"But his father was silent: the flood of emotion hemmed in all power of speech."

— Eliot, George (1819-1880)


Place of Publication
Edinburgh and London
Publisher
William Blackwood and Sons
Date
1860
Metaphor
"But his father was silent: the flood of emotion hemmed in all power of speech."
Metaphor in Context
But his father was silent: the flood of emotion hemmed in all power of speech. Both Tom and Maggie were struck with fear lest the shock of joy might even be fatal. But the blessed relief of tears came. The broad chest heaved, the muscles of the face gave way, and the grey-haired man burst into loud sobs. The fit of weeping gradually subsided and he sat quiet, recovering the regularity of his breathing. At last he looked up at his wife and said, in a gentle tone, 'Bessy, you must come and kiss me now - the lad has made y' amends. You'll see a bit o' comfort again belike.' (p. 365)
Categories
Provenance
Reading A.S. Byatt's edition for Penguin Classics and searching at <http://www.princeton.edu/~batke/eliot/mill/>
Citation
See The Mill on the Floss (Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1860). <Vol. I in Google Books><Vol. II><Vol. III>
Date of Entry
06/25/2007

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.