Women's Tragedy On Men's Altar

Gcorgc Eliot has always bccti conspicuously ranked in English litcrary history. On the one hand, her valiant rcbellion in complete defiance of thc orthodox has ittitiatcd her many ycars of exilc from the tipper class society aitd all the decent families. On the other hand, however, Gcorgc Eliot has attained brilliant acltievenicnts in literary writing and cndowcd her country with splcndid artistic treasures. Most of Eliot抯 novels are novcls of the ordinary in lhc countryside a ad small town areas. Whereas all her fenia Ic protagonists al-c born into ConmflIoli families, thcy yearn for an unconinton intellectual and vocational life. Maggie in The Mill on 1/ic Floss retains her feverish interest iii music and books in spite or the comtstaiit scolding from her mother and her aunts, which is an out梐nd梠ut copy of George Eliot herself as a child. h)orothea, the hcroinc of ,i扞抜ddlc抜iwrcli, COIIlrOflte(l with (IiSSCflt a ad imtdilTcrcncc from all around, does not cut (Iowa her enthusiasm itt knowledge a ad charities at all. Dinah, the angel條ike gil-I with her noble character iii Aclaiiz l3ede, is itcvcr tired in preaching, endeavoring to redcent (lie pCOj)Ic. And Rontola, die protagonist in Ronioltt, has bectt longing to replace her brother and assist her father with his great research ~vork. The life purposes of these female characters at-c varied, bitt they are much alike in that none of thetti is content with the prosaic life set belure women and all of thetit thirst to do somcthtimtg meaningful. Their images seem to be SO dazzling itt this inhale梔ominated world for their rare intelligence and noble mind, and they are superior to all the men around. Neverthelcss, their fate is rather unfortunate, no Eliot抯 glory, to be sure. I)inah and 1)orothea have accepte(l the boring life of being a mother amid wife only and have lost their original aspirations. Poor Rontola haschosen a selfish and greedy httsl)and, which inevitably renders her ciidless IOncliI3 cssboth bcftu抏 and a tier his death, so she has to 1111(1 a sj)iritual prop in helping thcneeded ~tiid the nhiSCral)IC.This is women抯 destined tragedy in Eliot抯 writings. They have strivcd ~ndstruggled, but in vain, SO they havc to give up. Why their fate could have l)CCr so differciit from that of Eliot抯? First of all is their weakncss. George Eliot commonly cxprcsscs the lack of ability of her blundering heroines in the nlCtal)llor that they lack揻oresight? It implies that they are not competent enough to choose a correct path to achieve their goals. IJCS1(leS, they arc not pt抮sistcuit, cspccially in their struggle 11r equality and independence. 揅haracter is destiny.?Their chat-acteristic weaknesses determine their failu ie to go on pttl-suing their drca Ins, notwithstanding sociall)~CSSiI i-c. The second reason is social fiielor. Eliot抯 women characters live in a conservative male梞astered society where they are subordinated to their fat lici; husband, or even to their sons. They are supl)osed merely to be housekeepers oi?sort of ornament, making men抯 lives more joyful and more comfortable. Consequently, they hardly have any chammce to nlal(e any acluicvcntcimt iii face of the powerful outside forces. So these women have to renounce their asl)iraIiOlls after times audI tiJll(s of setbacks. 慒he third aiid the most significant reason is Eliot抯 view of society and morality. Eliot lived in a perio(l of belief crisis, when The Origin of Species had gotpublished. Jesus could not bm-ing the l)eoPle together any more and the whole nation was iii spiritual turmoil, whiclt (listressed George Eliot to the bottom of her heart.George Eliot is a gradualist, who, while opposing earth梥haking reform, favors gra(hiIal development of society on its owit towards a satisfactory direction. She ~l5SUfllC5 thu SoCiety is a ii organ IC whole made tiJ) of 1111 told interrelated amid interdependent units. Ally action of any person may have some influence upon Others2atid upon socicty. In ordcr to s...