Joseph Jacobs talks about how Eliot's novel is more of an interest in morality rather then a psychological one. "Luckily for George Eliot her interests were ethical rather than psychological, and if she ever does violence to art, it is in the interest of morality rather than of science (581). Jacobs suggests that Eliot's work is "a criticism of life" (581). He implies that Eliot attempts to affect the reader in many different areas. Areas such as human affairs, the solidarity of society, and the constitution of society as incarnate history.
I agree with Jacobs in the idea that Eliot's interests were more ethical. I think it would be silly to think that she was not attempting to touch her readers in any kind of aspect. She put her whole heart into her work and looked to reform the time in which she wrote the novel. It is in the way that she writes herself in her characters that allows us to really feel connected even as modern readers. We may not understand the characters style of living, but I think we do feel a connection in the sense that we feel some empathy for them at times or even a hatred at others. With all this in mind, I wonder how the novel would have been taken if it was not written from such an ethical point of view. If Eliot had written it as more of a psychological novel how would this change the story? How would it change how we feel about the novel and see it?
I like the quote you pulled out: "a criticism of life." By using an outside, all knowing, narrator, Eliot allows for the reader to know everything that is going on with her characters. In this case, it does seem ethical because we, as readers, are able to see the characters thought process in living their lives. On the other had, I think that is psychological because we are able to see that mental and emotional state of each character. The novel would change if it was purely psychological because we might only be given the state of each character. The contact between characters might not have been given and therefore the novel would not have been as powerful in its aspects of relationships.
ReplyDeleteThe quote "criticism of life" is very accurate to what Eliot did do. She captured so many different aspects of life: The one where the wife loses her husband, the one where she lives happily every after with babies, and the spoiled brat who drags her husband to ruin. These examples are of the women alone! However, I do agree that she did care a little bit more about the ethical sides of life. I would not say, I guess, that the story was one or the other but happens to encompass all of the different techniques mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI concur with the idea of Eliot's novel being a 'criticism of life' as it delves deep into the characters emotions, circumstances, and motives in concern with their life goals. Through this I agree with the idea of Eliot's novel as one concerned with morals.
ReplyDeleteI, too, like the idea of the novel as a criticism of life. Perhaps part of the reason that some readers feel let down by the novel is that very fact; Eliot presents us with a broad cast of characters, each with his or her own dreams and aspirations, and then shoots down the dreams of most of them, or at least tempers them so that they're mixed with disappointment.
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