Annika’s Reviews > Middlemarch > Status Update

Both Celia and Sir James are very much against the idea of Dorothea remarrying, and so is Dorothea herself. Ladislaw announced his departure, and Mr Bulstrode seems to have an antagonistic relationship with Mr Raffles, who seems to have some kind of dirt on Bulstrode.

Dorothea has gone through Mr. Casaubon's papers and found that he didn't leave any personal notes or letters to her, except a guide to continue the work for "The Key to all Mythologies". Grody.

Hilariously, his attempt to distance Dorothea from Will has only made her more interested in Will. Who could've seen that coming.

I'm not sure, but it seems as if Mr. Casaubon amended his will to make it that Will Ladislaw cannot marry Dorothea, which is wild. By having Ladislaw pointed out specifically, it will absolutely make people assume that Ladislaw had intent of doing that, which he didn't! Great job, Mr. Casaubon, you made it weird.

Mr. Casaubon decided that he wants Dorothea to help him with his life's work, and goes so far as to ask her to continue the work after he's dead. Dorothea is stuck between wanting to help him, but also knowing that she could be stuck with his work for years to come. Just when she decides it's better to agree with him, she finds him dead.

Other medical type people around Middlemarch don't like Lydgate because he's young and new and has ideas of "reform", but like,,, whatever he's doing is working. He's literally saved people from the brink of death. I mean, maybe it sounded unpleasant to hear him ask to use Mrs. Goby's body for research but at least he asked, y'know.
Either way, he's rich, smart, has a weird name, and a pretty wife. He's fine.

Mr Casaubon is increasingly more suspicious of Dorothea. She notices that he's more withdrawn, so she's doing more to win his favor, but then he only gets more suspicious. How miserable.

Mr Brooke still thinks all his tenants like him, despite the fact that multiple people (including Dorothea) tell him that he can get pretty stingy toward people who already don't have much. Boo landlords, boooooo 👎👎👎

Featherstone died, turned out Fred didn't get the land that the Vincys thought he would get, and now Mr Vincy is in a bad mood and saying that Mr Lydgate and Rosamond shouldn't be engaged, but Lydgate and Rosamond are like "That ship has very much sailed, thanks."

Everyone's just waiting for Mr Featherstone to die, including his family (who he very much does not like). There's nothing better than old catty British people gossiping in a dying man's house, squabbling over what they think he'll leave them.

Honestly how could Lydgate think he could "haha jk jk" and not end up "...unless?", given what he did in France? Idk if Mrs. Bulstrode will be happy with this outcome 😬
Also the fact that Mr. Vincy has a pep in his step from hearing that Mr. Featherstone's health is failing is like,, so rude.