The Mill on the Floss

First published in 1860, George Eliot’s “The Mill on the Floss” tells the story of Tom and Maggie Tulliver, a brother and sister growing up on the fictional river Floss near the village of St. Oggs in Lincolnshire, England. Set in the early 1800s over a period of several years, the novel follows the two main characters from childhood to young adulthood. Maggie and Tom’s love and loyalty to each other is the primary relationship of the novel, as well as Maggie’s connections to the two young suitors she is often torn between. Maggie struggles to decide if she will violate the social code of her time and risk ostracism from her family and friends to follow her own passions and desires. It is a struggle that women from many time periods can relate to. While Tom is stubborn and traditional, Maggie is often caught between what she should do and what she wants to do. This deeply personal and tragic tale remains a popular and enduring example of George Eliot’s importance in English literature.