The Mill on the Floss is a novel by George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) published in 1860.
The miller of Dorlcote has two
children, Maggie Tulliver and her brother, Tom. Their father is ignorant and unimaginative but an honest man. Tom, in spite of being dearly loved by Maggie, is resourceful but insensitive. In this kind of environment, Maggie's intelligence, scholarly competence and wide-ranging imagination, unfortunately, are hardly recognized. She responds to the friendship of Philip Wakem, the deformed son of the leading lawyer in the nearby town of St Ogg. Philip was the only person who appreciate her intellect and sympathize with her interests.
Tulliver regards the lawyer Wakem as his enemy and Tom, blindly supporting the cause of his father, made Maggie give up Philip's friendship.
After the death of Tulliver, Maggie goes to stay at St Ogg with her cousin Lucy who is engage to be married to Stephen Guest. Guest becomes attracted to Maggie. His irresponsible and untowardly behaviour on a boating expedition compromises the reputation of Maggie. Tom kicks Maggie out of his house and to aggravate matter she is also ostracized by the local society, except for Lucy and the rector, Dr Kenn.
One day a raging flood threatened the mill brought about by autumn. Maggie attempts to rescue Tom but fails. Brother and sister are drowned together but before dying, they were able to briefly recapture the affection they felt for each other as children.
Response to
The Mill on the Floss has been divided between admiration of the skill with which George Eliot portrays rural life as a background to the childhood of Maggie and Tom. Critics feel that the novel is rushed, and ending is rather arbitrary.