Assighnment: paper-9

The Victorian Literature

 

Topic: Multiplicity of Themes in Middlemarch

Name: Kalani Jalpa H.

Roll No: 13

Semester:2

Batch:2010-11

Submitted: To  Ms.ruchira Ma'm

Department of English, Bhavnagar University.

 

Multiplicity of Themes in Middlemarch

Middlemarch is a complex work of art and a number of themes and ideas are woven into its complex fabric. One of its major themes, however, is the frustration of noble ideals and lofty aspirations by meanness of opportunity, i.e. an unfavorable environment and “spots of commonness” in the character of the idealistic himself. George Eliot studied this very theme in The Mill on the floss and her other novels also, but in Middlemarch the theme has been studied with reference to a number of characters, and has been universalized in this way.

§  Dorothea-Casaubon Story: Meanness of Opportunity: Dorothea is the first major character in the novel whose life is a tragedy of frustrated idealism. She has been referred to as a modern St.Theresa motivated by an intense desire to do good and make some noble achievement. But Middlemarch society, narrow stinted and tradition bound, offers little opportunity for the realization of her ideals by making projects for the re-building of the cottages of the poor tenants on the state of a neighboring baronet and friend of the family, Sir Chettam. But the scope for such philanthropy is extremely limited and it brings little satisfaction to this later day Theresa. Thus her lofty aspirations are frustrated by her meanness of opportunity.

§  Lydgate-Rosamond Story: Meanness of Opportunity: This very frustration of noble aspirations by ‘meanness of opportunity’ and ‘spots of commonness’ is also illustrated by Lydgate-Rosamond story. Well educated and cultured Ledgate is an exceptional individual who is keep to promote the cause of medical science by devoting his energies to higher research are study, and not waste them in earning money like the common fashionable physician. But, says Joan Bennett, “Lydgate’s promise the promise to a man of exceptional moral and obstructive stupidity of the religious and political prejudice, professional jealousy and difficulty which can impede the progress of medical science. But unfulfillment was to be partly also the result, both of positive and negative qualities in his own character”.

§  Integrated Vision and Thematic Unity: Various critics have expressed various views regarding the central theme of the novel. According to Joan Bennett, the central theme of the novel is the compromise which ultimately a man makes between the life to which he aspired, and kind of life which the human condition perm its. This theme has been illustrated through the life and careers of a number of characters, and this gives to the novel a race unity of design. The vision of the novelist is an integrated one, and this accounts for the unity of the novel and its immense variety.

§  Mr.Bulstrode’s Acceptance: This very compromise is also made by a number of other characters in the book. It is made by Mrs.Bulstrode after the downfall and disgrace of her husband. She comes to him after a night of deep spiritual anguish. It was eight o’clock in the evening before the door opened and his wife entered. “He dared not look up at her. He sat with his eyes bent down, and as she went towards him she thought he looked smaller-he seemed so withered and shrunken. A movement of new compassion: and old tenderness went through her like a great wave, and putting one hand on his, which rested on the arm of the chair, and the other on his shoulder, she said, solemnly but kindly ‘Look up, Nicholas’.” She accepts her husband, despite his sin and disgrace, and her acceptance of him is an acceptance of the human condition with all its limitations.

§  Dorothea’s Quest: Dorothea, of course, is an idealist, she has a theoretic mind- a modern Saint Theresa- and she seeks self-fulfillment by achieving noble and remarkable. But the limited and conservative Middlemarch society has an inhibiting effect on her quest for her true vocation. For some time she tries to engage herself with projects for building new and better cottages for the poor tenants, but such projects are soon felt to be inadequate. Her quest is also inhibited by her sex, for her conservative environment provides little freedom of movement to a young girl like her.

§  Her Frustration: she marries Casaubon in the hope that in marrying him she would be marrying Pascal, and finds her true vocation by helping him in his scholarly researches. Again her quest is frustrated because Casaubon is no true scholar but only a dried up pedant, a mere stick of a man, pseudo-scholar incapable of any higher achievement, The marriage is a failure, for Dorothea fails to find her true vocation through it. Then she marries WillLadislaw, the only man she had ever loved, and in this marriage soon dwindles into a good wife and mother.

§  Lydgate’s Quest: His Frustration: Lydgate is equally frustrated in his quest for a proper vocation by an inhibiting environment. Well-educated, cultured and progressive, he had come to Middlemarch in the hope that in the seclusion of this provincial town he would be able to pursue his scientific research undisturbed. But the Middlemarchers are entirely in capable of appreciating such projects, and have a poor opinion of a professional man who does not practice for money. Then he has to face the hostility and jealousy of other medical man of the town. Soon he is entangled into marriage by the vain and frivolous Rosamond, and as a consequence is involved in endless financial difficulties. His appreciation on the part of Middlemarchers, ultimately compel him to leave Middlemarch for London where he becomes a fashionable doctor, practicing for money. His rare gifts are thus wasted; his quest for true vocation comes to naught.

§  Egoism and Self- Centeredness: According to W.J.Harvey, the theme of vocation runs through the novel and is an important unifying force, but it is subsidiary to another theme which may be called the transcendence of self and the birth of a new self through moral self-education. The learned critic writes, “The taproot of her vision, that which nourishes the whole fabric, is her concern with what we may call the transcendence of self. The typical psychological and spiritual environment of her protagonists is the painful struggle to break free from the prison of egoism into a life of sympathy with their fellow men. Her most acute studies are often of the reverse process, the spiritual degeneration and purification of the corrupted soul as it creates its own private hell.

§  Its evil Consequences: we have Bulstrode, for example who chokes his conscience in the padding of doctrinal justification. Above all, there is Casaubon; chill, impotent, a creature of shadows who walks an interior labyrinth and says of himself, with unconscious irony: ‘I feed to much on the inward sources; I live too much with the spoilt child; on one occasion only does she rise those her cold, neutrality, only to lapse again into her habitual self. Fred Vincy, too, displays an equally childish selfishness, though treated more lightly here, since unlike his sister he is capable of reform; he is no match for the sturdy good sense of Mary Garth.

§  Suffering and Illumination: but the most complex exemplars of moral self-education are, of course, Lydgate and Dorothea. In each case this self-education and self-transcendence is brought about through a ‘baptismal of fire’, through suffering which purifies the soul, which purges it of all dross and results in inner illumination. “Pain is the great lord of mortals” in George Eliot’s novels and it is through pain that evil within is conquered and spiritual regeneration taken place.