Middlemarch · Chapter
Book VI: The Widow and the Wife explained
This chapter follows Dorothea's life after Casaubon's death, exploring her new status as a widow and her evolving relationships, particularly with Will Ladislaw, as she navigates societal expectations and personal desires.
What happens
This chapter follows Dorothea's life after Casaubon's death, exploring her new status as a widow and her evolving relationships, particularly with Will Ladislaw, as she navigates societal expectations and personal desires.
Themes in this chapter
Marriage and Illusion
Dorothea's first marriage to Casaubon is revealed as an illusion of intellectual partnership, and her potential second marriage to Will Ladislaw challenges societal norms.
Gender Roles and Women's Agency
Dorothea's struggle to assert her own desires against societal expectations of widowhood and remarriage underscores the limited agency of women in Victorian England.
Characters to notice
- Dorothea Brooke
Now a widow, Dorothea grapples with her newfound independence and the pressures of society, while her feelings for Will Ladislaw begin to surface.
- Will Ladislaw
Will returns to Middlemarch and rekindles his connection with Dorothea, stirring both affection and conflict within her.
- Edward Casaubon
Though deceased, Casaubon's influence lingers through his will and the codicil, affecting Dorothea's choices and relationships.
- Celia Brooke
Celia offers sisterly advice and concern, representing conventional views on widowhood and remarriage.
- Mr. Brooke
Mr. Brooke provides commentary on Dorothea's situation, reflecting the provincial attitudes of Middlemarch society.
Key passages
“The Widow and the Wife”
The chapter title contrasts Dorothea's dual roles as a widow of Casaubon and a potential wife to Will Ladislaw.
This phrase encapsulates the central conflict of the chapter: Dorothea's identity between past and future marriages.