Middlemarch (1872), a Classic Novel by George Eliot: Summary

George Eliot was born as Mary Ann Evans. The first one-volume edition was published in 1874, and sold well to an enthusiastic reading public. Even queen Victoria herself asked Eliot’s autograph for her collection and her son also adored Eliot. King Henry VII had read Middlemarch fifteen times in 1886.

Middlemarch is a melancholy book. Eliot is the great artist of disappointment. Her characters, even the good ones, are in despair life. In Middlemarch, Eliot did not concern with showing the effects of large, heroic acts, performed by extraordinary individuals. She was more concerned with changing her reader’s perspective than she was in encouraging the reader.

The 718-page was printed by Rohan Book Company in Delhi, India in 2004. There are numerous missed printed and punctuation errors. It takes 5 weeks to finish this novel. I get bored read it until page 70 but I give more try until page 160 – try on and on. Finally I can enjoy this book. George Eliot is brilliant novelist – this book is rich of qualified quotes and the book is also rich language.

Middlemarch (1872), a Classic Novel, George Eliot : Summary

Dorothea was the elder of sisters, was not yet twenty, and they had been both been educated, since they were about twelve years old and had lost their parents, on plans at once narrow and promiscuous, first in English family and afterwards in a Swiss family at Lausanne, their bachelor uncle and guardian trying in this way remedy the disadvantages of their orphaned condition. 

It was hardly a year since they had come to live at Tipton Grange with their uncle, a man nearly sixty, of acquiescent temper, miscellaneous opinions, and uncertain vote. Dorothea was regarded as a heiress, for not only had big money a year from her parents, but if Dorothea married and had a son, that son would inherit Mr. Brooke’s estate. A young lady was with some birth and fortune.

The rural opinion about the new young ladies, even among the cottagers, was generally in favor of Celia, as being so amiable and innocent-looking, while Miss Brooke’s large eyes seemed, like her religion, too unusual and striking. Poor Dorothea compared with her sister. Dorothea with all her eagerness to know the truth of life retained very childlike ideas about marriage. Those who approached Dorothea, thought prejudiced against her by this alarming hearsay, found that she had been a charm unaccountably reconcilable with it. She was open, ardent, and not in at least self-admiring. Sir James Chettam asked Mr. Brooke’s permission to make an offer of marriage to Dorothea. But Dodo preferred Sir. Edward Causabon.

Causabon was over five-and-forty and he was twenty seven years older than her. His income was good – he has handsome property independent of the Church. He was good match in some respects but his health was not over-strong. Dodo admired and honored him. Dodo had not the same tastes as every young lady; and clergyman and scholar-who may be bishop suited for her than Chettam. He was good man. Mr. Brooke’s mind felt blank to hear his niece’s decision. Dorothea trembled while she read the proposed letter from Edward Causabon. The scholar man introduced all his family members to Dodo including his cousin artist young Will Ladislaw.

A new young surgeon, Mr. Tertius Lydgate could not belong in Middlemarch without having that agreeable vision, or even without making the acquaintance of Vincy family. They were old manufacturers, had kept house for three generations, in which there had naturally been much intermarried with neighbors more or less decidedly genteel. Mrs. Vincy’s sister had been second wife to rich old Mr. Featherstone, and Mr. Vincy’s sister was a wife to the banker Mr. Bulstrode. Mr. Vincy’s children; Rosamond and his brother Fred Vincy were beautiful mortals in Middlemarch.

Doctor Tertius Lydgate married the most beautiful girl in Middlemarch. Lydgate married Rosamond while Fred approached a governess girl name Mary Garth. A girl nursed Fred’s uncle the rich old Peter Featherstone. Mary’s father was a property businessman and her mother governess too like her. Caleb Garth gave himself up entirely to the many kinds of work which he could do without capital. He did his work well, charged very little, and often declined the charge at all. It was no wonder then that the Garths were poor, they did not mind.

Fred was in huge debt Mr. Garth. Mr and he couldn’t pay it. His uncle Featherstone helped him. It was ashamed to the Vincys and sent his son to University. When Fred came back to Middlemarch, he still loved Mary but he had no skill for living. He worked and learned from Caleb Garth. After old Jew Peter Featherstone died, Mary went to girl school.

Newly wed Edward Causabon and his wife Dodo travelled to Rome, Edward had a sensitiveness to match his wife’s. Both were shocked at their mutual situation – the clash at the wedding journey. To Dorothea’s inexperienced sensitiveness, it seemed like a catastrophe, changing all prospects; and Mr. Causabon it was new pain. He never have been on a wedding journey before since this charming young bride not only obliged him to much consideration on her behalf, but turned out to be capable of agitating him cruelly just he need shooting.

Will Ladisaw was not aware that his second cousin and his wife in Rome, Dodo met him coincidentally. When Edward went to read in the Library at Vatican every day, his wife was comfortable with young Ladisaw. After several weeks in Rome, the new couple had returned to Middlemarch. Dodo had learned from Doctor Tertius Lydgate that there were no signs of change in Edward Causabon’s bodily condition beyond the mental sign of anxiety to know the truth about his illness. Will visited Edward but the old preacher chose not to speak to him. Edward Causabon was quite sure that Dorothea was the cause of Will’s returned from Rome. Edward was determined not to speak to his cousin and sent him a letter to stay away from his wife. Meanwhile Dorothea in sadness, her sister Celia married to James Chettam and had a baby. Causabon died and Dodo was childless rich widow in Middlemarch. He was shocked of the death.

Lydgate broke and had no estate. Lydgate moved to London. He had gained excellent practice alternating, according to the season. His skill was relied on many paying patient, but regarded himself as a failure. Lydgate’s hair never became white. He died when he was only fifty, leaving his wife and children provided for heavy insurance in his life.  Rosamond Vincy afterwards married an elderly and wealthy physician, who took kindly to her four children. She made very pretty show with her daughters, driving out in her carriage, and often spoke her happiness as “a reward”- she did not say for what, but probably she meant that it was a reward for her patience with Tertius, whose temper never became faultless, and to the last occasionally let slip a bitter speech which memorable than signs he made of his repentance.

Mary Garth and Fred Vincy achieved a solid mutual happiness. Fred surprised neighbors in various ways. He became practical farmer and produced a work which won him high congratulations at agriculture meeting. Fred never became rich – his hopefulness had not led him to expect that; but gradually saved enough to become owner of the stock and furniture, the work which his father in law put into his hands carried him in plenty those bad times which are always present with farmer.

Sir James Chettam never ceased to regard Dorothea’s second marriage as mistake and indeed this remained the tradition concerning it in Middlemarch where she spoke of to younger generation as a fine girl who married a sickly clergyman, old enough to be her father. In little more than year after his death gave up her estate to marry his cousin- young enough to be his son, with no property, and not well-born. Dorothea herself no dreams of being praise above another women. Still, she never repented that she had given a fortune to marry Will Ladisaw, and he would have held it the greatest shame as well as sorrow to him if she repented. They were bound to each other by a love stronger than any impulses which could have marred it.

Will became an ardent public man, working well in those times when reforms were begun with a young hopefulness of immediate good which has been checked in those days, and getting at last returned to Parliament by a constituency who paid his expenses. Mr. Brooke lived to a good old age, and his estate was inherited by Dorothea’s son, who might have represented Middlemarch. 


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11.05 p.m

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Sekapur Sirih

Masih samar di ingatan, saat belajar sastrawan periode Victorian, maka George Eliot salah satu di dalamnya. Dari namanya tentu terpikir, penulis Eliot pastilah pria. Dosen pengampu memberi sekilas biografi Eliot dan menjelaskan penulis menggunakan nama samaran pria. Mary Ann Evans, karyanya banyak dipengaruhi penulis wanita seperti Jane Austen dan Emily Bronte. Middlemarch bukan kisah keputusasaan melainkan sebuah cerita melankolis. Diterbitkan dan dinikmati publik pada tahun 1874. Buku tebal 718 halaman terbitan Rohan Book Company, Delhi India tahun 2004. Banyak didapati kesalahan cetak, edisi ini kurang cocok bagi pembaca yang tidak nyaman dengan cetakan yang terlalu rapat.

Ratu Victoria sendiri meminta tanda tangan Eliot untuk koleksinya dan begitu juga putranya King Henry VII merupakan fans berat Eliot, diakuinya dia membaca Middlemarch sebanyak lima belas kali pada tahun 1886. Buku fiksi ini dinobatkan sebagai salah satu dari seratus karya terlaris sepanjang jaman. 

Buku kenangan ketika berdomisili di Batavia dan beruntung sekali mendapati buku ini pada toko buku di daerah Matraman kala itu. Begitu melihat nama Elliot, pikiran senang, terbayang adalah suasana kelas ketika membahas Victorian: wajah teman-teman kuliah dan semangat pengampu, beliau adalah dosen bagus, terima kasih Bu. Ini merupakan pembacaan kedua kalinya, setelah sempat di baca Februari 2008 silam. Sewaktu membaca buku ini pertama kali adalah hal yang sangat sulit, mungkin karena bukan genre saya. Hingga pada halaman 70 masih tetap bosan, namun saya tetap mencoba dan mencoba hingga 160 halaman, dan tetap mengulang-ulang beberapa kali akhirnya mulai bisa menikmati dan memahami karya klasik ini.

Setelah akhirnya bisa menikmati novel ini, baru terasa bahwa benarlah George Eliot sangatlah cerdas dan novelis brilian. Beragam kutipan berkualitas dari para sastrawan pada jamannya dan sebelumnya dituangkan dalam novel ini. Karya yang kaya akan bahasa dan tentu saja akan sangat menarik bila kembali pada jaman yang diwakili. Bagi penggemar novel klasik bergenre melankolis dengan bahasa indah setting tahun 1870-an maka buku ini sangatlah tepat Anda miliki. 

Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Indonesia: The Middlemarch (1872) karya klasik dari George Eliot: sebuah ringkasan

Kisah drama melankolis kalangan bangsawan kaya  yang terjadi pada sebuah kota bernama Middlemarch. Belum berumur dua puluh tahun, Dorothea gadis pemberani dan cerdas memiliki cara tersendiri dalam menyikapi hidup. Dia  berbeda dengan gadis-gadis lain seumurannya. Bila dibandingkan dengan adiknya Celia Brooke, gadis cantik yang disenangi setiap lelaki; kelembutan, kecantikan dan cara berpakaian yang berkelas. Kedua gadis itu kini tinggal bersama pamannya Mr. Brooke, semenjak kematian kedua orang tua mereka. Keduanya berasal dari keluarga terpandang dan kaya begitu juga dengan pamannya.

Mr. Brooke telah berusia enam puluhan, namun menikah juga, kelak hartanya akan diwariskan pada putra Dorothea. Sir James Chettam seorang pengusaha menaruh hati pada Dorothea, sangat di luar dugaan karena orang-orang menyangka lelaki itu pasti suka si cantik Celia. Lamarannya pun diutarakan lewat pamannya, dia ingin meminang Dorothea. Gadis itu menolaknya dan berharap dilamar Edward Causabon. Dia lebih pada memilih seorang pendeta berumur kaya raya itu.

Pamannya sangat kecewa dengan pilihan Dodo. Walau Mr. Brooke sudah menjelaskan perbedaan usia dan kondisi Edward yang sudah sakit-sakitan, tapi keponakannya tetap berkeras hati. Edward Causabon sudah lebih layak jadi ayah bagi Dodo namun gadis itu melihat sisi berbeda dari pria terhormat itu. Dia sangat mengagumi dan menghormati lelaki cerdas itu. Tidak disangka, Edward melamarnya dalam sebuah surat yang romantis dan elegan. Pernikahan bahagia pun terjadi. Hanya dalam hitungan minggu, kesedihan bagi Dodo dan penderitaan bagi suaminya. Karakter lembut yang diinginkan Edward tapi tidak didapatkannya dari istri pandai dan kritis itu. Perseteruan pun terjadi masa bulan madu di Roma. Ketika Edward sibuk membaca setiap hari di perpustakaan Vatikan, secara tidak sengaja wanita belia itu bertemu Will Ladisaw, sepupu Edward, seorang seniman lukis.

Kekesalan Dodo pun tertumpahkan pada lelaki muda itu. Selama di Roma benih cinta pun muncul di antara mereka berdua. Jika Dodo berusaha mempertahankan janji sucinya namun darah muda Will sangat terlihat ingin memiliki istri sepupunya. Sepulang dari bulan madu Celia dan pamannya menyaksikan ketidakbahagiaan Dodo. Edward pun mulai jatuh sakit. Dia semakin marah dengan kepulangan sepupunya Will ke Middlemarch dan tinggal menetap di sekitarnya, Edward sangat yakin itu karena Dorothea. Kesedihan dalam diri Dodo bertolak belakang dengan kebahagian adiknya Celia. Wanita cantik itu menikah dengan Sir James Chettam, lelaki yang ditolak Dodo sebelumnya. Tidak lama kemudian Celia memiliki anak.

Tertius Lydgate seorang dokter muda baru saja diterima bekerja pada sebuah rumah sakit baru di Middlemarch. Nasibnya sangat ditentukan oleh keluarga kaya pengusaha Mr. Vincy. Bagaimana tidak, kalangan elit di kota itu pasti ada kaitannya dengan keluarga Vincy. Mereka adalah keluarga tua dan sudah beberapa generasi dan juga saling mengawini. Anggota keluarga Vincy juga sudah mengawini para tetangga sehingga hampir berkaitan satu sama lain. Bankir Bulstrode merupakan adik ipar Mr. Vincy dan kaya raya Peter Featherstone merupakan ipar istrinya. Putrinya Rosamond adalah gadis yang paling cantik di wilayahnya begitu juga dengan saudara lelakinya Fred. Keduanya dibesarkan dalam kekayaan dan dimanjakan.

Rosamond menyukai dokter muda itu dan mereka pun menikah sementara Fred masih hidup mengambang. Usahanya kurang bagus dan dia terlibat utang besar dengan Caleb Garth. Fred di lain sisi jatuh cinta pada putrinya Mary Garth, Mary sangat marah pada pemuda tampan itu karena memakai nama ayahnya dalam utang macetnya. Gadis itu bekerja di rumah si tua kaya Feathersotne, pamannya Fred. Mengetahui ayahnya terjebak hutang besar akibat pinjaman Fred yang mengatasnamakan ayahnya sulit bagi Mary menerima cinta lelaki tampan itu. Keluarga Vincy malu dan mengirim pemuda itu kuliah keagamaan di sebuah universitas.

Waktu pun berjalan, penyakit Edward Causabon makin parah. Walau sepupunya Will mengunjungi namun dia memutuskan tidak mau bicara dengan lelaki muda itu. Edward pun meninggal dan meninggalkan Dodo sebagai janda muda kaya. Will pun berusaha kembali mendekati Dodo namun rupanya wanita muda itu tidak mudah menerima cinta Will.

Masyarakat dapat merasakan perubahan Fred, kini dia menjadi petani dan menghasilkan  sebuah karya tulis tentang pertanian dan membuatnya menjadi pemenang pada pertemuan pertanian. Rupanya tidak sia-sia dia pernah kuliah. Mary Garth lulus sekolah dan menerima lamaran Fred. Dia menjadi ibu bagi anak-anak Fred dan menuliskan  buku anak-anak.

Lydgate bangkrut padahal istrinya Rosamond sudah biasa hidup mewah. Awalnya sangat sulit mengajak Rosamond untuk pindah ke London dan memulai hidup baru dan praktek di sana. Apalagi membiayai empat orang putri, pertengkaran dan di antara mereka pun tidak terhindarkan, namun mereka tetap bersama. Prakteknya di London juga kurang sukses. Dr. Lydgate meninggal dalam usia muda karena sakit. Rosamond akhirnya menikah dengan seorang orang kaya yang sudah tua. Kehidupannya dan keempat putrinya pun berubah. Dia merasa, kesetiaannya pada suaminya yang pas-pasan akhirnya berbuahkan hadiah.

Akhirnya Dodo luluh dan menerima kesungguhan cinta Will. Mereka saling mencintai, menikah, dan meninggalkan kota itu, berpindah ke London. Mereka memiliki putra dan Will akhirnya menjadi anggota parlemen. Dorothea menjadi cibiran dan sebaliknya mendapat pujian di kampungnya. Keteguhannya menikah dan merawat suami yang tua, seorang pendeta cerdas, dan menunggu setahun lebih baru menikah lagi. Bila suami pertamanya layak dipanggil sebagai ayah yang membawa harta melimpah padanya maka suami keduanya layak dipanggil sebagai putranya, yang tidak memiliki apa-apa dan dari keluarga tidak terpandang.


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Minggu, 10 April 2016, 23.05