MULTIPLICITY OF THEMES IN MIDDLEMARCH

THE VICTORIAN LITERATURE

TOPIC   :   “MULTIPLICITY OF THEMES IN MIDDLEMARCH”

NAME     :   BHALIYA UMA H.

ROLL NO:  01

SEM :         SEM-2: M.A. PART-1

BATCH:     2010-2011

SUBMITTED TO:  MISS. RUCHIRA DUDHREJA .

Department of English, Bhavnagar University.

MULTIPLICITY OF THEMES IN MIDDLEMARCH 

* THE MAJOR THEME

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. In Middlemarch the theme has been studied with reference to a number of characters. And has been universalized in this way.

Middlemarch subtitle is “a study of provincial life”, this means that Middlemarch. Represents the spirit of nineteenth-century England through the unknown, historically unremarkable common people. The small community of Middlemarch is thrown into relief against the background of larger social transformations, rather than the other way around.

Middlemarch is a major novel by any standard. The historical canvas is very wide. The several storylines storylines of the multiple plot are traced from their beginning, gradually  combining into a drama which gathers intense human and moral interest. Themes emerge naturally out of believable families and marriages, and final outcomes do not depend upon gratuitous interventions from melodrama or authorial providence. Middlemarch: a study of provincial life is set, like Felix Holt, in a midlands manufacturing town towards 1832.

* DOROTHEA – CASAUBON STORY

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 lofty ideals and noble aspirations. She  seeks to find an outlet 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 bring little satisfaction to this later day Theresa. Thus her lofty aspirations are frustrated by her meanness of opportunity.

*   LYDGATE – ROSAMOND STORY

This  very frustration of noble aspirations by “meanness of opportunity” and “sport of commonness” is also illustrated by lydgate – rosamond  story. Well educated  and cultured, lydgate  is an exceptional individual who is keen to promote the cause of medical science by devoting his energies to higher research and study, and not waste  them in earning money like the common fashionable physician. He comes to Middlemarch hoping that in the seclusion of this provincial town be would he able fully to realize his aspirations. But, says Joan Bennett, “lydgate’s promise the promise of a man of exceptional moral and intellectual gifts, was unfulfilled partly because of the obstructive stupidity of the people among whom he worked and the various crosscurrents of religious and political prejudice, professional jealousy and economic 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”.

Most character in Middlemarch marry for love rather than obligation, yet marriage still appears negative and unromantic. Marriage and the pursuit of It are central concerns in Middlemarch, but unlike in many novels of the, marriage is not considered the ultimate source of happiness. Two examples are the failed marriages of Dorothea and lydgate. Dorothea marriage fails because of her youth and of her disillusions about marrying a much older man, while lydgate’s marriage fails because of irreconcilable  personalities. Mr. and Mrs. Bulstrode also face a marital crisis due to his inability to tell her about the past, and Fred vincy and Mary Garth also face a great deal of hardship in making their union. As none of the marriages reach a perfect fairytale ending, Middlemarch offers a clear critique of the usual portrayal of marriage as romantic and unproblematic. 

The whole above question depends upon the characters and due to their actions which kind of incidents are taken place in the novel.  The texture of “Middlemarch “ is a very complex one, because it is made up of a number of stories. And each story the author George Eliot has narrated one problem of the English society and of an individual of her time. First there is Dorothea – Casaubon  - ladislaw love triangle, secondly, there is the tale of romance and marriage of lydgate and rosamond. Thirdly story of Fred vincy and Mary Garth. There is also the bulstrode – theme of a murky, discreditable past catching up with the present. Finally there is the story of wealth and avarice connected with the life and death of peter Featherstone. Thus due to such complex plot, Henry James averes.

“A treasure house of detail but an indifferent whole”.

But the novelist has shown great skill in welding this heterogeneous material into a single whole. So that “unity amidst immense variety” characterizes the novel.

This character play significant role. They are not limited to their stories. But they plays their role into other story also for instance ladislaw and lydgate become friends and Dorothea becomes the medical man’s patroness. Further. The various characters and stories are well- integrated with their social environment. For instance, in the provincial Middlemarch  society, birth, class and rank are a powerful determining force. They are shocon as being impediments to the marriage of Dorothea and ladislaw but they act as a magnet to bring about the union of rosamond and lydgate. Another and

Even more important factor is money. It is the cause of lydgate’s entanglement and downfall. Balstrode and his wealth find a parallel in Featherstone. Money is much cause for Garth and for other also. In all these ways. The novelist has closely integrated individual characters and actions with their social medium and has given us a novel which an organic whole. Thus w.j.harvey averses.

“The range of George Eliot’s analysis is thus wide. But she is always. Careful to thus wide. But she is always careful to show the interaction of these various factors throughout society.”

Moreover their professional activities often provide conneting links; it is not unnatural that lydgate, as a doctor should be drawn into contact with many of the other characters. The same true of bulstrode, farebrother, and caleb garth.

Besides this mechanical and technical unity, the novel has thematic unity as well. The various characters and their stories. Illustrate the same themes for paradigm. There is the theme of the quest for one’s true vocation. This theme is best exemplified by the stories of dorothea and lydgate. But there are other most of character also who illustrate this theme. Theme of vocation is subsidiary to the theme of moral self – education says w.j.harvely.

“The taproot of her vision, that which howrishes the whole fabric is her concern with what we may call the transeendence of self.”

The typical psychological and spiritual development of her protagonist is the painful struggle to break free from the prison of egoism into a life of sympathy with their fellow men. There are subtle variations of this theme, but the most subtle being the case of Dorothea.

Further, unity is provided by the use of certain dominant symbols and images. Middlemarch is penned in a highly explicit metaphorical style. With emphasis on metaphors of unity, antithesis, progressive movement constructive purpose, and un ultimate salvation of heavenly goal, such symbolism applied especially for Dorothea. Hence. One can not agree with Henry james, but one cannot fully ignore some error in plot such as there are certain glaring shotcomings. For example, there is much that is melodramatic and artificial about the discovery of ladislaw  has not been fully realized and so on, because, nothing is even perfect,