Chapter 30 - Waiting for Death: Middlemarch Summary

TLDRIn Chapter 30 of Middlemarch, Cazabon recovers from a heart attack and Lydgate informs Dorothea that Cazabon could live for 15 or more years. Dorothea reads Will's letter to his cousin, in which he expresses his intention to make his own way in England. She asks her uncle to write to Will and discourage him from visiting. Mr. Brooke invites Will to Tipton Grange instead. In Chapter 31, Lydgate is asked by Mrs. Vincy to inform her husband that Featherstone's condition has worsened. When Lydgate delivers the message, he and Rosamund embrace and he proposes to her. In Chapter 32, the relatives of Mr. Featherstone expect to inherit money from him, but he refuses to leave them anything. In Chapter 33, Mary Garth worries that Fred will not receive any inheritance from Featherstone. Featherstone tries to bribe Mary into retrieving a will from his iron chest, but she refuses. Featherstone eventually dies, and Fred is present as a concerned visitor.

Key insights

📚Cazabon recovers from a heart attack and could live for 15 or more years.

✉️Dorothea reads Will's letter expressing his intention to make his own way in England.

💌Dorothea asks her uncle to discourage Will from visiting and invites him to Tipton Grange instead.

❤️💍Lydgate proposes to Rosamund after informing her of Featherstone's worsening condition.

💰💔Relatives of Mr. Featherstone expect to inherit money, but he refuses to leave them anything.

Q&A

What is Cazabon's health condition in Chapter 30?

—Cazabon recovers from a heart attack and could live for 15 or more years.

What does Will express in his letter?

—Will expresses his intention to make his own way in England.

Why does Dorothea ask her uncle to write to Will?

—Dorothea asks her uncle to discourage Will from visiting and invites him to Tipton Grange instead.

What happens between Lydgate and Rosamund in Chapter 31?

—Lydgate proposes to Rosamund after informing her of Featherstone's worsening condition.

What do the relatives of Mr. Featherstone expect?

—The relatives expect to inherit money from Mr. Featherstone, but he refuses to leave them anything.

Timestamped Summary

00:01Chapter 30: Cazabon recovers from a heart attack.

00:23Dorothea reads Will's letter expressing his intention to make his own way in England.

00:36Dorothea asks her uncle to write to Will and discourage him from visiting.

01:04Lydgate proposes to Rosamund after informing her of Featherstone's worsening condition.

01:26Relatives of Mr. Featherstone expect to inherit money, but he refuses to leave them anything.

01:56Mary Garth refuses Featherstone's bribe to retrieve a will from his iron chest.

02:03Featherstone dies and Fred Vincy is present as a concerned visitor.

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