English Literature books summary

to have a large bequest announced, and then taken back. No one seems very

fond of Mr. Rig, who takes the name Featherstone as requested in the will.

But, it seems that all the greedy relatives, and the expectant Vincys, have

all rotten their just desserts; the Garths could have been better served,

but overall, people do get exactly what they deserve.

Chapter 36:

Fred is sorely disappointed with not getting any money; he expected

that he would get a large amount, and would not have to work. Now, he will

likely have to join the clergy, or find some form of work; he will finally

have to stop being idle, as his father will tolerate his idleness no

longer. Mr. Vincy also says that Rosamond will have to postpone her

marriage, until the family are in a better position to pay for it; Mrs.

Vincy, Fred, and Rosamond are all spendthrifts, expecting that the money

they need will somehow drop into their laps. Rosamond takes the issue up

with her father, and he caves in; Mr. Vincy doesn't have the heart to stand

up to his daughter, though she clearly needs some reasonable advice on the

subject of her marriage.

It seems that only Mrs. Bulstrode knows better on the subject of

Rosamond and Lydgate's engagement; she knows how difficult it will be for

Rosamond to live on little money, and how extravagant she is, and how ill

prepared Lydgate is to live with a flighty girl like her. However, no one

will listen to her; her advice, though it will prove correct, is unheeded.

Rosamond tells Lydgate that her father wishes their marriage to be

postponed; Rosamond says that she refused, not so much out of love for

Lydgate, but out of stubbornness. Lydgate urges her that they be married

soon; Rosamond agrees to six weeks, and manages to convince her father.

Lydgate soon starts buying new things for the house, though he has little

money to do so; already, he is spending beyond his means, a dangerous

habit. They will go to his uncle's estate for their honeymoon; he is a

baronet, and wealthy, which boosts Lydgate's hopes for a better position.

Chapter 37:

Middlemarch politics assert themselves once again, in the rivalry of

the two papers of the region. It is revealed that Mr. Brooke has bought one

of the papers, The Pioneer, and has inserted his unorthodox political views

into it. Will Ladislaw has been hired to head the paper, and Mr. Brooke is

very pleased with his work, and his coverage of the Middlemarch political

situation. Casaubon continues to resent Will, and Will grows more angry

that Casaubon married someone as young and naive as Dorothea, dragging her

down into Casaubon's dull, dry world of academia. Will's affection for

Dorothea continues to grow, and Dorothea becomes more and more fond of Will

in return.

Will goes to Lowick to sketch; luckily for him, it begins to rain, and

when he takes refuge in the house, he finds only Dorothea at home. They

begin to speak as they did in Rome, very happy to be alone in each other's

company; Dorothea becomes more aware of her husband's failings, but also

learns of his generosity toward Will's family. Will tells Dorothea that he

has a job at Mr. Brooke's paper, if he wants it; Dorothea says she would

like him to stay in the neighbourhood very much, but then realises that

Casaubon would disagree with her.

Dorothea tells Casaubon, who of course is not in the least supportive.

Casaubon writes Will a letter, telling him he should not take the position,

nor should he call at the house any longer. Casaubon's letter seems to be

motivated not out of embarrassment for having a relative of lower status

nearby, but out of some jealousy perhaps for his friendship with Dorothea.

Dorothea becomes consumed by the case of Will's grandmother, and her unfair

disinheritance when she married; she believes that Will is owed a good part

of what Casaubon has because his family was impoverished unfairly, and

wants to bring that up to Casaubon, though it will upset him.

Casaubon is not suspicious that Dorothea is being influenced by Will,

but he thinks that it might happen; his insecurity and jealousy lead him to

contrive secret hindrances for Will. He dislikes his cousin more than ever,

because he imagines that Dorothea would like Will more than she likes him.

Chapter 38:

Mr. Brooke is making enemies through his advocacy for the Whig party,

when Middlemarch is a predominantly conservative, Tory area. Bulstrode is

allied with Brooke politically, but many of the neighbors disapprove,

including Sir James. Sir James, Mrs. Cadwallader, and others are gossiping

about Brooke and Will Ladislaw, Brooke's need to take care of his parish,

and other subjects. Brooke comes by, in the middle of being discussed; they

inquire about the state of his tenants, attacks that have been made on him,

etc.

Brooke, however, does not wish to enter into any arguments, or listen

to see if they do have any valid points to make amid the rumors they are

discussing. Brooke runs out quickly, and the others wish that maybe he

could see if he was doing something wrong, and act on that.

Chapter 39:

Sir James becomes more judicious in his appraisal of Brooke's

situation, and decides that Brooke needs to invest in improvements for his

tenants if he wants to evade the scathing criticisms of the other

Middlemarch paper, The Trumpet. Dorothea is the key to convincing him,

figures Sir James, since she is a great advocate for improvements. Dorothea

goes to visit her uncle, and Will Ladislaw turns out to be there; she tells

her uncle that Sir James told her that Tipton was to be managed by Caleb

Garth, and improvements made. Dorothea is very passionate that this should

be done; however, her uncle will not commit. She and Will find a moment

alone, to explain a bit more of themselves; Will seems to be falling in

love with her, as their relationship becomes stronger.

Mr. Brooke goes to visit a tenant whose son has been poaching on Brooke's

land, and is chastised by the tenant. Brooke, who liked to fancy himself a

favorite of his tenants, is shocked; also, the house looks worse now that

Dorothea has made her criticisms. It looks like Mr. Brooke will give in,

and turn the management of the estate over to Mr. Garth after all.

Chapter 40:

Focus moves to the Garths, who are gathered at the table, reading

letters. Mary is looking for another position, and has decided to take a

place at a school in York, though it does not please her, or her parents,

too well. However, Mr. Garth reads a letter from Sir James that asks him

whether Mr. Garth would start managing Freshitt, and mentions that Mr.

Brooke might want his services again as well. This would double the Garths'

income, and means that Mary can stay at home; but Mr. Garth will need an

assistant, and none of his sons are in the position to do so. The whole

family is happy, Caleb Garth most of all because he will be able to do good

work to help even more people.

Mr. Farebrother comes to visit; he has some interest in Mary Garth,

and also likes to visit and spend time with the family. He has been talking

to Fred Vincy, and informs them of Fred's situation, telling them Fred is

going back to study, and still cannot pay off his debt to them.

Chapter 41:

It is not long since Mr. Rigg Featherstone has gained the estate of

Stone Court, and already there is word that he wishes to sell the place to

Mr. Bulstrode. It is revealed that Mr. Rigg is Featherstone's illegitimate

child, who was brought up far away from Middlemarch, with very little

money. Someone named John Raffles is there, his mother's new husband; he

wants money to start a tobacco shop from Mr. Rigg's new-found fortune. Rigg

refuses, because Raffles, he alleges, was very cruel to him as a child,

took money from his mother, and left them poor and miserable. He says that

he will continue to send his mother an allowance, but will give Mr. Raffles

nothing. Rigg gives him money to get back home, and some liquor, but not

before Mr. Raffles makes use of an important paper, signed by Mr.

Bulstrode, to keep his flask from falling apart.

Chapter 42:

Lydgate is at least back from his honeymoon with Rosamond, and is

immediately called to Casaubon, whose health seems to be getting worse. He

is also haunted by the idea that he has never been given credit for his

studies, and that the Key to All Mythologies will never be finished; he is

starting to admit that he has failed in his life-long project. Casaubon is

disappointed also with Dorothea; she does all her duties as a wife, but he

suspects that she is critical of him secretly, and this disturbs him a

great deal.

Casaubon's vitriol against Will, and against Dorothea's suspected

affection for Will, takes him over; he concedes to write a passage into his

will "protecting" Dorothea from marrying eager, potentially deceptive

suitors like Will. Lydgate finally arrives, and Casaubon asks that he be

told exactly what his condition is. Lydgate tells him that he has a heart

ailment, but cannot be sure that it will cut his life short, or have any

immediate effect. Lydgate goes once Casaubon has heard enough, and Dorothea

comes out to fetch him; he withdraws from her, and soon she becomes angry

at him for treating her so. Dorothea realizes that she has reduced herself

in order to try and please him, but he seems to be satisfied with nothing;

she is tired of not being herself, and resents him greatly. However, when

he says that he needs her help, she forgets her anger, and goes to join

him.

Chapter 43:

Dorothea decides to seek out Lydgate, and ask him if there has been a

serious change in her husband's condition, or else why he has been so

troubled since Lydgate's visit. She goes to his house, and finds Rosamond

there; but Will is also there, which makes Dorothea panic, and she

immediately leaves to find Lydgate at his hospital. Will fears that

Dorothea will think badly of him because she has found him in the company

of another woman, and not totally devoted to her; but she acted the way she

did because she likes him, and knows that her husband doesn't approve of

the friendship, and that it is some kind of betrayal as well.

Rosamond begins to get ideas about perhaps attracting other admirers, in

order to appease her vanity, and allay her fears about Lydgate's fondness

for her growing weaker. It seems like she might try to win Mr. Ladislaw's

affections, and seems a little jealous that he likes Dorothea rather than

her. She also seems to suspect that maybe her husband has a soft spot for

Dorothea, and that might have been part of the reason she was searching for

Lydgate.

Chapter 44:

Dorothea finally talks to Lydgate, and Lydgate tells her that Casaubon

now knows about his condition, and he is probably upset by it. Lydgate

turns her attention to the new hospital; Bulstrode has been one of the few

supporting it, and so many are against the hospital because they do not

like Bulstrode. Dorothea says that she would like to do something for such

a good cause, and pledges money from her yearly allowance; she is happier

that she is able to make a significant contribution, but still her

husband's illness and behavior bother her.

Chapter 45:

Lydgate's practice seems to be at the mercy of rumor, hearsay, and

general sentiment; people go to him because they have heard about "miracle

cures" that he has done, or stay away because they have heard he is

newfangled, and they like their present practitioner just fine. The

backward Middlemarch way of doing and deciding has helped Lydgate's

reputation and practice to spread, but opinion could turn against him just

as rapidly, and dry up his practice. Lydgate is unlucky enough to come into

Middlemarch at a time when old ways are becoming contested in other

regions, and reforms have started to creep into Middlemarch as well; a few

believe that maybe his way is best, but others have been roused to defend

the old, and are more militant about this point than usual. Lydgate is also

disliked because he has taken on cases from other doctors, given a

different diagnosis, and been able to cure them; this wounds the vanity of

the old-guard doctors, and increases their personal dislike for Lydgate.

Mr. Bulstrode is on the side of progress, with Lydgate; this means

that many prominent, wealthy citizens, who dislike both Bulstrode and

innovation, refuse to donate to the new hospital. Lydgate is becoming too

closely tied to the widely disliked Bulstrode that his reputation is

beginning to suffer; Farebrother tells him so, and hopefully Lydgate will

distance himself some. Farebrother also warns Lydgate against having too

many debts.

Lydgate thinks that he might be among the great innovators of

medicine, and this necessitates making enemies, and having opinion turn

against you; in this, he is a little conceited, since there is no way he

can claim an advance as great as those of his hero, Vesalius. It is fine

for Lydgate to try and change the outdated medical practice around him; but

his egotism and his visions of greatness could easily hamper his progress,

and get him into even more trouble with his peers and patients.

Chapter 46:

An issue of reform is coming before Parliament, which Will supports,

and Brooke decides to as well. Will seems to have a good deal of insight

into British national politics, as he can make sense of issues and

candidates, and make a convincing case for his opinion. Mr. Brooke,

however, doesn't seem to be able to put his thoughts in a convincing

argument; he is rather flippant in setting out his opinion, and is easily

swayed by Ladislaw's better-formed opinions. Will is not winning any fans

because of his unconventional behavior and views, as most people dislike

his speeches and his writing because they are different.

Will wants Mr. Brooke to be elected to Parliament; however, with the

uncomplimentary way in which Mr. Brooke is regarded in much of the

neighborhood, this is unlikely. Will is perhaps a bit idealistic in

believing that Mr. Brooke could actually win; he might assume that the

citizens of Middlemarch are more sensible than they really are, in which

case his plans would fail. Lydgate makes some points about area politics

that perhaps he should take into account regarding his own situation; the

two argue for a bit about these political issues, then Ladislaw leaves

after they have tried to patch things up.

Chapter 47:

Will, who cares little what people think, stops to consider how his

employment with Mr. Brooke, and his involvement with Mr. Brooke's politics,

might be hindering him and making him look foolish. Even more important is

whether he really is a fool for following along with Brooke; Will does

think that the relation has cost him some of his dignity and individuality.

All the same, he wants to stay in Middlemarch, at that position, in order

to be near Dorothea; but he considers whether he is a fool with her too,

and his hopeless devotion will amount to nothing if he gains no proof that

she shares his affection.

Will has also become aware of what his cousin Casaubon thinks of him

being friends with Dorothea; he knows that Casaubon might think that Will

means dishonor in his interest in her, but Will really does not. Will

decides to go to Lowick church to see her, aware that Casaubon will be

upset. However, his doubt is only reinforced; Dorothea shows no happiness

to see him, instead seeming pained; Will is saddened by the whole affair,

and seems close to calling it quits on the whole affair.

Chapter 48:

Dorothea is actually happy that Will showed up at church, and wishes

for his company, since she is often alone at home. Dorothea is not allowing

her husband's disapproval to stifle her feelings for Will, though it will

be difficult for her to see him. Casaubon is, all of a sudden, requesting

Dorothea's help with his studies, and being kinder to her; perhaps this is

a result of his talk with Lydgate, and he wants to get his work in order

finally, and be on better terms with his wife, in case he dies suddenly.

However, Casaubon next asks her if she will follow his wishes for her after

he dies, whenever that is; Dorothea has to consider, since she is reluctant

to promise to do something, when she does not know what it is. She secretly

suspects that it may have something to do with Will, but consciously

considers that it has to do with finishing Casaubon's work, which she does

not want to devote years to.

However, before she can make an answer, Casaubon dies. Dorothea is at first

in denial, and tells Lydgate everything, and to tell her husband that she

has an answer. It might be a good thing for her that she does not have to

hold herself to any answer she made; but she still does not know what

Casaubon's wish was.

Chapter 49:

Sir James and Mr. Brooke are supposedly discussing Casaubon's last

wish; they decide that whatever was in the will should be hidden from

Dorothea until she is strong enough to hear of it, and until then she

should be with her sister and her new baby. Sir James wants Will sent out

of the country, which means that he had something to do with Casaubon's

last wish; Mr. Brooke refuses to act so hastily, since Will has done very

good work for him. They reveal that Casaubon added a codicil to his will,

saying that if Dorothea marries Will, she will forfeit the land and money

that Casaubon has left to her. The whole thing looks very bad, as if there

was something sordid going on between Will and Dorothea. Sir James and Mr.

Brooke come to the conclusion that if they sent Will away, it would make

the situation look worse, and that they could not make him go unless he

wanted to. Sir James is bent upon protecting Dorothea now however, as he

could not do with her first marriage; she will be sent to Freshitt to live

with Sir James and her sister for a while, and then more will be decided

later.

Chapter 50:

Dorothea is at Freshitt, but not a week has passed before she is

interested in the will, and what she will do with Lowick. She insists on

going to Lowick, to look after the papers; after Mr. Brooke tells her she

cannot, Celia finally tells her about the codicil, and tries to soothe her.

Dorothea realizes how her life is changing, and wants to be with Will even

more.

Dorothea still has the problem of what to do with Lowick, and the

vacant position at the church; she thinks of giving it to Mr. Tyke, but

Lydgate recommends Farebrother, and says to ask Will about his character.

Dorothea decides to give him a try, and wonders how Will is faring through

all of this.

Chapter 51:

Will is upset, because Mr. Brooke is no longer inviting him to the

Grange, and he feels that maybe he is being avoided out of concern for

Dorothea. Still, he has heard nothing about the will yet. Will believes

that he and Dorothea are divided forever; still, he cannot leave

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