| Each of George Eliot's later novels presents a central moral problem which is shared by several characters, and is reflected as a social problem in the setting of the novel. Some of the characters, unable or unwilling to relinquish their egoism, fail to resolve their problems, and suffer inevitable consequences; other characters are able to resolve their problems partially, as they move towards altruism, by learning to deal differently with others. Society evolves too slowly for change to be apparent in the short span of the novel, and therefore offers no resolution at all. Consequently, even morally developed individuals have difficulties in their public roles dealing with the problems, and must therefore curtail their ambitions.;In Felix Holt the central moral problem concerns the correct kinds and applications of power. The characters' personal quest for mastery and individual power is reflected in the social setting, where the election presents an opportunity for the exercise of political power. Negating the efficacy of sweeping political measures and of solutions to particular problems based on general conceptions, the novel instead affirms the need for individual interaction, and education based on altruistic principles. Although the conclusion shows Esther and Felix leading useful and happy lives, they do so only by rejecting the middle and upper classes, the suggestion being that resolutions are limited to members of the working class.;Choice is the central moral problem in Middlemarch, which stresses the ways individuals can achieve personal satisfaction by making decisions which integrate code, feelings and knowledge. Revealing the far-reaching effects of even minor decisions, the novel emphasizes three primary, interrelated life-choices, marriage, money and career. The finale again shows the limitations of individuals in public roles, and seems to suggest that Dorothea's "incalculably diffusive" effect on those around her represents the best possible resolution.;The central moral problem in Daniel Deronda concerns the ability of individuals to feel faith in a force called variously "Providence," "fate," "destiny," or "that stronger Something." Emphasizing an individual's nature rather than his character, the novel examines the ways that heredity and innate qualities shape individual lives and bind individuals together into various fellowships. It presents individual lives as part of a teleological evolutionary process in which individual choices and actions are directed and limited by external factors.;In Romola the central moral problem concerns authority. Some characters seek a focus for their "conscious obedience," and one, Savonarola, tries to elicit obedience to his own vision, hoping to reform Florence. His failure, due in part to his betrayal of his own purest motives, reflects the difficulties inherent in the role of social and political leader. His purely personal influence on Romola allows her to develop morally. Although Romola apparently resolves the problems in her life, the conclusion, which depicts her in much the same surroundings as she began--with a small, private collection of individuals on whom she can lavish care and affection--leaves the nature of her resolution in doubt. |
