Middlemarch · Chapter
Chapter XXII explained
In Rome, Dorothea and Will Ladislaw engage in a profound conversation about art, life, and vocation.
What happens
In Rome, Dorothea and Will Ladislaw engage in a profound conversation about art, life, and vocation. Dorothea expresses her discomfort with art that seems disconnected from improving the world, while Will argues for the value of enjoyment and the dangers of excessive sympathy. Will criticizes Casaubon's scholarly work, leading Dorothea to defend her husband. Will announces his intention to renounce Casaubon's generosity and return to England to work independently. The chapter ends with Dorothea asking Will to promise not to speak disparagingly of Casaubon's writings again.
Themes in this chapter
Marriage and Illusion
Dorothea's defense of Casaubon and her commitment to Lowick reveal the illusions she maintains about her marriage and her husband's intellectual worth.
Ambition and Frustration
Will's frustration with his dependent position and his desire to forge his own path contrast with Dorothea's frustrated ideals and her sense of confinement.
The Pursuit of Knowledge
The debate over Casaubon's scholarly methods and the value of his work highlights the theme of intellectual pursuit and the risk of failure.
Characters to notice
- Dorothea Brooke
Engages in a deep philosophical discussion with Will about art, life, and her marriage; defends Casaubon's work and expresses her idealistic views.
- Will Ladislaw
Argues passionately with Dorothea about art and sympathy; criticizes Casaubon's scholarship and announces his plan to become independent.
- Edward Casaubon
Referenced throughout as the subject of debate; his scholarly work and generosity are discussed, though he is not present.
- Celia Brooke
Mentioned by Dorothea as her sister who wants cameos; serves as a contrast to Dorothea's seriousness.
Key passages
“I should like to make life beautiful—I mean everybody's life. And then all this immense expense of art, that seems somehow to lie outside life and make it no better for the world, pains one.”
Dorothea wishes to improve everyone's life and finds art that doesn't serve that purpose to be painful and wasteful.
Dorothea expresses her idealistic and utilitarian view of art.
“The best piety is to enjoy—when you can. You are doing the most then to save the earth's character as an agreeable planet.”
Will argues that enjoying life is a form of piety and contributes to making the world a better place.
Will counters Dorothea's moral seriousness with a philosophy of enjoyment.
“I mean to go back to England shortly and work my own way—depend on nobody else than myself.”
Will declares his intention to return to England and become self-sufficient, rejecting Casaubon's financial support.
Will announces his plan for independence, motivated by his discomfort with his dependent status.