Social and Spiritual Energy in Middlemarch I don't think it's enough to say that Middlemarch explores the ways in which social and spiritual energy can be frustrated; it would be more appropriate to say that Middlemarch explores the ways in which social and spiritual energies (ideals if you will) are completely destroyed and perverted. One need only look at Lydgate to see an example of idealism destroyed by the environment in which he finds himself. At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to Doctor Lydgate, "young, poor and ambitious", and above all idealistic, who has big plans for the Middlemarch fever hospital. Throughout the novel, however, we see his plans thwarted by the designs of others, but mainly by the hypocritical desires of Nicholas Bulstrode. The second example of the idealism of the young destroyed by the old is that of Dorothy. This can be seen by his continued desire to "bear a greater share of the world's misery" or to learn Latin and Greek, both of which are continually thwarted by Casaubon, although this ends after his death, with his discovery of his selfishness and distrust. nature, through the codicil. The character whose ambitions and ideals are most obviously lowered is Lydgate. The first example is where he has to make a choice between Fairbrother and Tyke. Both of these characters are rather poor examples of clergy (Fairbrother because of his acting, and Tyke because of his rather lazy attitude). Our sympathies are clearly with Fairbrother for a number of reasons; he does not play because he wants to, but because the salary he receives from managing his parish alone is too small to meet his needs and those of the various members of his family who depend on him. Lydgate must make a choice between someone he loves as a person (Fairbrother) and someone whose help he needs (Bulstrode). It is clear that Lydgate is very much like Fairbrother in many ways; both are scientists and both have high hopes for the future. So it would seem that Lydgate would automatically support Fairbrother. However, Bulstrode uses his money and influence to ensure Tyke's success. Bulstrode is another example of a character who had his idealism destroyed, but not by Middlemarch..