Nature And Harmony

As a thoughtful writer of Victorian Age, George Eliot is sensitive to the impact of industrialization on British society. In her novel The Mill on the Floss, Eliot writes about the rural life and manners. She depicts the pastoral scenes of English life, touching on the lives of ordinary people. The vivid descriptions of natural beauty in the novel illustrate Eliot's deep love for nature and her strong attachment to pastoral life. On the other hand, Eliot is concerned with the influence of industrialization on rural life in a transitional period. She exposes the confusion and agony people suffer, showing her anxiety over nature and humans'relationship. This thesis attempts to apply ecocritical approach to study George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss to elaborate on the shifts and strife resulting from the radical industrialization of early Victorian age.The thesis consists of three parts:Introduction, main body and Conclusion.The Introduction is a brief survey of George Eliot and her novels. A literature review of George Eliot and The Mill on the Floss is also included. An overview of ecocriticism is presented in this part as well.Main body consists of four chapters. Chapter One focuses on the formation of Eliot's ecological ideas. By studying Eliot's early experience, the intellectual surroundings, and the social environment in which she lives, the chapter traces the source of Eliot's Ecological ideas and her ecological stance.Chapter Two is aimed to elaborate on Eliot's view on nature, and her strong attachment to the pastoral life. Eliot's recalling of pastoral life and her singing of nature shows her concern with the living connection between man and nature.Chapter Three is devoted to Eliot's reflection upon the impact of industrialization. Industrialization disturbs the coziness and happiness of pastoral life, distorts the harmonious relationship among human beings, and nibbles away individual's primal self and vitality. It also cuts people's continuity with the past. The reflection upon industrialization indicates Eliot's concern and anxiety over the relationship between man and man, and man and nature.Chapter Four probes into Eliot's ways of reconstructing harmony, that is, returning to nature and reconstructing an organic community. By returning to nature, humans'polluted soul can be purified by nature. Men's ability to love and sympathize can be restored by melting into nature. The reconstruction of an organic society enables human beings to form a harmonious relationship not only among themselves but also with non-human beings.The thesis comes to the conclusion that industrialization drives away the pastoral life, alienates man from nature, and degenerates human relations. To restore harmony among men and to regain the balanced relationship between man and nature, human beings must return to nature and reconstruct an organic community.