er at =owood, she belie'es that

4#sti!e will be &o#nd in >od$s #lti%ate 4#dg%ent+>od will reward the good and p#nish the

e'il" Jane, on the other hand, is #nable to ha'e s#!h blind &aith" 0er 7#est is &or lo'e and

happiness in thisworld" e'ertheless, she !o#nts on >od &or s#pport and g#idan!e in her

sear!h"


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Love Versus Autonomy

Jane Eyreis 'ery %#!h the story o& a 7#est to be lo'ed" Jane sear!hes, not 4#st &or ro%anti!

lo'e, b#t also &or a sense o& being 'al#ed, o& belonging" h#s Jane says to 0elen B#rns9 Fto

gain so%e real a&&e!tion &ro% yo#, or Miss e%ple, or any other who% ) tr#ly lo'e, ) wo#ldwillingly s#b%it to ha'e the bone o& %y ar% broken, or to let a b#ll toss %e, or to stand

behind a ki!king horse, and let it dash its hoo& at %y !hestG @Chapter 8" Yet, o'er the !o#rse

o& the book, Jane %#st learn how to gain lo'e withoutsa!ri&i!ing and har%ing hersel& in the

pro!ess"

0er &ear o& losing her a#tono%y %oti'ates her resal o& /o!hester$s %arriage proposal"

Jane belie'es that F%arryingG /o!hester while he re%ains legally tied to Bertha wo#ld %ean

rendering hersel& a %istress and sa!ri&i!ing her own integrity &or the sake o& e%otional

grati&i!ation" 5n the other hand, her li&e at Moor 0o#se tests her in the opposite %anner"

here, she en4oys e!ono%i! independen!e and engages in worthwhile and #sel work,

tea!hing the poorI yet she la!ks e%otional s#stenan!e" Altho#gh .t" John proposes

%arriage, o&&ering her a partnership b#ilt aro#nd a !o%%on p#rpose, Jane knows their

%arriage wo#ld re%ain lo'eless"

onetheless, the e'ents o& Jane$s stay at Moor 0o#se are ne!essary tests o& Jane$s

a#tono%y" 5nly a&ter pro'ing her sel&(s#&&i!ien!y to hersel& !an she %arry /o!hester and not

be asy%%etri!ally dependent #pon hi% as her F%aster"G he %arriage !an be one between

e7#als" As Jane says9 F) a% %y h#sband$s li&e as lly as he is %ine" " " " o be together is &or

#s to be at on!e as &ree as in solit#de, as gay as in !o%pany" " " " -e are pre!isely s#ited in

!hara!ter+per&e!t !on!ord is the res#ltG @Chapter 8"

Religion

hro#gho#t the no'el, Jane str#ggles to &ind the right balan!e between %oral d#ty and

earthly pleas#re, between obligation to her spirit and attention to her body" .he en!o#nters

three %ain religio#s &ig#res9 Mr" Bro!kleh#rst, 0elen B#rns, and .t" John /i'ers" Ea!h

represents a %odel o& religion that Jane #lti%ately re4e!ts as she &or%s her own ideas abo#t

&aith and prin!iple, and their pra!ti!al !onse7#en!es"

Mr" Bro!kleh#rst ill#strates the dangers and hypo!risies that Charlotte Bront per!ei'ed in

the nineteenth(!ent#ry E'angeli!al %o'e%ent" Mr" Bro!kleh#rst adopts the rhetori! o&

E'angeli!alis% when he !lai%s to be p#rging his st#dents o& pride, b#t his %ethod o&


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s#b4e!ting the% to 'ario#s pri'ations and h#%iliations, like when he orders that the nat#rally

!#rly hair o& one o& Jane$s !lass%ates be !#t so as to lie straight, is entirely #n(Christian" 5&

!o#rse, Bro!kleh#rst$s pros!riptions are di&&i!#lt to &ollow, and his hypo!riti!al s#pport o& his

own l#od &or sola!e @Chapter 26" As she wanders the heath, poor and star'ing, she p#ts her

s#r'i'al in the hands o& >od @Chapter 28" .he strongly ob4e!ts to /o!hester$s l#stl

i%%orality, and she reses to !onsider li'ing with hi% while !h#r!h and state still dee% hi%

%arried to another wo%an" E'en so, Jane !an barely bring hersel& to lea'e the only lo'e she

has e'er known" .he !redits >od with helping her to es!ape what she knows wo#ld ha'e

been an i%%oral li&e @Chapter 2:"

Jane #lti%ately &inds a !o%&ortable %iddle gro#nd" 0er spirit#al #nderstanding is not hatel

and oppressi'e like Bro!kleh#rst$s, nor does it re7#ire retreat &ro% the e'eryday world as

0elen$s and .t" John$s religions do" or Jane, religion helps !#rb i%%oderate passions, and

it sp#rs one on to worldly e&&orts and a!hie'e%ents" hese a!hie'e%ents in!l#de ll sel&(

knowledge and !o%plete &aith in >od"

Social Class

Jane Eyreis !riti!al o& ;i!torian England$s stri!t so!ial hierar!hy" Bront$s e


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treated as ser'antsI th#s, Jane re%ains penniless and powerless while at horn&ield" Jane$s

#nderstanding o& the do#ble standard !rystallies when she be!o%es aware o& her &eelings

&or /o!hesterI she is his intelle!t#al, b#t not his so!ial, e7#al" E'en be&ore the !risis

s#rro#nding Bertha Mason, Jane is hesitant to %arry /o!hester be!a#se she senses that

she wo#ld &eel indebted to hi% &or F!ondes!endingG to %arry her" Jane$s distress, whi!h

appears %ost strongly in Chapter 1:, see%s to be Bront$s !riti7#e o& ;i!torian !lass

attit#des"

Jane hersel& speaks o#t against !lass pre4#di!e at !ertain %o%ents in the book" or

e


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themselves to ma$ing puddings and $nitting stoc$ings, to playing on the piano and

embroidering bags% &t is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they see$ to do

more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their se"%

Moti$s

'otifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and

inform the te"t(s maor themes%

Fire and Ice

ire and i!e appear thro#gho#t Jane Eyre" he &or%er represents Jane$s passions, anger,

and spirit, while the latter sy%bolies the oppressi'e &or!es trying to e


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Substitute Mothers

oet and !riti! Adrienne /i!h has noted that Jane en!o#nters a series o& n#rt#ring and

strong wo%en on who% she !an %odel hersel&, or to who% she !an look &or !o%&ort and

g#idan!e9 these wo%en ser'e as %other(&ig#res to the orphaned Jane"

he &irst s#!h &ig#re that Jane en!o#nters is the ser'ant Bessie, who soothes Jane a&ter her

tra#%a in the red(roo% and tea!hes her to &ind !o%&ort in stories and songs" At =owood,

Jane %eets Miss e%ple, who has no power in the world at large, b#t possesses great

spirit#al strength and !har%" ot only does she shelter Jane &ro% pain, she also en!o#rages

her intelle!t#al de'elop%ent" 5& Miss e%ple, Jane writes9 Fshe had stood by %e in the

stead o& %other, go'erness, and latterly, !o%panionG @Chapter 1H" Jane also &inds a

!o%&orting %odel in 0elen B#rns, whose lessons in sta%ina tea!h Jane abo#t sel&(worth and

the power o& &aith"

A&ter Jane and /o!hester$s wedding is !an!elled, Jane &inds !o%&ort in the %oon, whi!h

appears to her in a drea% as a sy%bol o& the %atriar!hal spirit" Jane sees the %oon as Fa

white h#%an &or%G shining in the sky, Fin!lining a glorio#s brow earthward"G .he tells #s9 F)t

spoke to %y spirit9 i%%eas#rably distant was the tone, yet so near, it whispered in %y heart

+FMy da#ghter, &lee te%ptation"G Jane answers, FMother, ) willG @Chapter 2:" -aking &ro%

the drea%, Jane lea'es horn&ield"

Jane &inds two additional %other(&ig#res in the !hara!ters o& iana and Mary /i'ers" /i!h

points o#t that the sisters bear the na%es o& the pagan and Christian 'ersions o& Fthe >reat

>oddessG9 iana, the ;irgin h#ntress, and Mary, the ;irgin Mother" n%arried and

independent, the /i'ers sisters lo'e learning and re!iting poetry and li'e as intelle!t#al

e7#als with their brother .t" John"

Syols

Symbols are obects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or

concepts%Bertha Mason

Bertha Mason is a !o%ple< presen!e in Jane Eyre" .he i%pedes Jane$s happiness, b#t she

also !atalyses the growth o& Jane$s sel&(#nderstanding" he %ystery s#rro#nding Bertha

establishes s#spense and terror to the plot and the at%osphere" #rther, Bertha ser'es as a

re%nant and re%inder o& /o!hester$s yo#thl libertinis%"


15/65


16/65

Tess DUbervilles

ho%as 0ardy was born on J#ne 2, 18*H, in 0igher Bo!kha%pton in orset, a r#ral region

o& so#thwestern England that was to be!o%e the &o!#s o& his &i!tion" he !hild o& a b#ilder,

0ardy was apprenti!ed at the age o& si


17/65

0ardy li'ed and wrote in a ti%e o& di&&i!#lt so!ial !hange, when England was %aking its slow

and painl transition &ro% an old(&ashioned, agri!#lt#ral nation to a %odern, ind#strial one"

B#siness%en and entreprene#rs, or Fnew %oney,G 4oined the ranks o& the so!ial elite, as

so%e &a%ilies o& the an!ient aristo!ra!y, or Fold %oney,G &aded into obs!#rity" ess$s &a%ily

in Tess of the d(-rbervillesill#strates this !hange, as ess$s parents, the #rbey&ields, lose

the%sel'es in the &antasy o& belonging to an an!ient and aristo!rati! &a%ily, the d$rber'illes"

0ardy$s no'el strongly s#ggests that s#!h a &a%ily history is not only %eaningless b#t also

#tterly #ndesirable" 0ardy$s 'iews on the s#b4e!t were appalling to !onser'ati'e and stat#s(

!ons!io#s British readers, and Tess of the d(-rbervilleswas %et in England with widespread

!ontro'ersy"

0ardy was &r#strated by the !ontro'ersy !a#sed by his work, and he &inally abandoned

no'el(writing altogether &ollowing Jude the *bscure%0e spent the rest o& his !areer writing

poetry" ho#gh today he is re%e%bered so%ewhat %ore &or his no'els, he was an

a!!lai%ed poet in his ti%e and was b#ried in the prestigio#s oet$s Corner o& -est%inster

Abbey &ollowing his death in 1328"

PLOT

he poor peddler John #rbey&ield is st#nned to learn that he is the des!endent o& an

an!ient noble &a%ily, the d$rber'illes" Meanwhile, ess, his eldest da#ghter, 4oins the other

'illage girls in the May ay dan!e, where ess brie&ly e

estate, ess has no !hoi!e b#t to a!!ept, sin!e she bla%es hersel& &or an a!!ident in'ol'ing

the &a%ily$s horse, its only %eans o& in!o%e"

ess spends se'eral %onths at this 4ob, resisting Ale!$s atte%pts to sed#!e her" inally, Ale!takes ad'antage o& her in the woods one night a&ter a &air" ess knows she does not lo'e

Ale!" .he ret#rns ho%e to her &a%ily to gi'e birth to Ale!$s !hild, who% she !hristens .orrow"

.orrow dies soon a&ter he is born, and ess spends a %iserable year at ho%e be&ore

de!iding to seek work elsewhere" .he &inally a!!epts a 4ob as a %ilk%aid at the albothays

airy"


18/65


19/65

Angel agrees to help ess, tho#gh he !annot 7#ite belie'e that she has a!t#ally %#rdered

Ale!" hey hide o#t in an e%pty %ansion &or a &ew days, then tra'el &arther" -hen they !o%e

to .tonehenge, ess goes to sleep, b#t when %orning breaks shortly therea&ter, a sear!h

party dis!o'ers the%" ess is arrested and sent to 4ail" Angel and =ia(=# wat!h as a bla!k

&lag is raised o'er the prison, signaling ess$s e


20/65

&orgi'ing, and she is #nable to re%ain angry with ess+parti!#larly on!e ess be!o%es her

pri%ary %eans o& s#pport"

Mrs. d/-rerville( Ale!$s %other, and the widow o& .i%on .tokes" Mrs" d$rber'ille is blind

and o&ten ill" .he !ares deeply &or her ani%als, b#t not &or her %aid Eliabeth, her son Ale!,

nor ess when she !o%es to work &or her" )n &a!t, she ne'er sees ess as anything %ore

than an i%po'erished girl"

Marian0 *zz Huett0 and Retty &riddle( Milk%aids who% ess be&riends at the albothays

airy" Marian, ), and /etty re%ain !lose to ess thro#gho#t the rest o& her li&e" hey are all

in lo'e with Angel and are de'astated when he !hooses ess o'er the%9 Marian t#rns to

drink, /etty atte%pts s#i!ide, and ) nearly r#ns o&& to Brail with Angel when he lea'es

ess" e'ertheless, they re%ain helpl to ess" Marian helps her &ind a 4ob at a &ar% !alled

lint!o%b(Ash, and Marian and ) write Angel a plainti'e letter en!o#raging hi% to gi'e

ess another !han!e"Reverend )lare( Angel$s &ather, a so%ewhat intra!table b#t prin!ipled !lergy%an in the

town o& E%%inster" Mr" Clare !onsiders it his d#ty to !on'ert the pop#la!e" 5ne o& his %ost

di&&i!#lt !ases pro'es to be none other than Ale! d$rber'ille"

Mrs. )lare( Angel$s %other, a lo'ing b#t snobbish wo%an who pla!es great sto!k in so!ial

!lass" Mrs" Clare wants Angel to %arry a s#itable wo%an, %eaning a wo%an with the proper

so!ial, &inan!ial, and religio#s ba!kgro#nd" Mrs" Clare initially looks down on ess as a

Fsi%pleG and i%po'erished girl, b#t later grows to appre!iate her"

Reverend #eli% )lare( Angel$s brother, a 'illage !#rate"

Reverend )uthert( Clare Angel$s brother, a !lassi!al s!holar and dean at Ca%bridge"

C#thbert, who !an !on!entrate only on #ni'ersity %atters, %arries Mer!y Chant"

Eliza Louisa +urey$ield( ess$s yo#nger sister" ess belie'es =ia(=# has all o& ess$s

own good 7#alities and none o& her bad ones, and she en!o#rages Angel to look a&ter and

e'en %arry =ia(=# a&ter ess dies"

Sorrow( ess$s son with Ale! d$rber'ille" .orrow dies in his early in&an!y, a&ter ess

!hristens hi% hersel&" .he later b#ries hi% hersel& as well, and de!orates his gra'e"

Mercy )hant( he da#ghter o& a &riend o& the /e'erend Clare" Mr" Clare hopes Angel will

%arry Mer!y, b#t a&ter Angel %arries ess, Mer!y be!o%es engaged to his brother C#thbertinstead"

Tess +urey$ield

)ntelligent, strikingly attra!ti'e, and disting#ished by her deep %oral sensiti'ity and

passionate intensity, ess is indisp#tably the !entral !hara!ter o& the no'el that bears her

na%e" B#t she is also %ore than a distin!ti'e indi'id#al9 0ardy %akes her into so%ewhat o&


21/65

a %ythi! heroine" 0er na%e, &or%ally heresa, re!alls .t" eresa o& A'ila, another %artyr

whose 'ision o& a higher reality !ost her her li&e" 5ther !hara!ters o&ten re&er to ess in

%ythi!al ter%s, as when Angel !alls her a Fa#ghter o& at#reG in Chapter N;))), or re&ers to

her by the >reek %ythologi!al na%es FArte%isG and Fe%eterG in Chapter NN" he narrator

hi%sel& so%eti%es des!ribes ess as %ore than an indi'id#al wo%an, b#t as so%ething

!loser to a %ythi!al in!arnation o& wo%anhood" )n Chapter N);, he says that her eyes are

Fneither bla!k nor bl#e nor grey nor 'ioletI rather all these shades together,G like Fan al%ost

standard wo%an"G ess$s story %ay th#s be a FstandardG story, representing a deeper and

larger e


22/65

"lec d/-rerville

An inso#!iant twenty(&o#r(year(old %an, heir to a &ort#ne, and bearer o& a na%e that his

&ather p#r!hased, Ale! is the ne%esis and down&all o& ess$s li&e" 0is &irst na%e, Aleenesis sed#!ed E'e" Additionally, like the &a%o#s depi!tion

o& .atan in Milton$sParadise .ost,Ale! does not try to hide his bad 7#alities" )n &a!t, like

.atan, he re'els in the%" )n Chapter N)), he bl#ntly tells ess, F) s#ppose ) a% a bad &ellow+

a da%n bad &ellow" ) was born bad, and ) ha'e li'ed bad, and ) shall die bad, in all

probability"G here is &rank a!!eptan!e in this ad%ission and no sha%e" .o%e readers &eel

Ale! is too wi!ked to be belie'able, b#t, like ess hersel&, he represents a larger %oral

prin!iple rather than a real indi'id#al %an" =ike .atan, Ale! sy%bolies the base &or!es o& li&e

that dri'e a person away &ro% %oral per&e!tion and greatness"

"ngel )lare

A &reethinking son born into the &a%ily o& a pro'in!ial parson and deter%ined to set hi%sel&

#p as a &ar%er instead o& going to Ca%bridge like his !on&or%ist brothers, Angel represents

a rebellio#s stri'ing toward a personal 'ision o& goodness" 0e is a se!#larist who yearns to

work &or the Fhonor and glory o& %an,G as he tells his &ather in Chapter N;))), rather than &or

the honor and glory o& >od in a %ore distant world" A typi!al yo#ng nineteenth(!ent#ry

progressi'e, Angel sees h#%an so!iety as a thing to be re%olded and i%pro'ed, and he

&er'ently belie'es in the nobility o& %an" 0e re4e!ts the 'al#es handed to hi%, and sets o&& in

sear!h o& his own" 0is lo'e &or ess, a %ere %ilk%aid and his so!ial in&erior, is one

e


23/65

!haris%a and general attra!ti'eness that %akes hi% the lo'e ob4e!t o& all the %ilk%aids with

who% he works at albothays"

As his na%e+in ren!h, !lose to FBright AngelG+s#ggests, Angel is not 7#ite o& this world,

b#t &loats abo'e it in a trans!endent sphere o& his own" he narrator says that Angel shinesrather than b#rns and that he is !loser to the intelle!t#ally aloo& poet .helley than to the

&leshly and passionate poet Byron" 0is lo'e &or ess %ay be abstra!t, as we g#ess when he

!alls her Fa#ghter o& at#reG or Fe%eter"G ess %ay be %ore an ar!hetype or ideal to hi%

than a &lesh and blood wo%an with a !o%pli!ated li&e" Angel$s ideals o& h#%an p#rity are too

ele'ated to be applied to a!t#al people9 Mrs" #rbey&ield$s easygoing %oral belie&s are %#!h

%ore easily a!!o%%odated to real li'es s#!h as ess$s" Angel awakens to the a!t#al

!o%ple


24/65

Tess of the d(-rbervillespresents !o%ple< pi!t#res o& both the i%portan!e o& so!ial !lass in

nineteenth(!ent#ry England and the di&&i!#lty o& de&ining !lass in any si%ple way" Certainly

the #rbey&ields are a powerl e%ble% o& the way in whi!h !lass is no longer e'al#ated in

;i!torian ti%es as it wo#ld ha'e been in the Middle Ages+that is, by blood alone, with no

attention paid to &ort#ne or worldly s#!!ess" )nd#bitably the #rbey&ields ha'e p#rity o&

blood, yet &or the parson and nearly e'eryone else in the no'el, this &a!t a%o#nts to nothing

%ore than a pie!e o& genealogi!al tri'ia" )n the ;i!torian !onte


25/65

E'en Angel$s lo'e &or ess, as p#re and gentle as it see%s, do%inates her in an #nhealthy

way" Angel s#bstit#tes an idealied pi!t#re o& ess$s !o#ntry p#rity &or the real(li&e wo%an

that he !ontin#ally reses to get to know" -hen Angel !alls ess na%es like Fa#ghter o&

at#reG and FArte%is,G we &eel that he %ay be denying her tr#e sel& in &a'or o& a %ental

i%age that he pre&ers" h#s, her identity and e


26/65

he >enesis story o& Ada% and E'e in the >arden o& Eden is e'oked repeatedly

thro#gho#t Tess of the d(-rbervilles,gi'ing the no'el a broader %etaphysi!al and

philosophi!al di%ension" he roles o& E'e and the serpent in paradise are !learly delineated9

Angel is the noble Ada% newly born, while ess is the inde!isi'e and tro#bled E'e" -hen

ess gaes #pon Angel in Chapter NN;)), Fshe regarded hi% as E'e at her se!ond waking

%ight ha'e regarded Ada%"G Ale!, with his open a'owal that he is bad to the bone, is the

!onni'ing .atan" 0e sed#!es ess #nder a tree, gi'ing her se


27/65

&i!tional %ap on a real pla!e, with na%es altered !orrespondingly" /eality %ay not be as

solid as the na%es people !on&er #pon it"

Syols

Symbols are obects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or

concepts%

)rince

-hen ess does o&& in the wagon and loses !ontrol, the res#lting death o& the #rbey&ield

horse, rin!e, sp#rs ess to seek aid &ro% the d$rber'illes, setting the e'ents o& the no'el in

%otion" he horse$s de%ise is th#s a powerl plot %oti'ator, and its na%e a potent sy%bol

o& ess$s own !lai%s to aristo!ra!y" =ike the horse, ess hersel& bears a high(!lass na%e,

b#t is doo%ed to a lowly li&e o& physi!al labor" )nterestingly, rin!e$s death o!!#rs right a&ter

ess drea%s o& an!ient knights, ha'ing 4#st heard the news that her &a%ily is aristo!rati!"

Moreo'er, the horse is pier!ed by the &orward(4#tting pie!e o& %etal on a %ail !oa!h, whi!h is

re%inis!ent o& a wo#nd one %ight re!ei'e in a %edie'al 4o#st" )n an odd way, ess$s drea%

o& %edie'al glory !o%es tr#e, and her horse dies a heroi! death" Yet her drea% o& %eeting a

prin!e while she kills her own rin!e, and with hi% her &a%ily$s only %eans o& &inan!ial

s#stenan!e, is a tragi! &oreshadowing o& her own story" he death o& the horse sy%bolies

the sa!ri&i!e o& real(world goods, s#!h as a #sel ani%al or e'en her own honor, thro#gh

e

brings death to others and to hersel&, the do#ble sy%bolis% o& the 'a#lt %akes it a powerl

site &or the !#l%inating %eeting between Ale! and ess" Ale! brings ess both his lo&ty

na%e and, indire!tly, her own death laterI it is nat#ral that he %eets her in the 'a#lt ind$rber'ille Aisle, where she reads her own na%e ins!ribed in stone and &eels the presen!e

o& death" Yet the 'a#lt that so#nds so gla%oro#s when rhapsodied o'er by John

#rbey&ield in Chapter ) see%s, by the end, strangely hollow and %eaningless" -hen Ale!

sto%ps on the &loor o& the 'a#lt, it prod#!es only a hollow e!ho, as i& its basi! e%ptiness is a

!o%ple%ent to its 'is#al grande#r" -hen ess is e


28/65

on in their !rypts, as i& #n!aring e'en abo#t the &ate o& a %e%ber o& their own %a4esti!

&a%ily" erhaps the se!ret o& the &a%ily !rypt is that its grandiosity is #lti%ately %eaningless"

Bra,il

/ather s#rprising &or a no'el that see%s set so solidly in r#ral England, the narration shi&ts

'ery brie&ly to Brail when Angel takes lea'e o& ess and heads o&& to establish a !areer in

&ar%ing" E'en %ore eeorge Eliot was the %ale pse#dony% o& Mary Ann E'ans @she wo#ld later !all hersel&Marian, born on o'e%ber 22, 1813 at Arb#ry ar% in -arwi!kshire" 0er &ather, /obert

E'ans, was an o'erseer at the Arb#ry 0all estate, and Eliot kept ho#se &or hi% a&ter her

%other died in 186" The 'ill on the +lossin'ol'es %any a#tobiographi!al details, and it

re&le!ts EliotPs !lose !hildhood relationships with her &ather and her older brother )saa!" Eliot

was sent to s!hool as a !hild and at the age o& &i&teen and #nderwent a spirit#al !on'ersion

to E'angeli!is%, si%ilar to Maggie #lli'erPs pio#s !on'ersion #pon reading ho%as a

De%pis in Book ); o&The 'ill on the +loss%

)n 18*1, Eliot and her &ather %o'ed !loser to the town o& Co'entry, whi!h was at that ti%e a

!enter o& radi!al tho#ght" Eliot %ade &riends with a gro#p o& Co'entry intelle!t#als, %ainly

%e%bers o& the Bray &a%ily, and began reading s#!h works as/n En0uiry into the *rigins of

hristianity%Eliot soon ga'e #p her E'angeli!is% in &a'or o& a non(se!tarian spirit#ality

based on a sense o& !o%%on h#%anity" .he resed to attend !h#r!h with her &ather and

began work on a translation &ro% >er%an o& .ife of Jesus,a rationalist ree


29/65

so%e Bible se!tions" .ife of Jesuswas p#blished in 18*6, and on the strength o& that

a!!o%plish%ent, Eliot %o'ed to =ondon a&ter her &atherPs death"

)n =ondon, Eliot be!a%e the assistant editor o& John Chap%anPs Westminster 1eviewand

!a%e into !lose !onta!t with the leading intelle!t#als o& the ti%e, s#!h as 0erbert .pen!er,

John .t#art Mill, and 0arriet Martinea#" )n 182, Eliot %et and be!a%e !lose to >eorge

0enry =ewes, a writer and an editor o& The .eader%=ewes was li'ing apart &ro% his wi&e, and

EliotPs de!ision to a!!o%pany =ewes to >er%any, li'ing as a !o#ple, pro'oked a degree o&

s!andal in =ondon" )n parti!#lar, Eliot sa!ri&i!ed her relationship with her brother )saa!, and

she depi!ted the pain o& his disappro'al in The 'ill on the +lossin o%Ps disappro'al o&

MaggiePs relationships with hilip and .tephen"

Eliot and =ewes li'ed together, !onsidering the%sel'es 'irt#ally %arried #ntil his death in

18:8" -ith the en!o#rage%ent o& =ewes, Eliot began writing &i!tion"Scenes of lerical

.ifewas p#blished in 186"/dam )ede@183, her &irst ll no'el, was %et with !riti!al

a!!lai%, and the p#bli! began to wonder what writer was behind the pse#dony% o& >eorge

Eliot" By the ti%e o& the p#bli!ation o& The 'ill on the +lossin three 'ol#%es in 186H, Marian

E'ansPs a#thorship had been tentati'ely g#essed by a &ew =ondon intelle!t#als and &riends"

.e'eral well(re!ei'ed no'els &ollowed, in!l#ding 'iddlemarch,the no'el now regarded as

her greatest artisti! s#!!ess" Eliot died in 188H"

EliotPs %ost i%portant !ontrib#tion to literat#re was in her treat%ent o& realis%" Es!hewingthe !ari!at#re &i!tion o& Charles i!kens, Eliot per&e!ted the genre o& psy!hologi!al realis%,

pa'ing the way &or the later work o& the A%eri!an no'elist 0enry Ja%es" Eliot #nderstood

that art sho#ld be near to li&e, 'al#ing obser'ed tr#ths and !reating a greater sense o&

sy%pathy in the reader by !oherently and non(4#dge%entally depi!ting the psy!hologi!al

%oti'es o& !hara!ters" EliotPs attention to !hara!ter is %ediated by a strong sense o&

histori!al and !#lt#ral !li%ate" h#s in The 'ill on the +loss,Mr" #lli'erPs &inan!ial down&all

is depi!ted within the larger !onte


30/65

entire !o%%#nity" The 'ill on the +lossis EliotPs only no'el to end tragi!ally and the %ost

a#tobiographi!al no'el"

PLOT

Maggie #lli'er is the i%pet#o#s, !le'er yo#nger da#ghter o& the #lli'ers o& orl!ote Mill in

.t" 5ggPs" Maggie &r#strates her s#per&i!ial %other with her #n!on'entional dark !oloring and

#nnat#ral a!ti'eness and intelligen!e" MaggiePs &ather o&ten takes MaggiePs side, b#t it is

MaggiePs older brother o% #pon who% she is e%otionally dependent" MaggiePs greatest

happiness is o%Ps a&&e!tion, and his disappro'al !reates dra%ati! despair in Maggie, whose

'iew o& the world, as all !hildrenPs, la!ks perspe!ti'e"

ho#gh o% is less st#dio#s than Maggie appears to be, Mr" #lli'er de!ides to pay &or o%

to ha'e additional ed#!ation rather than ha'e hi% take o'er the %ill" his de!ision pro'okes

a &a%ily 7#arrel between Mr" #lli'er and his wi&ePs sisters, the odsons" Mr" #lli'er is

&r#strated by the snobbish !ontrariness o& the odsons, led by Mrs" #lli'erPs sister Mrs"

>legg, and 'ows to repay %oney that Mrs" >legg had lent hi%, thereby weakening her hold

on hi%" 0e has lent al%ost an e7#al s#% to his sister and her h#sband, the Mosses, b#t he

&eels a&&e!tionately toward his sister and de!ides not to ask &or %oney ba!k, whi!h they

!annot pay"

Mr" .telling, a !lergy%an, takes o% on as a st#dent, and Maggie 'isits hi% at s!hool

se'eral ti%es" 5n one o& these 'isits, she be&riends Mr" .tellingPs other st#dent+thesensiti'e, !rippled hilip -ake%, son o& her &atherPs ene%y, =awyer -ake%" Maggie hersel&

is sent to s!hool along with her !o#sin, =#!y, b#t is !alled ho%e when she is thirteen when

her &ather &inally loses his e


31/65

h#%an intera!tion" hilip and Maggie %eet !landestinely &or a year, sin!e MaggiePs &ather

wo#ld be h#rt by their &riendship as he has sworn to hold =awyer -ake% as his li&e(long

ene%y" hilip &inally !on&esses to Maggie that he lo'es her, and Maggie, at &irst s#rprised,

says she lo'es hi% ba!k" .oon therea&ter, o% dis!o'ers their %eetings, !r#elly #pbraids

hilip, and %akes Maggie swear not to see hilip again"

5n a b#siness 'ent#re with Bob Jakin, o% has a%assed eno#gh %oney to pay o&& Mr"

#lli'erPs debts to the &a%ilyPs s#rprise and relie&" 5n the way ho%e &ro% the o&&i!ial

repay%ent o& the debts, Mr" #lli'er %eets =awyer -ake% and atta!ks hi%, b#t then Mr"

#lli'er &alls ill hi%sel& and dies the ne


32/65

whi!h a!knowledges all the bla%e #pon hi%sel&, Maggie is be&riended only by the Jakins and

the !lergy%an r" Denn" =#!y, who has been prostrate with grie&, be!o%es well again and

se!retly 'isits Maggie to show her &orgi'eness" hilip, as well, sends a letter o& &orgi'eness

and &aithlness"

.tephen sends Maggie a letter renewing his pleas &or her hand in %arriage and protesting

the pain she has !a#sed hi%" Maggie 'ows to bear the b#rden o& the pain she has !a#sed

others and %#st end#re hersel& #ntil death b#t wonders to hersel& how long this trial, her li&e,

will be" At this %o%ent, water begins r#shing #nder the JakinPs door &ro% the nearby ri'er

loss, whi!h is &looding" Maggie wakes the JakinsP and takes one o& their boats, rowing it

down ri'er in a &eat o& %ira!#lo#s strength toward orl!ote Mill" Maggie res!#es o%, who is

trapped in the ho#se, and they row down ri'er towards =#!y" Be&ore they !an rea!h =#!yPs

ho#se, the boat is !apsied by debris in the ri'er, and Maggie and o% drown in ea!h

otherPs ar%s" Years go by and hilip, and .tephen and =#!y together, 'isit the gra'e"

Maggie Tulliver ( he protagonist o& The 'ill on the +loss%he no'el tra!ks Maggie as she

grows &ro% an i%pet#o#s, !le'er !hild into a striking, #n!on'entional yo#ng wo%an"

MaggiePs !losest tie is to her brother o%, and she seeks+and !onstantly &eels denied+his

appro'al and a!!eptan!e" Maggie is !le'er and en4oys books, the ri!hness o& intelligent

!on'ersation, and %#si!, b#t her &a%ilyPs down&all lends her a 7#ieter, tro#bled side that

tends toward sel&( abnegation" -ith her dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes, Maggie is o&ten

asso!iated with the #lli'er side o& the &a%ily, and, spe!i&i!ally her &atherPs sister, Mrs" Moss"/ead anin(depth analysis o& Maggie #lli'er"

To Tulliver ( he #lli'ersP older son" o% has his own !lear sense o& d#ty, 4#sti!e, and

&airness, and these standards a&&e!t his a!tion %ore so than e%otion" o% has a&&e!tion &or

Maggie, b#t he dislikes her i%pet#o#s way o& doing what she wants, ass#%ing that she

knows better than o%" -hen Mr" #lli'er goes bankr#pt, o% %#st go to work at a yo#ng

age and with little e


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bankr#pt!y %akes her !onsed and listless, and all she !an do is wonder what she has

done to re!ei'e s#!h bad l#!k" Mrs" #lli'er likes o% %ore than Maggie as !hildren, b#t she

grows pro#der o& Maggie as Maggie grows tall, striking, and %ore de%#re"

Jerey Tulliver ( Maggie #lli'erPs &ather" Mr" #lli'er works the %ill on the loss ri'er,

whi!h is on land his &a%ily has held &or generations" Mr" #lli'er is &ond o& Maggie, espe!ially

her !le'erness, and he o&ten takes her side in &a%ily 7#arrels" Mr" #lli'erPs bankr#pt!y is, in

part, the res#lt o& his own single( %indedness and pride" Asso!iated with the older, pro'in!ial

ways, Mr" #lli'er senses eno#gh o& the !hanging e!ono%i! world aro#nd hi% to be p#led

by it" #lli'er is an a&&e!tionate %an, who is so&t with his da#ghter, wi&e, and sister, yet his

bitterness toward Mr" -ake% !ons#%es and !hanges hi% in the end"

Lucy +eane ( he pretty, petite, blond !o#sin o& o% and Maggie" =#!y is gen#inely good(

hearted, thinking o&ten o& the happiness o& others" .he is also eno#gh o& a !hild o& so!iety

li&e, tho#gh, that she pays heed to so!ial !on'entions and to her own appearan!e"&hili! 1ake ( he sensiti'e and intelligent son o& =awyer -ake%" hilip has had a

h#n!hed ba!k sin!e birth" 5& s%all stat#re and with a pale &a!e, hilip is o&ten des!ribed as

Rwo%anly"R hilipPs lo'e o& art, %#si!, and knowledge go so%e way toward !o#ntera!ting the

se'ere sadness he &eels abo#t his de&or%ity" hilip &irst %eets Maggie when he is at s!hool

with o%" 0e &alls in lo'e with her the year that they %eet in se!ret d#ring MaggiePs &atherPs

bankr#pt!y"

/ead anin(depth analysis o& hilip -ake%"

Lawyer 1ake ( =awyer -ake% is a powerl, and in!reasingly wealthy %e%ber o& .t"

5ggPs so!iety" 0e re%e%bers his late wi&e lo'ingly and is 'ery ind#lgent b#t !lose to his

de&or%ed son, hilip" -ake% holds stri!t ideas abo#t !lass and %oney" 0e is s!ornl o& the

'indi!ti'e Mr" #lli'er"

Ste!hen Guest ( .tephen >#est is !o#rting =#!y eane when we %eet hi% b#t has not yet

proposed %arriage" 0e is the son o& the senior partner o& >#est Q Co", where both o% and

Mr" eane work" .tephen is handso%e and sel&(ass#red" ho#gh he !ares &or =#!y, and &or

the li&e they wo#ld ha'e together, he &alls #nelegg, &or%erly Miss Jane odson, a!ts as the leader o& the

odson sisters" Mrs" >legg is lo#dly 'o!al regarding her disappro'als, whi!h #s#ally in'ol'e

a 'iolation o& the odson way o& doing so%ething" Yet it is her sa%e stri!t sense o&
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/millonthefloss/canalysis.html#Philip-Wakemhttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/millonthefloss/canalysis.html#Philip-Wakemhttp://www.sparknotes.com/lit/millonthefloss/canalysis.html#Philip-Wakem


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respe!tability that allows Mrs" >legg to stand by Maggie, when no one else will at the end o&

the no'el" Mr" and Mrs" >legg are %iserly, tho#gh Mr" >legg is %ore good(nat#red abo#t

thri&t" Mr" >legg tries to %ediate his wi&ePs ill te%per and will stand #p to her as well"

Mr. and Mrs. +eane ( Mrs" eane, &or%erly Miss .#san odson, is a pale, 7#ieter, odson

sister" Mrs" eane does not say %#!h, and she rehearses what she says be&orehand" .he

dies be&ore the end o& the no'el" Mr" eane is a swi&tly rising 4#nior partner at >#est Q Co"

0e &o!#ses on b#siness and pro&it(%aking %ore than &a%ily !lai%s" heir da#ghter is =#!y"

Mr. and Mrs. &ullet ( Mrs" #llet, &or%erly Miss .ophie odson, is the !losest odson

sister to Mrs" #lli'er" hey share a lo'e o& &ine ho#sehold goods" Mr" #llet is a gentle%an

&ar%er, and the !o#ple were originally the %ost wealthy o& the odson &a%ily, #ntil Mr"

eane began rising in the b#siness world" Mr" #llet does not ha'e %#!h to say &or hi%sel&"

0e !o'ers &or this &a!t by s#!king on pepper%ints"

Luke Moggs ( =#ke Moggs works &or Mr" #lli'er" 0e is the %iller at the %ill on the loss"=#ke is pra!ti!ally a &a%ily %e%ber, and he sits by Mr" #lli'erPs si!kbed"

Mr. Riley ( Mr" /iley is the a#!tion %anager in .t" 5ggPs" Mr" #lli'er looks #p to hi% as a

high !lass and ll o& wisdo% and intelligen!e, b#t Mr" /iley is %ore likely %iddle !lass and

not entirely ll o& wisdo%" Mr" /iley has died by the %iddle o& the no'el"

Mr. Stelling ( Mr" .telling is the !lergy%an t#tor o& o% #lli'er and, later, hilip -ake%"

.telling wants to rise in the world and li'es so%ewhat beyond his !#rrent %eans" 0e tea!hes

e#ests @there are two are .tephen >#estPs sisters" hey are

not 'ery attra!ti'e and are snobbish"

Maggie Tulliver


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Maggie #lli'er is the protagonist o& The 'ill on the +loss%-hen the no'el begins, Maggie is

a !le'er and i%pet#o#s !hild" Eliot presents Maggie as %ore i%aginati'e and interesting

than the rest o& her &a%ily and, sy%patheti!ally, in need o& lo'e" Yet MaggiePs passionate

preo!!#pations also !a#se pain &or others, as when she &orgets to &eed o%Ps rabbits, whi!h

leads to their death" Maggie will re%e%ber her !hildhood &ondly and with longing, yet these

years are depi!ted as painl ones" MaggiePs %other and a#nts !ontin#ally e


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.tephenPs attra!tion see%s to e


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&hili! 1ake

hilip -ake% is perhaps the %ost intelligent and per!epti'e !hara!ter o& The 'ill on the

+loss%0e &irst appears as a relie& to MaggiePs yo#ng li&e+he is one o& the &ew people to ha'e

an a!!#rate sense o&, and appre!iation &or, her intelligen!e, and hilip re%ains the only!hara!ter who lly appre!iates this side o& Maggie" hilip hi%sel& is well read, !#lt#red, and

an a!!o%plished sket!her" hilipPs de&or%ity+a h#n!hed ba!k he has had sin!e birth+has

%ade hi% so%ewhat %elan!holy and bitter" =ike Maggie, he s#&&ers &ro% a la!k o& lo'e in his

li&e" 0is attra!tion to Maggie is, in part, a response to her see%ingly botto%less !apa!ity &or

lo'e" hilipPs gentleness, s%all stat#re, and sensiti'ity o& &eelings !a#se people to des!ribe

hi% as Rwo%anly,R and he is i%pli!itly not !onsidered as a passionate atta!h%ent &or

Maggie" )t is hilip who #rges Maggie to gi'e #p her #nnat#ral sel&(denial" 0e re!ognies her

need &or tran7#ility b#t ass#res her that this is not the way to rea!h it" hro#gh the re%ainder

o& the no'el, hilip see%s to i%pli!itly o&&er Maggie the tran7#ility that she seeks+we

i%agine that MaggiePs li&e with hilip wo#ld be !al%, happy, and intelle!t#ally l&illing"

The Claim o" the )ast +-on )resent Identity

Both !hara!ters and pla!es in The 'ill on the +lossare presented as the !#rrent prod#!ts o&

%#lti(generational gestation" he 'ery ar!hite!t#re o& .t" 5ggPs bears its h#ndreds o& years

o& history within it" .i%ilarly, Maggie and o% are the hereditary prod#!ts o& two !o%peting

&a%ily lines+the #lli'ers and the odsons+that ha'e long histories and tenden!ies" )n the

no'el, the past holds a !#%#lati'e presen!e and has a deter%ining e&&e!t #pon !hara!ters

who are open to its in&l#en!e" he &irst, !arelly sket!hed o#t book abo#t Maggie and o%Ps

!hildhood be!o%es the past o& the rest o& the no'el" Maggie holds the %e%ory o& her

!hildhood sa!red and her !onne!tion to that ti%e !o%es to a&&e!ts her t#re beha'ior" 0ere,

the past is not so%ething to be es!aped nor is it so%ething that will rise again to threaten,

b#t it is instead an inherent part o& MaggiePs @and her &atherPs !hara!ter, %aking &idelity to it

a ne!essity" Book irst !learly de%onstrates the painlness o& li&e witho#t a past+the

depths o& MaggiePs !hildhood e%otions are nearly #nbearable to her be!a#se she has no

past o& !on7#ered tro#bles to look ba!k #pon with whi!h to p#t her present sit#ation in

perspe!ti'e" .tephen is held #p as an e


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The Im-ortance o" Sym-athy

The 'ill on the +lossis not a religio#s no'el, b#t it is highly !on!erned with a %orality that

sho#ld n!tion a%ong all people and sho#ld aspire to a !o%passionate !onne!tion with

others thro#gh sy%pathy" he parable o& .t" 5gg rewards the &erry%anPs #n7#estioningsy%pathy with another, and Maggie, in her &inal re!reation o& the .t" 5gg s!ene d#ring the

&lood, is 'indi!ated on the gro#nds o& her deep sy%pathy with others" he opposite o& this

sy%pathy within the no'el &inds the &or% o& 'ariations o& egois%" o% has not the !apability

o& sy%pathiing with Maggie" 0e is aligned with the narrow, sel&(ser'ing ethi! o& the rising

entreprene#r9 o% e


39/65

pen, ink, and paper, and i& yo#Pre to get on in the world, yo#ng %an, yo# %#st know what the

worldPs %ade o&"R o% soon ret#rns and takes ad'antage o& his skills &or pra!ti!al

knowledge, %aking good in the newly entreprene#rial world" o%Ps pra!ti!al knowledge is

always depi!ted as a so#r!e o& s#periority &or o%" ro% his !hildhood on, o% has no

patien!e &or MaggiePs intelle!t#al !#riosity" he narrowness o& o%Ps %ised#!ation #nder Mr"

.telling see%s so%ewhat related to the narrowness o& o%Ps toleran!e &or othersP %odes o&

knowledge" Yet Eliot re%ains !lear that MaggiePs intelle!t#alis% %akes her o%Ps s#perior in

this !ase+Rthe responsibility o& toleran!e lies with those who ha'e the wider 'ision"R

The #""ect o" Society +-on the Individual

.o!iety is ne'er re'ealed to be a !o%pletely deter%ining &a!tor in the destiny o& EliotPs %ain

!hara!ters+&or e#ests+thro#gh their

!o%%on 'al#es, e!ono%i! standing, and so!ial !ir!les" )n the &irst part o& the no'el, Eliot

all#des to the e&&e!t these !o%%#nal &or!es ha'e on MaggiePs and o%Ps &or%ation" oward

the end o& the no'el, the detailed ba!kgro#nd o& .t" 5ggPs so!iety n!tions as a !ontrast

against whi!h Maggie see%s &reshly si%ple and gen#ine"

Moti$s

The %is-arity Bet/een the %odsons and the Tullivers

Early on in the no'el a distin!tion between the two &a%ilies &ro% whi!h o% and Maggie are

des!ended is drawn o#t" he odsons are so!ially respe!table, !on!erned with !odes o&beha'ior, and %aterialisti!" he #lli'ers are less so!ially respe!table and ha'e a depth o&

e%otion and a&&e!tion" he !onstant repetition o& the !hara!teristi!s o& the two !lans ser'es

to !reate a di'ision along whi!h MaggiePs and o%Ps growth !an be tra!ked" o% is

asso!iated with the odsons, e'en %ore so when an ad#lt, and Maggie is asso!iated with

the #lli'ers"


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Music

-e o&ten see Maggie nearly lose !ons!io#sness when listening to %#si!I she is so

o'er!o%e with e%otion and &orgetl o& any p#niti'e or sel&(denying i%p#lses" As a %oti&,

%#si! works the opposite way too9 when Maggie e


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#nsatis&ied intelligen!e, and #nsatis&ied, besee!hing a&&e!tion"R Bob Jakin, who 'iews Maggie

as s#perior to hi% and a &ig#re o& who% to be in awe, reports that Maggie has Rs#!h

#n!o%%on eyes, they looked so%ehow as they %ade hi% &eel nohow"R inally, .tephen,

who will e


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Conrad$s Heart of 3ar$ness%or, as the -estern world !a%e in !onta!t with other peoples

and ways o& li&e, it &o#nd aspe!ts o& these !#lt#res within itsel&, and both desired and &eared

to ind#lge the%" hese aspe!ts in!l#ded open sens#ality, physi!ality, and other so(!alled

irrational tenden!ies" E'en as ;i!torian England so#ght to assert its !i'iliation o'er and

against these instin!t#al sides o& li&e, it &o#nd the% se!retly &as!inating" )ndeed, so!iety$s

repression o& its darker side only in!reased the &as!ination" As a prod#!t o& this so!iety, 3r%

Je$yll and 'r% Hyde%ani&ests this &as!inationI yet, as a work o& art, it also 7#estions this

interest"

By the late 188Hs, .te'enson had be!o%e one o& the leading lights o& English literat#re" B#t

e'en a&ter garnering &a%e, he led a so%ewhat tro#bled li&e" 0e tra'eled o&ten, seeking to &ind

a !li%ate %ore a%enable to the t#ber!#losis that ha#nted his later days" E'ent#ally he

settled in .a%oa, and there .te'enson died s#ddenly in 183*, at the age o& &orty(&o#r"

lot

5n their weekly walk, an e%inently sensible, tr#stworthy lawyer na%ed Mr" tterson listens

as his &riend En&ield tells a gr#eso%e tale o& assa#lt" he tale des!ribes a sinister &ig#re

na%ed Mr" 0yde who tra%ples a yo#ng girl, disappears into a door on the street, and

ree%erges to pay o&& her relati'es with a !he!k signed by a respe!table gentle%an" .in!e

both tterson and En&ield disappro'e o& gossip, they agree to speak no rther o& the %atter"

)t happens, howe'er, that one o& tterson$s !lients and !lose &riends, r" Jekyll, has written awill trans&erring all o& his property to this sa%e Mr" 0yde" .oon, tterson begins ha'ing

drea%s in whi!h a &a!eless &ig#re stalks thro#gh a night%arish 'ersion o& =ondon"

#led, the lawyer 'isits Jekyll and their %#t#al &riend r" =anyon to try to learn %ore"

=anyon reports that he no longer sees %#!h o& Jekyll, sin!e they had a disp#te o'er the

!o#rse o& Jekyll$s resear!h, whi!h =anyon !alls F#ns!ienti&i! balderdash"G C#rio#s, tterson

stakes o#t a b#ilding that 0yde 'isits+whi!h, it t#rns o#t, is a laboratory atta!hed to the ba!k

o& Jekyll$s ho%e" En!o#ntering 0yde, tterson is a%aed by how #nde&inably #gly the %an

see%s, as i& de&or%ed, tho#gh tterson !annot say e


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tterson" he poli!e !onta!t tterson, and tterson s#spe!ts 0yde as the %#rderer" 0e

leads the o&&i!ers to 0yde$s apart%ent, &eeling a sense o& &oreboding a%id the eerie weather

+the %orning is dark and wreathed in &og" -hen they arri'e at the apart%ent, the %#rderer

has 'anished, and poli!e sear!hes pro'e tile" .hortly therea&ter, tterson again 'isits

Jekyll, who now !lai%s to ha'e ended all relations with 0ydeI he shows tterson a note,

allegedly written to Jekyll by 0yde, apologiing &or the tro#ble he has !a#sed hi% and saying

goodbye" hat night, howe'er, tterson$s !lerk points o#t that 0yde$s handwriting bears a

re%arkable si%ilarity to Jekyll$s own"

or a &ew %onths, Jekyll a!ts espe!ially &riendly and so!iable, as i& a weight has been li&ted

&ro% his sho#lders" B#t then Jekyll s#ddenly begins to rese 'isitors, and =anyon dies &ro%

so%e kind o& sho!k he re!ei'ed in !onne!tion with Jekyll" Be&ore dying, howe'er, =anyon

gi'es tterson a letter, with instr#!tions that he not open it #ntil a&ter Jekyll$s death"

Meanwhile, tterson goes o#t walking with En&ield, and they see Jekyll at a window o& his

laboratoryI the three %en begin to !on'erse, b#t a look o& horror !o%es o'er Jekyll$s &a!e,

and he sla%s the window and disappears" .oon a&terward, Jekyll$s b#tler, Mr" oole, 'isits

tterson in a state o& desperation9 Jekyll has se!l#ded hi%sel& in his laboratory &or se'eral

weeks, and now the 'oi!e that !o%es &ro% the roo% so#nds nothing like the do!tor$s"

tterson and oole tra'el to Jekyll$s ho#se thro#gh e%pty, windswept, sinister streetsI on!e

there, they &ind the ser'ants h#ddled together in &ear" A&ter arg#ing &or a ti%e, the two o&

the% resol'e to break into Jekyll$s laboratory" )nside, they &ind the body o& 0yde, wearing

Jekyll$s !lothes and apparently dead by s#i!ide+and a letter &ro% Jekyll to tterson

pro%ising to e


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pro'ed s#!!esslI one day, howe'er, while sitting in a park, he s#ddenly t#rned into 0yde,

the &irst ti%e that an in'ol#ntary %eta%orphosis had happened while he was awake"

he letter !ontin#es des!ribing Jekyll$s !ry &or help" ar &ro% his laboratory and h#nted by

the poli!e as a %#rderer, 0yde needed =anyon$s help to get his potions and be!o%e Jekyll

again+b#t when he #ndertook the trans&or%ation in =anyon$s presen!e, the sho!k o& the

sight instigated =anyon$s deterioration and death" Meanwhile, Jekyll ret#rned to his ho%e,

only to &ind hi%sel& e'er %ore helpless and trapped as the trans&or%ations in!reased in

&re7#en!y and ne!essitated e'en larger doses o& potion in order to re'erse the%sel'es" )t

was the onset o& one o& these spontaneo#s %eta%orphoses that !a#sed Jekyll to sla% his

laboratory window sh#t in the %iddle o& his !on'ersation with En&ield and tterson"

E'ent#ally, the potion began to r#n o#t, and Jekyll was #nable to &ind a key ingredient to

%ake %ore" 0is ability to !hange ba!k &ro% 0yde into Jekyll slowly 'anished" Jekyll writes

that e'en as he !o%poses his letter he knows that he will soon be!o%e 0yde per%anently,

and he wonders i& 0yde will &a!e e


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=anyon+and perhaps ;i!torian so!iety at large+in his de'otion to reasonable eabriel John tterson"

+r. Hastie Lanyon( A rep#table =ondon do!tor and, along with tterson, &or%erly one o&

Jekyll$s !losest &riends" As an e%bodi%ent o& rationalis%, %aterialis%, and skepti!is%,

=anyon ser'es a &oil @a !hara!ter whose attit#des or e%otions !ontrast with, and thereby

ill#%inate, those o& another !hara!ter &or Jekyll, who e%bra!es %ysti!is%" 0is death

represents the %ore general 'i!tory o& s#pernat#ralis% o'er %aterialis% in 3r% Je$yll and 'r%

Hyde%

/ead anin(depth analysis o& r" 0astie =anyon"

Mr. &oole( Jekyll$s b#tler" Mr" oole is a loyal ser'ant, ha'ing worked &or the do!tor &or

twenty years, and his !on!ern &or his %aster e'ent#ally dri'es hi% to seek tterson$s help

when he be!o%es !on'in!ed that so%ething has happened to Jekyll"Mr. En$ield( A distant !o#sin and li&elong &riend o& Mr" tterson" =ike tterson, En&ield is

reser'ed, &or%al, and s!ornl o& gossipI indeed, the two %en o&ten walk together &or long

stret!hes witho#t saying a word to one another"

Mr. Guest( tterson$s !lerk and !on&idant" >#est is also an e#est noti!es that 0yde$s s!ript is the sa%e as Jekyll$s, b#t slanted the other way"

Sir +anvers )arew( A well(liked old noble%an, a %e%ber o& arlia%ent, and a !lient o&

tterson"

+r. Jekyll 5 Mr. Hyde

5ne %ight 7#estion the e


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48/65

Altho#gh tterson witnesses a string o& sho!king e'ents, tterson hi%sel& is a largely

#ne

the only interesting 7#ality that .te'enson gi'es hi%+na%ely, his willingness to re%ain

&riends with so%eone whose rep#tation has s#&&ered" his loyalty leads hi% to pl#%b the

%ystery that s#rro#nds Jekyll"

tterson represents the per&e!t ;i!torian gentle%an" 0e !onsistently seeks to preser'e order

and de!or#%, does not gossip, and g#ards his &riends$ rep#tations as tho#gh they were his

own" E'en when he s#spe!ts his &riend Jekyll o& !ri%inal a!ti'ities s#!h as bla!k%ail or the

sheltering o& a %#rderer, he pre&ers to sweep what he has learned+or what he thinks he has

learned+#nder the r#g rather than bring r#in #pon his good &riend"

tterson$s stat#s as the epito%e o& ;i!torian nor%s also ste%s &ro% his de'otion to reason

and !o%%on sense" 0e in'estigates what be!o%es a s#pernat#ral se7#en!e o& e'ents b#t

ne'er allows hi%sel& to e'en entertain the notion that so%ething #n!anny %ay be going on"

0e !onsiders that %isdeeds %ay be o!!#rring b#t not that the %ysti!al or %etaphysi!al

%ight be a&oot" h#s, e'en at the end, when he is s#%%oned by oole to Jekyll$s ho%e and

all the ser'ants are gathered &rightened in the hallway, tterson !ontin#es to look &or an

e

.te'enson depi!ts ;i!torian so!iety$s general atte%pt to %aintain the a#thority o& !i'iliation

o'er and against h#%anity$s darker side" .te'enson s#ggests that 4#st as tterson pre&ers

the s#ppression or a'oidan!e o& re'elations to the s!andal or !haos that the tr#th %ight

#nleash, so too does ;i!torian so!iety pre&er to repress and deny the e


49/65

=ondon is strong eno#gh to penetrate e'en the rigidly rational shell that s#rro#nds tterson,

planting a seed o& s#pernat#ral dread"

+r. Hastie Lanyon

=anyon plays only a %inor role in the no'el$s plot, b#t his the%ati! signi&i!an!e e


50/65

whi!h he hoped wo#ld separate and p#ri&y ea!h ele%ent, s#!!eeds only in bringing the dark

side into being+0yde e%erges, b#t he has no angeli! !o#nterpart" 5n!e #nleashed, 0yde

slowly takes o'er, #ntil Jekyll !eases to e

than a%oralI he knows the %oral law and basks in his brea!h o& it" or an ani%alisti!

!reat#re, rther%ore, 0yde see%s oddly at ho%e in the #rban lands!ape" All o& these

obser'ations i%ply that perhaps !i'iliation, too, has its dark side"

lti%ately, while .te'enson !learly asserts h#%an nat#re as possessing two aspe!ts, he

lea'es open the 7#estion o& what these aspe!ts !onstit#te" erhaps they !onsist o& e'il and'irt#eI perhaps they represent one$s inner ani%al and the 'eneer that !i'iliation has

i%posed" .te'enson enhan!es the ri!hness o& the no'el by lea'ing #s to look within

o#rsel'es to &ind the answers"

The Im-ortance o" Re-utation

or the !hara!ters in 3r% Je$yll and 'r% Hyde,preser'ing one$s rep#tation e%erges as all

i%portant" he pre'alen!e o& this 'al#e syste% is e'ident in the way that #pright %en s#!h

as tterson and En&ield a'oid gossip at all !ostsI they see gossip as a great destroyer o&

rep#tation" .i%ilarly, when tterson s#spe!ts Jekyll &irst o& being bla!k%ailed and then o&

sheltering 0yde &ro% the poli!e, he does not %ake his s#spi!ions knownI part o& being

Jekyll$s good &riend is a willingness to keep his se!rets and not r#in his respe!tability" he

i%portan!e o& rep#tation in the no'el also re&le!ts the i%portan!e o& appearan!es, &a!ades,

and s#r&a!es, whi!h o&ten hide a sordid #nderside" )n %any instan!es in the no'el, tterson,

tr#e to his ;i!torian so!iety, ada%antly wishes not only to preser'e Jekyll$s rep#tation b#t


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also to preser'e the appearan!e o& order and de!or#%, e'en as he senses a 'ile tr#th

l#rking #nderneath"

Moti$s

'otifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and

inform the te"t(s maor themes%

Violence Against Innocents

he te


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breaks down" erhaps so%ething abo#t 'erbal e


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3yde*s )hysical A--earance

A!!ording to the inde&inite re%arks %ade by his o'erwhel%ed obser'ers, 0yde appears

rep#lsi'ely #gly and de&or%ed, s%all, shr#nken, and hairy" 0is physi!al #gliness and

de&or%ity sy%bolies his %oral hideo#sness and warped ethi!s" )ndeed, &or the a#dien!e o&.te'enson$s ti%e, the !onne!tion between s#!h #gliness and 0yde$s wi!kedness %ight ha'e

been seen as %ore than sy%boli!" Many people belie'ed in the s!ien!e o& physiogno%y,

whi!h held that one !o#ld identi&y a !ri%inal by physi!al appearan!e" Additionally, 0yde$s

s%all stat#re %ay represent the &a!t that, as Jekyll$s dark side, he has been repressed &or

years, pre'ented &ro% growing and &lo#rishing" 0is hairiness %ay indi!ate that he is not so

%#!h an e'il side o& Jekyll as the e%bodi%ent o& Jekyll$s instin!ts, the ani%alisti! !ore

beneath Jekyll$s polished e


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enabling !apitalists and %an#&a!t#rers to a%ass h#ge &ort#nes" Altho#gh so!ial!lass was no longer entirely dependent on the !ir!#%stan!es o& one$s birth, thedi'isions between ri!h and poor re%ained nearly as wide as e'er" =ondon, atee%ing %ass o& h#%anity, lit by gas la%ps at night and darkened by bla!k!lo#ds &ro% s%okesta!ks d#ring the day, &or%ed a sharp !ontrast with the

nation$s sparsely pop#lated r#ral areas" More and %ore people %o'ed &ro% the!o#ntry to the !ity in sear!h o& greater e!ono%i! opport#nity" hro#gho#tEngland, the %anners o& the #pper !lass were 'ery stri!t and !onser'ati'e9gentle%en and ladies were e


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na%ed Estella, who treats hi% !oldly and !onte%pt#o#sly" e'ertheless, he &alls

in lo'e with her and drea%s o& be!o%ing a wealthy gentle%an so that he %ight

be worthy o& her" 0e e'en hopes that Miss 0a'isha% intends to %ake hi% a

gentle%an and %arry hi% to Estella, b#t his hopes are dashed when, a&ter

%onths o& reg#lar 'isits to .atis 0o#se, Miss 0a'isha% de!ides to help hi%

be!o%e a !o%%on laborer in his &a%ily$s b#siness"

-ith Miss 0a'isha%$s g#idan!e, ip is apprenti!ed to his brother(in(law, Joe,

who is the 'illage bla!ks%ith" ip works in the &orge #nhappily, str#ggling to

better his ed#!ation with the help o& the plain, kind Biddy and en!o#ntering Joe$s

%ali!io#s day laborer, 5rli!k" 5ne night, a&ter an alter!ation with 5rli!k, ip$s

sister, known as Mrs" Joe, is 'i!io#sly atta!ked and be!o%es a %#te in'alid"

ro% her signals, ip s#spe!ts that 5rli!k was responsible &or the atta!k"

5ne day a lawyer na%ed Jaggers appears with strange news9 a se!ret

bene&a!tor has gi'en ip a large &ort#ne, and ip %#st !o%e to =ondon

i%%ediately to begin his ed#!ation as a gentle%an" ip happily ass#%es that his

pre'io#s hopes ha'e !o%e tr#e+that Miss 0a'isha% is his se!ret bene&a!tor

and that the old wo%an intends &or hi% to %arry Estella"

)n =ondon, ip be&riends a yo#ng gentle%an na%ed 0erbert o!ket and

Jaggers$s law !lerk, -e%%i!k" 0e e


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ip is appalled, b#t he &eels %orally bo#nd to help Magwit!h es!ape =ondon, as

the !on'i!t is p#rs#ed both by the poli!e and by Co%peyson, his &or%er partner

in !ri%e" A !o%pli!ated %ystery begins to &all into pla!e when ip dis!o'ers that

Co%peyson was the %an who abandoned Miss 0a'isha% at the altar and that

Estella is Magwit!h$s da#ghter" Miss 0a'isha% has raised her to break %en$s

hearts, as re'enge &or the pain her own broken heart !a#sed her" ip was %erely

a boy &or the yo#ng Estella to pra!ti!e onI Miss 0a'isha% delighted in Estella$s

ability to toy with his a&&e!tions"

As the weeks pass, ip sees the good in Magwit!h and begins to !are &or hi%

deeply" Be&ore Magwit!h$s es!ape atte%pt, Estella %arries an #pper(!lass lo#t

na%ed Bentley r#%%le" ip %akes a 'isit to .atis 0o#se, where Miss

0a'isha% begs his &orgi'eness &or the way she has treated hi% in the past, and

he &orgi'es her" =ater that day, when she bends o'er the &irepla!e, her !lothing

!at!hes &ire and she goes #p in &la%es" .he s#r'i'es b#t be!o%es an in'alid" )n

her &inal days, she will !ontin#e to repent &or her %isdeeds and to plead &or ip$s

&orgi'eness"

he ti%e !o%es &or ip and his &riends to spirit Magwit!h away &ro% =ondon" J#st

be&ore the es!ape atte%pt, ip is !alled to a shadowy %eeting in the %arshes,

where he en!o#nters the 'engel, e'il 5rli!k" 5rli!k is on the 'erge o& killing ip

when 0erbert arri'es with a gro#p o& &riends and sa'es ip$s li&e" ip and 0erberth#rry ba!k to e&&e!t Magwit!h$s es!ape" hey try to sneak Magwit!h down the

ri'er on a rowboat, b#t they are dis!o'ered by the poli!e, who Co%peyson tipped

o&&" Magwit!h and Co%peyson &ight in the ri'er, and Co%peyson is drowned"

Magwit!h is senten!ed to death, and ip loses his &ort#ne" Magwit!h &eels that

his senten!e is >od$s &orgi'eness and dies at pea!e" ip &alls illI Joe !o%es to

=ondon to !are &or hi%, and they are re!on!iled" Joe gi'es hi% the news &ro%

ho%e9 5rli!k, a&ter robbing #%ble!hook, is now in 4ailI Miss 0a'isha% has died

and le&t %ost o& her &ort#ne to the o!ketsI Biddy has ta#ght Joe how to read and

write" A&ter Joe lea'es, ip de!ides to r#sh ho%e a&ter hi% and %arry Biddy, b#t

when he arri'es there he dis!o'ers that she and Joe ha'e already %arried"

ip de!ides to go abroad with 0erbert to work in the %er!antile trade" /et#rning

%any years later, he en!o#nters Estella in the r#ined garden at .atis 0o#se"

r#%%le, her h#sband, treated her badly, b#t he is now dead" ip &inds that


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Estella$s !oldness and !r#elty ha'e been repla!ed by a sad kindness, and the

two lea'e the garden hand in hand, ip belie'ing that they will ne'er part again"

ip ( he protagonist and narrator o& >reat Ereat E


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0erbert o!ket ( ip &irst %eets 0erbert o!ket in the garden o& .atis 0o#se,when, as a pale yo#ng gentle%an, 0erbert !hallenges hi% to a &ight" Years later,they %eet again in =ondon, and 0erbert be!o%es ip$s best &riend and key!o%panion a&ter ip$s ele'ation to the stat#s o& gentle%an" 0erbert ni!kna%es

ip F0andel"G 0e is the son o& Matthew o!ket, Miss 0a'isha%$s !o#sin, andhopes to be!o%e a %er!hant so that he !an a&&ord to %arry Clara Barley"-e%%i!k ( Jaggers$s !lerk and ip$s &riend, -e%%i!k is one o& the strangest!hara!ters in >reat E


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Mr" -opsle ( he !h#r!h !lerk in ip$s !o#ntry townI Mr" -opsle$s a#nt is thelo!al s!hooltea!her" .o%eti%e a&ter ip be!o%es a gentle%an, Mr" -opsle%o'es to =ondon and be!o%es an a!tor".tartop ( A &riend o& ip$s and 0erbert$s" .tartop is a deli!ate yo#ng %an who,with ip and r#%%le, takes t#telage with Matthew o!ket" =ater, .tartop helps

ip and 0erbert with Magwit!h$s es!ape"Miss .ki&&ins ( -e%%i!k$s belo'ed, and e'ent#al wi&e"ip

As a bild#ngsro%an, >reat Ereat E


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the no'el %ay be seen as the pro!ess o& learning to pla!e his innate sense o&kindness and !ons!ien!e abo'e his i%%at#re idealis%"ot long a&ter %eeting Miss 0a'isha% and Estella, ip$s desire &or ad'an!e%entlargely o'ershadows his basi! goodness" A&ter re!ei'ing his %ysterio#s &ort#ne,his idealisti! wishes see% to ha'e been 4#sti&ied, and he gi'es hi%sel& o'er to a

gentle%anly li&e o& idleness" B#t the dis!o'ery that the wret!hed Magwit!h, notthe wealthy Miss 0a'isha%, is his se!ret bene&a!tor shatters ip$s o'ersi%pli&iedsense o& his world$s hierar!hy" he &a!t that he !o%es to ad%ire Magwit!h whilelosing Estella to the br#tish noble%an r#%%le #lti%ately &or!es hi% to realiethat one$s so!ial position is not the %ost i%portant 7#ality one possesses, andthat his beha'ior as a gentle%an has !a#sed hi% to h#rt the people who !areabo#t hi% %ost" 5n!e he has learned these lessons, ip %at#res into the %anwho narrates the no'el, !o%pleting the bild#ngsro%an"Estella

5&ten !ited as i!kens$s &irst !on'in!ing &e%ale !hara!ter, Estella is a s#pre%ely

ironi! !reation, one who darkly #nder%ines the notion o& ro%anti! lo'e andser'es as a bitter !riti!is% against the !lass syste% in whi!h she is %ired" /aised&ro% the age o& three by Miss 0a'isha% to tor%ent %en and Fbreak their hearts,GEstella wins ip$s deepest lo'e by pra!ti!ing deliberate !r#elty" nlike the war%,winso%e, kind heroine o& a traditional lo'e story, Estella is !old, !yni!al, and%anip#lati'e" ho#gh she represents ip$s &irst longed(&or ideal o& li&e a%ong the#pper !lasses, Estella is a!t#ally e'en lower(born than ipI as ip learns nearthe end o& the no'el, she is the da#ghter o& Magwit!h, the !oarse !on'i!t, andth#s springs &ro% the 'ery lowest le'el o& so!iety"

)roni!ally, li&e a%ong the #pper !lasses does not represent sal'ation &or Estella"

)nstead, she is 'i!ti%ied twi!e by her adopted !lass" /ather than being raisedby Magwit!h, a %an o& great inner nobility, she is raised by Miss 0a'isha%, whodestroys her ability to e


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be!o%e her own wo%an &or the &irst ti%e in the book" As she says to ip,F.#&&ering has been stronger than all other tea!hing" " " " ) ha'e been bent andbroken, b#t+) hope+into a better shape"GMiss 0a'isha%

he %ad, 'engel Miss 0a'isha%, a wealthy dowager who li'es in a rotting%ansion and wears an old wedding dress e'ery day o& her li&e, is not e


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hi%sel& abo#t ha'ing beha'ed so wret!hedly toward Joe and Biddy" .e!ond, ipdesires so!ial sel&(i%pro'e%ent" )n lo'e with Estella, he longs to be!o%e a%e%ber o& her so!ial !lass, and, en!o#raged by Mrs" Joe and #%ble!hook, heentertains &antasies o& be!o%ing a gentle%an" he working o#t o& this &antasy&or%s the basi! plot o& the no'elI it pro'ides i!kens the opport#nity to gently

satirie the !lass syste% o& his era and to %ake a point abo#t its !apri!io#snat#re" .igni&i!antly, ip$s li&e as a gentle%an is no %ore satis&ying+and!ertainly no %ore %oral+than his pre'io#s li&e as a bla!ks%ith$s apprenti!e"hird, ip desires ed#!ational i%pro'e%ent" his desire is deeply !onne!ted tohis so!ial a%bition and longing to %arry Estella9 a ll ed#!ation is a re7#ire%ento& being a gentle%an" As long as he is an ignorant !o#ntry boy, he has no hopeo& so!ial ad'an!e%ent" ip #nderstands this &a!t as a !hild, when he learns toread at Mr" -opsle$s a#nt$s s!hool, and as a yo#ng %an, when he takes lessons&ro% Matthew o!ket" lti%ately, thro#gh the e#ilt, and )nno!en!e

he the%e o& !ri%e, g#ilt, and inno!en!e is e


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i%agery o& !ri%e and !ri%inal 4#sti!e per'ades the book, be!o%ing an i%portantsy%bol o& ip$s inner str#ggle to re!on!ile his own inner %oral !ons!ien!e withthe instit#tional 4#sti!e syste%" )n general, 4#st as so!ial !lass be!o%es as#per&i!ial standard o& 'al#e that ip %#st learn to look beyond in &inding a betterway to li'e his li&e, the ereatE


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and a !o%%on %an+rther %irrors the relationship between Estella and ip"

his do#bling o& ele%ents has no real bearing on the no'el$s %ain the%es, b#t,like the !onne!tion o& weather and a!tion, it adds to the sense that e'erything inip$s world is !onne!ted" hro#gho#t i!kens$s works, this kind o& dra%ati!

sy%%etry is si%ply part o& the &abri! o& his no'elisti! #ni'erse"

Co%parison o& Chara!ters to )nani%ate 5b4e!ts

hro#gho#t >reat Ereat E


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Novels Bibliography Course

Documents

Transcript of Novels Bibliography Course