|
|
| Plot Summary of Middlemarch |
|---|
"Middlemarch is a small town, whose inhabitants' lives cross and cross again in an intricate and cleverly woven tale. Central to the plot is the beautiful gentlewoman Dorothea, who marries an older man, Casuabon and finds he is not all that she had imagined, worse yet, her affections are drawn towards Will Ladislaw - a young man of obscure origins and few prospects. Contrasted with this is the tale of Doctor Lydgate and his marriage to a bright young socialite who ruins him. Threaded through are many other lives, loves and intrigues. It is a superb and fascinating book with many plots and some strong romantic elements."
Bryn Pearson, Resident Scholar
|
"Dorothea Brooke is an idealistic young woman who recognizes that her purpose in life is to marry, and she naively believes that her dearest wish is to wed an intelligent, purposeful man and become his companion, supporter, student and adorer. Her younger sister, Cecilia, recognizes that Dorothea is fooling herself when she decides to marry Causubon, an older man who has devoted his life to scholarly study; his ambition is to be recognized for his genius in discovering knowledge that no one ever knew before. After their marriage, Dorothea slowly begins to realize that Causubon is not the man she believed him to be; instead, he is a man who is too egotistic -- or is he too afraid? -- to realize that his theories and "discoveries" have long been disproven by others. The couple lives unhappily, she without the intellectual stimulation she desperately craves, he without the unquestioning devotion of an adoring and slightly stupid wife. The serious rift in their relationship begins almost as soon as Causubon's nephew, Will Ladislaw, enters their lives. Dorothea unconsciously begins to fall in love with Will. Causubon begins to resent Will not only for his ability to enthrall Dorothea, but also for a deep-seated sense of guilt Will's appearance stirs. As this drama unfolds, another marriage -- that of intelligent Dr. Lydgate and the beautiful but shallow Rosamond -- begins to fall apart. Rosamond is the complete opposite of Dorothea, and Lydgate the opposite of Causubon, which makes for an interesting comparison to the main couple of the story. These two of several threads come together dramatically in the end, when Dorothea's sense of justice and purpose finally prevail; while she is rewarded with true love and happiness, Lydgate is rewarded with the saving of his career and a new start to his marriage -- not a happy one, but a more honest one."
Cindy Dashnaw, Resident Scholar
|
|
| Review Analysis of Middlemarch |
|---|
|
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
|
|
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- thoughtful
Time/era of story
- 19th century
Romance/Romance Problems
Yes
Kind of romance:
- marriage/relationship going to pieces
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- homemaker
- champion of justice
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- none
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- scholar
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- physically sick
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 6 ()
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Weird Victorian/Shakespearean English?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
|
|
|
Click here for more information about this book
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback
Most recent discussions:
General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Norah Lofts
6:49:46 PM
Suzanne Weyn
10:35:23 PM
George W. Bush
5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt
12:58:29 AM
Anonymous
12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun
10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino
10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer
10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett
10:03:31 PM
David Williams
10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield
10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls
10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan
9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi
9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine
9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington
9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody
9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden
9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn
9:55:48 PM
Iris Johansen
9:55:24 PM
More message boards
|
