Middlemarch

Middlemarch

by

George Eliot

Will Ladislaw is Casaubon’s young cousin. A romantic and earnest idealist, he is descended from two generations of rebellious women: his paternal grandmother Julia married a poor Polish musician, causing her wealthy family to abandon her, while his mother Sarah ran away from her family after she found out their pawnbroking business was based on theft and instead pursued a career as an actress. Will inherited this rebellious spirit; however, despite his passionate nature and engagement with politics, he can be restless and struggles to commit himself to pursuits that don’t “come easily.” Although he is reluctant to admit it, Ladislaw comes to live in Middlemarch in order to be near Dorothea, who at the time is still married to Casaubon. Mr. Brooke hires him to edit the Pioneer, and Will devotes himself to pushing the issue of electoral reform. After Casaubon dies and Will and Dorothea marry, they move to London and Will pursues a successful political career as a “public figure.”

Will Ladislaw Quotes in Middlemarch

The Middlemarch quotes below are all either spoken by Will Ladislaw or refer to Will Ladislaw. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Women and Gender Theme Icon
).
Book 6, Chapter 54 Quotes

“I never felt it a misfortune to have nothing till now,” he said. “But poverty may be as bad as leprosy, if it divides us from what we most care for.”

Related Characters: Will Ladislaw (speaker), Dorothea Brooke
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 544
Explanation and Analysis:
Finale Quotes

Many who knew her, thought it a pity that so substantive and rare a creature should have been absorbed into the life of another, and be only known in a certain circle as a wife and mother. But no one stated exactly what else that was in her power she ought rather to have done - not even Sir James Chettam, who went no further than the negative prescription that she ought not to have married Will Ladislaw.

Related Characters: Dorothea Brooke, Sir James Chettam, Will Ladislaw
Page Number: 836
Explanation and Analysis:
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Will Ladislaw Quotes in Middlemarch

The Middlemarch quotes below are all either spoken by Will Ladislaw or refer to Will Ladislaw. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Women and Gender Theme Icon
).
Book 6, Chapter 54 Quotes

“I never felt it a misfortune to have nothing till now,” he said. “But poverty may be as bad as leprosy, if it divides us from what we most care for.”

Related Characters: Will Ladislaw (speaker), Dorothea Brooke
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 544
Explanation and Analysis:
Finale Quotes

Many who knew her, thought it a pity that so substantive and rare a creature should have been absorbed into the life of another, and be only known in a certain circle as a wife and mother. But no one stated exactly what else that was in her power she ought rather to have done - not even Sir James Chettam, who went no further than the negative prescription that she ought not to have married Will Ladislaw.

Related Characters: Dorothea Brooke, Sir James Chettam, Will Ladislaw
Page Number: 836
Explanation and Analysis: