Middlemarch: Book 4, Chapter 37 Summary & Analysis

The dramatic political events occurring at this time have created a great deal of confusion in Middlemarch. Many had stopped reading the local newspaper The Pioneer, which has a progressive bent, due to its over-tolerant position on the Catholic Question. However, the anti-Catholic Trumpet is not favored either. Mr. Hackbutt tells Mr. Hawley that Mr. Brooke is rumored to have acquired the Pioneer in secret, adding that he has got “a very brilliant young fellow”—Ladislaw—to be the paper’s editor. The two men intend to use the paper to push the Reform agenda.

Hawley ridicules Reform, which leads Hackbutt to point out that, though he is no radical, the electoral system in England does have serious problems. Mr. Brooke, meanwhile, describes Ladislaw as a “kind of Shelley,” clarifying that he means this in a complimentary way. He appreciates Ladislaw’s “enthusiasm for liberty, freedom, emancipation” and tells Casaubon that he is glad they are related. Casaubon could not feel more differently. Ladislaw knows that Casaubon hates him. Ladislaw knows he has a debt to his cousin due to the financial support Casaubon once provided, yet he is convinced that Casaubon has “done a wrong to Dorothea in marrying her.”

Ladislaw is determined to faithfully watch over Dorothea and has managed to see her a few times since coming to Middlemarch, although never alone. To Dorothea, seeing Will is like a brief glimpse of sunshine in her prison-like existence. Finally Will manages to see her alone, and admits to her that he aimed to catch her without Casaubon. Dorothea explains that she has learned a lot since Rome in order to be able to help her husband, and adds that it can be tiring to learn and know so much.

Will says that Casaubon should get a secretary, and Dorothea says neither she nor her husband wants that. Will then says that this is because Casaubon is too insecure about his own work to have anyone else look at it. Rather than getting angry, Dorothea is quiet. Will mentions his grandmother, Julia, who was disowned for marrying a poor Polish musician. Dorothea suddenly exclaims: “I wish I knew all about her!” She wonders how Julia coped with transitioning from “wealth to poverty,” but Will admits he did not know her or his grandfather very well, and that they died young.

Dorothea says that she has always had “too much of everything.” Will explains that his mother also ran away from her family, though not for a man, but rather to be an actress. He then tells Dorothea about Mr. Brooke buying the Pioneer and asking Will to stay in Middlemarch and edit it. He says that he will stay unless Dorothea wants him to go, but she assures him she wants him to stay. As he goes to leave, he wants to ask Dorothea not to mention their conversation to Casaubon, but he doesn’t want to corrupt her innate honesty, so says nothing.

When Casaubon comes home, Dorothea tells him about Will’s visit and Mr. Brooke’s proposal. She suggests that it would be good for Will to finally have a job that he can dedicate himself to. The next day, Casaubon writes Will a letter telling him that Will’s acceptance of Mr. Brooke’s proposal would be “highly offensive” to him. He cites his previous support of Will as grounds for him to be able to forbid Will from taking the position. He also tells Will not to come to Lowick again.

Meanwhile, Dorothea keeps thinking about Julia. She thinks that the unjust way Julia was treated means that Casaubon “ha[s] a debt to the Ladislaws.” She suddenly feels sure that in order to repay this debt, Casaubon should give Will a steady income which would continue to be paid even after Casaubon’s death. This idea fills her with happiness and a sense of purpose. Late that night, Dorothea tells her husband that she has been thinking about money, and how she has always had too much of it.

Dorothea then mentions Julia, suggesting that Casaubon himself perhaps felt a debt and that’s why he paid for Will’s education. She says she doesn’t think it’s right that Will is poor while they are rich. Casaubon tells Dorothea that it is not her place—nor within her capacity—to try and influence him on a subject like this. The next day Casaubon receives a response from Will, saying that Will disagrees with the idea that Casaubon has a right to forbid him from staying in Middlemarch. While Casaubon has supported him in the past, Will is now independent and may do what he likes. 

Casaubon is suddenly convinced that all of Will’s recent actions have been part of a plan to turn Dorothea against him. He considers contacting Mr. Brooke or Sir James for help. However, he doesn’t feel he can rely on anyone to take his side. He also doesn’t want anyone to know that he is jealous and insecure when it comes to Will. This would be as bad as letting his fellow scholars judge his work. He therefore says nothing to anyone.