
Adam Bede
by George Eliot
'Adam Bede' Summary
According to The Oxford Companion to English Literature (1967),
"the plot is founded on a story told to George Eliot by her aunt Elizabeth Evans, a Methodist preacher, and the original of Dinah Morris of the novel, of a confession of child-murder, made to her by a girl in prison."
The novel follows four characters' rural lives in the fictional community of Hayslope—a rural, pastoral, and close-knit community in 1799. The novel revolves around a love "rectangle" among the beautiful but self-absorbed Hetty Sorrel; Captain Arthur Donnithorne, the young squire who seduces her; Adam Bede, her unacknowledged suitor; and Dinah Morris, Hetty's cousin, a fervent, virtuous and beautiful Methodist lay preacher.
Adam, a local carpenter much admired for his integrity and intelligence, is in love with Hetty. She is attracted to Arthur, the local squire's charming grandson and heir, and falls in love with him. When Adam interrupts a tryst between them, Adam and Arthur fight. Arthur agrees to give up Hetty and leaves Hayslope to return to his militia. After he leaves, Hetty Sorrel agrees to marry Adam but shortly before their marriage, discovers that she is pregnant. In desperation, she leaves in search of Arthur but cannot find him. Unwilling to return to the village on account of the shame and ostracism she would have to endure, she delivers her baby with the assistance of a friendly woman she encounters. She subsequently abandons the infant in a field but not being able to bear the child's cries, she tries to retrieve the infant. However, she is too late, the infant having already died of exposure.
Hetty is caught and tried for child murder. She is found guilty and sentenced to hang. Dinah enters the prison and pledges to stay with Hetty until the end. Her compassion brings about Hetty's contrite confession. When Arthur Donnithorne, on leave from the militia for his grandfather's funeral, hears of her impending execution, he races to the court and has the sentence commuted to transportation.
Ultimately, Adam and Dinah, who gradually become aware of their mutual love, marry and live peacefully with his family.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1859Author

George Eliot
England
Mary Ann Evans known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. Like Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy, she...
More on George EliotDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

They Call Me Carpenter by Upton Sinclair
They Call Me Carpenter: A Tale of the Second Coming is a novel written by Upton Sinclair in 1922 that exposed the new and upcoming culture of 1920s So...

The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 12 by Charles F. Horne
Dive into the depths of history with "The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 12" by Charles F. Horne, a riveting compilation that unveils the m...

The Village in the Jungle by Leonard Woolf
The Village in the Jungle is a novel by Leonard Woolf, published in 1913, based on his experiences as a colonial civil servant in British-controlled C...

Oracles of Nostradamus by Charles A. Ward
Charles A. Ward was considered one of the most knowledgeable in his studies of the prophecies of Nostradamus. Ward viewed the prophecies of Nostradamu...

The Story Of A Modern Woman by Ella Hepworth Dixon
The Story of a Modern Woman is a novel written by English author Ella Hepworth Dixon. The novel was first published in 1894 and is an example of the "...

In the Village of Viger by Duncan Campbell Scott
Amidst the whispering pines and hidden secrets of the quiet village of Viger, a timeless tale of love, intrigue, and human nature unfolds. Duncan Camp...

The Chronicles of America Volume 07 - Dutch and English on the Hudson by Maud Wilder Goodwin
"Amidst the majestic Hudson River, an enthralling tale of cultural clash and historic rivalry unfolds. Discover the captivating saga of 'Dutch and Eng...

Yellow Butterflies by Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews
The title of this historical fiction could as well have been "A Soldier’s Mother" or “An Unknown Soldier”. There are indeed butterflies, and there is...

Imperium in Imperio: A Study of the Negro Race Problem by Sutton Griggs
Imperium in Imperio is a historical fiction novel by Sutton Griggs, published in 1899. The novel covers the life of Belton Piedmont, an educated and d...

Malaria: A Neglected Factor in the History of Greece and Rome by William Henry Samuel Jones
It remains a landmark study of the disease's historical and cultural significance. Jones' meticulous research offers a comprehensive understanding of...
Reviews for Adam Bede
No reviews posted or approved, yet...