Middlemarch: Book 1, Chapter 5 Summary & Analysis

The chapter opens with Casaubon’s letter to Dorothea. It is comically stiff and convoluted, devoid of any romance or affection whatsoever. He tells her that becoming her husband would feel like “the highest of providential gifts.” He concludes by saying that in his old age, loneliness will be even more difficult now that he has had a glimmer of hope of companionship.

Reading the letter, Dorothea bursts into tears and drops to the floor. She is overwhelmed with happiness that the life she has been craving now seems available to her. After dinner, Dorothea writes Casaubon a response in her room. She is so nervous that her hand is shaking and she has to rewrite the letter three times. In her short message, she tells him: “I can look forward to no better happiness than that which would be one with yours.” Later, she gives the letter to Mr. Brooke, asking that he send it in the morning.

Mr. Brooke checks that Dorothea is certain she doesn’t want to marry Sir James instead. He tells her that he wants her to make her own decision, even though he knows Sir James will be disappointed and that Mrs. Cadwallader will likely be upset with him for failing to deliver a union between James and Dorothea. The next day, a letter arrives from Casaubon saying he will come to dinner at Tipton that night. Celia notices Dorothea’s reaction to this news and is horrified to realize that her sister seems to want to marry Casaubon.

Celia says that she hopes someone else is coming to dinner so she doesn’t have to listen to Casaubon eat his soup. Hurt, Dorothea tells Celia not to say things like that; when Celia continues, Dorothea angrily tells her that she is engaged to Casaubon. Celia turns pale and sits down in shock. She then begins to cry. Dorothea assures her it’s all right, although in reality she is hurt. She knows that everyone else in the community will feel the same way about her marriage as Celia does. That night, Dorothea speaks freely and enthusiastically with Casaubon. He is overjoyed, as is she. They decide that the wedding will be in six weeks.