The main character is carpenter Adam Bede - a strong, righteous man who cares for his aging mother. He does have a weakness - he's in love with vain but beautiful Hetty Sorrel. Unfortunately for Adam, the young Hetty is deluded into thinking that the flirtatious attentions of Captain Donnithorne may lead to marriage.
It
is not just a story about a love triangle featuring seduction, murder,
and retribution. It is a leisurely novel featuring many interesting
characters that include Adam's brother Seth Bede; Methodist preacher
Dinah Morris; Hetty's uncle and aunt, the Poysers and their brood of
children; Reverend Irwine, the local Anglican minister and teacher
Bartle Massey.
At
times, George Eliot diverts the reader from the main plot of the story
to describe the activities of the locals in their day-to-day life. The
author provides the reader with vivid descriptions of the people; their
drinking and harvest parties and particularly the landscapes as the
seasons unfold. Occasionally, the novel is difficult to follow when the
author slips into the 19th century rural dialect but overall the book is
an exceedingly good read.
Robert Bovington
February 2011
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