"Compare George Eliot's treatment of religion in Middlemarch with Thomas Hardy's in Tess of the d'Urbervilles".

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"Compare George Eliot's treatment of religion in Middlemarch with Thomas Hardy's in Tess of the d'Urbervilles"

        As what now seems to be the throwback of a bygone era, religion was a massive issue at the time both of the novels I am looking at were written. There was much controversy surrounding the great ‘catholic question’ as well as many other doubts that were beginning to eat away at what was once such a dominant force. Religion in both Middlemarch and Tess is reflective of its situation at the time. But in both novels religion is treated very differently, used in diverse ways, in both the advancement of plot, but also where the authors own views on religion are concerned. In order to convey their views religion is not just used in its own form, but it is also represented through the characters, and in turn the characters are actually embodied by the religious route they choose, and the religion they follow. As a way of advancing plot lines religion is also employed, through deciding the fate of characters, or in terms of the whole society at the time. Both novels authors had specific views on the subject, and these are apparent when reading the novels, as they use them almost as a map to convey their own feelings, so to look at the treatment, it all depends how the authors see religion should be treated in the first place.

        From the very start of Middlemarch it is apparent of the route Eliot plans to take in her treatment of religion. Her doubt of it is inherent from the beginning, and we read the prelude to hear of Saint Theresa. From this we can establish Eliot does not see religion as being such a potent force as it once was. The Saint benefited from the ‘coherent social faith and order’ of the Christian society around her which dominated out right at the time. Eliot however obviously realised that such blind faith was no longer afforded to the church or its backers, as she was part of a growing number of thinkers who thought that Christianity no longer had such an influence or clear understanding of life. While political and economic change swept across England in the 19th century, most people remained steadfastly dedicated to the strict codes of behaviour dictated by the Church. Above all else, women were expected to marry well. They were to bear children and stay close to home. Men were expected to be the sole wage earner and head of household. Unwavering commitment to the Church and its teachings was considered the highest of virtues.

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        So Eliot, we see, was part of a large trend, a worry to the church, a loss of faith, which encompassed many middle class intellectuals of Victorian England. This was a loss of faith aided by the new respect for scientific thought towards life, which were becoming more and more prominent as society branched out under the empire. These years of religious confusion surrounding her are reflected in her novel, in which the author seems to struggle in her orthodox belief. Scientific thinkers, such as Charles Darwin has always been about, but now people were taking notice and listening, in ...

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