Treatment of Religion in George Eliot’s Novels ‘The Mill on the Floss and Silas Marner’

Abstract

In England in the middle of the nineteenth century, religious skepticism became a prevalent public sentiment. It had an impact on many of the most prominent writers of the time. As the biblical story started to seem less applicable, this ethos presented difficulties. It was difficult for writers to understand their situation in a logical way. The book turned out to be a potent vehicle for conveying skepticism and agnosticism, and it became a significant cultural communication tool. Writers like Samuel Butler, George Eliot, and Thomas Hardy were influenced by religion and strayed from Christian principles. Their writings offer depth and insight while capturing the spiritual sadness of their time and igniting modern writers' continuous search for their own identities. While expressing an agnostic viewpoint, George Eliot's novels are infused with Christian beliefs. Eliot's stories are notable for their genuineness because she captures Midland England, its people, their aspirations, anxieties, and the day-to-day hardships of regular people trying to lead fulfilling lives in the face of religious ambiguity. Her writings still captivate and amuse readers, even though contemporary life seems to have relegated the England of her era to the imaginary worlds of writers like George Eliot.