The Narrator’s Attitude to Dorothea in Middlemarch Essay Example

📌Category: Literature, Novels
📌Words: 375
📌Pages: 2
📌Published: 07 June 2021

In Eliot’s Middlemarch, the narrator’s attitude toward Dorothea is one of wonder and praise. In lines 1-41 the narrator describes Dorothea’s life and her beliefs. The narrator starts off by complimenting her simplistic beauty, comparing her beauty to that of the Blessed virgin and quotes from the Bible. These comparisons allow the narrator to convey an attitude of praise toward Dorothea. In lines 1-15 the narrator focuses mostly on how her simple clothing and how it helps to pronounce her beauty. In lines 17-40 the narrator shifts his focus from her beauty to her brains and her outlooks on philosophy.

Dorothea wants to learn more about the world and why people do what they do and why they do it. Telling the reader about how the sisters were orphans and lived with a Swiss family and an English family in which alluding that the education and devotion Dorothea had was from the English family, but the promiscuous nature came from the teaching of the Swiss family. With her being such a young girl the narrator didn’t really seem to be opposed by the way that she thinks because she is still young and has a lot to learn. This shows the narrators wonder and pronouncing his praise toward her.

In lines 42 to the end the narrator talks about how the townspeople see her and how they think of her, using imagery to help push his points. Describing the largeness of her eyes and how they cause people to turn away from her as well as her devotion. Her beauty breathe taking when she is on horseback and her love for riding the horse. The sharp descriptions the narrator uses to present Dorothea leaving his attitude toward her up for interpretation and some points throughout the excerpt. Then shifting to Dorothea’s outlook on marriage and how she believes that any man that comes into the town looking for their father is actually there to see her sister because of her outstanding beauty. The narrator’s choice to include the information about Dorothea’s sister helping to offset her attributes from others and showing clearly why people find her to be strange. 

The narrator’s attitude toward Dorothea in Middlemarch by George Eliot, is one of praise and open wonder. Commenting on her simple beauty and the complexity of her views showing the clear difference between Dorothea and others. He does this by his use of diction, imagery and allusion.

 

+
x
Remember! This is just a sample.

You can order a custom paper by our expert writers

Order now
By clicking “Receive Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails.