Middlemarch by George Eliot - Readalong

[CramptonHodnet]

This is the Readalong thread for anyone feeling brave enough to tackle this huge novel this autumn/winter

Here is an article I liked about GE by the wonderful Jennifer Egan www.theguardian.com/books/2018/apr/21/george-eliot-jennifer-egan-middlemarch-marriage

Though be warned, it does contain spoilers.

I listened to Melvyn Bragg's In Our Time's discussion of Middlemarch yesterday. Hugely spoiler-y but so interesting. Well worth a listen.

Hello all! Could I join in please? I would love to be part of an online book club to get into good reading habits again. I read 'Middlemarch' years ago and thought it was a good story then.

Hi, Fuzzy . Feel free to join in - if you've not started yet, we are reading up to, and including, Chapter 8 ready for discussion from next weekend. Welcome to the thread.

Thank you, Crampton I'm enjoying the thread so far and starting chapter 5.

Morning! I've raced ahead to chapter 6, but won't make any comments to spoil what's coming.

It's difficult, once you've read the book (even if aeons ago) to see the characters in the same way as you do when you're reading it for the first time - and that's one of the great things about George Eliot's writing and characterisation.

I had forgotten, though, how difficult the language is. I have to keep stopping myself and going back to make sure I'm reading everything properly. I think I must have missed so much when I read it for A-level!

NO SPOILERS!!!!!

The Middlemarch readalong was for those of us who were struggling and had made several false starts, and in my case the tome was constantly giving me a reproving look from the bottom of the pile on my bedside table.

I didn't read the Introduction, and I am avoiding all podcasts/articles etc as I want to discover the story as I go along. After I've finished then I can look at it in context of the times/the author.

I know some posters are GE afficionados, but please don't leap ahead and be desperate to tell us that chapter 3 is only illuminated when you've learnt about Mr Ponsonby's trip to the pork butcher's in chapter 39.

Anyway, so far Dorothea appears an immature prig. So condescending to Celia. Vegan roommate analogy excellent!

Obviously I've not read very far, but is GE aware? Or, as an, er, not conventionally pretty woman herself (judging by the portraits I've seen) GE is bigging up "attractive" Dorothea versus "pretty" Celia. Ie chip on shoulder.

Irma I think (for any lurkers thinking about joining in) the readalong is for anyone who wants to take it on or read it as part of a group. But re-readers have definitely taken on board that it's the first time round for the majority and - other than the name of a future character, whose name is on the cover blurbs of most editions -nobody's mentioned any actual spoilers so far. So sure you will be safe from them!

I don't personally see a problem with people mentioning articles - in any case people who've posted links are a mix of first-time readers and re-readers. I often read articles about books I'm reading for the first time - it looks as if some others also do that and that anyone who doesn't will just click on links afterwards.

Would anyone like a second thread for SPOILERS ALLOWED? To allow for more in depth discussions which might reveal later plots of the story. Happy to set one up if so

For me, I wouldn't mind trying two threads, but I'd hate to end up unintentionally splitting the group into first-time readers and re-readers - it's nice being part of a group that includes both. So I'd want to stay chatting on both, but it'd be nice to be able to let loose on the spoiler alert one! That's my two penn'orth, and I'll happily submit to majority opinion.

I thought it'd be fairly easy to avoid spoilers, but it's really difficult in practice - you can't discuss emerging themes without mentioning the name of a character who is yet to arrive, so to speak, and who is central to that theme - and I can also see that once you've read a paragraph saying that "Newcomer Joe Bloggs is really representative of Eliot's exploration of [something that's a theme of this and a hundred other Victorian novels]" then you're not exactly spoiling but you are perhaps spoiling the adventure, the freshness of the unfolding text, for the new reader.

I'd prefer one thread, personally.

I think as long as we keep the two threads running alongside each other, and people only dip over there to discuss spoiler-ish plots then those of us reading for the first time can avoid them and re-readers can talk freely . I'll set one up and we can use/not use as wanted.

Crampton thanks I don't actually remember that much of Middlemarch read it over 20 years ago, other than parts of the plot relating to Lydgate, but even that's hazy. But great idea to set up second thread as it does allow for anyone who does feel the urge to let rip..

Ha ha. MNetters can argue about anything

I like the article links - am noting them for after I've finished. But another plea for no spoilers.

What's the point of a readalong if some people want to discuss the entire novel/characters/themes straight off?

Yes, in principle, I agree Irma and will avoid reading spoilers because I haven't read Middlemarch before. However, if people on here have, and want to discuss where a particular plot is heading or examine the motives for a particular character's actions, then they can do so freely without spoiling the main readalong thread.

Irma think the point about spoilers has been thoroughly aired and taken on board in a highly constructive manner. So this is my plea for no more no spoiler pleas!

Irma I didn't find Dorothea particularly condescending to Celia, they're orphans and Dorothea is the closest to a mother figure in their household, so thought some of her manner could be interpreted as her attempts to taken on that role. But also as someone with more than one older sister - and remembering what they could be like to younger ones when in their teens - she doesn't seem that bad.

That's a bit impertinent ! I'll not mention spoilers if you don't mention flippin' Lydgate again before he has appeared .

How is knowing the name of a character - particularly when his name is on the back of paperback copies of the book across the land - a spoiler?

What about when they're looking at their mother's jewels? Dorothea adopts a pious air over the frivolity of wearing jewellery, but allows that Celia may like it because she is clearly a more superficial and flighty person. Yet when Dorothea spies the emerald thing...

Irma Great, isn't it! Dorothea sets such a very high standard of what she wants to be, but is only human! I take her to be someone who has lots of theories and principles, but hasn't yet accepted that she's as sensory as the next person, with her love of riding and the idea of "feeding" her eye at the "fountains of pure colour" created by the emeralds.

Whoops - I haven't done any reading (of Middlemarch) this week - it's been a bit of a difficult week, and all I've felt capable of is the easy reading rubbish book on my Kindle.

Will try and do better next week, I promise!

Hello! I'm up to date and read on a bit..

I'm up to date but have been reading an easy book during the week as well as counterbalance