George Eliot’s novel, Middlemarch: A Study of Provincial Life, delves into the life of a fictional English town in the early 19th century as it undergoes significant transformations. The anticipated Reform Bill heralds political reform, while the expansion of railroads reshapes both the physical and cultural landscape. Emerging scientific advancements in medicine spark public debate, and scandal hides beneath the veneer of respectability. Against this backdrop, Eliot paints a vivid portrait of the town’s inhabitants, including the idealistic Dorothea Brooke, the ambitious Dr. Lydgate, the imprudent Fred Vincy, and the resolute Mary Garth. The arrival of two outsiders—Will Ladislaw, the passionate nephew of Dorothea’s husband, the Rev. Edward Casaubon, and the menacing John Raffles, who threatens to reveal the secrets of a prominent town figure—further unsettles the town’s balance. Middlemarch showcases Eliot’s nuanced yet empathetic portrayal of characters navigating the intricate process of self-discovery amidst a changing world. This Penguin Classics edition, based on the 1874 second edition, includes an introduction and notes by Eliot biographer Rosemary Ashton. Ashton’s introduction explores the novel’s themes of social change and presents it as a reflection of Eliot’s humanist principles.