Scenes of Clerical Life

George Eliot's brilliant fiction debut contains three stories from the lives of clergymen, with the aim of disclosing the value hidden in the commonplace."e;The Sad Fortunes of the Rev. Amos Barton"e; portrays a character who is hard to like and generally despised-until his suffering shocks others into fellowship and sympathy.In "e;Mr. Gilfil's Love-Story,"e; young Caterina is courted by two opposite men: Wybrow, who is capable of loving only himself, and Mr. Gilfil, whose love is selfless."e;Janet's Repentance"e; recounts a conversion from sinfulness to righteousness, achieved through the selfless endeavors of an evangelical clergyman. Written more than a decade after her break with the Christian faith, these tales represent Eliot's search for a "e;religion of humanity"e; compatible with the best qualities of Christianity.