Middlemarch

Will’s Secret Devotion to Protecting Dorothea

Will’s core motivation for his actions is his secret, fierce devotion to Dorothea, whom he sees as a worthy, exceptional person deserving of love and protection from the unhappy, constrained marriage she is trapped in. He idealizes her inner sorrows and is determined to remain close to her to support her, even as he hides the full depth of his romantic feelings for her.

Will’s Prior Interactions with Dorothea at Lowick

Though Will has never been invited to Lowick as an official guest before, Brooke had previously arranged for him to visit, introducing him publicly as a relation of Casaubon’s. Their brief, occasional prior meetings had already allowed Dorothea to feel a sense of joyful, easy companionship with Will, who listens to her ideas with genuine, engaged interest, unlike her husband, who often dismisses her thoughts as trivial or already long-settled by past scholars.

Dorothea’s Marital Unhappiness and Joy at Will’s Presence

Dorothea is deeply unhappy in her marriage to Casaubon, who treats her contributions to his scholarly work as unimportant and patronizes her when she shares her own ideas. Her occasional interactions with Will feel like a rare, refreshing escape from her lonely, constrained life at Lowick, and she begins to look forward to seeing him, even as she worries slightly about what Casaubon might think of his presence.

Will’s Rain-Delayed Attempt to Meet Dorothea Alone

Eager to speak with Dorothea privately, Will devises a plan to visit Lowick under the pretense of sketching, expecting to find Casaubon at home so he can wait in the drawing-room without announcement, knowing Dorothea takes a daily morning walk and would pass his sketching spot. The plan is foiled when sudden, heavy rain forces him to take shelter in the house instead.

Private Library Conversation Between Will and Dorothea

Will is shown into the Lowick library, where he finds Dorothea alone, as Casaubon is visiting the Archdeacon and will not return until dinner. They share a warm, unguarded conversation, during which Dorothea explains that she has been studying Latin and basic Greek to better assist Casaubon with his work, but expresses sadness that even the most brilliant minds can be worn out by their work before they can fully enjoy their own achievements. Will initially makes a careless comment that upsets her, before quickly correcting himself to align with her perspective.

Dorothea Rejects Will’s Suggestion of a Casaubon Secretary

Will suggests that Casaubon could hire a professional secretary to take on half his research work, sparing Dorothea from overexerting herself to support his projects. Dorothea rejects the idea immediately, saying she would have no happiness if she could not fully support Casaubon’s work directly, and asks Will not to bring up the suggestion again, as she knows Casaubon would oppose hiring a secretary.

CHAPITRE XXXVII.

Chapter XXXVII centers on an extended conversation between Dorothea and Will Ladislaw, during which Will explains Casaubon’s aversion to him, shares the painful history of his family’s disinheritance, and raises the prospect of staying in the neighborhood to run Mr. Brooke’s new newspaper. Dorothea is moved to urge Will to consult her husband, who responds by dispatching a coldly formal letter of rejection. Left alone, Dorothea broods in her blue-green boudoir over the injustice done to Will’s grandmother, her sympathies kindling against the principle of cutting off a daughter for a marriage deemed unsuitable.

Will Explains Casaubon’s Dislike

Will explains to Dorothea that Casaubon’s dislike arises from an unwillingness to have anyone oversee or thoroughly understand his work; Casaubon is too doubtful of himself to bear it, and he resents Will in particular because they disagree. Will acknowledges he was once considered for the secretaryship but proved unequal to it, and Dorothea, attempting to excuse her husband, playfully suggests he was not steady enough. Despite his intentions toward generosity, Will’s tongue has already delivered another pinching remark against Casaubon’s pride, leaving him uneasy about the effect on Dorothea.