Teaching Middlemarch

Before you plop copies of Middlemarch by George "Marian Evans" Eliot on your students' desks and chuckle menacingly, keep this in mind: though an intimidating 838-page tome, Middlemarch was an epic bestseller in the 1870s—and with good reason. It's a political novel with revolution on the mind, written during the great British Reform Bills of the late 1800s. Much like Dickens, each page is pointed, ever-relevant…and, perhaps, paid per word.

In this guide, you'll find

• a discussion-based activity about Husbandry 101, Victorian-style.
• research and writing about scientific discovery, Darwinism, and the human instinct to resist change.
• so many comprehension check questions—like we said, this book is looong.

With Shmoop's help, Middlemarch will inspire your students to start a revolution of their own—be they inspired by the novel's take on marriage, science, politics, or the awkward nature of human existence. So march to it, already.

What's Inside Shmoop's Literature Teaching Guides

Shmoop is a labor of love from folks who love to teach. Our teaching guides will help you supplement in-classroom learning with fun, engaging, and relatable learning materials that bring literature to life.

Inside each guide you'll find quizzes, activity ideas, discussion questions, and more—all written by experts and designed to save you time. Here are the deets on what you get with your teaching guide:

• 13 – 18 Common Core-aligned activities to complete in class with your students, including detailed instructions for you and your students
• Discussion and essay questions for all levels of students
• Reading quizzes for every chapter, act, or part of the text
• Resources to help make the book feel more relevant to your 21st-century students
• A note from Shmoop's teachers to you, telling you what to expect from teaching the text and how you can overcome the hurdles

Want more help teaching Teaching Middlemarch?

Check out all the different parts of our corresponding learning guide.