Middlemarch, Chapter 21 summary
Chapter 21 of 88 · Book 2: Old and Young · 13 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 21, Will Ladislaw visits Dorothea in Rome and unsettles her by suggesting that Mr. Casaubon’s ignorance of German research undermines his scholarship. After her husband returns, Dorothea apologizes for their morning disagreement and begins to recognize his separate feelings and vulnerability, while he conceals jealousy over Will’s visit.
What happens
- Tantripp announces Will Ladislaw, and Dorothea welcomes the chance to turn from her distress toward sympathy for her husband’s relative.
- Dorothea and Will discuss her difficulty enjoying paintings, his rejection of painting as a profession, and his dislike of sustained effort.
- When Dorothea defends her husband’s diligence, Will argues that Casaubon neglects important German scholarship, making her fear his work lacks value.
- Casaubon returns, politely invites Will to dinner the next day, and conceals his displeasure at finding him with Dorothea.
- Dorothea apologizes for her morning harshness, but Casaubon’s restrained response leaves her need for affection unmet.
- Dorothea begins to see her husband as a separate, vulnerable person rather than the source of wisdom she imagines.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The narrator connects Dorothea’s disappointment with a broader difficulty in recognizing other people’s inner lives. Her growing sympathy requires more than imagining what marriage gives her.
Quick check
Why does Will suggest Casaubon’s scholarly work may be wasted?
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