Middlemarch

Just back from my wonderful German holiday and train trip to Dresden, I was delighted to find that on the new TV channel 'True Entertainment' last evening began a two part film of 'Middlemarch' George Eliot's classic novel based on the Coventry of the time. John Prest's 'The Industrial Revolution in Coventry' has a closing Appendix 'The Historical Value of Middlemarch' with Stivichall and Baginton thought to have been the inspiration for 'Lowick' (perhaps a combination of both). For such a long novel the film must only cover a part and seems to centre on the relationship between Dorothea (the somewhat 'blue-stocking' niece of Brooke) who marries the seemingly cold-hearted scholarly clergyman Casaubon. Part two follows this evening at 9.0 p.m. Enjoy! Edited by member, 28th Sep 2014 4:02 pm

Thank you Prof I shall take a look for this new program and channel. Glad to see your back safe from your Holiday. Edited by member, 28th Sep 2014 12:18 pm

My wife's uncle, who was born and educated in Nuneaton still insists that it is that town and not Coventry that is the setting of the novel. This in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. He is on much firmer ground with "Scenes of Clerical Life" . That definitely is set in Nuneaton (Milby).

Yes, I agree about Nuneaton and 'Scenes of Clerical Life' - I consider that one of the most readable and has the most vivid and pleasant characterisation of all of Eliot's works. However, If you look at John Prest's 'Appendix' I think Coventry scores over Nuneaton, though more than possible that she used characters and places from both. I think it is in Tom and Maggie Tulliver, 'The Mill on the Floss' the 'Red Deeps' is said to have been a hollow in part of Foleshill. As a girl my mother had the children's edition 'Tom & Maggie Tulliver' so that became my introduction too to George Eliot. I would often go down Warwick Row and look at the house where Mary Ann went to School, it later became a café, then an estate agents.

Pleased to see that the series is longer than I first thought and that it continues on Saturday! Channel 61

It should hit our TV in about 5 years must pin a note to the TV.

You shouldn't have to wait that long to see it in New Zealand . This is not a new production, but was made by the BBC in 1994. The channel that is currently showing this in the UK specialises in showing older TV programmes. Edited by member, 29th Sep 2014 8:09 am

Sorry NewlzeaIanders, I temporarily forgot the world-wide aspect of this Forum. But yes, the film is an old one and may be available on Video or perhaps CD.