The Mill on the Floss Art and Culture Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

[It] was rather that she felt the half-remote presence of a world of love and beauty and delight, made up of vague, mingled images from all the poetry and romance she had ever read, or had ever woven in her dreamy reveries. (6.3.4)

Imagination has the power to become reality here, as Maggie begins imposing the "vague, mingled images," or books and daydreams, into her new, happy daily life. This world is so bizarre to Maggie that she understands it in terms of fiction.

Quote #8

Philip had brightened at the proposition, for there is no feeling, perhaps, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music [...] Philip had an abundance of pent-up feeling at this moment, as complex as any trio or quartet that was ever meant to express love and jealousy and resignation and fierce suspicion all at the same time. (6.7.40)

It is interesting that the narrator references a musical "trio" here. This recalls the "triple life" that Maggie led in books, daydreams, and reality. Philip too uses cultural experiences like music to express his excess of emotion.

Quote #9

Maggie, in spite of her resistance to the spirit of the song and to the singer, was taken hold of and shaken by the invisible influence - was borne along by a wave too strong for her. (6.7.55)

The narrator unites two motifs here – music and water imagery – as Maggie is carried away by a "wave" of emotion coming from the music she is hearing. Stephen is effectively seducing Maggie through music here.