The story deepens as the contrast between generations and their values becomes apparent. Dorothea discovers the stark reality of her marriage, as Casaubon’s cold and controlling nature clashes with her idealism. Tertius Lydgate, a progressive young doctor, arrives in Middlemarch, bringing new medical ideas and facing skepticism from the conservative town. Rosamond Vincy, a young woman driven by ambition and vanity, sets her sights on Lydgate as a way to elevate her social status. The relationships and ambitions of the younger generation come into focus, highlighting tensions between tradition and progress. Financial struggles and personal conflicts emerge as central themes. The narrative explores the societal constraints on individual freedom and ambition.

BOOK II. OLD AND YOUNG.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXII.