Since the book 'Mill on The Floss' was written nearly two hundred years ago, it is no surprise that society has changed, especially for women. The fact that Mary Anne Evans had to use a pen name of 'George Eliot' as she was a woman and her works would not have been published otherwise, shows alone what the attitudes towards women were. That of sheer insignificance in the country and in the social circle. In Britain today women stand side by side with men, in the struggle for Independence, and are also playing a key role in the search for a lasting peace and consolidated democracy for the country.

Dramatic changes came mainly with women appearing in parliament, receiving the right to vote that is equal to that of a man. Women had scored some social victories as well, particularly the Law on Maternity, which provides for family planning, the recognition of consensual union as equivalent to marriage, equality of children whether born to a wedded or unwedded couple, and a cabinet office to promote women's development.

The effect that the immediate family has on a child has changed quite significantly, which may not always be for the best. Freedom of speech is expressed more openly and people are encouraged to express their individuality. Where as in the Victorian society it was quite the opposite. This can bee shown by looking at Maggie and her impetuous and violent behaviour has been likened to that of her fathers- stressing the theme of heredity and her anomalies as a woman with masculine character traits. Maggie's anger can be seen as a symbol of feminist frustration and rage at the oppression of women in Victorian society.

In her constant favouring of Tom, Mrs Tulliver repeatedly asserts Maggie's inferior status. Tom asserts his superiority as a male and although they have had a similar view of the future (with Maggie as housekeeper to Tom) his assumption of the role of protector with the power to 'punish her when she did wrong' differs wildly from hers, where she will assume a conventionally male role as a source of wisdom. Maggie rejects the conventional definition of femininity in many ways, but her experience repeatedly defeats her striving for equality.

Lucy is in many ways the angelic opposite to Maggie. In Victorian ideology and iconography women were dichotomously defined as either angelic- pure, passive and ideally feminine- or they were demonic- subversive or defiant in some way of feminine ideals and 'fallen' sexually. In literature too this opposition prevailed in that the fair and good women was rewarded- normally with the marriage to the hero, whereas the villain would suffer loss or even death, in the same way Maggie did.

In today's society it is a child right to receive a full education up to the age of sixteen for both sexes, however in the 19th century education was not compulsory and if the opportunity of education arised it was rarely for the women. Maggie would have gained considerably from the kind of education in which Tom fails. For her desire such an education is seen as an aberration and a defiance of her f

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Approximate Word count = 1379
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)