I discovered your video as I'm currently reading Dinitia Smith's "The Honeymoon" which reflects back on Marian Evan's life while she's honeymooning in Venice with her new husband, Johnnie Cross. I'm in the section where she is writing "Romola" which is so interesting, and before I delved any further, I searched for book reviews to see what my contemporaries had to say about this novel. Yours was the first that came up! I love that your grandfather wrote a memoir - what a special treasure - and that you shared a segment with all of us! I have read a couple of Eliot's novels but learning the background that went into each one makes me want to consume them all! Thank you for this video and I'm going to check out more of your reviews right now.
I can’t believe I just found out you had a channel, Faith! I started Romola in January and put it down, mostly because I felt like it was genuinely challenging and I wasn’t ready for it. But I’m thinking about picking it up again soon. I had no idea of George Eliot’s religious background and that’s fascinating to me because from what I read, Romola has a very distinct religious bent. Also loved the prayer of Thomas More! I recently finished Wolf Hall and he was so dark in that that I was shocked when I googled him and saw he was a saint!! A horrible portrait of him there, though towards his execution, I think you are allowed to respect him, lol. I think to make Cromwell decent, she had to turn More, which is a shame. So excited I can now binge your videos!
Faith my father was a coal miner. His mother was Welsh and my grandfather was Yorkshire. I emigrated to Canada when I was 35. I think Eliot struggled as much with Christianity as she saw it portrayed rather than a full disbelief in a god but nevertheless she was denied burial in Westminster Abbey because of her apparent denial of the Christian faith. I don’t see people in black or white and I think Eliot definitely fell into that grey area.
Furrowed brow Reader - one of George Eliot’s major influences in her younger years was Charles Hennell who believed that Christianity, despite its superstitions, is the highest of moral religions. Criticism of the Bible is to be done in service of Christianity. Although George Eliot rejected her family church and called herself a radical and a freethinker, I think she continued to revere Christian tradition for most of her life.
I am currently reading Romola, and I will be discussing it on my channel when I finish. Spoilers and all. I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed it. The fact that your grandfather wrote a book about life in the mines is very cool.
Just took a peek at your channel...which castle ruin is that on your home page? Looks so familiar...I am a castle fanatic and travel a lot to and within Europe (and elsewhere). Is this in the US?
Wilde for Classics - thank you for peeking at my channel..!! Oh, that is no castle! 😂 That is the ruin of a Spanish mission on the Native Pueblo of Quarai. It was abandoned by the Quarai natives and Spanish around 1670 and is now a historical monument near where I live in the state of New Mexico within the United States. Thank you again for visiting.
Enjoyed this! Excellent {and insightful} review of Romola, which i just finished. Think I have a new #1 greatest novel of all time in Romola, though it just edges out Daniel Deronda highlighted by that great speech by Mordecai re human possibilities and founding of Israel. My take is that GE maybe exceeds herself in the last 20% of Romola.
Great review!! Interesting about Cromwell v Thomas More. The prayer you quoted by More reminds me of Boethius's prayers in Consolation of Philosophy. Re Romola: Whenever I read something written in this "high style," as you put it so well, I feel like I'm missing references all over the place 😅 It sounds like you caught most of them, though! You're right, you can't even tell that Eliot is an atheist! And her characters really come off the page. So glad Kate Howe is doing this 😊
I beg to differ; Ms. Eliot is simply disingenuous. Her one footnote in ch. 58? discounts the up to date research by prof. Villari, who amply shows the vindication of the Frate’s role during the conviction of the 5 conspirators; the event upon which the novel revolves. Total straw man argument. Almost every reference to him by the “narrator” is pejorative. Simply ludicrous, in that era, that a female would enter the monastery and give the prior a piece of her mind. Story moves from dreary to dreadful to farcical. Michelangelo and Botticelli were both fond admirers. He was a most exquisite priest who received letters from around Europe asking for spiritual advice. St. Catherine de Ricci was cured by his intercession and St. Philip Nero considered him a saint. There’s a reason why agnostics and atheists despise him: holiness works and is the only true source of joy; not the vain, incessant thumb/soul sucking drivel of a pseudo shrink. Please see, “ Victorian Age of Literature,” by GK Chesterton.
I discovered your video as I'm currently reading Dinitia Smith's "The Honeymoon" which reflects back on Marian Evan's life while she's honeymooning in Venice with her new husband, Johnnie Cross. I'm in the section where she is writing "Romola" which is so interesting, and before I delved any further, I searched for book reviews to see what my contemporaries had to say about this novel. Yours was the first that came up! I love that your grandfather wrote a memoir - what a special treasure - and that you shared a segment with all of us! I have read a couple of Eliot's novels but learning the background that went into each one makes me want to consume them all! Thank you for this video and I'm going to check out more of your reviews right now.
I can’t believe I just found out you had a channel, Faith! I started Romola in January and put it down, mostly because I felt like it was genuinely challenging and I wasn’t ready for it. But I’m thinking about picking it up again soon. I had no idea of George Eliot’s religious background and that’s fascinating to me because from what I read, Romola has a very distinct religious bent. Also loved the prayer of Thomas More! I recently finished Wolf Hall and he was so dark in that that I was shocked when I googled him and saw he was a saint!! A horrible portrait of him there, though towards his execution, I think you are allowed to respect him, lol. I think to make Cromwell decent, she had to turn More, which is a shame. So excited I can now binge your videos!
I am so excited! I love your channel! I'm so glad you find me. I don't know if am worth binge watching on though. LOL.
You've made me want to continue with Eliot and will definitely add this one to my tbr. Thanks!
Faith my father was a coal miner. His mother was Welsh and my grandfather was Yorkshire. I emigrated to Canada when I was 35.
I think Eliot struggled as much with Christianity as she saw it portrayed rather than a full disbelief in a god but nevertheless she was denied burial in Westminster Abbey because of her apparent denial of the Christian faith. I don’t see people in black or white and I think Eliot definitely fell into that grey area.
Furrowed brow Reader - one of George Eliot’s major influences in her younger years was Charles Hennell who believed that Christianity, despite its superstitions, is the highest of moral religions. Criticism of the Bible is to be done in service of Christianity. Although George Eliot rejected her family church and called herself a radical and a freethinker, I think she continued to revere Christian tradition for most of her life.
I am currently reading Romola, and I will be discussing it on my channel when I finish. Spoilers and all. I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed it. The fact that your grandfather wrote a book about life in the mines is very cool.
Just took a peek at your channel...which castle ruin is that on your home page? Looks so familiar...I am a castle fanatic and travel a lot to and within Europe (and elsewhere). Is this in the US?
Wilde for Classics - thank you for peeking at my channel..!! Oh, that is no castle! 😂 That is the ruin of a Spanish mission on the Native Pueblo of Quarai. It was abandoned by the Quarai natives and Spanish around 1670 and is now a historical monument near where I live in the state of New Mexico within the United States. Thank you again for visiting.
@@JosephFrancisBurton Yes, I looked at the picture more closely! Haha! :)
Uh-oh. Then I'd better read it fast, so I can watch your video! 🏃🏽♀️
Enjoyed this! Excellent {and insightful} review of Romola, which i just finished. Think I have a new #1 greatest novel of all time in Romola, though it just edges out Daniel Deronda highlighted by that great speech by Mordecai re human possibilities and founding of Israel. My take is that GE maybe exceeds herself in the last 20% of Romola.
Savonarola the original advocate for decluttering and simplification.
LOL!
Eliot is genius indeed...Romola is one of the two novels of Eliot's I've yet to read (but own it and will read this year).
Wilde for Classics - George Eliot’s intelligence was indeed stunning.
Great review!! Interesting about Cromwell v Thomas More. The prayer you quoted by More reminds me of Boethius's prayers in Consolation of Philosophy.
Re Romola: Whenever I read something written in this "high style," as you put it so well, I feel like I'm missing references all over the place 😅 It sounds like you caught most of them, though!
You're right, you can't even tell that Eliot is an atheist! And her characters really come off the page. So glad Kate Howe is doing this 😊
I really want to read Consolation of Philosophy. Haven't gotten to it yet!
Faith&books It’s fantastic 🥰 I’m halfway through it.
Awhile back this Booktuber did a series of videos on George Eliot that you might find interesting-
ua-cam.com/video/ogowmguRkwo/v-deo.html
I beg to differ; Ms. Eliot is simply disingenuous. Her one footnote in ch. 58? discounts the up to date research by prof. Villari, who amply shows the vindication of the Frate’s role during the conviction of the 5 conspirators; the event upon which the novel revolves. Total straw man argument.
Almost every reference to him by the “narrator” is pejorative. Simply ludicrous, in that era, that a female would enter the monastery and give the prior a piece of her mind.
Story moves from dreary to dreadful to farcical. Michelangelo and Botticelli were both fond admirers. He was a most exquisite priest who received letters from around Europe asking for spiritual advice. St. Catherine de Ricci was cured by his intercession and St. Philip Nero considered him a saint. There’s a reason why agnostics and atheists despise him: holiness works and is the only true source of joy; not the vain, incessant thumb/soul sucking drivel of a pseudo shrink. Please see, “ Victorian Age of Literature,” by GK Chesterton.