The Wedding Theme in MiddlemarchOne of the central themes that runs through Middlemarch is that of marriage. Indeed, some have argued that Middlemarch could be interpreted as a treatise in favor of divorce. I don't think that's the case, although there are a number of obviously inappropriate marriages. If Elliot had intended to write about such a controversial subject, I believe she would not have resorted to veiling it in a novel. She illustrates the different stages of relationships that her characters go through, from courtship to marriage: A fellow mortal whose nature you only know through the brief entrances and exits of a few imaginative weeks called courtship, can, when he is seen in the continuity of marital companionship, will turn out to be something better or worse than you have preconceived, but will certainly not appear quite the same(193)It includes not only the new couples (Fred and Mary, Celia and Chettam), but also the oldest (the Garths, the Cadwalladers and the Bulstrodes), as well as the widowed (Dorothea). The marriage that would seem most in need of divorce, that between Dorothea and Casaubon, would, ironically, be the one that would last the longest. if divorce had been possible. Dorothy did not want, and could not even divorce Casaubon because of his honesty and the strength of his idealism. Despite the fact that Casaubon is clearly unfit, she continues with the marriage. We can say that Dorothea represents the antithesis of Casaubon, where he is cold and severe, she is warm and friendly. Indeed, they are represented in clearly different ways: Dorothy represents light and life, while Casaubon represents darkness and death. ...... middle of paper ...... similar circumstances (An example of this is the comparison between the reactions of Rosamond and Mrs. Bulstrode when they learn of their husbands' disgrace). This desire to analyze and compare probably comes from his studies in natural sciences and psychology. I don't believe that Elliot's position is for or against marriage - it is, in my opinion, equally for or against certain characters. The marriages described in Middlemarch are of such a different and varied composition that no general rule can be drawn from them. Works cited and consulted Carroll, David (editor). George Eliot Middlemarch. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. Drabble, Margaret. Introduction. Mid walk. By George Elliot. New York: Bantam, 1985. vii-xvii. Pangallo, Karen L. The Critical Response to George Eliot. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994.