And Casaubon had done a wrong to Dorothea in marrying her. A man was bound to know himself better than that, and if he chose to grow grey crunching bones in a cavern, he had no business to be luring a girl into his companionship. 'It is the most horrible of virgin sacrifices,' said Will; and he painted to himself what were Dorothea's inward sorrows as if he had been writing a choric wail.
In George Eliot's "Middlemarch," Will reflects on the unfairness of Casaubon's marriage to Dorothea. He believes that a man should have a deeper understanding of himself and his limitations. Casaubon, by marrying a young and vibrant woman, essentially traps her in a life that he knows will be filled with unhappiness since he is not capable of providing the companionship and vitality she deserves.
Will describes the marriage as a concerning sacrifice of innocence, emphasizing the emotional pain Dorothea endures. His thoughts present a vivid image of her internal struggles, highlighting the contrast between her youthful spirit and Casaubon’s declining vitality. Will's empathy toward her situation reveals the tragic nature of their relationship and the consequences of a misguided union.
