Symbolism in the mill on the floss.docx 1
- 1. SYMBOLISM IN THE MILL ON THE FLOSS George Eliot has armed the novel with a systematic symbolism of Mill, River Floss, disturbance of the river and flooded river. In the Novel, Mill symbolises the economic stability, economic security, survival and prosperity and to maintain the life. While River Floss gives the symbolism of human life that human life is as deep as the river. Disturbance of river shows the ups and down in the novel while the flooded river leads us to the overflow of emotions of all characters in the novel. The devastating flood that drowns Maggie and Tom Tulliver and brings the Mill on the Floss to a melodramatic conclusion quite obviously symbolizes wild, destructive nature, as a determinant of human destiny and also dramatizes theme advanced in the sixth book of the novel that, “The tragedy of our lives is not creates entirely from within the character is destiny but not the whole of our destiny” In addition to this symbolic significance however the flood has three other overlapping symbolic meaning that depends on the symbolic significance that occurs to the Floss River with the progress of narrative. The Floss figures variously throughout the novel as a possible agent of death, as a factor in the success or failure of economic enterprises, as a scene of constant movements, as a stage on which is played out a drama of love, and as an avenue of escape from old inhibitions, attachments, commitments. George Eliot points out here that, “The river symbolises those ungoverned impulses and vague but intense aspiration which finally leads Maggie to her end” The chapter, in which Maggie is supposed to elope with Stephen, is entitled as ‘Born along by the tide’, clearly having a double meaning. And in describing Maggie’s reaction to Stephen pleading on the river, George Eliot says in the novel, “Maggie listened, that the tide was doing it all, that she might glide along the swift, silent stream and not struggle anymore” In yielding for a time to this temptation, one can say that Maggie is spiritually drowning. The river carries us away from the convention. Gradually it becomes the symbol of disaster firmly moving across the sunny landscape of Maggie’s youthful hopes. It is also noticed that the dark river that flowed and moved like a sorrow. The river suggests fate or destiny, the presence of those mysterious, disturbing forces which influence human life and brings about unexpected happenings. The significance of music is also an important symbol used in the novel. It symbolises the emotional quality of a character’s life. When Mr. Tulliver loses his law suit and is reduced to a tenant on the land of formerly owned in describing Maggie’s feelings. George Eliot says, “There was no music for her any more, no piano, no harmonized voices, no stringed instrument with their passionate cries.”
- 2. The River Floss is of great importance in the novel. The novel opens with a description of the river, “A wide plain, where the broadening Floss hurries on between its green banks to the sea and the loving tide rushing to meet it, checks its passage with an impetuous embrace” The very setting across the river symbolises harmony with nature. At surface level, the setting is appealing to look at but it can become disastrous as well as some sort of disturbance is there in nature. The river thus keeps flowing with the flow of life. It is on the banks of the river that Maggie’s girlhood is passed and the river is witness to the joys and sorrows that make her little throb. It is also the source of Mr. Tulliver’s livelihood as Dorlcote mill runs not without its water. George Eliot mention that, “The all symbolism represents the benevolence and cruel sides of the nature where human beings are forced to live” The very setting of the St. Ogg’s village in the novel is symbolically. Symbolically, it stands for Maggie’s purity at physical and spiritual levels. At the same time, the name of St. Ogg’s also symbolically represents Christian spirit and goodness in Maggie. In The Mill on the Floss, the river Floss is the symbol of life, death and disaster. Symbolically, the River Floss is responsible for the tragic death of Maggie. George Eliot remarks, “It symbolically represents that nature is beyond the human control” Maggie is shown as an impulsive and emotional character like the currents of the river. She is incapable of checking the sudden uprising of her feelings though she regrets afterwards, goes through an intense emotional suffering. It also becomes her tragic and moral flaw and also that ultimately causes her tragic death. Mrs. Tulliver is aware of the danger of the water. In very outset Maggie is warned by her mother, “You’ll tumble in and be drowned someday” The whole tragic story of The Mill on the Floss is knitted around the river Floss. There is another incident in the text of the novel which has strong symbolism, “When Mill changes hand the river becomes flooded” The above lines symbolically represent that disturbance in natural setting by human beings leads to the destruction. Similarly Maggie’s childhood memories also carry symbolic significance e.g. Maggie’s act of pushing Lucy into mud and nailing her doll, symbolically represent her sensitive but psychologically disturbed mindset. The river Floss serves to bring out her emotional and impulsive nature and it is the same river that lends her nobility, generosity and capacity for self-sacrifice as well. Finally it is again flooded river which send the brother and sister to their doom in a close embrace. Thus it is the river which unites them once again. George Eliot says, “......in their death they were not divided”
- 3. The last scene of the novel is full of symbolic elements which represent the emotional attachment between sister and brother. For the time being, they were taken away from each other by the currents of hostile circumstances around them but are united in the form of final embrace. The whole discussion can be concluded by saying that all powerful imagery of the story generates from the river and it remains in focus throughout novel both literally and symbolically. The river and Maggie together express George Eliot’s tragic and moral vision of life. The mysterious power of fate or destiny causes sorrow and suffering to piny mortals and ultimately sends them to their doom.