George Eliot's novel Middlemarch offers the reader valuable insight into the lives of different women in the first half of 19th-century provincial England. The novel gives its readers a good sense of how people interact with and are formed by society, but it also offers a fairly detailed study of the inherent qualities of certain characters and their impact on interactions with d other people and on the formation of the role of the protagonists in life. This article focuses on the four young women who can marry: Dorothea and Celia Brooke, Rosamond Vincy and Mary Garth. Although Dorothea is often the center of attention, Eliot provides his readers with sufficient information about the four women and allows an assessment of their characters and lifestyles to be made. Due to differences in character, ambitions, actions and of course different positions in society, the roles of these four women vary greatly. In addition, during the novel, various difficult situations bring out character traits that do not correspond to the external image of these women. I will attempt to incorporate both the characteristics of women in times of peace as well as their characteristics in times of crisis in the study of their character. All four characters seem to have preconceived ideas about how they should act and most of their actions stem from these preconceived ideas. I will argue that all four women behave according to a role stereotype and that they choose to conform to it voluntarily. With the exception of Celia, who does not have to endure any hardship, the four women are considerably tested by their fate and the fact of having a stereotypical role seems to give them a protective shell. This article focuses on the question of how they maintain their respective stereotypes and how all these stereotypes adhere, if only in certain aspects, to the ideal of the Angel of the House. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In the following analysis, the influence of society on how the four women adhere to their respective role stereotypes is of secondary importance, with the exception of the primary influence of class, which determines their position in society. Of course, aspects of beauty and the perception of women as beautiful or simple are strongly linked to society; however, it will be discussed here only from the women's point of view. Another important question is what this fictional reality represents and how it is represented (and for what reason). Especially for feminist critics, who have praised Eliot for her critique of the patriarchal system, Eliot's depiction of women who are not independent in spirit and actions as she herself was seems puzzling (Langland 184). However, in her book Nobody's Angels, Elizabeth Langland argues that such a depiction is a manifestation of Eliot's desire to capture an "essential truth (187)". She does so by “highlighting…the invisibility of women in the larger social world of genteel 19th-century society…(Newman 96).” Below I will try to show how women contribute to this by staying within restricted areas of action. The most immediately apparent and best respected female stereotype is that assumed by Celia Brooke. For her, being a housewife and mother comes naturally and is her greatest wish. In addition to having a good starting position, being of good birth, she also cares about her appearance; her dress “[has] a nuance of coquetry in its arrangements (Eliot 5).”The fact that she is described as having more "common sense" than her educated sister also indicates that she is a perfect specimen of a beautiful Victorian woman. Although she seems to think highly of her sister, she is also well aware that her own perception of what is right for a woman of her social status is better and more pragmatic, as shown in the jewelry scene. She is "hurt" by her sister's "assumption of superiority (Eliot 10)" that she, Celia, would be interested in jewelry, while Dorothea's mind is above such things, but she watches also carefully her sister, because she almost expects “that her sister [will show] some weakness (Eliot 11). Even Celia's bodily functions seem to adhere to her role, as she has a color, or rather a blushing "code" that accompanies her verbal reactions. When she wants to tell her sister that she is engaged to Sir James, "[her] color changes again and again (Eliot 229)" and Dorothea concludes that this kind of blush "must mean more than what Celia usually blushes. ] (Eliot 229). “Celia has a very good knowledge of what is good for a good woman to do and what is not, but knowledge of appropriate behavior is not everything. She also seems to fit perfectly into the stereotype she has chosen for herself in her beliefs. Her choice of husband seems to be based on her belief that he is a suitable partner rather than love and her perfect interpretation of the stereotype of the good Victorian wife makes her the perfect wife for Chettam. Even when Eliot first writes that Chettam realizes that he might also love young Miss Brooke, she subtly indicates Celia's strong awareness of proper etiquette, as Eliot writes that "[a]far from her sister, Celia spoke quite easily (18)” to Mr. James. This seems to indicate that while Dorothea is there, Celia lets her speak to Sir James, as she knows of his interest in Dorothea. She only begins to consider him a good match for herself after Dorothea's marriage. Other examples that prove how much Celia fits into her stereotype are when she expresses her husband's opinion on something instead of saying "I think." For example: “[how] can you marry Ladislaw…?” » This terribly shocks James (Eliot 674). The idea that male opinions are worth more and that man is supposed to carry out big projects and bring about change in society is also expressed when Celia jokingly tells Dorothea that perhaps Arthur, Celia's son, will continue to make big plans like Dorothea once wanted to do. design (Williams Elliott 195). Here, Celia does not console her sister by telling her that perhaps she herself will one day be able to realize her dream, but assumes that a man can do it better. All of these examples show that Celia not only follows the Victorian "rules" of good female behavior, but she is also very content to do so and does not even consider the possibility of thinking differently. The quality of Rosamond is his refinement. His manners and appearance are perfectly graceful and polite. All this makes her the perfect ornamental wife, who many people consider a perfect woman. However, all these achievements also demonstrate a high degree of artificiality. The role chosen by Rosamond is that of a woman who “even plays her own character, and so well, that she does not know that it is precisely hers (Eliot 97)”. The fact that she only takes on this role is precisely the problem. Unlike Celia Brooke, who is warm and loving on the inside while being a flawless woman on the outside, Rosamond is selfish and driven only by her desireto climb the social ladder and be admired by people for her beauty and wealth. . As Elizabeth Langland writes, “Rosamond… is depicted as armored in a harsh social shell that protects the blind selfishness of a vulnerable self (Langland 189). » The use of this protective “armor” goes so far that Rosamond is completely unable to resolve her financial problems. Her qualities as a perfect wife are only superficial, just like her superior musical talent which is not really her, but the "captured way of playing" from her teacher, Rosamond's qualities are only assumed and superficial. Rosamond, however, is fully convinced that "outward behavior constitutes the person (Langland 189)" and that, therefore, her refined manners mean that everything she does is right and will ultimately allow her to achieve high social status. As Langland points out, “Rosamond views society as a support for her quest (188)” and therefore adopts the manner of charming society. What Rosamond fails to consider are the effects of her actions, particularly her tendency to spend too much money. Rosamond's decision to marry Lydgate is again based, like many of her actions, on the stereotype she adheres to. She evaluates her situation and knows that she can escape her lower social class by using her beauty and refinement to her advantage. When she learns that Lydgate is of considerably high birth, she immediately considers him a good match. Additionally, she thinks he will “increase the practice (Eliot 291),” as she tells her father, and that he will be able to use his position for social media. After her marriage, Rosamond took on a strongly passive role. Not only does she pay no attention to her husband's aspirations ("Do you know, Tertius, I often wish you weren't a doctor. [...] And your Quallingham cousins ​​all think you've fallen below of them in your choice of profession (Eliot 377)") and its problems, Langland also emphasizes his passivity in the face of his own objective: that of achieving a higher social rank (Langland 192). In order to achieve social advancement, Rosamond would have to be much more socially active than she is; she should make many social calls and not accept so many social calls from Ladislaw because it might put her reputation in danger (Langland 192). An interesting fact about Rosamond, which may explain her passivity, is that her adaptation to the stereotype she has chosen goes so far that in moments when she is not prepared for what she encounters, she is completely different. There are two instances where Eliot depicts a different Rosemonde. The most memorable is probably the conversation between her and Dorothea in chap. 81. However, there is another moment when emotions let Rosamond forget her game and allow her to appear natural and vulnerable. She is "rendered nervous by her struggle between mortification and the desire not to betray her (Eliot 249)", Lydgate sees "a certain helpless quiver (249)" in her eyes and "[t]his moment of naturalness [is ] the crystallizing touch of feathers [which transforms] flirtation into love (249).” The fact that Rosamond appears vulnerable proves that she is using her stereotypical "perfect Victorian lady" behavior as a protective shield. When Lydgate falls in love with her, she naturally assumes that he will be the one to protect her, provide for her, and think for her. Her stereotypical behavior is consistent with what was expected of a young woman like Rosamond at the time. Mary is the opposite of the selfish Rosamond (Paris 83). She also categorically opposes all the carefree, careless, reckless, or shameless characters in the novel. Mary is satisfied with her classsocial, because she has come to accept it. From her earliest childhood, she had been taught that girls like her (“terrible plain”, poor, of not very high birth) should not expect much from life. Over the years, Mary even seems to have developed a slight bitterness and a certain sarcasm (Paris 84). When Rosamond tries to reassure Mary, who considers herself “a brown spot (Eliot 93)” next to Rosamond, by telling her that “[b]eauty matters very little in reality (93),” Mary responds “ sardonically.” (93) » that Rosemonde must speak only of Mary's beauty, since she knows very well how important Rosemonde's beauty is. Mary confines herself to the restrictions of her class and does not wish to become a social climber. Thanks to this complacent role, “she is less vulnerable to frustration and less likely to be destructive toward others (Paris 83). » His pragmatic approach to life and its problems, however, seems to be the key to his happiness. Mary's chosen stereotype is also that of a young woman who has strict standards and principles. These principles help him to take a rather active part in Fred's life. When she tells him that she could never marry a man as carefree and indifferent as him, she indirectly contributes to the improvement of Fred's character. It must be emphasized here once again that Mary, like all the women of Middlemarch, respects the rules dictated by the stereotype she chooses for herself. She participates in Fred's recovery journey from carefree youth to responsible young man, but she does not actively participate in it (Langland 203). Instead, she waits for fate to take its turn, knowing that in the long run it could harm her. However, this behavior also reinforces the impression that Mary does not want to use Fred's love for her to achieve higher social status. She proves it several times. For example, she tells Mr. Farebrother that she thinks "Fred has enough common sense and knowledge to make him respectable, if he wishes...[but] to be ecclesiastical would only be for the good of the nobility, and I think there is nothing more contemptible than such imbecile kindness (Eliot 426). Mary does not care about herself or her possibilities for respect and higher status, but about Fred's life and his happiness, which, as she believes and as he proved by abandoning his studies he was never able to find while being a member of the clergy. protectively in the sense that it helps her achieve happiness and contentment as well as avoid having to work as a governess to earn a living. We can see that Mary actively chooses this stereotype by the fact that she prefers to stay with the irritable and ungrateful old Mr. Featherstone, who treats her as he would treat any maid. Her other option would be to leave and work as a governess, which she hates and feels absolutely unfit for. Paris claims that this is partly due to the fact that being a governess would be a step backwards from her current position (88 f.), which does not correspond to the fact that she resists any other possibility of social advancement (marrying Farebrother or push Fred to become a clergyman, which would elevate her own status if she married him). Furthermore, Paris suggests that Mary's resistance to working as a governess can be explained by her desire to stay at home rather than leave and have to live alone (Paris 88f.). Paris attributes this to Mary's desire for stability in life, which he sees rooted in the fact that growing up she had to endure the trauma of being inferior to her peers in terms of appearance, status, and wealth. (Paris 87). It is interesting to compare Mary and Rosamond, because they take a seriesdecisions and take several completely opposite actions. Since Mary grew up in a family that was never wealthy, she is used to thinking about financial problems and possible solutions. Rosamond, on the other hand, “had not yet been troubled about ways and means, although her domestic life had been costly and eventful (Eliot 477).” While Mary's first reaction when her father tells her he needs money to pay Fred's debt is to give him his own savings, Rosamond asks Lydgate "What can I do [...]?" (Eliot 489),” instead of asking “what can I do?” Rosamond's immediate idea is to ask her father or any other relative for money, while Mary's pride (and that of her family) would not permit such a thing. Mary's strict principles, pride and common sense forbid her from responding to Fred's feelings when he is in debt and thus perhaps helping to direct him on the right path, which ultimately leads to a pleasant life together . Rosamond's pride, however, is based simply on outward appearance and manners and does not prohibit her from asking Lydgate's relative for money, which shames Lydgate. Rosamond's reckless conduct, spending habits, and disregard for her husband's wishes and feelings lead to an unhappy marriage and contribute to Lydgate's ruin. Therefore, in the end, it is the simple and poor Mary, who had incredibly worse starting conditions, who achieves happiness, while Rosamond, to whom nature and her relatively wealthy family granted every possible advantage , lives in an unhappy marriage and never achieves her primary goal of being a woman that others view as an important member of society. Dorothea seems to be the most free-spirited of the women, but also strongly constructs her personality. Initially, she is a young woman who wishes to rise above others by being more intelligent and less concerned about everyday things ("the destinies of humanity, seen in the light of Christianity, revealed to her the concerns of women's fashion as an occupation' for Bedlam (Eliot 6)). This quote and others show that Dorothea's ideal is directed against the general opinion of what is feminine and how women should behave. However, she chooses a feminine stereotype by marrying Casaubon. Before marrying him, she hatches big plans to ease the burden of the poor and she seems to truly believe in his cause. In everyday life, pragmatic things don't seem to be enough for her, as she strives to elevate herself above others through matters of "higher" value. By marrying Casaubon, she seeks to help a man she believes to be formidable to accomplish his great work. However, as ironic as it may seem, Dorothea ends up trapped in the prison of typical femininity of the time. She is denied participation in the completion of Casaubon's work and becomes increasingly unhappy and bored. Interestingly, the situation in her married life echoes a situation where Sir James Chettam gives her a Maltese lapdog, a very fashionable breed among women of higher social standing (Eliot 24). Dorothea refuses the gift, saying, “It pains me to see these creatures raised solely as pets. […] I believe that all the caresses we give them do not make them happy. They are too helpless: their life is too fragile. A weasel or a mouse earning a living is more interesting. (Eliot 24) Dorothea's comment about the dog seems to apply to her life with Casaubon. Just like the lapdog, she's not content with the fact that he thinks she's a nice young lady and just likethe existence of the lapdog, his is filled with passivity and boredom. This passivity, as Langland points out, does not disappear after Casaubon's death. According to Langland, Dorothea seems to sit in Lowick most of the time (Langland 192f.). Furthermore, Eliot seems to minimize Dorothea's existence by describing the errands she takes around town as "little" ("little" is joined by other adjectives that demean the lives of Dorothea and the other women), which seems to indicate that Dorothea's importance is marginal (Langland 193). The fact that Dorothea is wealthy, influential, and intelligent enough to be able to act differently indicates that she is once again the one confining her to stereotypical feminine passivity. Williams Elliott states that "the philanthropic heroine was destined to fail (Williams Elliott 190)", since George Eliot wanted to show as real a picture as possible of 19th-century provincial England and having grand plans for reform was considered as unfeminine (Williams Elliott 196). . Furthermore, she points out, Dorothea is dissuaded from carrying out her plan to build a village with an industrial school by men, namely Mr. Brooke and Sir James (Williams Elliott 196). Since Dorothea does not act against this, she chooses not to “step out of her place as a woman (Williams Elliott 196).” Not only does Dorothea not object to being patronized by her uncle and brother-in-law, but she betrays her. completely her initial ideals by slowly transforming into a stereotypical romantic heroine whose desire to follow her heart's desire is stronger than reason. By marrying Ladislaw, she chooses to give up her fortune, which already puts her in a position where she can help less (and therefore achieve less of her initial ambitions). Furthermore, she voluntarily limits herself, out of love and desire for Ladislaw, to a life in which she is the weaker part. She helps, as described in the Finale, Ladislaw in his political career, but it is not a great contribution and it reduces Dorothea to a simple supporting role, when she could have occupied a leadership position supervising the work on its housing projects. .An important issue is Dorothea's desire to do good no matter what. In a conversation with Will, Dorothea speaks passionately about her wish to contribute to a greater good and "power against evil." She says she is aware of her insignificance, but she believes that "...in desiring what is perfectly good, even if we do not really know what it is and cannot do what we would like, we are part of divine power against evil. … (Eliot 323). This, she asserts, “is [her] life,” from which she “cannot separate herself (Eliot 323).” Williams Elliott observes that, ultimately, Dorothea is still a person who is passionate about creating better living conditions. However, she adds, she limits herself to a lesser role, she abandons her big ideas and becomes the "woman behind a man" who helps Ladislaw contribute to the greater good (Williams Elliott 199). This position is not active, but I would still say it is better than Dorothea's initial position, in which she seemed to be wrong about what this "higher cause" is. Her becoming a more stereotypical Victorian goodwoman helps Dorothea recognize that she can contribute to a greater good by doing rather insignificant things. All four women need their respective shells of stereotypes to provide a protective layer over their lives and actions. Celia is sure that adhering to the stereotype of the good housewife and mother who leaves the care to men guarantees her a very respectable social position, a happy and rich existence with a good husband and., 2002.