Middlemarch Quotes - Who Said It? Quiz

Answer: Dorothea

Dorothea says this to Celia when they are dividing the contents of their mother's jewelry boxes. Dorothea refuses to wear a cross as a trinket, but superiorly suggests that Celia may wear it without being wicked. This is one of the very few incidents in which the character Dorothea is insensitive to anyone.

She has a few other uncomfortable moments rebuffing the failed suitor Sir James - and then spends the rest of the novel as kind as a boxload of Virgin Marys.

Answer: Mrs. Cadwallader

Mrs. Cadwallader is interrupting a conversation between the disgruntled Sir James and her husband Mr. Cadwallader. Sir James is trying to gain the Rector's support in opposing Dorothea's marriage -on the grounds that she is too young and Casaubon is, well, exceptionable. Mr. Cadwallader is too amiable to be upset by the marriage, and he refuses to join in as Mrs. Cadwallader and Sir James merrily pick apart Casaubon's outrageously boring character:

"He has got no good red blood in his body," said Sir James.

"No. Somebody put a drop under a magnifying glass, and it was all semi-colons and parentheses," said Mrs. Cadwallader.

Answer: Mr. Vincy

This is said by Mr. Vincy to Mr. Bulstrode when Mr. Vincy is requesting a letter of confidence for his son Fred. Mr. Bulstrode is the sort of person who enjoys other people's discomfort (in an annoying religious sort of way) and he has just spent several minutes admonishing Mr. Vincy. Mr. Vincy finally has enough and loses his temper, unleashing a very fine stream of words that knock Mr. Bulstrode off his high horse. Very satisfying.

Answer: Mary Garth

Mary Garth says this to Fred Vincy, the wastrel, when he provokes her by saying, "When a man is not loved, it is no use for him to say that he could be a better fellow - could do anything - I mean, if he were sure of being loved in return."
Mary loves Fred, but she absolutely has no time for his whining. "On the contrary, I think it would be wicked in me to marry you even if I did love you." She refuses to give him any hope at all until he shapes up. Good for her!

Answer: Mrs. Farebrother

Mrs. Farebrother's way of speaking is rather oracular, even on the most small occasions. She has barely been introduced to Mr. Lydgate, before she launches into a diatribe of assertions. Her son Camden is Reverend Farebrother, a rather relaxed cleric, who muses aloud, "My mother is like old George the Third...she objects to metaphysics."

Answer: Rosamond Vincy

Rosamond is the best flirt of the whole novel. This quote happens when she is ensnaring Lydgate, which is a really beautifully designed (by Rosamond) courtship. Their marriage however is dreadful - as Rosamond emerges as a monster of selfishness, and Lydgate as a man incapable of opposing her.

Answer: Tantripp

Okay, this one is obscure. Tantripp is Dorothea's personal maid who has an active contempt for Casaubon, who has made Dorothea's life so tense. Tantripp makes this statement to Pratt, Casaubon's butler, just before Casaubon dies in the Yew-Tree walk. Which is pretty creepy.

Answer: John Raffles

Raffles is thoroughly deplorable, and just the sort of man to hold incriminating evidence against a man like Bulstrode who wants very much to forget his dishonest past. He is enjoying the torture of Bulstrode in this part of the novel, and it's here that the reader (at least I did) begins to feel some sympathy for Bulstrode.

Answer: Mr. Garth

Caleb Garth says very little unless he is trying to support some noble action - in this case a plan to help Fred Vincy.

Answer: Dorothea

Dorothea says this in defense of Lydgate, who, let's face it - looked pretty guilty. It is in line with another of her best quotes, when she is defending Will Ladislaw, "..people may really have in them some vocation which is not quite plain to themselves, may they not? They may seem weak and idle because they are growing. We should be very patient with each other, I think." I just love that one.