Middlemarch is an important landmark in nineteenth-century English literature. It shows the everyday life of people living in a provincial town in England and highlights their struggles and hopes. Through different characters from various social classes, George Eliot presents multiple points of view, helping readers understand how complex society and human relationships can be.
"Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress. Her hand and wrist were so finely formed that she could wear sleeves not less bare of style than those in which the Blessed Virgin appeared to Italian painters; and her profile as well as her stature and bearing seemed to gain the more dignity from her plain garments,...."
Nineteen-year-old Dorothea Brooke, a woman steadfast in her principles, astonishes all of Middlemarch by accepting the proposal of a forty-five-year-old man, the somewhat ill-bred scholar Rev. Edward Casaubon. This choice suggests that Dorothea’s feelings are not based on physical or romantic attraction. Instead, she idealizes the intellectual and religious qualities of the historian, seeing him as a kind of role model and believing that supporting his work will give greater purpose to her life. But, when Dorothea saw Will Ladislaw (the cousin of Casaubon), she felt the feeling like she never felt before.
Alongside this, another set of relationships develops around the Vincy family, whose members share a desire to improve their social position. Rosamond Vincy, who never imagined marrying a man from Middlemarch, becomes interested in a visiting doctor, Tertius Lydgate. Meanwhile, her brother Fred Vincy is lazy, fond of gambling, and deeply in debt, though he hopes to inherit his uncle’s estate. Fred wishes to marry Mary Garth, but he is still uncertain about how to deal with the responsibilities and difficulties of life. At first, the stories of the three main characters remain separate, each following its own path. However, the author gradually intertwines them, since they are all residents of the small town of Middlemarch and encounter one another on various occasions.
“If youth is the season of hope, it is often so only in the sense that our elders are hopeful about us; for no age is so apt as youth to think its emotions, partings, and resolves are the last of their kind. Each crisis seems final, simply because it is new. We are told that the oldest inhabitants in Peru do not cease to be agitated by the earthquakes, but they probably see beyond each shock, and reflect that there are plenty more to come.”
George Eliot hints at the unhappy marriages of both Casaubon and Lydgate. It seems that Dorothea and Rosamond both find married life different from what they expected. Dorothea is treated coldly by Casaubon; although she is eager to help him with his book, The Key to All Mythologies, he believes she is incapable of assisting him. Holding a religious position does not automatically make someone humble and empathetic, this the author hints Edward Casaubon seems very cruel to her cousin and Dorothea, because of his jelousy, he makes a will that Dorothea will not inherit Lowick Manor if she marries Ladislaw.
On the other hand, Rosamond appears to be a cheerful wife, but she has been raised to think that a wife’s role is mainly to please and entertain her husband. She does not fully understand that medical work requires long-term effort and dedication. When Lydgate is absent, she seeks attention and distraction elsewhere. Because of this, many readers tend to dislike Rosamond, as her actions create further problems in their marriage.
I really like the quote from The Maid's Tragedy by Beaumont and Fletcher that Eliot spills on the first chapter:
‘Since I can do no good because a woman, Reach constantly at something that is near it,’
because it strongly resonates with George Eliot as a woman, and with Dorothea Brooke herself. It reflects the limitations placed on women, but also their desire to still do something meaningful. After becoming a widow, Dorothea wants to turn her ideals into real social improvement, such as her donation for the hospital and especially through estate management, which was unusual for a woman. With the help of Caleb Garth, she plans to build better cottages for the tenants. This also connects back to the first chapter, when she designs model cottages. In the end, she finally achieves what she wanted, as marriage is no longer a limitation.
How much can one intelligent, idealistic individual actually change a whole community? The way George Eliot describes the town is interesting because Middlemarch almost feels like a character in the story. It is a traditional provincial town where people strongly follow old customs and are suspicious of new ideas. People still gossiping and prejudice, they are not ready for the changes medicine that Lydgate brings from London. Many villagers still think doctors are similar to quacks. Lydgate, however, represents a more modern doctor who studies the human body to improve medical knowledge. In one part, he examines a dead body for research, but the people of the town think this is disrespectful. This shows how the townspeople do not understand new scientific methods and prefer to hold on to their traditional beliefs.
This book is nearly one thousand pages long, and at times it can feel quite verbose. However, Eliot’s ‘verbosity’ often works as a kind of intellectual commentary on human life. Eliot’s narrator often feels thoughtful and philosophical. It's different from what I read before, The Mill on The Floss, in Middlemarch, Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) really wanted to show off her high education and her interested in mythology, classical philosophy and earlier literature which appear in both the narration and the characters’ conversations.
In the end, reading Middlemarch feels like taking a long train journey: the destination is far, but the changing views along the way keep it engaging, and by the time you arrive, you see things from a new perspective. I like the way this book ending with justice for Ladislaw and the happines for Fred and Mary. Five Star for Middlemarch !
“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.”
Ruang Buku Megga Rated : ✭✭✭✭✭ (5/5)
Title : Middlemarch
Author : George Eliot
Publisher : Penguin English Library
Year : 2012 (First Published in 1872)
Format / Pages : Softcover / 923 pages
ISBN : 9780141199795
