Middlemarch, Chapter 53 summary
Chapter 53 of 88 · Book 5: The Dead Hand · 21 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 53, Mr. Bulstrode buys Stone Court, but his pleasure in the property collapses when John Raffles arrives with knowledge of his concealed past and demands money. Bulstrode secures only a temporary departure, while Raffles privately remembers Ladislaw as the surname connected with Bulstrode’s missing stepdaughter.
What happens
- Joshua Rigg sells Stone Court to pursue his ambition of owning a money changer’s shop, while Bulstrode interprets the purchase through religious belief.
- Raffles encounters Bulstrode outside Stone Court, recognizes him, and interrupts his peaceful evening with reminders of their former dealings.
- Bulstrode houses Raffles overnight and returns early, hoping to arrange his departure before his private history becomes public.
- Raffles recalls concealing a widow’s daughter and grandchild, demands financial support, and rejects an allowance conditional on staying away.
- Bulstrode agrees to supply two hundred, while Raffles mentions Sarah, Bulstrode’s stepdaughter, without remembering her husband’s surname.
- Raffles privately remembers Ladislaw, records the name, and leaves by coach; Bulstrode remains afraid of his return.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The narrator distinguishes sincerity from freedom from selfish motives. This frames Bulstrode’s religious reasoning without treating all his beliefs as deliberate deception.
Quick check
What does Raffles do after remembering the name Ladislaw?
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