Maggie Tulliver as a Timeless Heroine and the Purpose and Utilityof Education in George Elliots

The Mill on the Floss

Topic: How does The Mill on the Floss represent the utility and purpose of education?
Education has frequently been thought of as the means to polish ones intellect and soul, and
views like those were expressed as far back as in Platos Republic. In Elliots The Mill on the Floss, on
the other hand, the treatment of this idea isnt overly explicit and further enquiry is appropriate to truly
understand the usefulness of this activity in the novel; the utility and purpose of education are enveloped
in subjectivity. First, it can believed that education bears a distinctively social purpose, as one type of
education does not fit all and is geared towards different people. The purpose and utility of education is
attached to social class and is in ways a bearer of social pedigree and also used to maintain gender roles.
That is why the gentlemans instruction that Stelling provides isnt of use for Tom, a member of the
working class, but it is perfectly reasonable for a member of the gentry like Philip. Also, that is why
mothers usually supervised their daughters reading habits in order to assure their compliance with the
standards of ladyhood. Mrs. Tulliver, given her low literacy doesnt do like that with Maggie which leads
to her academic independence. Second, and most importantly, Eliot argues, that education and particularly
autodidactism, are tools that allow the novels feminist heroine, Maggie, to foster a mindset that lets her
transcend the social norms of her own time and strive for independence. Sadly, the inexorable forces of
her environment annihilate her because she simply doesnt comply with the status quo. In ways, this
situation exemplifies the model for natural selection in Victorian St. Oggs. This fact, overall, leads me to
think this novel is eminently a tale about the tragedy of aspiration. Aspiration, which I argue, was
instigated by Maggies independent and very driven desire to become educated in a society that took great
extents to limit education for her kind.

One of the first great dilemmas of the novel is about Toms eddication. Mr.Tulliver eagerly
wishes to bestow upon his only male son an education that would help him understand business, as he
may make a nest for himself (16) and furthermore, he wants Tom to know figures, and write like print,

and see into things quick (22). In short, he wants him to become a part of the services sector and ascend
in the society of St. Oggs. His interest is to have a son that works as an auctioneer and appraiser, a man of
business with a quick and practical mind, so to speak. Given this premise, Mr. Riley and Mr. Tulliver both
agree that formal education would help the child reach this ascribed socio-economic status. Little do these
men know that the man who they think suitable for this purpose, Mr. Stelling, is an educator for the
gentry and not for the aspiring bourgeoisie.

Then again, how much does the blame can be attributed to Mr. Tulliver? As can be deducted by
his coarse speech and simple profession, his mind isnt particularly that of a man of high instruction. He
is, nevertheless, well in touch with the gender roles of the time. Perhaps his lack of better knowledge
makes him so keen of abiding by the strict superstructures governing gender in St. Oggs. The most
poignant expression of this sentiment can be seen at: (...)a womans no business wi being so clever; itll
turn to trouble, I doubt (17). Therefore, he doesnt show desire to send Maggie away to an institution of
the same caliber as he does with Tom. Nevertheless, the usefulness of Mr. Stellings instruction is
contested when it proves of little use given Toms aspiration to have a practical job

The dichotomy between Tom, the son of a miller, and Philip, the son of a man of standing,
becomes evident through the utility of the education they receive has throughout their lives. Mr. Stelling
doesnt have any interest of adapting his education to cater the needs of the rapidly changing England of
the time. Principally, he sees no need to evolve and teach more practical material because the boys he
educates arguably belong to well-off families that dont need to find a job and make a living
independently--Philip is an example of such.

Furthermore, the evidence that bolsters my belief that Stelling is stubbornly an educator for the
wealthy is the fact that he passionately uses the Eton Latin Grammar to teach Latin. Eton College, which
released this textbook in 1856, is one of the most prestigious boarding schools in England, and has

educated members of the Royal Family and even the current Prime Minister David Cameron, as its
website boasts. What is Tom doing studying from the book used to teach the privileged boys of his time?
Arguably, learning a good amount of material that would prove utterly useless in his life because he isnt
the son of an aristocrat or thriving businessman, he is a member of the lower middle class of the English
countryside. Philip, on the contrary, is the son of Mr. Wakem, who is a wealthy man in St. Oggs. Despite
his natural deformity, Philip will never have to resort to his own hands to make a living or even work at
all to live in comfort. He can allow himself to indulge in the learning of Latin and Euclids mathematical
theorems which bear no adaptive nature in the job market. This means Toms education is purposeless,
and he has to start from the bottom as his uncle tells him when he tries to find his first job.

Here we observe how education is useful as a bearer of social pedigree because different
educations are useful and geared towards different parts of the social pyramid. This idea is exemplified in
the words of Mr. Guest when talking about Toms readiness to cope with the world: Youve had a sort of
learning thats all very well for a young fellow like our Mr. Stephen Guest, wholl have nothing to do but
sign cheques all his life, and may as well have Latin in his head as any other sort of stuffing (230). This
statement is the hard truth that sixteen year-old Tom faces, for his fathers misguided aspirations
ultimately led to his almost tragic situation. Men born into privilege in ways could be seen as displaying
their social standing by not learning any practical craft because they didnt have to depend on their own
work or practical trades by any means, to survive. This, I think, sums up Mr. Deans ideas expressed in
the quote above, and showcases the utility of an education in Latin, Euclid and such as a bearer of social
standing.

Similarly, education played a social role in Victorian England because mothers were expected to
supervise the reading habits of their daughters as Sarah Bilston argues in It is Not What We Read, But
How We Read: Maternal Counsel on Girls Reading Practices in MidVictorian Literature. The article
outlines that mothers engaged in the molding of young girls views towards literature by guiding both

their reading and interpretation of the texts, with the ultimate purpose of molding their behavior and
thought in accordance to the norm. Maggie Tulliver doesnt participate in this mother-daughter
relationship, arguably because Elizabeth Tulliver isnt educated enough to instruct her daughter on the
literary canon appropriate for the Victorian lady.

Thus, argues Bilston, heroines who lack the mature guidance of a mother not only select their
own texts, but also become active and unconventional participants in the production of narrative meaning;
they organize and interpret literature according to their needs rather than those of the culture writ large
(2008). This proves true in Maggies situation because she, as an avid autodidact, reads freely and
displays vast knowledge of a considerable amount of texts. Her father famously remarks in this regard:
shell read the books and understand em better nor half the folks as are grown up (17). Also, Maggies
precocious exercise of literary interpretation is seen early on in her life, particularly when she explains
and interprets the contents of The History of the Devil by Daniel Defoe for Mr. Riley. In this, both Bliston
and I coincide that Maggies independent and precocious intellectual endeavor is in blame for her status
as a heroine, for her unorthodox upbringing results in a resilient drive for greater meaning and constant
questioning of the status quo.

First, we can observe in Maggie a great degree of youthful rebellion and boldness that follows her
along her life. When she is a child, she angers her elders with saucy behavior like that of cutting her own
hair despite objections and pushing her cousin into a puddle. Further insight is given by the narrator when
describing the heroines physiognomy in the fifth chapter of the first book as rebellious deeply
cunning and is constantly secretly preparing a refutation of [peoples] confident prophecies (33). When
she is a teenager, she confronts the inaction of her relatives facing her fathers impending ruin with fiery
diction such as: Keep away from us then, and dont come to find fault with my father--he was better than
any of you--he was kind--he would have helped you (215). Here we observe perhaps one of the finest
manifestations of Maggies untamed boldness that is so characteristic of our tragic heroine. Although she

rarely ever again shows such outward display of rebellion, her intellectual disposition displays similar
non-conformist attitudes.

Maggie challenges what is expected from her as a female in her society because of her
undoubtedly far-fetching intellect. Mr. Stellings famous claim that asserts that a female mind cannot
grasp ideas in depth and is rather quick and jumpy rather than profound sums up the attitude of the time
(160).Tom additionally embodies the restrictive society of hers when he questions her ability to perform
as well as he does in understanding Latin grammar. Maggies energetic and curious soul thus is
oppressed by this dreadful destiny (151). She is not discouraged by others, nevertheless, and despite
hardship manages to again engage in the cultivation of the mind after she loses her precious books thanks
to the help of Bob, a family friend who brings her some reading material.

Invigorated by this, Maggie continues to pursue her autonomous education further challenging
Victorian customs and displays her characteristic boldness in refusing to be dependent on anybodys
support for her sustenance. Famous statements that would have ignited a flame of excitement in the hearts
of many feminists of the time are embodied in Maggies defiance of tradition: I cant live in
dependence--I cant live with my brother--though he is very good to me. He would like to provide for me
but that would be intolerable to me (412) and as the narrator says [Maggies] love of independence was
too strong of an inheritance (493). This indeed raises eyebrows among her peers. It is also important to
note that she exercises her independence through gaining her bread through teaching, among other crafts,
which gives education greater usefulness in her life. Nevertheless, I refer again to what her father said of
her as a child which at this stage in her life becomes an ominous foreshadowing: a woman isnt supposed
to be as sharp, for it brings only trouble.

Maggies character is undoubtedly beyond her time, which I think brought great acclaim to Eliot
among her intellectual circles, and is central to the argument she makes about educations utility and

purpose. In being such a modern and independent woman, Maggie showcases what a blend of education
and boldness can do for woman. In this case, it does both bring Maggie a certain heroic aura, but it also
brings tragedy. To understand the literary device Eliot uses to showcase the crushing of Maggie by the
greater forces of her society that had to place for a woman like her, it is necessary to have a clear
understanding of the significance of flowing bodies of water and how Eliot links this to the inexorability
of history.

The river Floss functions in the action and thematics of The Mill and the Floss to represent the
greater flow of history and the greater social forces that overpower individual determination. As boats are
carried off in the flow of the river, peoples lives flow in accordance of the flow of history. Maggie,
during some of her sullen hours, recognizes this inevitable fact: (...) I couldn't have my own will. Our
life is determined for us (...) (302). In this statement, the narrative voice reckons the oceanic modus
operandi of the world and acknowledges that it is best to remain in ones place. This is the conformist
attitude that her society imposes over her, and evidence for that ranges from the fact that others spurn her
from sensible education, how her intelligence is shunned, and how her independence is questioned.

The oppressive nature of the flow of history can be traced to Lucys statement about a ladys
inability to row in a body of water that boasts a furious current: If the floss were but a quiet lake instead
of a river, we should be independent of any gentleman, for Maggie can row splendidly. As it is, we are
reduced to the services of knights and squires (460). Gender relationships in St. Oggs are depicted in this
metaphor, and the lack of feminine agency is depicted in the inability of a woman to command a boat in
the tempestuous flow of a river. It is expected that a man would naturally help a lady and carry her along
life, given her inability to take command of the vessel of her own existence. Maggie valiantly contests
this idea through both her lifestyle and motivations. It is only when we understand this, that we can
conceive the extent of Maggies heroism.

In taking command of her own life thanks to her education and character, Maggie breaks with
most of the expectations that her society has for ladies and thus makes of herself an outcast in a society
that doesnt welcome independent thought among females. How are outcasts dealt with in this
environment? Annihilation, Eliot makes me believe. Dr. Miranda Burgess argues in her lecture on the
topic that Eliot introduces somewhat of an evolutionary mechanism in her novel, and it is believable to
think that the rivers flow both acts as the agent that carries on with history but at the same time, the force
that crushes those who oppose the tide of destiny. In light of this, the narrator says the following:

For the tragedy of our lives is not created entirely from within. Character, says Novalis in one his
questionable aphorisms--character is destiny. (...) Maggies destiny, then, is at present hidden, and we
must wait for it to reveal itself like the course of an unmapped river: we only know that the river is full and
rapid, and that for all rivers there is the same final home (401-402).

Maggies character, as previously stated destines her to a life of unconformity with what is expected. She
chose to sail alone along this river as no lady should, for acts of feminine boldness only bring trouble,
echoing her fathers words once again. This is proven to be true by the novels tragic ending. She meets
her final home thanks to her unstoppable self-reliance and boldness that refuses to be tamed by her
Father and Mother, who deliberately oppose her education, by Mr. Stelling who claims women cannot be
intelligent, and by society as a whole. Maggie is a mistake of nature, and such mistakes arent welcome in
the emmet-like orthodoxy of her universe, which sadly happened and continues to be the situation for
many girls in real life. The way this anomaly is corrected is through the elimination of its embodiment, in
the novel. Maggie has to die if St. Oggs is to remain stable and rigid. She faces death because she
disturbed the natural flow of lifes river with her character. Lastly, to complete the allegorical treatment of
her demise, it is important to link her sailing alone near the end of the book with her intellectual
independence, for this quest for greater meaning bestows upon her with individual thinking. This way, we
can make the great metaphor Eliot constructs more palpable.

Thanks to the evidence presented, education can be traced to have to distinct purposes in Eliots
The Mill on the Floss. It can be understood as a flag-bearer of the social elitism of the time, for it was a
tool used by the high society to signify status and aristocratic idleness. It can also have a much more
significant meaning, which I regard as the principal interpretation of the novel, as an agent for
independence and self-reliance. Maggie wants to make of herself an individual and autonomous being,
not a simple companion subject to a man. Her society rejects this behavior, and even her brother, her
father, and educators oppose her desire to be an educated citizen--just like men. Her heroic drive for
personhood brings tragedy, as this story is inherently one about the catastrophe of ambition. I cannot help
but think of Malala Yousafzai as a contemporary Maggie-like character. She strove for her right to an
education and agency in a society that punished that, which led to the Taliban attempting to murder her.
Malala, unlike Maggie, was saved and lived to tell her story. On the other hand, Maggie has Eliot, who
tells her story on her behalf.

Works Cited:
Bilston, Sarah. It is Not What We Read, But How We Read: Maternal Counsel on Girls Reading
Practices in MidVictorian Literature. Nineteenth-Century Contexts Vol.30. Issue 1 (2008):
Pages 1-20. Taylor Francis Online. Web. Accessed March, 2015.
Eliot, George. The Mill on the Floss. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
"Famous Old Etonians." Eton College. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.etoncollege.com/FamousOEs.aspx>.