Middlemarch

✦ Author: ✦ Year: ✦ Tags:

“If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel’s heart beat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence.” — George Eliot, Middlemarch

Book I: Miss Brooke

The novel opens with Dorothea Brooke, an idealistic young woman living in the provincial town of Middlemarch. She marries the much older Reverend Edward Casaubon, believing his scholarly work will give her life purpose. However, she soon realizes his research is stagnant, and their marriage becomes stifling. Meanwhile, Tertius Lydgate, an ambitious young doctor, arrives in Middlemarch with progressive medical ideas.

Book II: Old and Young

Lydgate befriends the town’s influential families, including the wealthy banker Mr. Bulstrode. He also becomes romantically involved with Rosamond Vincy, the beautiful but shallow daughter of Middlemarch’s mayor. Dorothea, disillusioned with Casaubon, grows close to his young cousin, Will Ladislaw, an artistically inclined free spirit.

Book III: Waiting for Death

Casaubon’s health declines, and he grows suspicious of Dorothea’s friendship with Ladislaw. He adds a cruel codicil to his will, threatening to disinherit her if she marries Ladislaw after his death. Meanwhile, Lydgate’s engagement to Rosamond strains his finances, and Bulstrode’s shady past begins to surface.

Book IV: Three Love Problems

Casaubon dies, leaving Dorothea a widow. She inherits his estate but is bound by his will’s restrictions. Fred Vincy, Rosamond’s brother, struggles with debt and unrequited love for Mary Garth, a sensible woman who refuses to marry him until he proves himself responsible.

Book V: The Dead Hand

Dorothea, now wealthy, seeks meaningful work and supports Lydgate’s hospital reforms. However, Lydgate’s marriage to Rosamond deteriorates as she resents his financial struggles. Bulstrode’s past misdeeds—including theft and hypocrisy—are exposed, dragging Lydgate into scandal due to their financial ties.

Book VI: The Widow and the Wife

Dorothea and Ladislaw’s bond deepens, but societal expectations and Casaubon’s will complicate their relationship. Fred Vincy finally matures, earning Mary Garth’s respect. Lydgate, trapped in a loveless marriage, abandons his ambitions and moves to London for a quieter life.

Book VII: Two Temptations

Ladislaw, now a successful journalist, confesses his love for Dorothea. She defies convention and marries him, forfeiting Casaubon’s fortune. The novel ends with reflections on the characters’ futures: Dorothea finds fulfillment in modest philanthropy, while Lydgate and Rosamond remain unhappily tied.

Book VIII: Sunset and Sunrise

The epilogue reveals the fates of the characters: Fred and Mary marry and live contentedly; Ladislaw enters politics; and Dorothea, though her grand ambitions are unrealized, leaves a quiet legacy of kindness. Eliot reflects on the unnoticed impact of ordinary lives.


Key Ideas

  • The limitations of idealism in a pragmatic world.
  • The constraints of marriage and gender roles in Victorian society.
  • The tension between individual ambition and social duty.
  • The moral consequences of secrecy and hypocrisy.
  • The quiet, often overlooked heroism of everyday life.

Notable Adaptations

Year Name Notes
1994 Middlemarch (BBC miniseries) Starring Juliet Aubrey and Rufus Sewell; praised for its fidelity to the novel.
1968 Middlemarch (BBC serial) A black-and-white adaptation with a condensed storyline.
2023 Middlemarch (Radio drama) BBC Radio 4’s full-cast dramatization.

Who should read this book?

  • Fans of Victorian literature and intricate character studies.
  • Readers interested in social realism and gender dynamics.
  • Those who appreciate nuanced explorations of morality and ambition.