A Feminist Analysis of Social Norms in George Eliot’s Adam Bede

Kandaşoğlu Z., Yıldız Çiçekçi N.

10th International KTUDELL Conference: Language, Literature, and Translation , Trabzon, Turkey, 29 - 30 May 2025, pp.577-583, (Full Text)

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Full Text
  • City: Trabzon
  • Country: Turkey
  • Page Numbers: pp.577-583
  • Karadeniz Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This paper dwells on the representation of women on the axis of social norms in George Eliot’s Adam Bede (1859) by using theoretical approaches and criticisms in feminist literature. It specifically analyses the norms of femininity and social morality during the Victorian period as depicted in the novel within the framework of feminist criticism. To this aim, the characters of Hetty Sorrel and Dinah Morris are examined in detail, and their representations of femininity and relations with the social norms of the period are discussed. While reviewing the moral oppression of women in Victorian society through the story of Hetty, the paper evaluates Dinah’s portrayal as an independent female preacher in the context of social roles. How Eliot develops a critical approach to the norms of femininity of the period is delineated through the evaluation of Hetty Sorrel and Dinah Morris, particularly regarding their attitudes toward social norms.