Reading the Chunksters discussion

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Chapters 43-48
In which Dorothea goes to Lydgate to see if Casaubon's symptoms have gotten worse or changed.
Dorothea and Lydgate discuss funding for the hospital.
We find that Lydgate and Bulstrode are not very well liked in the community and why.
We spend some time with Will and learn how the public thinks of him and the friends he's made like the Lydgates, Farebrothers, and puppies and children. He goes to church to catch a glimpse of Dorothea and only ends up mucking things up a bit.
There is a hint of money troubles with the Lydgates.
And Casaubon dies before he elicits a promise from Dorothea.

Chapter 48 is the chapter that Casaubon dies and I really felt for poor Dorothea. While I know the promise he wants from her is not about his work, I felt her stress and confusion and wanted to comfort her. I kept thinking if she just found out what he wanted, her reaction would probably help sort out all of the misunderstandings going on between them.

Well now that Causabon is dead, and Doda had felt a bit roughly used by him, and Ladislaw being such an impertinent pup, things are probably going to become interesting very quickly. He kept talking about his request to DoDo, and I don't think he wnted to leave his work to her because he didn't respect her enough academically, and he wouldn't want her work reflecting on his name. That means its something else. Here is my guess, which I'll hide in spoilers just in case no one else wants to read it (view spoiler)[ Prohibitions against second marriages were not that uncommon back then in wills, actually, its happened in the last several books I've read. Causabon did seem really jealous of Ladislaw, and seemed to think that DoDo might be taken advantage of now that she had all his money. I guess the real question is whether he is prohibiting her from ever marrying again, which seems really cruel, or just from marrying Ladislaw (hide spoiler)]

Celia's had a baby (awww) and Rosamund is pregnant. I'm assuming from the hints that he is slipping further into debt. I think he cares for Rosamund, but I do think he is beginning to regret his marriage already. I think he is a little disappointed in her overall character.

I really loved the Lydgate and Ladislaw conversation about politics. I felt I echoed a lot of their sentiments. It just goes to show that the more things change, the more they stay the same!

One thing interesting is that while one primary reason Dorothy married Causabon was to help with his work, now that he is actually having her help him, she isn't much excited about it. Has Ladislaw poisoned her mind about the legitimacy and value of her husband's work?

We haven't seen much of the elder Garths recently, which is too bad; they seem to me the only happily married couple in the book.

Everyman wrote: "One thing interesting is that while one primary reason Dorothy married Causabon was to help with his work, now that he is actually having her help him, she isn't much excited about it. Has Ladisla..."

Everyman, I think it's more along the lines of DoDo's inability to obtain the connection that she thought that she would have with Causabon through their working together rather than the value of the work itself that has lessened her enthusiasm toward the project.

Sera wrote: "Everyman wrote: "One thing interesting is that while one primary reason Dorothy married Causabon was to help with his work, now that he is actually having her help him, she isn't much excited about..."

That and the fact that Causabon was demeaning everything she did or said because he himself is so unsure of his own work, so if she tried to pay a complement or understand something better he took it the wrong way and was rude to her.

Juliette wrote: "Sera wrote: "Everyman wrote: "One thing interesting is that while one primary reason Dorothy married Causabon was to help with his work, now that he is actually having her help him, she isn't much ..."

Very true. He wasn't a very nice man. I think part of it was that he was older and stuck in his ways. He was probably better off not having married.

Yay, I get to read another section of notes!!!

I felt like this section is going to be the one that starts to get me a little bit more interested in the book!

Causabon died and poor Dodo is not taking it well at all. It will be interesting to see what this will mean for her and Will.

I must of missed where we find out that Celia is expecting because all of a sudden she has a baby! I had picked up on Rosamund being pregnant as well.

Is it terrible that my first reaction was "Finally and good riddance!"? I shouldn't feel that way over the death of anyone, but Causubon was truly a selfish, horrible old prick and I feel Dodo is well rid of him. I just felt relief that he went before he got that promise out of her, of whatever variety, that would have bound her to him even after his death. What spiteful old man.

Ladislaw in this section makes my skin crawl. I know he's in love with her and is probably much better suited to her, but he does so many deliberate things that are making them both miserable in their not being able to act toward each other. If his character is such now, I can't imagine his being good for Dorothea later. Just my opinion.

Money troubles in marriage, especially that early, are never good. I sense trouble on the horizon for the Lydgates. But it could also be the thing that truly binds them together as a couple. I've seen that happen and it can be a beautiful thing. Hard when they're that young, though. And Rosamund is used to quite a bit of privilege.