From Callowness To Maturity

George Eliot(1819---1880) is an English novelist, journalist, translator and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. Her novels are known for their realism and psychological insight. As an important figure in literature, George Eliot has always been concerned about human’s existence in the nineteenth century, when there are great disorders both in ethics and spirit, and women’s growth is one indispensible element in her works. During her lifetime, George Eliot has composed large numbers of works. Among them, Middlemarch (1872) is an important novel, which establishes her as one of the most influential writers in the nineteenth century.In Middlemarch, George Eliot depicts women’s existence in Victorian Age. The novel is renowned for its description of women’s growing process. Corresponding with Bildungsroman, the novel reveals the protagonist Dorothea’s quests, mentors’ roles in her growing process and her growth in spiritual, emotional and social aspects. This thesis attempts to analyze the novel from the perspective of Bildungsroman and explores Dorothea’s quests in the patriarchal society and growth from callowness to maturity under the guidance of four mentors.This thesis is composed of the introduction, the body and the conclusion.The introductory part includes George Eliot’s life and her works, especially Middlemarch. And it also makes a concise review of the previous studies on George Eliot and the novel Middlemarch.The body is divided into four chapters. Chapter One gives an overview of George Eliot’s growing process, the study of Middlemarch and the major characteristics of English Bildungsroman, including quest, mentors’roles in the protagonist’s growing process and the protagonist’s spiritual, emotional and social growth. The growing process of the protagonist in Middlemarch corresponds with the characteristics of Bildungsroman. Chapter Two mainly analyzes Dorothea’s positive quests. Dorothea firstly quests for knowledge in the patriarchal society, and then she quests for self-identification in the society, and finally she quests for the meaning of life in the world. Chapter Three analyzes Dorothea’s different kinds of mentors in her growing process, who play important roles on Dorothea’s growing road. Celia is Dorothea’s special mentor, who helps Dorothea become mature in character. Mr Brook provides Dorothea fatherly love and affection. Casaubon, can be seen as Dorothea’s faceted mentor. Will is an indispensible mentor in Dorothea’s growth, who provides Dorothea a completely different lifestyle, inspires Dorothea to give up unrealistic noble causes and live the secular life and awakens Dorothea’s sense of beauty and love for life. Chapter Four is intended to analyze Dorothea’s growth in three aspects. Dorothea’s spiritual growth lies in her revolt against the oppression from patriarchy and her female consciousness of seeking independence. Dorothea’s emotional growth is mainly reflected in her mastering her own love, abandoning the marriage of taking property as its basis and achieving equality in the family. Dorothea’s growth in social aspect is represented in her change from egoism to altruism and her continually pursuing self-value by shouldering social responsibility.Finally, the paper reaches a conclusion that confronted with the patriarchal society in the Victorian era, women still dare to struggle against patriarchy, and quest ceaselessly in order to know more about themselves and the society they live in. By analyzing Dorothea’s growing road in Middlemarch and exploring the living predicament of women in the patriarchal society, George Eliot reveals us her concern and thinking about women’s growing road and her affirmation of humanity and dignity.