Prelude
These initial couple of pages dwell upon St Teresa, who reformed a religious order. Eliot makes it clear that her work will focus on those - especially women - who have the same "passionate, ideal nature" yet lead "no epic life". This is a story of the failures rather than the successes in "the History of Man".
Book I: Miss Brooke. Chapters 1-12
Dorothea and her sister Celia, orphaned when they were children, have come to live with their uncle Mr Brooke in his estate just outside Middlemarch (chapter 1). There is a dinner with Mr Brooke, Sir James Chettam, a neighbour, and Mr Casaubon, an elderly scholarly cleric (chapter 2). It is clear that Sir James wishes to marry Dorothea although she believes him to be in love with Celia. At this dinner she convinces herself that marriage with Casaubon the elderly scholar will offer her a path into the "higher inward life" that she so craves and thus satisfy her passionate urge to 'do good' in some manner (chapter 3). Dorothea accepts his proposal which shocks the members of her social group - Celia, with great practical force, points out his facial warts (chapters 4-5). Mr Cadwallader, their vicar, and Sir James discuss the situation with disgust but Mr Brooke is too vague to effectively dissuade Dorothea (chapters 6- 8).
Dorothea, Celia and Mr Brooke visit Mr Casaubon's "small-windowed and melancholy-looking" house - representative of his character - and meet Will Ladislaw, Casaubon's cousin. Will, like a Romantic poet, is standing in the garden and painting: he declares himself to have no fixed vocation in life and intends to go to the Continent and travel (chapter 9).
There is a final pre-wedding dinner party before the Casaubons go to Rome on their honeymoon when the reader is introduced to a wider cross-section of Middlemarch society (chapter 10). Mr Vincy the mayor and Mr Bulstrode a "philanthropic banker" are there, as is Lydgate the new doctor. Their opinions on Dorothea reveal a fixed masculine arrogance; Lydgate pronounces her a "fine girl - but a little too earnest".
Lydgate himself has already caught sight of a girl he believes to be all feminine perfection - Rosamund Vincy, whom we are shown sparring with her brother over breakfast, reproaching him for using slang, revealing her deeply ingrained snobbism (chapter 11). Yet she is remarkably fair, elegant, and beautiful - a fine contrast to Mary Garth, whom Fred and Rosamund see at Stone Court where their rich uncle Featherstone lives (chapter 12). Fred hopes to inherit his uncle's fortune and has come to ask him for an advance. Mary acts as his housekeeper. At this point Lydgate comes to minister to Featherstone and his eyes meet with Rosamund's...
Book II: Old and Young. Chapters 13-22
Lydgate finds a sponsor for his new Hospital in the shape of Bulstrode, the wealthy banker who is married to Mr Vincy's sister. In return for his help with the hospital, Bulstrode asks an uneasy Lydgate to support his choice for hospital chaplain: the evangelic Mr Tyke (chapter 13). Meanwhile Fred goes to Stone Court to get some money from Featherstone and to continue flirting with Mary; at which point we discover that Fred has got Mary's father, Caleb Garth, to act as security for £160 that he has borrowed (chapter 14). We also get a detailed introduction to Lydgate (chapter 15) that makes explicit some of the links between scientific investigation and the art of fiction.
Lydgate goes to dinner at the Vincy's and meets one of the established doctors in the town: Dr Sprague, who he antagonises (chapter 16). The talk is of the third clergyman in town, Mr Farebrother, and there is a general agreement that he would be more suitable for the Hospital than Tyke. Lydgate returns delighted with Rosamund but determined not to marry; there are too many things he still wishes to do. Lydgate also visits Farebrother, who lives with his elderly mother, aunt and sister, and warms to him immediately, although he dislikes his habit of playing whist for money (chapter 17). Lydgate unfortunately ends up with the casting vote for the hospital chaplain. Caught up in "petty alternatives" (chapter 18), he settles for Tyke.
The action moves abruptly to Rome "the city of visible history" (chapter 20). Will Ladislaw and his German friend Naumann see Dorothea in a museum, a beautiful living version of the statues that surround her (chapter 19). Dorothea retires to her apartment and we discover her crying bitterly over her growing "despondency" (chapter 20) and disillusionment with her husband, in whom she can see "no response to her feeling" (chapter 21). Will calls on the Casaubons and takes them to Naumann's studio where Casaubon and Dorothea are painted. Will visits Dorothea once more and discusses the difficulty of "do[ing] anything good" (chapter 22). Half in love with Dorothea, Will resolves to relinquish the money that Casaubon gives him and return to England.
Book III: Waiting for death. Chapters 23-33
Fred goes to sell his horse to pay off his debt, which is due in five days but is instead tricked into buying a new one (chapter 23). He then has to go to the Garths, whom he has known since a child, and ask them for a hundred pounds towards the debt (chapter 24). Their savings only come to ninety-two pounds and Caleb has to ask Mary for money - understandably, he uses this opportunity to warn Mary about marrying Fred. Mary declares she has no intention of doing so (chapter 25). Fred returns home sick and Wrench the apothecary misdiagnoses his illness. Lydgate happens to be passing by and diagnoses it correctly, thus incurring the enmity of Wrench (chapter 26). As Lydgate nurses Fred back to health the flirtation between him and Rosamund progresses until it is definite in her mind and still not serious in his (chapter 27).
Dorothea and Mr Casaubon return from Italy and Dorothea grows more miserable with a "sense of busy ineffectiveness" (chapter 28) although she is happy to learn that Celia is to marry Sir James Chettam. Yet Mr Casaubon is also unhappy in the marriage, uncomfortably aware that his wife has a mind of her own (chapter 29). Will writes to request a visit but Casaubon, grubbily suspicious of Will's feelings towards Dorothea, refuses, at which Dorothea flares up in angry innocence. Twenty minutes later, Casaubon has a fit and Lydgate is called. Lydgate tells a remorse-stricken Dorothea that Mr Casaubon has heart disease and could die tomorrow or in the next fifteen years (chapter 30). The muddle-headed Mr Brooke is given the job of telling Ladislaw not to visit but in the process invites him to his own house.
In the meantime, Rosamund's aunt Mrs Bulstrode asks Lydgate when he will name the day and Lydgate, alarmed, stops visiting the Vincys (chapter 31). When he does call to enquire after Fred, Rosamund, rendered miserable by the blow to her egoism, begins to cry. With a combination of pity and tenderness, Lydgate fancies himself in love, and finds himself engaged.
And Mr Featherstone is on the brink of death; his relatives gather round (chapter 32). When Mary stays up with him one night, he asks her to burn a will. She refuses to do anything "that might lay [her] open to suspicion" (chapter 33) and tells him to wait until his lawyer comes. Growing frantic, Mr Featherstone tries to bribe her and he dies before the lawyer can come in the morning, clutching the keys to his chest.
Book IV: Three Love Problems. Chapters 34-42
Mr Featherstone's funeral is watched by Celia, Sir James, Mr Brooke, Dorothea and Mr Casaubon and Will Ladislaw is spotted, to Mr Casaubon's displeasure (chapter 34). Featherstone's two Wills is read out among the "vultures" (chapter 35) and a newcomer called Joshua Rigg. The first Will leaves £10,000 to Fred but the second, which Mary did not burn, leaves the entire estate to the newcomer Rigg - who is Featherstone's illegitimate child. The political upheaval is damaging Mr Vincy's business and now that Fred has nothing he declares he has nothing to give Rosamund and her marriage should be called off (chapter 36). Rosamund thinks otherwise, and effortlessly gets her own way.
Mr Brooke has decided to get involved in the political situation and has bought a reform newspaper, the Pioneer, bringing Ladislaw in to edit it. When Will comes by Lowick to visit Dorothea they talk of his family and he declares his intention to stay in Middlemarch against Mr Casaubon's wishes. In bed that night with Casaubon Dorothea impetuously conceives of a plan to give her half of his inheritance to Will, who was disinherited because his grandmother married "a Polish refugee who gave lessons for his bread" (chapter 37). Giving up money she does not need seems to Dorothea to be a way of righting a past wrong but Mr Casaubon is angry and left bitterly suspicious of Will's intentions.
And Mr Brooke has decided to run for parliament on the side of political reform, which disturbs his fellow gentry immensely, especially as Mr Brooke's estate management leaves much to be desired (chapter 38). Sir James persuades Dorothea to visit Brooke and encourage him to make some much-needed reforms on his own land (chapter 39). She accompanies him on a visit to one of his farms, ironically named Freeman's End. George Eliot uses this opportunity to satirise our susceptibility to picturesque poverty. Mr Dagley the tenant is not as complacent as Mr Brooke and having learnt about "Rinform" in the marketplace, has decided it is something that will get rid of Mr Brooke and chases him off his land.
This event has a knock-on effect as Mr Brooke hastily asks Caleb Garth to manage his land, which makes a great improvement in his financial situation (chapter 40). Fred, humiliated, has returned to university, as Mr Farebrother tells Mary when he comes to visit her. And Mr Farebrother is also obviously attracted to Mary. Rigg is visited by his half-brother Raffles at Stone Court (chapter 41). Raffles asks for money and is refused but leaves with a scrap piece of paper he has picked up bearing the name Nicholas Bulstrode. The book ends with Mr Casaubon's growing fear of death and Dorothea's growing misery at being continually rebuffed by her husband (chapter 42). Her natural affection has no outlet.
Book V: The Dead Hand. Chapters 43-53
Dorothea calls in at the Lydgates' house to ask about her husband's health and finds Rosamund playing the piano to Will - Rosamund mistakenly believes she has made a conquest of him (chapter 43). Lydgate meets Dorothea and tells her about the problems he has encountered with the New Hospital; there is a great deal of prejudice against Bulstrode in the town (chapter 44). Lydgate's career in Middlemarch has not been as smooth as he had hoped (chapter 45). Although his practise has had some success, he has antagonised the other surgeons in the town and they have banded together to entirely ignore the New Hospital. Rosamund does not think it a "nice profession". And the tradesmen are sending more bills.
Meanwhile Will is relatively happy in the definite pursuit of one thing: helping Mr Brooke in his pursuit of reform (chapter 46). He goes to Lowick church to catch a glimpse of Dorothea (chapter 47) who looks agitated because she can see that Mr Casaubon is determined to ignore Will (chapter 48). Her marriage has become a slow- growing imprisonment. Mr Casaubon asks her to complete his "Key to all Mythologies" book after his death, work she has come to see as pointless yet she feels such pity for him that she is inclined to agree. To do so would trap her in an endless task. Conveniently, when she goes to Mr Casaubon to give him her answer she finds him dead in the garden.
Mr Casaubon's Will includes a clause that requires Dorothea to give up all his money if she ever marries Will Ladislaw (chapter 49). Dorothea continues living in Lowick Hall on her own (chapter 50). She has to find a new clergyman for Lowick and Lydgate, anxious to make reparations for the past, recommends Farebrother.
Ladislaw himself, meanwhile, watches Mr Brooke stand for reform on election day - and be mocked, imitated and pelted by the crowd (chapter 51). Vague rambling Mr Brooke's parliamentary career is over. He releases Ladislaw from the Pioneer.
Farebrother's small family delight over the fact that Dorothea has given him Lowick and his mother urges him to marry (chapter 52). Yet Fred has come to consult Mr Farebrother about Mary; the only woman Farebrother cares for.
Bulstrode has bought Stone Court and Raffles, having read the piece of paper with his name on it, has come back to blackmail him (chapter 53). Bulstrode has a guilty secret and Raffles reveals it involves Ladislaw.
Book VI: The Widow and the Wife. Chapters 54-62
Having lost his job, Will resolves to leave Middlemarch and visits Lowick to say goodbye to Dorothea, an awkward meeting marred by the fact that Will does not know about the clause in Casaubon's will (chapter 54). At Celia and Sir James' house, Dorothea declares her intention to never marry again (chapter 55). She has asked Caleb to carry out some improvements on her land and near to where he is working, progress has touched on Middlemarch again: railway agents are surveying the land in preparation for a new line (chapter 56).
The railway has been regarded with suspicion and alarm in Middlemarch and some local labourers attack the agents, who are saved by Fred Garth who is riding nearby. Caleb runs across to help and Fred ends up spending the rest of the day assisting Caleb and talking of his feeling for Mary. Much to Mr and Mrs Vincy's disappointment, Fred agrees to become Caleb's apprentice. Mrs Garth is also less than overjoyed at this news and rather spitefully tells Fred about Mr Farebrother's affection for Mary (chapter 57). Fred is so alarmed that he goes to confront Mary who refuses to commit herself to him but is reassuring.
And Rosamund has a miscarriage after going riding with the baronet's son against Lydgate's express injunction (chapter 58). Lydgate finds they are further in debt and breaks the news to Rosamund, who becomes increasingly cold and distant. It is Rosamund who tactlessly breaks the humiliating news about Casaubon's will to Will and she starts to actively work against Lydgate, writing to his uncle to beg for money when he has told her not to (chapter 59). Will does not quite get around to leaving Middlemarch and does some work for Mr Bulstrode (chapter 60). He meets Raffles who recognises him and Will at last finds out why his mother ran away from her family. They sold stolen goods in a pawn house.
Raffles continues to harass Mr Bulstrode (chapter 61). As a young man, Bulstrode was a prominent member of a dissenting church. He worked in a wealthy pawn house - which he justified to himself by saying it must be the will of God - and when the owner dies he marries the widow, who inherits the business. Yet the widow has a daughter who ran away and whom she wishes to find to give her the inheritance. Bulstrode pays a man to keep her whereabouts a secret. The man is Raffles and the daughter was Will's mother. In an attempt to bury his past, Bulstrode offers Will money that Will indignantly refuses. At this point Will finally decides to leave Middlemarch. There are growing rumours of an affair between him and Rosamund in the town, which Dorothea hears and refuses to believe (chapter 62). Will comes to say goodbye to Dorothea and for the first time she realises he loves her.
Book VII: Two Temptations. Chapters 63-71.
It is New Year at the Vincys and Mr Farebrother notices that Rosamund treats Lydgate with indifference - and that Lydgate is extremely tense (chapter 63). His proffered help is rejected, however. Lydgate has run seriously into debt and needs £1000 to clear him (chapter 64). The distance between him and Rosamund has increased. One of the only options is to sell the house but Rosamund goes to the estate agent behind Lydgate's back and tells him they have changed their mind. She begins to coldly thwart him at every turn, wishing to leave Middlemarch altogether. Lydgate's uncle the baronet writes a cutting refusal to Rosamund's request for money (chapter 65).
Lydgate succumbs to temptation at the pub The Green Dragon and starts betting on billiards (chapter 66). Fred is there, taking a night off from being good with the Garths. He prevents Lydgate from losing any more money by telling him Mr Farebrother is there. But it is to Fred that Farebrother really wishes to speak, warning Fred not to "wear out Garth's patience" (chap. 66) slip and lose Mary.
There is another blow in store for Lydgate. Bulstrode, still tormented by Raffles, begins to think of leaving Middlemarch (chapter 67). He tells Lydgate he is giving up the new Hospital, which will be merged with the Old Infirmary. Lydgate will thus have to give up his freedom to carry out his reforms. In desperation, he asks Bulstrode for a loan but Bulstrode just tells him "trial... is a needed corrective". Caleb Garth then visits Bulstrode and tells him Raffles is at Stone Court (chapter 69). Having overheard Raffles' drunken ramblings, he also tells Bulstrode he no longer wishes to work for him. Raffles is an alcoholic and Lydgate is called for. He advises rest and no drink at all.
Bulstrode the good Christian sees the possibility of Raffles' death as a blessed release (chapter 70). Lydgate returns and emphasises again the importance of not administering any alcohol. Wishing to ensure Lydgate's goodwill, Bulstrode offers him a loan of £1000. The housekeeper sits up with Raffles overnight and asks Bulstrode if she can give him some brandy for "support" (chap 70). Bulstrode hesitates and then hands her the keys to the wine cellar. Raffles is dead in the morning.
Bulstrode believes himself miraculously saved. But Raffles has already told his story and it spreads swiftly throughout Middlemarch, the town making links with Raffles' death and Lydgate's sudden deliverance (chapter 71). In a Town meeting about sanitary procedures, Mr Hawley the horse-dealer asks Bulstrode to leave. Bulstrode stands up - sways - and Lydgate cannot leave him to fall. He helps him out of the room. But with this act of "pure compassion" he seals his fate. In the eyes of the town, he is Bulstrode's partner, and the loan is taken to be a bribe.
Book VIII: Sunset and Sunrise. Chapters 72-84
The final book is a series of emotional climaxes. Dorothea tells Mr Farebrother and Sir James they should go to help Lydgate, but the two men dissuade her, unsure of what really happened (chapter 72). Lydgate meanwhile has considered his miserable situation and decides to stay in Middlemarch and try to live it down (chapter 73).
Mrs Bulstrode does not even find out what has happened until she goes and talks to her brother, Mr Vincy (chapter 74). Yet she does not shrink away from her husband. Their marriage has more force with her than that and her sympathy gathers round him. Rosamund also learns of the situation from Mr Vincy but shows no sense of partnership with Lydgate. Instead, she urges him to move to London, displaying her terminal self-centredness, saying: "Whatever misery I have to put up with, it will be easier there" (chapter 75).
Lydgate comes to see Dorothea about the Hospital and she voices her faith in him: the "first assurance and belief" Lydgate has received (chapter 76). She offers to continue supporting the hospital but Lydgate admits he cannot bear the guilt of causing Rosamund further misery and will have to leave Middlemarch. Her pale presence is a "perpetual silent reproach" to him (chapter 77). Dorothea resolves to visit Rosamund and show her that her husband still has some supporters. But she comes into Lydgate's house to find Rosamund's hands clasped by Will Ladislaw. She withdraws with scorn. Dorothea has misunderstood the situation and when she leaves Will turns his fury on Rosamund, who had been playing on his sympathy for her situation (chapter 78). Yet the shock makes Dorothea realise that she was in love with Will all along. Her first keen sense of betrayal makes her wish to withdraw from life but she realises she cannot satisfy her desire to help as an outsider. The next morning she returns to Middlemarch to "make... her second attempt to see and save Rosamund" (chapter 80).
When Dorothea sees Rosamund she tells her of those who still have faith in her husband and tries to persuade her not to carry on the supposed affair with Will for the pain it would cause Lydgate (chapter 81). With this sympathy Rosamund overcomes her resentment and suspicion and jealousy of Dorothea and admits there was nothing between her and Will. Will comes to say goodbye to Dorothea the next day (chapter 83). He believes he cannot ask her to marry him as he has no money and she would have to give up Casaubon's fortune. Yet it is Dorothea who offers her own small income and asks him not to go. Sir James is horrified and none of Dorothea's small circle approve of her second marriage (chapter 84).
There is one last circle to complete. Mr Bulstrode wishes to make amends to his wife's family and lets Stone Court to Fred. Mary and Fred are at last able to marry. The finale briefly sketches the three couples' lives after marriage but denies a final end to the book.