Date of Award

1-1-2015

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Organizational Unit

College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, English and Literary Arts

First Advisor

Eleanor McNees, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Darrin Hicks, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Rachel Feder

Keywords

Eliot, Narratology, Psychoanalytics, Sociology, Spencer, Victorian

Abstract

Through the novel Middlemarch, George Eliot fulfills the intention of her subtitle and uses sociological theories to conduct A Study of Provincial Life. Eliot's letters, journals, and various essays provide evidence of sociologist Herbert Spencer's influence on her own writings. Spencer's specific opinions and contributions not only strengthen the sociological message of Eliot's novel, but a handful of his ideals shape the narrative voice of her novel. Variations of Spencer's theories are seen in Eliot's "authorial narrator's" comments and observations of the Middlemarch couples. With her narrator, Eliot applies Spencer's theories on "belief" and on the correlation of an individual's worldview to his or her society. Furthermore, Eliot creates an emotionally-based connection between her narrator and her readers which allows her to lead her audience through her sociological study and ensures her authorial narrator's voice provides reliable expertise on the provincial life of Middlemarch.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Kellie Marie McKinney

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

en

File Size

97 p.

Discipline

Literature, Sociology, Social Psychology

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