George Eliot is both tough and brilliant. There are SO many words and so much local dialect and expression. Set around 1800, it is the story of Adam Bede, a man of intelligence and character, a hard-working carpenter who is obsessed with a beautiful but characterless woman. The novel is rich in historical atmosphere. It is a tale of morality, focused on human choices and decisions.
Eliot presents the reader with characters that might be considered stereotypical if not for the depth of her portrayals. Adam, the poor but highly moral, responsible man, contrasts with Arthur, the good-natured but spoiled heir who possesses a conscience but no restraint when it comes to his own personal needs. Seth, Adam's brother, is a weaker, paler version of the dynamic Adam. Dinah, the plain, devout Methodist preacher, contrasts with the beautiful Hetty, the undeserving object of Adam's affections.
I could spend hours analyzing Adam Bede, but I think it's more important to tell other readers to persist. It's slow-going at the beginning. I read this book for the first time in my 20's and I remember loving it. After all these years I found it very difficult to read. The first 3rd of the novel is description - of the village, the characters, the customs of the time, and life in 1799 - and seems to drag in places. Persistence is the key to enjoying this novel, and you won't be sorry! Get a footnoted version if you can. It not only references the many biblical illusions and quotes that appear in the novel, but it also provides definitions for many of the archaic words and expressions that are part and parcel of the story. It is well worth reading.
Just a note: If you enjoy reading or watching Poldark, this novel is set at about the same time in English history, so many of the social customs and historical situations are the same. It's interesting to compare the perspectives of the 2 stories, written 100 years apart, by two excellent authors.
No comments:
Post a Comment