The Mill on the Floss

"The Mill on the Floss," published in 1860, is a novel by George Eliot (the pen name of Mary Ann Evans). It is a poignant portrayal of Victorian England and captures the complexities of family dynamics, societal expectations, and personal aspirations. The story centers on Maggie Tulliver, a passionate and intelligent woman struggling to satisfy her emotional needs in the rigid provincial community of St. Ogg's. Her relationship with her brother, Tom, and their conflicts with family and society form the crux of the narrative. The novel explores themes of gender norms, education, and the tension between individual desires and social conventions.