Middlemarch is a journey. I went from deeply hating almost every character (but Mary, who is, let’s face it, basically the best person ever) to cheering for Dorothea and Ladislaw and pitting Bulstrode. This is not your average happily ever after fairy tale, meant only to leave you with a feeling of wellbeing. It is a story that looks deeply at individuals and calls out each person’s character flaws while highlighting their redeeming qualities. For this reason, the characters are not bound in text—they take on a realistic life of their own. Children cannot understand Middlemarch. You have to live to see the world shift from black and white into shades of grey.

Take Bulstrode. He could easily be the villain of Middlemarch. He stole Ladislaw’s potential inheritance and blackened Ladislaw’s reputation. His inaction killed a man. The problem with this simplistic notion comes from his characterization. Bulstrode was just a man terrified to losing his reputation. He was an old man faced with oncoming physical death and the death of his legacy. Understanding his fear comes easily. Does that mean he is totally absolved of all sin? NO. But it does allow for leniency. It is this multifaceted characterization that George Elliot exploits in Middlemarch. Middlemarch reaches into the depth of the human experience to equalize all members of society.

Rank and social standing shifts in Middlemarch as easily as the weather. Social evolution and devolution happen at every social rank. The business men—Mr. Garth and Mr. Vincy—cling to prosperity with every shift in the economy. They both chose similar paths, though their personal morals determined the success of their family. The clergy—Mr. Casaubon and Mr. Farebrother—changes lives with just a few words. The former with his codicil and the latter with his “timely” speech to Fred. The ladies—Dorothea and Cecilia and Rosemond—all fall and rise on their own, whether or not they follow social standards.

This is echoed in the Finale. The son of Dorothea and Ladislaw “might have represented Middlemarch”, an opportunity that would never have been given to Ladislaw, for all of his mixed blood. Lydgate recovered his name and had a good living and provided for his family, leaving behind four daughters with a good shot at life. Rank can be dropped or gained, personally or generationally.

Middlemarch doesn’t discount social standing. It has very real effects on the physical and mental health of many characters. Peer pressure inhibits actions and feelings, but is also a counter measure to bad behavior. There is a natural balance that exists because people so not want to face the ire of the larger community. However, by exploring different lifestyles and characters, Middlemarch gives a voice to everyone. In this way, the separation between different people becomes arbitrary. In consequence, you should always be nice to your neighbor because you never know when your neighbor will die and leave his property to a hitherto unknown illegitimate son who will then sell it to you, but not until after exposing your identity to the one man who knows the secret to your utter destruction. But that could never happen in real life. I mean, what are the odds?

– Valerie Harrison