Book 1 Prelude + Chapter 1 - 12
We mortals, men and women, devour many a disappointment between breakfast and dinner-time; keep back the tears and look a little pale about the lips, and in answer to inquiries say, "Oh, nothing!" Pride helps; and pride is not a bad thing when it only urges us to hide our hurts— not to hurt others.Here we are, at the beginning of an epic journey to a provincial life. First met Dorothea, an upright puritan woman, although beautiful and young, decided to reject a good marriage offer from a gentleman only to agreed to married an old man because she thought he could satisfied her soul-hunger more. Blaahh...
I really didn't get her at first. But as I re-read these chapters a second time after I finnished the novel, I think I respect her more for her consistency. Well, yes, we know now that she made her biggest mistake there, but her intention was undeniable good.
The other characters also made appearance here. Lydgate was fresh, young and idealistic. Rosamund was fair and dainty.
Later on, I will sugest that Lydgate was better matched with Dorothea instead of Rosamund, but in this early time, he taught Dorothea was too serious and severe for a man, whereas Rosamund was truly a lady-like, a man's dreams wife.
Book 2 Chapter 13 - 22
Lydgate idealistic view was first encounter by the tangled of social web in the New Hospital Chaplain votes. Eventhough he thought Farebrother was better choice, he decided to vote for Tykes because he wants to look good in Bullstrode's eyes.
Here, Lydgate "weakness" was revealed. He didn't have that strong personality (like Dorothea), so he was too easy target in the Middlemarch's political and social web. Rigth now, Bullstrode and Tykes gain over his friendship with Farebrother.
Dorothea marriage was doomed. Her honeymoon to Rome opened her eyes of what kind of man her husband really was, and instead of having her world opened-wider, it was shrinking into worthless point of view. Then she met Will Ladislaw, her husband's cousin, again in Rome, and she find him easy to talk to and share her views of the worlds.
I thought all Dorothea and Will scenes in this book was gentle and romantic although completely platonic. Of course I can sense that Will was started to head over heal for her, but she completely unaware of that. Casaubon just soooo plain stupid not knowing what an angel her wife was, and how devoted she was to him.
Book 3 Chapter 23 - 33
people were so ridiculous with their illusions, carrying their fool's caps unawares, thinking their own lies opaque while everybody else's were transparent, making themselves exceptions to everything, as if when all the world looked yellow under a lamp they alone were rosy.After the honeymoon, the Casaubons back to Lowick, and Casaubon get sick when he reckoned Dorothea and Will's relationship, so Lydgate was called on. Lydgate said Casaubon should avoid strain and took more relaxing activity.
I don't really gave a d*mn of what Casaubon was thinking, he was proud, self-centered, and not sympathetic... at all. But Ms. Eliot made it justed by making his voice also heard and thought. Okayy... but move on....
Rosamund still thought she was in love with Lydgate, and vice versa. Fred so in love with Mary Garth but by his err, made Mary's father, Caleb Garth, deeply in debt.
Mary was a woman that sweet and always her head up, for her family and her lover. She may be not as smart and ambitious as Dorothea, or as pretty and lady-like as Rosamund, but her personality was so spot on, I could really find a shortage in her. Sweeeet Mary.
Book 4 Chapter 34 - 42
Politics finally touch Middlemarch, as England approaches the landmark Reform Bill of 1832. Mr. Brooke plans to enter the parliament as a Liberalist and hire Will Ladislaw as his newpaper's editor and speech writer. These things took Mr. Brooke to upgrade his land tenant condition, so Dorothea was so exited about it. This made her closer to Will unintentionally... hence, made Casaubon restless and full of jealousy. This also made Caleb Garth the new manager of Mr. Brooke's land and put him out of debt which Fred made.
Good for you all Will Ladislaw, Dorothea and Caleb Garth.
In the end of book 4, Bullstrode was met by a shady man called Raffles, which blackmailing him with something...
so... it was really interesting to see what skeleton Bullstrode has in the closet... wakakaka....
Book 5 Chapter 43 - 53
Casaubon sick again (over the jealousy) so Dorothea wanted to talk to Lydgate. When she sent to Lydgate home, he was in the hospital but Rosamund was hosting a party, and Will, over his loneliness, was there too. This view upset Dorothea more than she knew, so she just left.
Will want to see Dorothea again, so he steel himself to attend the Sunday Church at Lowick, but bad move (or not...) because Casaubon get sicker after the summons... and died eventually. Of course he left some time bombs in his will, a codicil that made all Middlemarch tounge sung.
Aaannnnd a lot of gosiipiiiing here and thereee, about political sides, the Reform Bill, aristocracy, land tenants... a lot more.
Book 6 Chapter 54 - 62
So, in the end of book 5, Mr. Casaubon is passed away, but he decided to haunt Dorothea and Will with his imbicil codicil. "If ever Dorothea going to marry Will, she will lost all her inheritance" or something like that. But by and by, I actually thought that this codicil also brought two good things... first, Dorothea finally saw what kind of man Edward Casaubon really is (which is old-hyprocrete-jealous-full of himself- kind of husband, imho) and second, because he said that Dorothea could not marry Will, Dorothea's rebelous mind start thinking of Will as a suitor. So, again, Dorothea was so ashamed of how her late-husband saw Will Ladislaw as a man, and Will could not stand to be with a young, beautiful dan loaded widow, because he think he did not good enough. But laaaater in this book, Will learned about this codicil, and his pride was hurt. Ahhh Will.... oh Dorothea...
*Chapter 62 reaaaaly broke my heart... again..., Not only that they are separated, but now, Dorothea realize that she loves Will, but he was so determined to go... in some way to protect Dorothea reputation... not even sure if she had feelings for him....*
In Fred Vincy - Mary Garth - Camden Farebrother affair, well, let's just say Farebrother was too good. Eventhough he now had better income and better house, but he support Fred when he was asked. *pukpuk Farebrother, hope you got someone who'll see how gentle and smart and kind hearted you really are like I do* I really like Mary and her mindset. She loves Fred, but Fred was a spoiled brat, so instead of giving in or giving up, she helped Fred to be a better man. I love when she said she wont married Fred if he became a clergyman, because she trully knew that Fred didn't like that job and only willing to do that because of the good income and social status. So glad that this worked out, I bet 9 out 10 guys won't changed that easy ^^V
*George Eliot was sooo twisted, wasn't she, instead of making a man trying so hard to elevate his social status so he can be with a lady he loves, she wrote about a high rank gentleman but spoiled and broke, who had to works and became salary man, hence downgrade from his status. But by doing so, he got the respect and love he needed. Nice touch!!*
Who else.... oh yeah, Bullstrode and Rafless. OMG, I can't believe it. Bullstrode first wife was *beep* so that's mean *beep* and Will should be *beep* and Rafless so cruelly *beep .... OMG OMG OMG!!!
There are also some part about Dorothea (through Camden Garth) selling some of the property to the railroad company. I think this is a futher sign of modernisation which the writer show, slowly but surely, progressing in this novel.
Book 7 Chapter 63 - 71
"Character is not cut in marble - it is not something solid and unalterable. It is something living and changing, and may become diseased as our bodies do."
"Then it may be rescued and healed."
(A quote from Farebrother when hearing about Lydgate's part of Raffles Affair,
but Dorothea stated she still trust Lydgate and wanted to give him a second change)
Book 7 is mostly about Lydgates dan Bullstrodes.
Lydgate finally realise that he's broke. His income did not meet Rosamund fine taste. While he's trying to sell the house and move to smaller residence, Rosamund try to ask money loan from everywhere, disregarding Lydgate pride at all, well... what's left of it. In the end, Lydgate give in, and ask Bullstrode for 1000 pounds loan, but Bullstrode denied it.
Rafless's back to Middlemarch and wringed Bullstrode more. But then he drunk too much and got sick, so Lydgate called in. He gave precription and told Bullstrode not to gave any liquor to Rafless. That time, Bullstrode offer Lydgate the loan he denied the day before, which made Lydgate so happy and told Rosamund right a way.
In the middle of the night, the servant who stay with Rafless ask if she could gave him some brandy, because he ask so hard.... and Bullstrode let her... soooo, in the morning Rafless got even sicker and then passed away. Hence... start the gossiping session of Middlemarch, with Bullstrode and Lydgate as the main villain.
What I loved a lot of this book was how the women react of this situation. First, of course, Harriet Bullstrode. She was one annoying noosey old lady, with upright position. But all my respect goes to her, when she stands by her husband, trust him no matter what, and support him through this hard time. In the contrast was Rosamund Lydgate. She completely didn't care of her husband position, did not offer a nice words or even say she trust him. The first thing came into her mind was how her social status would affected by this incident. Blaaaahh!!
Dorothea, in the other side, trust Lydgate since the first time she heard about it. She even supported him anyway she could, and that made Lydgate breath easier since. If I could be so bold to say, Lydgate should've been married to Dorothea. His idealistic vision of a hospital and helping people would have met Dorothea's saint point of view. He could be a best doctor with a good wife's behind him... yeah... but they met in the wrong time. *sigh*
Book 8 Chapter 72 - 86 + Finale
With Dorothea help, Lydgate's money problem solved and they could maintain their house, but Lydgate reputation was tainted, no one called for them, so Rosamund ask Will Ladislaw to come visit. Dorothea decided she would talk to Rosamund, woman to woman, to even help Lydgate further, but when she sent to Lydgate's house, she found Rosamund and Will holding hands and looked into each other eyes. Dorothea heart shattered. Little did she know that, Will was telling Rosamund that he was deeply in love with a great woman.... Dorothea, when Rosamund made a move to him.
After Dorothea left, Rosamund realise who was Will true love, and she told him to catch her. But Will's gentleman attitude could not made him put the blame on Rosamund to get Dorothea, so he could only watch his heart shattered as well.
As the night went by, Dorothea thought of Lydgate, Rosamund, Will and herself, and how her action next could make or break these people. So she decided to be a better person and shutted it and talked to Rosamund again. She continued to help Lydgate and even support Rosamund at this hard time. This action made Rosamund moved a little, and told her what really happened that day, and how Will could not see any other woman beside Dorothea.
Will asked to called upon Dorothea, they met, they made up, aware that they could not live withouth each other and deceided to live happily ever after, eventhough without Casaubon's inheritance... or how people with talked or rejected this marriage.
So, in the end, some love wins (Fred and Mary, Will and Dorothea) some marriage works (Sir James and Celia, the Bullstrodes), and some marriage are definetly doomed since the beginning (Casaubon and Dorothea, Lydgate and Rosamund). But lives goes on.... All the good deeds and bad karmas have long shadows that follow you wherever you go. And karma trully a bi**h, for she asked for repayment on worst times... but a bit of good deeds also bring a wholly amount of happiness when you thought all hopes are gone.
