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According to The Oxford Companion to English Literature (1967), "the plot is founded on a story told to George Eliot by her aunt Elizabeth Evans, a Methodist preacher, and the original of Dinah Morris of the novel, of a confession of child-murder, made to her by a girl in prison."The novel follows four characters' rural lives in the fictional community of Hayslope, a rural, pastoral, and close-knit community in 1799. The novel revolves around the beautiful but self-absorbed Hetty Sorrel, Captain Arthur Donnithorne - the young squire who seduces her, Adam Bede - her unacknowledged suitor, and Dinah Morris - Hetty's cousin, a fervent, virtuous, and beautiful Methodist lay preacher.
Adam Bede is the first novel written by George Eliot, published in 1859, the story set in 1799 spanning 8 years. The novel is a little over 600 pages and I initially found it a bit difficult to read because of the language at the beginning and scattered throughout the book. Once I got used to the language, it became easier to follow the story and I couldn't put it down. The book has it all - normal village life, death, romance, religion, tragedy, comedy, satire, and a tiny bit of politics. There are pages and pages of religious teachings by Dinah Morris, the young travelling Methodist lay preacher, which readers may not appreciate. They can be skipped and won't affect the story. I actually read them and didn't get bored.
Dinah Morris as a Methodist wears the drabbest clothing and discourages suitors, telling them she will never marry. At 22 years old, she does nothing but preach and minister to the sick and poor. Her aunt, Mrs. Poyser, once stated that she will only marry a Methodist and cripple. Mrs. Poyser is proven wrong. Dinah eventually marries the man she loves who is neither a Methodist nor a cripple.
The book has numerous characters to keep track of, summary from Wikipedia:
- The Bede family:
- Adam Bede is described as a tall, stalwart, moral, and unusually competent carpenter. He is 26 years old at the beginning of the novel, and bears an "expression of large-hearted intelligence."
- Seth Bede is Adam's younger brother, and is also a carpenter, but he is not particularly competent, and "...his glance, instead of being keen, is confiding and benign."
- Lisbeth Bede is Adam's and Seth's mother. She is "an anxious, spare, yet vigorous old woman, clean as a snowdrop."
- Thias (Matthias) Bede is Adam's and Seth's father. He has become an alcoholic, and drowns in Chapter IV while returning from a tavern.
- Gyp is Adam's dog, who follows his every move, and looks "..up in his master's face with patient expectation."
- The Poyser family:
- Martin Poyser and his wife Rachel rent Hall Farm from Squire Donnithorne and have turned it into a very successful enterprise.
- Marty and Tommy Poyser are their sons.
- Totty Poyser is their somewhat spoiled and frequently petulant toddler.
- "Old Martin" Poyser is Mr. Poyser's elderly father, who lives in retirement with his son's family.
- Hetty Sorrel is Mr. Poyser's orphaned niece, who lives and works at the Poyser farm. Her beauty, as described by George Eliot, is the sort "which seems made to turn the heads not only of men, but of all intelligent mammals, even of women."
- Dinah Morris is another orphaned niece of the Poysers. She is also beautiful – "It was one of those faces that make one think of white flowers with light touches of colour on their pure petals" – but has chosen to become an itinerant Methodist preacher, and dresses very plainly.
- The Irwine family:
- Adolphus Irwine is the Rector of Broxton. He is patient and tolerant, and his expression is a "mixture of bonhomie and distinction". He lives with his mother and sisters.
- Mrs. Irwine, his mother, is "...clearly one of those children of royalty who have never doubted their right divine and never met with any one so absurd as to question it."
- Pastor Irwine's youngest sister, Miss Anne, is an invalid. His gentleness is illustrated by a passage in which he takes the time to remove his boots before going upstairs to visit her, lest she be disturbed by noise. She and the pastor's other sister Kate are unmarried.
- The Donnithorne family:
- Squire Donnithorne owns an estate.
- Arthur Donnithorne, his grandson, stands to inherit the estate; he is twenty years old at the opening of the novel. He is a handsome and charming sportsman.
- Miss Lydia Donnithorne, the old squire's daughter, is Arthur's unmarried aunt.
- Other characters
- Bartle Massey is the local schoolteacher, a misogynist bachelor who has taught Adam Bede.
- Mr. Craig is the gardener at the Donnithorne estate.
- Jonathan Burge is Adam's employer at a carpentry workshop. Some expect his daughter Mary to make a match with Adam Bede.
- Villagers in the area include Ben Cranage, Chad Cranage, his daughter Chad's Bess, and Joshua Rann.
Meanwhile the conversation at the head of the table had taken a political turn. Mr. Craig was not above talking politics occasionally, though he piqued himself rather on a wise insight than on specific information.
"I'm not again' it - mark my words - I'm not again' it. But it's my opinion as there's them at the head o' this country as are worse enemies to us nor Bony and all the mounseers he's got at his back; for as for the mounseers, you may skewer half-a-dozen of 'em at once as if they war frogs."
"Aye, aye," said Martin Poyser, listening with an air of much intelligence and edification, "they ne'er ate a bit o' beef i' their lives. Mostly sallet, I reckon."
The love story of Hetty Sorrel and Arthur Donnithorne is one big heartbreaking tragedy. This is the result of falling in love with someone below one's station during this period and beyond in England. Hetty is a 17 year old orphan working in her Uncle's farm as a dairy maid and Arthur is the 20 year old heir to the village squire. They are attracted to each other being both beautiful people but he knows he cannot marry her or he will be disinherited by his grandfather. Hetty is haughty and flirtatious and dreams of being the wife of the future squire, having maids attending to her, having nice clothes and baubles. These things won't happen if Arthur doesn't inherit the estate which will be given to the next in line, a cousin. They will end up penniless and homeless.
Adam Bede has been in love with Hetty and has been meaning to offer marriage to her. Hetty doesn't feel the same but she never discourages him either. She even tries to prevent Adam from looking at another girl although she has no intention to marry him.
Adam discovers the affair and he and Arthur fight. Adam persuades Arthur to break off with Hetty because they both know they can never marry under any circumstance. Arthur agrees and leaves the village to go back to his militia. After several months, Hetty decides to marry Adam but later discovers she is pregnant. Before the wedding happens, she leaves the village pretending to visit Dinah Morris in another town but she is really going to see Arthur who unfortunately has left for Ireland. She gives birth at an inn then leaves with the newborn, not knowing where to go or what to do. She cannot go back to her relatives and specially to Adam. She decides to leave the baby under a tree hoping the cries will be heard and be rescued or picked up by a passerby. She leaves the baby covered in some leaves for protection in order to get some food and when she came back the baby is gone. The baby dies while she is gone and is picked up by a man and a woman who bring the child to the authorities. The man has seen Hetty previously and knows she is the mother. Hetty is then arrested, tried, and convicted of child-murder. She is sentenced to death by hanging but at the last minute is saved by Arthur. Her sentence is commuted to transportation meaning she will spend her sentence in a penal colony. All this trouble because the lovers are not of the same station in society.
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