Examining Negotiated Boundaries of Class and Gender in Middlemarch

Examining Negotiated Boundaries of Class and Gender in Middlemarch

Since the 1830s and 1840s in England were a time of social, economic, and political transformation, the class barriers in rural society were constantly contested and negotiated. The ruling class attempted to retain power by advertising the paternalism, philanthropy and hereditary rights, and upward mobility between classes was rarely found. Although signs of discontent are apparent in Middlemarch, Eliot does not choose to emphasize the magnitude of the problem. Like her treatment of historical matters, unrest is woven into the daily lives of the characters. Reflecting the grim state of class conflict in rural area, Eliot focuses on the consciousness of individual characters. Despite their class prejudices and desires, the individuals in provincial town reveal their reliance on the fragile web of society for support. Eliot asks why gentries and farmers, both dependent upon each other, regard their interests as opposed and asserts the need for reconciliation through improved communication. Eliot was successful in her didactic attempt without losing sight of the individual's capacity to affect the lives of others.