The Imperfection of Marriage
Most characters in Middlemarch marry
for love rather than obligation, yet marriage still appears negative
and unromantic. Marriage and the pursuit of it are central concerns
in Middlemarch, but unlike in many novels of the
time, marriage is not considered the ultimate source of happiness.
Two examples are the failed marriages of Dorothea and Lydgate. Dorothea’s
marriage fails because of her youth and of her disillusions about
marrying a much older man, while Lydgate’s marriage fails because
of irreconcilable personalities. Mr. and Mrs. Bulstrode also face
a marital crisis due to his inability to tell her about the past,
and Fred Vincy and Mary Garth also face a great deal of hardship
in making their union. As none of the marriages reach a perfect
fairytale ending, Middlemarch offers a clear critique
of the usual portrayal of marriage as romantic and unproblematic.
The Harshness of Social Expectations
The ways in which people conduct themselves and how the
community judges them are closely linked in Middlemarch.
When the expectations of the social community are not met, individuals
often receive harsh public criticism. For example, the community
judges Ladislaw harshly because of his mixed pedigree. Fred Vincy
is almost disowned because he chooses to go against his family’s wishes
and not join the clergy. It is only when Vincy goes against the wishes
of the community by foregoing his education that he finds true love
and happiness. Finally, Rosamond’s need for gentility and the desire
to live up to social standards becomes her downfall. In contrast,
Dorothea’s decision to act against the rules of society allows her
to emerge as the most respectable character in the end.
Self-Determination vs. Chance
In Middlemarch, self-determination and
chance are not opposing forces but, rather, a complicated balancing
act. When characters strictly adhere to a belief in either chance
or self-determination, bad things happen. When Rosamond goes against
the wishes of her husband and writes a letter asking for money from
his relative, her act of self-determination puts Lydgate in an unsavory
and tense situation coupled with a refusal to help. On the flip
side, when Fred Vincy gambles away his money, relying solely on
chance, he falls into debt and drags with him the people who trust
him. Only when he steps away from gambling and decides not to go
into the clergy do good things begin to happen for him. In particular,
the character of Farebrother demonstrates the balance between fate
and self-determination. This balance is exemplified in his educated
gamble in the game of whist. Through a combination of skill and
chance, he is able to win more often than not. His character strikes
a balance between chance and his role in determining that fate.
The complexity of the tension between self-determination and chance
is exemplary of the way in which the novel as a whole tends to look
at events from many vantage points with no clear right or wrong,
no clear enemy or hero.
