This is Part One. The Mill on the Floss is a seminal novel that was first published in 1860. Set in the fictional English village of St. Ogg's, the narrative revolves around the lives of siblings Tom and Maggie Tulliver as they navigate familial expectations, societal constraints, and personal ambitions. Eliot intricately explores themes of love, loyalty, class struggle, and the conflict between individual desires and societal norms. Against the backdrop of the eponymous mill, the novel delves deep into the complexities of human relationships and the inevitable clashes between tradition and modernity, making it a timeless classic of Victorian literature.