What grade level is Middlemarch?

Middlemarch is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 11–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

How long does it take to read Middlemarch?

It takes about 14h 30m to read Middlemarch (793 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 870 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Middlemarch?

Middlemarch appears on reading lists for Cambridge AS & A-Level English Literature (9695). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Middlemarch banned in schools?

Middlemarch does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.

What themes does Middlemarch explore?

Central themes in Middlemarch include young women, married people, city and town life, social life and customs. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Middlemarch

Name: Middlemarch
Availability: InStock
Author: George Eliot
ISBN: 9781400102167

by George Eliot

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

Middlemarch by George Eliot is assigned in US schools at grades 11–12. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Middlemarch is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range: Grades 11–12
Age range: Ages 16–17
Pages: 793
Reading time: about 14h 30m (est.)
First published: 1800
Genre: Mystery
ISBN-13: 9781400102167

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About this book

Eliot’s epic of 19th century provincial social life, set in a fictitious Midlands town in the years 1830-32, has several interlocking storylines blended effortlessly together to form a fully coherent narrative. Its main themes are the status of women, social expectations and hypocrisy, religion, political reform and education. It has often been called the greatest novel in the English language.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Middlemarch→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Mystery title, typically at grades 11–12. Written in the 1800s; pairs with curriculum units on young women and married people; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

young women · married people · city and town life · social life and customs

Where this book is assigned

Cambridge AS & A-Level English Literature (9695)
- required·11th grade source: Prescribed set text for Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English (9695), Paper 4 Section A (Pre-1900), for examination in 2027. Transcribed from the official Cambridge International syllabus (721410-2027-2028-syllabus.pdf). Set texts rota
- required·12th grade source: Prescribed set text for Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English (9695), Paper 4 Section A (Pre-1900), for examination in 2027. Transcribed from the official Cambridge International syllabus (721410-2027-2028-syllabus.pdf). Set texts rota

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Common questions

What grade level is Middlemarch?: Middlemarch is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 11–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read Middlemarch?: It takes about 14h 30m to read Middlemarch (793 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 870 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Middlemarch?: Middlemarch appears on reading lists for Cambridge AS & A-Level English Literature (9695). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Middlemarch banned in schools?: Middlemarch does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
What themes does Middlemarch explore?: Central themes in Middlemarch include young women, married people, city and town life, social life and customs. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure: Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band: Grades 11–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence: Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: Paper 4 Section A (Pre-1900).