O protagonismo feminino no Bildungsroman de The Mill On The Floss

Abstract

This article aims to emphasize the repression, marginalization, and subservience of women in Victorian society, as experienced by the character Maggie Tulliver in George Eliot's novel The Mill on the Floss (1860), since she did not fit the standard required of her by Victorian society. The study employs a bibliographic research approach, analyzing both the novel and the development of the protagonist Maggie Tulliver, utilizing Wilhelm Dilthey's (1988) definition of the female Bildungsroman, which narrates the protagonist's psychological maturation through the transformations and experiences she encounters throughout her life. Additionally, the theoretical framework draws on Friedrich Engels (1942) and Anthony Burgess (1996) to provide an understanding of the historical depiction of women during the Victorian era, highlighting extreme conservatism and the ideology of the "perfect woman." The analysis reveals that despite Maggie’s pursuit of happiness and her efforts from childhood through adulthood, she is ultimately unable to achieve it due to pervasive prejudice, misogyny, subservience, moral conservatism, and the idealization of women imposed by men. Consequently, Maggie is tragically compelled to succumb to patriarchy as a desperate means to find happiness, culminating in her tragic death. This outcome underscores the harsh reality faced by women in the Victorian era, reflecting the immense difficulties of excelling within a prejudiced and highly conservative society.