Middlemarch

CHAPITRE XLII.

This chapter (CHAPTER XLII) follows Dorothea Casaubon through an afternoon and evening of mounting tension and eventual quiet reconciliation with her husband, Edward Casaubon. It opens with Dorothea’s hesitant approach to Casaubon in the garden after learning of Lydgate’s departure, traces the emotional fallout of his cold, unresponsive reception, details Dorothea’s internal struggle between resentment and empathy as she processes the interaction, and concludes with the pair’s soft, unspoken reconciliation on the staircase later that night.

Dorothea’s Reluctant Approach to Casaubon

Dorothea’s Reluctant Approach to Casaubon After becoming aware that Lydgate has ridden away, Dorothea steps into the garden with the impulse to go directly to her husband. She hesitates, however, fearing her persistent, repeatedly rebuffed affection will offend his withdrawn, grief-stricken state; her thwarted energy and sharp memory heighten her dread, so she wanders slowly among the nearby tree clumps until she sees Casaubon advancing toward her. She moves to meet him, hoping to offer him the faithful, grief-clinging love he needs, only to be met with a chilling glance in response to her own that increases her timidity, though she still turns to slip her arm through his.

Stiff Garden Reunion

Stiff Garden Reunion Casaubon keeps his hands tucked behind his back, allowing Dorothea’s pliant arm to cling with difficulty against his rigid, unyielding arm. The unresponsive hardness of the interaction inflicts a deeply unsettling, even horrifying sensation on Dorothea, laying bare the vast emotional gulf between the pair. The narrative also contextualizes Casaubon’s behavior: his nature shrank from pity, and he likely suspected that Dorothea’s concern for his grief might be a quiet source of contentment for her, a dynamic he resented, while he remained largely unaware of the strength of her emotional experience in the moment, which he equated only loosely to his own sensitivities about scholarly criticism.

Dorothea’s Angry Reaction to Casaubon

Dorothea’s Angry Reaction to Casaubon After Casaubon retreats to the library and shuts himself inside alone, Dorothea goes to her boudoir, where the warm, serene afternoon light does nothing to lift her despondent mood. She is overwhelmed by a fierce, rebellious anger stronger than any she has felt since her marriage, rejecting tears for sharp, bitter internal monologue: she resents that he never understands or cares about her inner world, believes he regrets marrying her, and feels she has wasted her devotion on a man who does not value her. She briefly considers sending a message that she is unwell and will remain upstairs for dinner, wanting to force him to wonder at and be hurt by her absence.

Casaubon’s Request for Solitude

Casaubon’s Request for Solitude Before Dorothea can send her planned message, a servant arrives with word from Casaubon that he will eat dinner alone in the library that evening, as he is occupied with work and wishes to be completely undisturbed. Dorothea refuses dinner entirely, telling her maid Tantripp she is unwell and does not want to be disturbed again, and retreats to her dressing room to stew in her resentment as night deepens.

Dorothea’s Conflict Over Resentment

Dorothea’s Conflict Over Resentment As the evening stretches on, Dorothea’s initial fierce anger gradually softens as she remembers that Casaubon is likely grieving the possible end of his life’s scholarly work, a pain she had earlier resolved to support him through. She battles her resentment, recognizing that her harsh judgment of him is unfair, and the thought of his sorrow rises beside her anger like a “shadowy monitor” remonstrating with her harsh feelings. After a prolonged internal struggle, she resolves to set aside her resentment and offer him the mercy and support he needs.

Nighttime Staircase Reconciliation

Nighttime Staircase Reconciliation Once the house is completely quiet, Dorothea waits outside her bedroom door for Casaubon to come up to bed, knowing he usually carries a light when he retires. When he arrives, looking more haggard than usual, he is gently surprised to find her waiting for him. She explains she did not want to disturb him in his work, and he invites her to join him, noting gently that she is young and does not need to hasten her life by staying up worrying over him. Moved by his quiet, kind melancholy, Dorothea feels grateful that she has not hurt him further, and takes his hand as they walk down the broad corridor together to bed.