Middlemarch

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Title Middlemarch

Author	George Eliot
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Genre(s)	Historical novel
Publisher
Released	1871
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
ISBN	NA

See also Middlemarch, New Zealand.

Middlemarch is a novel by George Eliot, a pseudonym for the female author Mary Ann Evans. It was first published in 1871. It is set in the 1830s in Middlemarch, a fictional provincial town in England, based on Coventry. Widely seen as Eliot's greatest work, it is almost unanimously acclaimed as one of the great Victorian era novels.

Virginia Woolf described Middlemarch as "one of the few English novels written for grown-up people".^[1]

V. S. Pritchett wrote, "No Victorian novel approaches Middlemarch in its width of reference, its intellectual power, or the imperturbable spaciousness of its narrative ... I doubt if any Victorian novelist has as much to teach the modern novelists as George Eliot ... No writer has ever represented the ambiguities of moral choice so fully."

In January 2007, a book entitled The Top Ten (edited by J. Peder Zane) listed Middlemarch tenth in their list of The 10 Greatest Books of All Time, based on the ballots of 125 selected writers.^[2]

Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Characters in "Middlemarch" 3 Film, TV or theatrical adaptations 4 Notes 5 References 6 Trivia 7 See Also 8 External links

Plot summary

In Middlemarch, Eliot interweaves the stories of various friends, acquaintances, and relations in the fictional town of Middlemarch in early 19th-century England. She demonstrates genuine compassion for each of her characters, yet she seeds her portraits with critical—even cynical—assessments of human hypocrisy and weakness. She is particularly tart on the topic of gender relations and the limited role of women.

The central character, Dorothea Brooke, is an ardent and idealistic young woman who yearns for knowledge and to help others. Eliot begins the novel by comparing her to Saint Theresa of Avila. Dorothea rejects a wealthy, pleasant, but less than brilliant, young baronet, Sir James Chettam, in favour of the Reverend Edward Casaubon, a clergyman in late middle-age, who, she imagines, will teach her and engage her in great works. Chettam subsequently marries Dorothea's sister, Cecilia.

Dorothea's marriage proves a terrible mistake. Casaubon repulses her efforts to assist him in his research, resents her youthful vigour, and fears her capacity to judge his work. Dorothea begins to realize the smallness of his intellectual accomplishments. Meanwhile, she makes the acquaintance of his propertyless cousin, Will Ladislaw, who admires her and who matches her in passion and ambition, but who is still trying to find his place in the world. Dorothea learns that Ladislaw's grandmother, his father's mother, would have inherited a substantial part of the estate that presently belongs to Casaubon, if she had not been disowned by the family after she entered into a marriage they considered disgraceful.

When Casaubon dies, Dorothea inherits his large fortune and tries to use it to help others. But she and her family are shocked to learn that Casaubon has added a codicil to his will, forbidding her to marry Will Ladislaw, on pain of disinheritance. No one but Casaubon had imagined that there was any danger of such a marriage. However, Ladislaw does bear a passion for Dorothea, which Dorothea gradually perceives and reciprocates, and in the end, she gives up Casaubon's estate to marry him.

Dorothea's interest in social work keeps her in contact with Tertius Lydgate, a young doctor who plans to run a new charity hospital in anticipation of cholera reaching Middlemarch. He has dreams of achieving great medical discoveries while helping the poor. He imagines that his scientific ambitions will meet fewer obstructions in a small community than in London, where he knows personal rivalries dominate medical careers. The pretty and cultivated, but vain, puerile, and selfish, Rosamond Vincy charms Lydgate, and she sets her sights on marrying him, though no one else approves the idea. Lydgate has no intention of marrying anyone for several years to come, intending to focus on his career. But his chivalrous nature responds to Rosamond's tears when he discovers that she has placed her happiness in his hands, and he marries her.

Rosamond's brother Fred has studied to be a clergyman, in accordance with his parents' wishes, who cherish this dream of social advancement for the family. But Fred puts off passing the final examinations for entrance into the profession, preferring to wait for his elderly, ailing uncle, Mr. Featherstone, to pass away and leave Fred his estate, Stone Court. Fred loves Mary Garth, who is plain, but intelligent, kind, and practical, somewhat of a polar opposite to Rosamond; and whose family does not suit the Vincy parents' social ambitions. Mary loves Fred too, but keeps this to herself and spurns Fred's romantic advances, Fred being an immature, callow, irresponsible young man. Fred's irresponsibility is brought home when he is unable to repay money he has borrowed from Mary's father, Caleb Garth. The Garths are not prospering, and this loan is a hardship to them.

Mr. Featherstone's will leaves everything to a stranger to Middlemarch, a son he'd had out of wedlock. Fred's expectations of a life of wealth and ease must now give way to some practical plan to support himself. The son sells Stone Court to the unsympathetic, unctuous banker Nicholas Bulstrode, and accidentally enables one John Raffles to locate Bulstrode.

Lydgate's marriage turns out to thwart his ambitions, and his and Rosamond's financial improvidence puts him in debt. Eventually, in desperation, he appeals to Bulstrode, asking for a loan of £1000, which Bulstrode refuses.

Bulstrode's pride and piety conceal secrets of ill-gotten gain. Long ago, in London, he had become a trusted associate in a large fencing operation, and then married the widow who inherited the fortune therefrom, and then prevented the widow from finding her long-lost daughter, so that he would not have to share the fortune. That long-lost daughter was Ladislaw's mother. Raffles is the only other person who knew the daughter could be found, and Bulstrode had paid him off to keep quiet and go to America.

But now, Raffles appears on the scene and threatens to expose Bulstrode. Raffles accepts further bribes to make himself scarce, but likes nothing more than causing Bulstrode discomfort, and keeps coming back for more. Bulstrode, hoping to avert what he considers God's punishment, offers Ladislaw substantial financial support. But Ladislaw, who knows the money was made in criminal activity, spurns it. Raffles comes back once more, severely ill of alcohol poisoning. Bulstrode, fearing that Raffles will reveal his secrets (Raffles has already told Caleb Garth, who immediately cut off all business with Bulstrode), looks after him personally, under the medical supervision of Lydgate. Feeling deeply uneasy about the risks to which Raffles' presence exposes him, and wishing to predispose Lydgate to think favorably of him, Bulstrode loans Lydgate the £1000. Lydgate's prognosis of Raffles' recovery distresses Bulstrode. He chooses to look the other way and let a servant (who doesn't know better) give Raffles brandy, which was expressly forbidden by Lydgate. This kills Raffles. Bulstrode enjoys a sensation of relief, but not for long, because Raffles has already told his tales to others, and soon Bulstrode's criminal past is public knowledge. What is more, he is widely suspected of having killed Raffles. Lydgate comes under suspicion of conspiracy with the banker when the loan becomes known.

Bulstrode never clears his name, but his wife is loyal. Lydgate's idealistic dreams of making great advancements in medicine are destroyed, and he is obliged to move to London, where he caters to lucrative, wealthy clients, living a life dedicated to matters he formerly held contemptible.

Caleb Garth, knowing Mary's affection for Fred, takes Fred under his professional wing, eventually seeing Fred installed in Stone Court as manager of the estate for his aunt, the wife of Bulstrode. Fred and Mary marry.

Along with Dorothea, whose pursuit of great works of charity and godly deeds is deemed eccentric by her family, Mary is a possible figure for Eliot herself. She is sensible and loving. When she writes and publishes an adaptation of Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans for boys, many in Middlemarch believe Fred, who had been to college, must have written it. On the other hand, when Fred produces agricultural tracts, they think the true author must have been Mary.

Middlemarch also contains a brilliant exploration of class distinctions and the impact they have on the lives of the characters. At the centre of this storyline stands the Vincy family, well-to-do leaders in the town, although Mrs. Vincy (Rosamond and Fred's mother) is the daughter of an inn keeper, clearly a blot on the family escutcheon. Their hope that Fred will become a clergyman--a real step up in class identity--throws their aspirations and prejudices into sharp relief. This line, in which he must choose between social advance or decline (marriage to Mary Garth, clearly a step beneath the Vincys) has a great connection to Mrs. Oliphant's wonderful mid-century novel Phoebe Junior, which explores the class implications of the division between Church and chapel. It also seems to prefigure the love stories in D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover and E.M. Forster's Maurice--in each of which the artificial lines of class threaten real love and true connection.

Characters in "Middlemarch"

• Dorothea Brooke — An intelligent, wealthy young woman who aspires to do great work. Spurning signs of wealth in the form of jewels or fancy clothes, she embarks upon projects such as redesigning cottages for the tenants of her miserly, careless uncle. She can seldom get anyone to take her ideas seriously, and she decides to marry the Reverend Edward Casaubon, many decades her senior, in order to help him with the writing of his great research. The marriage is quickly revealed to be a mistake, as Casaubon does not take her seriously and resents her. She finds in the Reverend's cousin Will Ladislaw a kindred spirit, and the two become friends. After Casaubon's death, the two fall in love but fight their attraction due to the scandalousness of their relationship--Casaubon included in his will the provision that if she were to marry Ladislaw, she would be disinherited. Eventually they marry and move to London.
• Tertius Lydgate — An idealistic, proud, passionate, and talented but naive young doctor of good birth but small financial means, he hopes to make great advancements in medicine through his research and the charity hospital in Middlemarch. He ends up entangled with Rosamond Vincy, and they marry. His pride and attempts to show that he is not answerable to any man end up backfiring and he eventually leaves town. He quickly falls out of love with his wife and ends up sacrificing all of his high ideals in order to make a living that will please Rosamond.
• Rev. Edward Casaubon — A middle-aged to elderly clergyman who is obsessed with finishing his scholarly research, to the exclusion of other people and things. He marries Dorothea Brooke, leading to a loveless marriage. His unfinished book The Key to All Mythologies is intended as a monument to the tradition of Christian syncretism.
• Mary Garth — The practical, plain, and kind daughter of Caleb and Susan Garth, she works as Mr. Featherstone's nurse. She and Fred Vincy were childhood sweethearts, but she refuses even to encourage him to woo her until he shows himself willing and able to live seriously, practically, and sincerely.
• Mr. Brooke — The often befuddled and none-too-clever uncle of Dorothea and Celia Brooke. He has a reputation for being the worst landlord in the county, but tries to stand for parliament on a Reform platform.
• Celia Brooke — Dorothea's more conventional younger sister, who does not share Dorothea's idealism and asceticism.
• Sir James Chettam — A neighbouring landowner, Sir James is in love with Dorothea and tries to ingratiate himself to her by helping her with her plans to improve conditions for the tenants. When she marries Casaubon, he marries Celia Brooke instead.
• Rosamond Vincy — Vain, beautiful, shallow, and extremely narcissistic, Rosamond has a high opinion of her own charms and a low opinion of Middlemarch society. She marries Tertius Lydgate because she believes that he will raise her social standing and keep her comfortable and carefree. When her husband encounters financial difficulties, she thwarts his efforts to economise, unable to bear the idea of losing status in Middlemarch society.
• Fred Vincy — Rosamond's brother. He has loved Mary Garth since they were children. His family is hoping that he will find a secure life and advance his class standing by becoming a clergyman, but he knows that Mary will not marry him if he does become one. Brought up with expectations from his uncle Mr. Featherstone, he has a tendency to be spendthrift and irresponsible, but later longs to find a profession at which he can be successful, and which Mary will respect.
• Will Ladislaw — A young cousin of Mr. Casaubon, he has no property because his grandmother married a poor Polish musician and was disinherited. He is a man of great verve, idealism and talent but of no fixed profession. He comes to love Dorothea, but cannot marry her without her losing Mr. Casaubon's property.
• Mr. & Mrs. Cadwallader — Neighbours of the Brookes. Mr. Cadwallader is a clergyman. Mrs. Cadwallader is a pragmatic woman who disapproves Dorothea's marriage and Mr. Brookes's parliamentary endeavors.
• Mr. & Mrs. Vincy — A respectable manufacturing family. They wish their children to advance socially, and are disappointed by both Rosamond's and Fred's marriages.
• Mr. Caleb Garth — Mary Garth's father. He is a kind, honest, and generous businessman who is involved in farm management. He is fond of Fred and eventually takes him under his wing.
• Mr. Farebrother — A poor but clever clergyman and amateur naturalist. He is a friend of Lydgate and Fred Vincy, and loves Mary Garth.
• Nicholas Bulstrode — Wealthy banker married to Mr. Vincy's sister. He is a pious Methodist who tries to impose his beliefs in Middlemarch society. However, he also has a sordid past which he is desperate to hide. His religion, consisting of "broken metaphor and bad logic," consistently favors his personal desires but is devoid of sympathy for others. He is an unhappy man who has longed for years to be better than he is, who has clad his selfish passions in severe robes.
• Mr. Featherstone — Old landlord of Stone Court who married Caleb Garth's sister and later took Mr. Vincy's sister as his second wife when his first wife died.
• Mr. Hawley — Foul-mouthed businessman and enemy of Bulstrode.
• Mr. Mawmsey — Grocer.
• Dr. Sprague — Middlemarch doctor.
• Mr. Tyke — Clergyman favoured by Bulstode.
• John Raffles — Holds the key to Bulstrode's dark past and Lydgate's future. Bulstrode believes his secret will be safe with Raffles demise.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

A BBC dramatisation of the novel, shown in 1994, had a cast including Michael Hordern, Robert Hardy, Rufus Sewell and Patrick Malahide.

Notes

1. ^ The Common Reader: George Eliot Virginia Woolf, The Times Literary Supplement, 20 November 1919
2. ^ http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1578073,00.html

References

• Neale, Catherine (1989). George Eliot, Middlemarch. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-077173-5. 
• Dentith, Simon (1986). George Eliot. Brighton, Sussex: Harvester Press. ISBN 0-7108-0588-8. 
• Graver, Suzanne (1984). George Eliot and Community: A Study in Social Theory and Fictional Form. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-04802-4. 
• Ashton, Rosemary (1983). George Eliot. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-287627-9. 
• Garrett, Peter K. (1980). The Victorian Multiplot Novel: Studies in Dialogical Form. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-02403-7. 
• Swinden, Patrick (ed.) (1972). George Eliot: Middlemarch: A Casebook. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-02119-3. 
• Carroll, David (ed.) (1971). George Eliot: The Critical Heritage. London: Routledge & K. Paul. ISBN 0-7100-6936-7. 
• Daiches, David (1963). George Eliot: Middlemarch. London: Arnold. 
• Harvey, W. J. (1961). The Art of George Eliot. London: Chatto & Windus. 
• Beaty, Jerome (1960). Middlemarch from Notebook to Novel: A Study of George Eliot's Creative Method. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. 
• Kettle, Arnold (1951). An Introduction to the English Novel, Volume I: To George Eliot. London: Hutchinson. 
• Leavis, F. R. (1948). The Great Tradition: George Eliot, Henry James, Joseph Conrad. London: Chatto & Windus. 

Trivia

• A primary school in Eliot's hometown of Nuneaton is named after the book.

• Morrisey quotes Middlemarch in The Smiths' 'How Soon Is Now' "I am the son and the heir to nothing in particular"; Fred Vincy in Middlemarch bemoans his lot "to be the son of a Middlemarch merchant and heir to nothing in particular."

See Also

• George Eliot - Scenes from Clerical Life - Adam Bede - the Mill on the Floss - Silas Marner - Romola - Felix Holt - Daniel Deronda

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