Women's Classic Literature Enthusiasts discussion

The Final Rescue

So... Once I got into this book I couldn't put it down and just powered straight through without posting my thoughts on each individual book. So, I'm just going to write a post here on my thoughts about the novel as a whole. I hope that's okay...

*Spoilers Ahead*

It's been a couple of days since I finished reading it, and I'm still thinking about it, and the more I think about it the more convinced I become that this is a true masterpiece of English literature. This one is even better than Middlemarch, in my opinion.

Although I'm sure it's been done a million times, I'm going to go ahead and compare Maggie Tulliver to Antigone. And this book is very much like Greek tragedy. Eliot even references many Classical Greek works throughout the novel. And Maggie is a great tragic heroine. She is so loyal and wants so much for those she loves to be happy that she not only sacrifices her own happiness but becomes all conflicted and torn in her attempts to do what she believes is right for others.

By the end of the book, I was really disappointed in Tom and his treatment of Maggie, although I was impressed with how he manages to change his family's fortunes and get the mill back as he promised their father. The character I really couldn't stand was Stephen Guest. What a jerk! Maggie tells him repeatedly that she can't be with him because she doesn't want to hurt Philip and Lucy, but he still persists until he basically kidnaps her and tries to force her to marry him. Someone needed to give that guy a lesson in "no means no". Then Maggie has to deal with the consequences of his selfish actions while he takes a vacation.

I was really rooting for Philip Wakem the whole time. One of my favorite parts of the novel is Maggie and Philip's secret meetings at the Red Deeps, and how they gradually come to know and respect one another.

The scenes of conflict, between both Mr. Tulliver and Mr. Wakem and Tom and Philip were so well written and intense. And the ending... it broke my heart. I really really wanted to see Maggie leave St. Ogg's behind and strike out on her own to become an independent woman (as independent as a woman could be in 1830s England, I suppose). But the ending seemed to fit somehow, that she would sacrifice herself to save her brother and then die with him - it definitely fits with the Greek tragedy motif.

What did everyone else think about this? Did anyone hate the ending?

I agree with you on Tom and Stephen. Stephen is selfish and stubborn, he acts like a capricious child. Tom is proud and self-righteous, as befits a true Dodson.

I rooted for Philip too and I didn't want to believe that Maggie would fall for somebody else, although she never responds to his love in a passionate way. But as you say, their growing respect for one another was beautiful to witness!

I was very surprised at Mrs Tulliver's reaction upon Maggie's return: "The only thing clear to her was the mother's instinct that she would go with her unhappy child". She is a good-hearted woman, but she disapproves so much of Maggie throughout the novel that I thought she would have a nervous breakdown upon seeing her. On the contrary, guided by motherly love, she is unconditionally accepting and abstains from judging her daughter, while Tom is inflexible. I found that part extremely moving.

I hated the ending, though I must admit that I can't imagine a better one. It felt like Maggie could not escape her fate.

I was hoping so much that Maggie could still be happy in some way (I knew it couldn't happen, but I wanted to believe it in spite of everything) that the last two pages crushed me, I was in tears. But I guess she was happy in the end, since she was reunited with her brother, at last.

Mélanie wrote: "I agree with you on Tom and Stephen. Stephen is selfish and stubborn, he acts like a capricious child. Tom is proud and self-righteous, as befits a true Dodson.

I rooted for Philip too and I didn'..."

I was surprised at Mrs. Tulliver's reaction to Maggie too. I nearly shed a tear at that part as well. I found it very touching, maybe because I have my own daughter. There is really no love like that of a mother for her child. Now that you mention it, I think it was really one of the most beautiful parts of the book, although sad because Maggie was being rejected by her brother.

While I can't say I hated the ending... I did wish for a better one for Maggie. But I think you've summed it up quite well in saying that you couldn't imagine anything different for her. It's almost as if Maggie was just too good for the world. She wanted too much love, wanted to give too much love. The world couldn't handle Maggie's boundless self.

To be more precise, I hated what the ending did to me emotionally, but otherwise, it was the best for Maggie in the sense that, indeed, you're right, she was too much for the century.

By the way, I love that you compare Maggie with Antigone, it makes a lot of sense.

I understand now what is meant by this being a feminist novel. Mrs. Glegg stood up against the shallow village gossip. One strong woman protecting another strong woman. (And what an interesting example of the forces of gossip. It reminded me of so many other situations of public shaming.)

And Maggie did not surrender to either of her suitors. What a heroine. The breakdown of what goes on, when lovers are unfaithful, was very useful to me. It has always been a mystery to me, what happens when people meet new lovers and get divorced.

I also cried every time Maggie met reactions from each of the persons from her past. Philip's letter was so wonderful. But what was Maggie's reaction to him exactly? That was not clear to me.

At the moment she rescued Tom, I imagined them spending the next years together. Tom had finally learned humility and Christian love. Maggie's goodness and love for him finally triumphed over his ignorance and Eliot could have expanded on that. He would turn into a greater man. I am thinking whether this would have been a better ending than the short and abrupt one. But there was no need for more. I just have to accept that this wonderful story is over.

Yes, this book is full of strong female characters.

I recently read Jane Eyre for the first time, and I know that Jane is often considered a great feminist heroine. I won't go into details because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read Jane Eyre yet, but let's just say I was... disappointed. When Comparing Jane Eyre to Maggie Tulliver, Maggie's star shines far brighter, in my opinion.

Wendy wrote: "Yes, this book is full of strong female characters.

I recently read Jane Eyre for the first time, and I know that Jane is often considered a great feminist heroine. I won't go into details because..."

That's funny because I've never really thought of Jane as a feminist, I just thought of her as someone with sense and self-respect.

Anastasia wrote: "Wendy wrote: "Yes, this book is full of strong female characters.

I recently read Jane Eyre for the first time, and I know that Jane is often considered a great feminist heroine. I won't go into d..."

Yeah, I don't know where people get the feminist idea from in Jane Eyre, but I don't see it either.