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AdamBedeCONTENT•一.PlotSummary•二.Characters•三.Chapter27-CrisisPlotSummary•Thestory'splotfollowsfourcharacters'rurallivesinthefictionalcommunityofHayslope—arural,pastoralandclose-knitcommunityin1799.•Thenovelrevolvesaroundaloverectanglebetweenbeautifulbutself-absorbedHettySorrel,CaptainArthurDonnithorne,theyoungsquirewhoseducesher,AdamBede,herunacknowledgedsuitor,andDinahMorris,Hetty'scousin,afervent,virtuousandbeautifulMethodistlaypreacher.PlotSummary•Adamisalocalcarpentermuchadmiredforhisintegrityandintelligence,inlovewithHetty.SheisattractedtoArthur,thecharminglocalsquire'sgrandsonandheir,andfallsinlovewithhim.WhenAdaminterruptsatrystbetweenthem,AdamandArthurfight.ArthuragreestogiveupHettyandleavesHayslopetoreturntohismilitia.Afterheleaves,HettySorrelagreestomarryAdambutshortlybeforetheirmarriage,discoverssheispregnant.Indesperation,sheleavesinsearchofArthur.Shecannotfindhim;unwillingtoreturntothevillageonaccountoftheshameandostracismshewouldhavetoendure,shedeliversherbabywiththeassistanceofafriendlywomansheencounters.Later,thechildiskilledwhensheabandonsitinafield.Notbeingabletobearthechild'scriesshetriestocomebackbutsheistoolatewhenshefindsoutthatitdiesofexposure.PlotSummary•Hettyiscaughtandtriedforchildmurder.Sheisfoundguiltyandsentencedtohang.DinahenterstheprisonandpledgestostaywithHettyuntiltheend.HercompassionbringsaboutHetty'scontriteconfession.WhenArthurDonnithorne,onleavefromthemilitiaforhisgrandfather'sfuneral,hearsofherimpendingexecution,heracestothecourtandhasthesentencecommutedtotransportation.•Ultimately,AdamandDinah,whograduallybecomeawareoftheirmutuallove,marryandlivepeacefullywithhisfamilyPlotSummary•AccordingtoTheOxfordCompaniontoEnglishLiterature(1967),•theplotisfoundedonastorytoldtoGeorgeEliotbyherauntElizabethEvans,aMethodistpreacher,andtheoriginalofDinahMorrisofthenovel,ofaconfessionofchild-murder,madetoherbyagirlinprison.Characters•1.TheBedefamily•2.ThePoyserfamily•3.TheIrwinefamily•4.TheDonnithornefamily•5.Othercharacters1.TheBedefamily•1.AdamBedeisdescribedasatall,stalwart,moral,andunusuallycompetentcarpenter.Heis26yearsoldatthebeginningofthenovel,andbearsanexpressionoflarge-heartedintelligence.•2.SethBedeisAdam'syoungerbrother,andisalsoacarpenter,butheisnotparticularlycompetent,and...hisglance,insteadofbeingkeen,isconfidingandbenign.•3.LisbethBedeisAdam'sandSeth'smother.Sheisananxious,spare,yetvigorousoldwoman,cleanasasnowdrop.•4.ThiasBedeisAdam'sandSeth'sfather.Hehasbecomeanalcoholic,anddrownsinChapterIVwhilereturningfromatavern.•5.GypisAdam'sdog,whofollowshiseverymove,andlooks..upinhismaster'sfacewithpatientexpectation.AdamBede•Adamistheimperfectheroofthenovel.Attheoutsetofthenovel,heisaproudmanwhoconsidershimselfagoodcarpenterandahardworker.Butheisjudgmentaltowardhisfather,whosedeathcauseshimtoexaminehisheart.Adamhasasoftspotforallhelplesscreatures,includinghisdog,Gyp,andhisbrother,Seth.However,hehasnotoleranceforevilbecausehecannotunderstandtemptation.Adambelievesthatwhenamandecidesthatsomethingiswrong,itiseasytoavoidthataction.ObsessedwithHettySorrel,Adamonlyseesthebestinher.AdamBede•Blindedbyherphysicalbeauty,hecannotseethatsheisreallyashallow,vainyounggirl.UponfindingoutabouttheaffairbetweenHettyandCaptainDonnithorne,AdamblamesCaptainDonnithorneandcontinuestobelieveonlythebestaboutHetty,eventothepointofproposingtoherinspiteofhertarnishedhonor.ButHetty’sarrestformurdernearlycrushesAdam,especiallyashecomestorealizethatHettyactuallydidkillherinfant,acrimeheconsiderstobecompletelyagainstallhumanandfemaleintuitionandnature.Hestruggleswiththeirreparablenatureofthecrimeshehascommittedandtheevilthathasbeencommittedagainsther.AfterherecoversfromtheshockofHetty’scrime,however,Adam’scharacterismellowedbytheexperience.Hisprideislargelyhumbled,andheislessjudgmentalofothers.2.ThePoyserfamily•1.MartinPoyserandhiswiferentHallFarmfromSquireDonnithorneandhaveturneditintoaverysuccessfulenterprise.•2.MartyandTommyPoyseraretheirsons.•3.TottyPoyseristheirsomewhatspoiledandfrequentlypetulanttoddler.•4.HettySorrelisMr.Poyser'sorphanedniece,wholivesandworksatthePoyserfarm.Herbeauty,asdescribedbyGeorgeEliot,isthesortwhichseemsmadetoturntheheadsnotonlyofmen,butofallintelligentmammals,evenofwomen.•5.DinahMorrisisanotherorphanednieceofthePoysers.Sheisalsobeautiful-Itwasoneofthosefacesthatmakeonethinkofwhiteflowerswithlighttouchesofcolourontheirpurepetals-buthaschosentobecomeanitinerantMethodistpreacher,anddressesveryplainly.HettySorrel•Hettyneverchangesthroughthebook,evenafterherreligiousconversioninthejail,andsheremainsavainandselfishcreature.Hettyonlywantswhatisbestforherself.Throughoutthenovel,Hettyhasnoconcernforhowheractionswillaffectothers.Yetbecauseherdesiresandfearsarechildlike,itishardtocondemnher.Hetty’sdefiningmomentinthenovelcomeswhenshekillsherchild.Feelingnoloveforthechild,sheactsoutofself-preservationandfearofshame.HettySorrel•HerfearofcondemnationafterdeathdriveshertoforgiveCaptainDonnithorneafterDinahtellsherthatGodwillnotforgiveherifshedoesnotforgiveCaptainDonnithorne.ButHettyneverexp