The World of Middlemarch

The novel Middlemarch by George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) is universally esteemed as one of the masterpieces of world literature, recently ranked (by a landslide) as the best British novel in a BBC survey of international critics. Nowhere in 19th century English literature are the themes of class, money, progress, community and the suffocating effects of enforced gender roles so devastatingly explored.

This novel enhances your understanding of human nature as it is rendered by this great writer.

During four 2-hour sessions, we delve into the language and themes of this literary classic to derive maximum insight and enjoyment. As this novel is divided into eight books, we investigate approximately two books per session. Because of its length, students are not expected to have read the entire work beforehand; rather, they are encouraged to read key sections prior to each class. We are using the Modern Library Classics edition (2000).

Instructor: Mark Packer

Mark Packer has facilitated a classics discussion group called Heavy Culture for 31 years here in Bellingham. He is a graduate of Harvard College (magna cum laude in American History and Literature), and completed a Bachelor’s of Law degree from Harvard Law School in 1968. He is now retired from the practice of law after 50 years.