Question about Middlemarch (both book and BBC serie)_Scene in Rome

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Question about Middlemarch (both book and BBC serie)_Scene in Rome

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1Sapphiregirl
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 7, 2011, 2:31 pm

I've already posted this question in "Booktalk" but there wasn't much response to it and someone suggested to put it in this group...

I'm studying English linguistics and literature and I recently finished Middlemarch by George Eliot for my Realism class. I was afraid it would be a torture because it was quite difficult and I didn't think drama was my genre at all but in the end I really liked it a lot and I'm eager to read more books like this one.

I have one question though and I'm hoping someone can clarify this for me...

It's about the honeymoon of Dorothea and Causabon in Rome. I don't understand how Dorothea suddenly becomes so unhappy and how she comes to realize her marriage isn't as she hoped it would be. I suspect Causabon doesn't understand her feelings but what are her feelings? I think she wants to dedicate herself to Causabon and help him but he doesn't let her because he underestimates her knowledge (because she's a woman) but I'm not sure I'm right because didn't he marry her because she was so intelligent in the first place? What did they expect of each other before they were married and how did it turn out wrong?

If anyone can state your opinion on this, please do because it would really help me to get a better understanding of the relationship between Dorothea and Causabon

2Sapphiregirl
huhtikuu 7, 2011, 3:28 pm

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

3Cecrow
huhtikuu 8, 2011, 1:35 pm

I hope someone's able to help you, since I'm the one who referred you here from Book Talk!

I have to admit though, when it comes to debating and discussing the finer points of individual novels I'm hard pressed to remember anything to that sufficient a degree of detail (even if I'd read Middlemarch, which I haven't), unless I've just recently mown through it myself.

4atimco
huhtikuu 8, 2011, 2:09 pm

I think both Casaubon and Dorothea went into the marriage with different expectations. Casaubon was flattered that a young woman was taking interest in his work, and thought she could "help" in terms of secretarial duties. He wasn't expecting Dorothea to have a mind of her own, and even when she did try to help with the secretarial stuff, he felt threatened. He hadn't realized what it would be like to really bare himself and his work to another human being. And he always suspected her motives because he was so insecure.

Dorothea, on the other hand, was expecting a full partnership, with work she could really get into. Going into the marriage, she thought Casaubon really was a genius and that his work really would be the authoritative statement on the subject. This obviously was not the case when she became better acquainted with it, and between struggling with her disappointment at the not-so-great work and pity for her husband (which he no doubt felt and resented), she began to feel trapped and unhappy. But she was committed to him and wanted to love and serve him anyways, but he was too proud and insecure to accept that from her.

Randomly, does anyone else think the actor who played Casaubon in the miniseries looks like Gollum??

5jnwelch
huhtikuu 9, 2011, 10:11 am

I agree with Amy's thoughts on this. I felt great relief when Casaubon died and Dorothea was freed from what had become an oppressive, uncomfortable marriage.

I didn't see the miniseries, and can't comment on the Gollum similarity. Is the miniseries worth getting on dvd?

6Sapphiregirl
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 9, 2011, 5:20 pm

@#5: It's on youtube so you can see for yourself if you'd like to buy the DVD :)

http://www.youtube.com/user/LadyLewly#g/c/27D3BC341FBEE65E

@#4: Lol, yes he does look a bit like Gollum although I have to admit I think Gollum has his cute sides as well whereas Causabon only makes me feel very uncomfortable. Am I the only one who imagined Farebrother to be older? I thought he'd at least look grey...a kind of Causabon figure only a lot nicer

Oh and thank you for the interesting view, I was thinking something in those lines as well but didn't quite know how to put it into words but I can really relate to your view ^^