Originally published in 1859, “Adam Bede” is the first novel by George Eliot, which was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans. Eliot was one of the leading British writers of the Victorian era, as well as a noted journalist, poet, and translator. “Adam Bede” concerns a small, tight-knit, and fictional rural community called Hayslope and the romantic drama that develops between four of its young residents: the title character Adam, a young carpenter, the beautiful young Hetty Sorrel, Captain Arthur Donnithorne, a young squire, and Hetty’s cousin, the virtuous Methodist lay preacher, Dinah Morris. Adam, respected for his intelligence and integrity, has fallen in love with Hetty, who in turn has fallen in love with Arthur, the local squire’s charismatic grandson and heir. Adam discovers that Hetty and Arthur have been meeting in secret and uses this knowledge to force his rival to leave town. However, before Hetty and Adam can wed, Hetty discovers herself to be pregnant and a series of bad decisions results in tragic consequences. A classic of 19th century literature, “Adam Bede”, a popular choice in English literature courses, remains a classic tale of love, desperation, and redemption. This edition includes a biographical afterword.
