The Quest for Anonymity: The Novels of George EliotIn a new treatment of Eliot's booklength fiction, Alley argues that from the very moment she adopted a male pseudonym through to the major epic and tragic novels of her later life, the transcendence of fame was her major consideration. Focusing on one novel in each chapter, the study shows how the plights of Eliot's heroines and heroes do not end in frustration but in an affirmation of anonymous achievement, "the growing good of the world." For Eliot, heroism emerges through disclosure, rather than grandly executed action, and since the revelation requires discerning effort on the part of those watching, both observer and observed are celebrated. |
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Page 34
... his fellow creature . Thus , compassion closes over death itself , and - when we turn from the witness figure to the hero himself - we find that Barton is also able to look into his own destiny 34 THE QUEST FOR ANONYMITY.
... his fellow creature . Thus , compassion closes over death itself , and - when we turn from the witness figure to the hero himself - we find that Barton is also able to look into his own destiny 34 THE QUEST FOR ANONYMITY.
Page 35
... look at a bent old man , or a wizened old woman , but I see also , with my mind's eye , that Past of which they are the shrunken remnant " ( 128 ) . The reader , of course , does not initially share this vision and interest , having ...
... look at a bent old man , or a wizened old woman , but I see also , with my mind's eye , that Past of which they are the shrunken remnant " ( 128 ) . The reader , of course , does not initially share this vision and interest , having ...
Page 156
... look at any person whom he used as a model , but in his own mind there dwelt a surpassing vision of beauty " ( 311 ) ... looks to that which is always unchanging and uses a model of that description in fashioning the form and quality of ...
... look at any person whom he used as a model , but in his own mind there dwelt a surpassing vision of beauty " ( 311 ) ... looks to that which is always unchanging and uses a model of that description in fashioning the form and quality of ...
Contents
Acknowledgments | 9 |
Scenes of Clerical Life and the Art of Indirect | 27 |
Heroic Perception in Adam Bede | 40 |
Copyright | |
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achieve acknowledge action Adam Adam Bede Aeschylus allusion anonymous heroism apparent artist balance becomes begins better called Casaubon chapter character clear close comes complete context continuity create critics Daniel Deronda death develop Dorothea earlier early effect Esther example experience fact father feeling Felix female fiction final Floss frequently George Eliot given gives Greek tragedy growing Gwendolen hand hero heroic human ideal imagination important Irwine later learned light living look Lydgate Maggie male means memory Middlemarch Mill mind moral narrative narrator nature never novel offers once past perceive perhaps present Press reader reading represents role Romola scene seems seen sense serves shows Silas Silas Marner soul speaks spirit story suffering suggest sympathy things thought tion tragedy true turn University vision voice whole woman writes