Middlemarch · Chapter
VI explained
Mrs.
What happens
Mrs. Cadwallader, the local matchmaker, reacts with irritation to Dorothea Brooke's engagement to Mr. Casaubon, having prearranged a match with Sir James Chettam. She quickly shifts her focus to securing Sir James for Celia Brooke instead. Sir James, initially hurt, decides to visit Tipton Grange out of pride and a growing interest in Celia. Mrs. Cadwallader informs Sir James of the engagement, and he rides away, redirecting his attentions.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Provincial Life
Mrs. Cadwallader's matchmaking and her views on birth, poverty, and the 'vulgar rich' illustrate the class-consciousness of provincial society.
Marriage and Illusion
Dorothea's idealistic view of Casaubon as having 'a great soul' contrasts with Mrs. Cadwallader's pragmatic, social-climbing perspective on marriage.
Gender Roles and Women's Agency
Mrs. Cadwallader exerts influence through matchmaking, while Dorothea's independent choice challenges expectations, though it is met with disapproval.
Characters to notice
- Mrs. Cadwallader
The diplomatist of Tipton and Freshitt, she is irritated by Dorothea's engagement and quickly schemes to match Sir James with Celia.
- Dorothea Brooke
Her engagement to Mr. Casaubon is the central event of the chapter, causing Mrs. Cadwallader's displeasure and Sir James's disappointment.
- Celia Brooke
She becomes the new object of Mrs. Cadwallader's matchmaking plans for Sir James Chettam.
- Sir James Chettam
Initially attached to Dorothea, he is hurt by her engagement but begins to redirect his interest toward Celia.
- Mr. Brooke
He awkwardly avoids Mrs. Cadwallader's questions about Dorothea's engagement and leaves the room.
Key passages
“She was the diplomatist of Tipton and Freshitt, and for anything to happen in spite of her was an offensive irregularity.”
Mrs. Cadwallader saw herself as the chief negotiator of local social affairs, and any event that occurred without her approval was an unacceptable breach of order.
Highlights Mrs. Cadwallader's controlling nature and her role as a social arbiter.
“Pride helps us; and pride is not a bad thing when it only urges us to hide our own hurts—not to hurt others.”
Pride can be beneficial when it motivates us to conceal our own pain without causing harm to others.
Reflects on Sir James's internal struggle and the moral nuance of pride.
“I set a bad example—married a poor clergyman, and made myself a pitiable object among the De Bracys—obliged to get my coals by stratagem, and pray to heaven for my salad oil.”
Mrs. Cadwallader admits she married a poor clergyman, which lowered her status among her aristocratic relatives, forcing her to scheme for basic necessities.
Illustrates the economic pressures and social consequences of marriage choices.