Introductory
The Mill on the Floss is George Eliot's attempt to showcase how Victorian society adversely affected small industry. The novel, at first, appeared in 1860, featuring a tragedy [looks like Sargodha University takes a great fancy to tragic masterpieces] of a complex lady, Maggie Tulliver along with her brother. Maggie, for literary analysis, is a hard nut to crack because of her shifting and (somewhat) improving nature. She appears as the protagonist of a story with internal complications.
An Impudent Child
Maggie, [don't even try to write it Maggi or let the examiner eat your marks as noodles] in her childhood, is a clever and impudent girl. She begins to show her intellectual disposition even in her childhood but [it is a Victorian Society where women are only meant for womanly activities. That is why] her abilities are largely disapproved and unknown by her family. Her mother remains worried about her clothes, hairstyles and other womanish pursuits while her father deems her hobby of reading "acuteness". Her uncles and aunties entitle her as a "contrary" child who is rebellious towards the standards of Victorian Society.
A Love-Thirsty Lady
From her childhood to her youthful departure, she is abandoned by her family in terms of love. In a typical Victorian fashion, Tom Tulliver (Maggie's brother) receives all kind of affection, love and support from his parents. Which [kind of] makes Maggie a bit jealous. That is why she is seen making her hairstyle look ridiculous when her mother asks her to get them combed nicely in an extremely commanding manner. Which even drives her in a slightly burning rage. In order to seek love from her family, she is subjected to do many painful things which often create trouble for herself and her family.
Self-Sacrificing
As she grows in years, her mental capabilities start to seek refuge in reading. In her growing years, she reads one of the books of Thomas a Kempis, suggesting her to forget about her own suffering but rather focus on other's plight (in simple words, we call this feeling pity for someone). When her own family is at the edge of bankruptcy, she connects her ties with Philip, a handicap, who is pitied by her but he thinks it is her love towards him which forces her to stay with him. But his hopes are frustrated when her elopement is observed with Stephen Guest, whom she pitied for his crave for love. When her self-sacrifice [pity] grows out of control, it creates problems for herself as well as the people who were sympathized by her.
Maggie's Love for Tom Tulliver
Her childhood is noticeably marked with anxiety and agony. Sometimes, she submits to her family's commands. She has a great obsession towards her brother Tom Tulliver. She adores him despite his repulsive rebukes, she wants her reconciliation despite his abandoning attitude. She leaves Stephen Guest and Philip just because of her innocent love and feelings for her brother. She says,
But yet, sometimes when I have done wrong, it has been because I have feelings that you would be the better for if you had them. If you were in fault ever - if you had done anything very wrong, I should be sorry for the pain it brought you - I should not want punishment to be heaped on you. But you have always enjoyed punishing me - you have always been hard and cruel to me.
Tom's behaviour remains unchanged but fate reconciles the two when Floss "weeps" with its full rage and sweeps away the two cruelly.
Conclusion
Maggie, as a character represents the knotty (difficult) psyche of human beings. Her suffering is generally caused by her want to follow her own path but her family and her brother's wishes withhold her to do so.
References and Citation
- https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/millonthefloss/character/maggie-tulliver/
- https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/mill-on-the-floss/maggie-tulliver
- https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-mill-on-the-floss/characters/maggie-tulliver
- https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Mill-on-the-Floss/
- https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Mill-on-the-Floss/character-analysis/
