“To think that the part one little woman can play in the life of a man, so that to renounce her may be a very good imitation of heroism, and to win her may be a discipline!” (644). This summary of thought provided by Mr. Farebrother perfectly encapsulates the nature of each romantic relationship within Middlemarch. Although this novel has presented more than just a detailed look at love and romance, it is impossible to deny the themes as anything other than major. As for the role women play in the lives of men, one only has to look at the late Mr. Casaubon or poor Dr. Lydgate to appreciate the sentiment behind Farebrother’s musings.

Since Casaubon easily won over Miss Dorothea Brooke at the onset of the story, it quickly became clear that married life was a kind of discipline that Edward was neither prepared nor inclined to take on. Expectations of what a wife would provide were so limited in his mind that when Dorothea exceeded his imaginings, Casaubon was quite unprepared in his reactions. Poor Mrs. Casaubon’s attempts to share her husband’s studies at least provided her with a greater understanding of who her husband truly was, but Mr. Casaubon could never claim to have made the same revelation about his betrothed.

Dr. Lydgate, whose past experiences with love left him chilled to the topic, finds himself blinded yet again by the beautiful Rosamond Vincy. Lydgate seems to suffer from a bad case of lust as well as a poor judgement of character in his hurried match with Rosy and he pays dearly for it. A woman who only sees her husband as a means to an end, Rosamond is not the partner that Tertius needs, choosing to undermine his wishes and act without any consideration his feelings. While Lydgate may have learned a harsh lesson with his first paramour, he must unfortunately revisit the agony of ill-matched love in his unhappy marriage.

Fred Vincy, tormented though he may be, might have the best and most extensive “study” of his beloved out of the beleaguered lovers of Middlemarch. As a former childhood companion, Fred has known Mary Garth so much longer than Lydgate and Casaubon knew their wives, and it is for this reason that I feel hopeful for their union. While Farebrother may lay a similar claim to his knowledge of Mary’s personality, Fred seems to know what lies in Mary’s heart and she in his. While their personalities may not seem compatible, their understanding of each other creates a better foundation for their hopeful marriage than those before them.

For all the rushed relationships in Eliot’s book, it seems that those who are reluctant to learn about and be examined by their partners are the one’s doomed to unhappiness. Love and partnership is a kind of discipline that those who partake must apply themselves ardently and willingly. While the lesson may be much too late for Mr. Casaubon and may be even Dr. Lydgate, one can only hope that Mary’s (possibly) intended has applied himself more to the study of her than to academic studies.

Emily Fleischhauer