George Eliot 
Adam Bede 

Originally published in 1859, ’Adam Bede’ is the first novel by George Eliot. The story concerns a love triangle that develops between Adam Bede, a young carpenter, who is competing for the affection of the beautiful young Hetty Sorrel with Captain Arthur Donnithorne, a young squire. When Hetty discovers herself to be pregnant, a series of bad decisions results in tragic conse quences. A classic of 19th century literature, ’Adam Bede’ is a popular choice for English literature courses of that era.