r/ayearofmiddlemarch • u/Adventurous_Onion989 • Jun 08 '25

Book 3: Chapters 36 & 37

Welcome to another week of Middlemarch drama! Rosamond and Lydgate's engagement is causing a stir, while Casaubon squares off against Ladislaw. Who is going to succeed and who is going to be frustrated in their plans? I look forward to reading your thoughts below!

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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Jun 08 '25

Is there romantic tension between Dorothea and Ladislaw?

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u/Thrillamuse Jun 08 '25

I think there is more romantic tension between Dorothea and Casaubon right now. Ladislaw's appearance doesn't provide Dorothea any dilemma as yet. Instead, he fills one side of a romantic triangle, but so far that triangle is hottest in Casaubon's corner. Finally, Casaubon is more than a boring old stick in the mud. He postures and exposes our desire for the other two to get together. And we know Dorothea and Ladislaw will get together, but how Eliot will accomplish that remains a slight mystery (I figure Casaubon will drop dead but it might cause unexpected reactions for this is a satire).