Choosing a title – George Eliot and 'The Mill on the Floss'

10-Minute Talks

By late 1859, when she had almost finished writing her second novel, The Mill on the Floss, George Eliot was still unsure of its final title. Two other possible titles, ‘Sister Maggie’ and ‘The House of Atreus’ were under consideration almost up to the time of printing and in this talk, Rosemary Ashton discusses the case of The Mill on the Floss in the wider context of novel writing and title choosing.

She is the author of several books which include discussion of George Eliot's writings, including the biography of her, George Eliot: A Life .

Speaker: Professor Rosemary Ashton FBA, Emeritus Quain Professor of English Language and Literature and Honorary Fellow, University College London