Middlemarch

"Character is not cut in marble - it is not something solid and unalterable. It is something living and changing, and may become diseased as our bodies do."

- George Eliot, Middlemarch

Middlemarch (1871-1872) by George Eliot tells the story of an ardent and bright woman, Dorothea Brooke. After moving to the town of Middlemarch, she marries a middle-aged clergyman, Edward Casaubon, thinking that he will help her grow spiritually and intellectually. To her disappointment, Casaubon's ideas turn out to be outdated and do her no good. Meanwhile, she befriends his young cousin, Will Ladislaw. Ladislaw falls in love with Dorothea but tries to remain distant from her. Nonetheless, Casaubon becomes extremely jealous and insecure. Not long after, Casaubon dies, leaving behind a will. According to the will, if Dorothea ever marries Ladislaw, she will lose Casaubon's wealth and estate. Despite the threat of losing everything, Dorothea and Ladislaw cannot help but love each other and eventually marry each other.