Maggie Tulliver is the protagonist of The Mill on the Floss. The reader meets her when she is a child and follows her through adolescence and young adulthood, with her tribulations helping to form the core action of the novel.

As a child, Maggie conforms to the Victorian feminine ideal in neither looks nor behavior: her “dark” looks and wild, unmanageable hair lead her relatives to compare her to a “gypsy”, suggesting that Maggie appears as an outsider to the rest of the community. Her unusual looks complement her free spirit, as her disobedience and intelligence are also at odds with the societal expectations for female children. The disapproval Maggie faces even as a child immediately sets up the gender dynamics that will remain thematically prominent throughout the novel—in spite of her clear intelligence and strength of character, Maggie is destined to struggle due to the limitations and expectations placed upon her gender.

As Maggie grows and matures, she becomes less “wild” but maintains her inner strength. When faced with the family’s financial ruin, she alone amongst her family manages to keep her spirits high through turning to books and seeking to treat others with empathy and consideration.