Author Description
'the Only True Knowledge Of Our Fellow-man Is That Which Enables Us To Feel With Him' George Eliot's First Published Work Consisted Of Three Short Novellas: 'the Sad Fortunes Of The Reverend Amos Barton', 'mr Gilfil's Love-story', And 'janet's Repentance'. Their Depiction Of The Lives Of Ordinary Men And Women In A Provincial Midlands Town Initiated A New Era Of Nineteenth-century Literary Realism. The Tales Concern Rural Members Of The Clergy And The Gossip And Factions That A Small Town Generates Around Them. Amos Barton Only Realizes How Much He Depends Upon His Wife's Selfless Love When She Dies Prematurely; Mr Gilfil's Devotion To A Girl Who Loves Another Is Only Fleetingly Rewarded; And Janet Dempster Suffers Years Of Domestic Abuse Before The Influence Of An Evangelical Minister Turns Her Life Around. These Stories Are Remarkable For The Tenderness With Which Eliot Portrays A Bygone Time Of Religious Belief In A Newly Secular Age, Giving Literary Fiction An Alternative Language To Religion And Philosophy For The Observation And Understanding Of Human Experience. About The Series: For Over 100 Years Oxford World's Classics Has Made Available The Widest Range Of Literature From Around The Globe. Each Affordable Volume Reflects Oxford's Commitment To Scholarship, Providing The Most Accurate Text Plus A Wealth Of Other Valuable Features, Including Expert Introductions By Leading Authorities, Helpful Notes To Clarify The Text, Up-to-date Bibliographies For Further Study, And Much More.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
The collection explores the moral and social complexities of life within a small provincial town, centering on the personal crises of three distinct clergymen and their associates. Each novella functions as a character study, examining the intersection of private suffering and public scrutiny in the English Midlands. The narrative framework utilizes a sympathetic, observant narrator who invites the reader to consider the hidden depths of seemingly ordinary individuals. The protagonists face internal conflicts regarding faith, domestic duty, and unrequited affection, all while navigating the rigid social expectations of their rural environment.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- Focus on the psychological interiority of provincial clergy members
- Detailed observation of small-town social dynamics and gossip
- Exploration of domestic life and marital challenges
- Examination of the role of religious belief in a changing society
- Use of a compassionate, omniscient narrative voice
- Emphasis on the moral significance of everyday human experiences
- Realistic depiction of nineteenth-century rural English settings
- Interconnected themes of empathy, redemption, and social isolation
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
Readers and critics frequently identify this work as the foundational text for the author's later, more expansive novels. Discussion often centers on the shift toward psychological realism and the author's ability to find profound significance in the lives of unremarkable people. Many highlight the balance between the author's gentle irony and the genuine pathos found in the characters' struggles. The collection is noted for its atmospheric rendering of a bygone era, providing a window into the social and religious tensions of the nineteenth century. Scholars often point to these stories as the moment the author established a distinct voice that prioritized human empathy over didactic moralizing.
Page Count:
416
Publication Date:
2015-01-01
Publisher:
Oup Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191003743
ISBN-13:
9780191003745
Fiction
History
Biography
Realism
Historical
Victorian
Short Stories
classic
Literary
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