MovieChat Forums > Middlemarch (1994) Discussion > Scary Cassaubon

Scary Cassaubon

posted 18 years ago by Oaky93
7 replies | jump to latest

I don't know about you but I thought that Cassaubon was one scary man!!!

I want to know your opinion on the matter.

Because Cassaucon is

[–] Circles90 18 years ago

Well, firstly I think that the way he looks (pale and sickly) has got something to do with the scary impression he gives us.

Other than that, I think his angry outbursts at Dorothea were slightly scary but I wouldn't say he was terrifying. He was more creepy than scary.

Why do you think he is scary breen93? You may want to know our opinion on the matter but you haven't really given yours.....

Because Cassaucon is

As far as I know, his name is Cassaubon.

[–] MoonsofJupiter 18 years ago

I never found Casaubon scary. He's pathetic. He spent his life doing useless research and maintaining a facade of serious scholarship. When he finally marries he doesn't have a clue about how to treat his wife and ruins that chance for happiness.

He hates Mr. Ladislaw not only because he's jealous of Dorothea's affection for him; he also hates him because Mr. Ladislaw knows he's a fraud.

Then he dies without ever having his work published, and against his wishes Dorothea goes ahead an marries the guy he hates.

Sad life.

(Just a note about his appearance: if you can find pictures of the actor as a young man, he was quite decent-looking. I thought that was interesting.)

[–] Oaky93 18 years ago

Yes, when you look at it from that perspective, it is sad but I'm afraid he still scares me. So it seems a hopeless case...

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] fanaticita 17 years ago

I thought he was a pathetic character also. However, I wonder if he really was a fraud. He seemed to have been serious about his studies, but perhaps he thought that would bring him some status in society and kept up the illusion not because he was evil, but because he was lost in many ways. Who knows what his past was? He might have been raised in an unloving household where scholarship was highly esteemed. So, he ends up in a marriage where he is unable to express his feelings, and unable to accomplish his scholarly aim because he just wasn't scholarly! So sad.

[–] Sofistali 12 years ago

I wouldn't call him a fraud. It's just that he worked in complete isolation, without finding out what other scholars were publishing outside of England. It's why universities today make young scholars start out by reading as much as possible of what has already been covered, so you "don't end up re-inventing the wheel," as they so often say.

He was also extremely touchy, not wanting to expose his work to criticism. That is hard, but you don't learn anything if you are so closed off.

[–] catrionalowe84 17 years ago

I've said some of this on another thread, but never mind, I don't mind giving my opinion more than once! Casaubon's physical appearance was slightly creepy, but we shouldn't judge by appearances. (Sorry, that sounds a bit priggish!) I'm sure he had some kind of affection for Dorothea deep down, but they shouldn't have married - his work & research was always going to come first. I felt sorry for him at first, but I was shocked when he banned Will from coming to visit Dorothea, & I was FURIOUS when his will said Dorothea would forfeit everything if she married Will.

Scary, though? Well, a bit, I think. I wouldn't have expected him to suspect something between Will & Dorothea, I would've thought he'd be too engrossed in his work for anything else. That scared me a bit. I dread to think what he might've done regarding Will & Dorothea if he'd lived longer!

Catriona x

"Fate shuffles the cards and we play" (Schopenhauer)