About This eBook

Title: Middlemarch
Author: George Eliot (1819–1880)
Original Publication: 1871–1872 (first published in eight parts)
Language: English
Category: Classic Literature / Social Novel / Psychological Fiction
LoC Class: PR — Language and Literatures: English Literature

Description:
Middlemarch is often regarded as one of the greatest novels in the English language—a masterwork of psychological depth and social insight by George Eliot (the pen name of Mary Ann Evans). Set in the fictional provincial town of Middlemarch during the early 1830s, the novel weaves together multiple storylines to paint a panoramic portrait of English society in transition.

At its center is Dorothea Brooke, an idealistic young woman who yearns for purpose and moral fulfillment beyond the confines of domestic life. Her marriage to the dry and scholarly Mr. Casaubon sets off a chain of emotional and intellectual struggles that force her to confront her own limitations and desires. Meanwhile, characters such as Tertius Lydgate, the ambitious young doctor, and Rosamond Vincy, whose vanity threatens to derail her husband’s dreams, illuminate the complex interplay between personal aspiration, moral compromise, and social expectation.

Eliot’s prose combines psychological realism, moral reflection, and wit, inviting readers to explore the intricate moral web that connects every member of society. With themes of idealism, reform, love, and the limitations of human understanding, Middlemarch endures as a profound study of human motivation and community.

Reading Level:
Reading ease score: 68.5 — suitable for readers at the 8th to 9th-grade level. The language is neither overly simple nor excessively complex, balancing clarity with intellectual sophistication.

Subjects:

• Didactic fiction

• City and town life — Fiction

• England — Fiction

• Young women — Fiction

• Love stories

• Domestic fiction

• Married people — Fiction

• Bildungsromans (coming-of-age novels)

Additional Resource:
Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middlemarch

EBook No.: 145
Release Date: July 1, 1994
Most Recently Updated: September 7, 2025
Copyright Status: Public domain in the United States.

✨ How to Use This Information Effectively

When presenting this eBook in an online catalog or digital reading platform, it’s helpful to:

1. Highlight the reading level — this makes it easier for educators and students to gauge accessibility.

2. Include the short thematic keywords (“idealism,” “society,” “moral conflict”) for search optimization.

3. Link directly to contextual sources (like Wikipedia or literary analysis pages) to enhance credibility and reader engagement.

4. Add a brief teaser paragraph (2–3 lines) if you’re using this entry for a storefront, such as:

   A timeless portrait of ambition, love, and moral struggle, George Eliot’s Middlemarch offers readers an unforgettable journey through the hopes and heartbreaks of Victorian life.