Upon the latest two chapters, my new question is "are Dodo and Rosamond feminists?"

Very interestingly, none of them sees marriage as a means to realize love. They are more likely to believe that marriage is a legitimate way through which they can approch their imaginary self-images. For Dodo, a nobel soul who is equipped with knowledge and ready to act. For Rosamond, a fine lady living happily with her high-rank relatives. Romance accounts for little in their decision. And once they decide, how quickly can they take actions. Rosamond endures Fred's fluke performance to have the chance to coincidently meet with Lydgate.

In this sense, it's not fair to say they lack calculation or autonomy. If they have the pinky tinted glasses to marriage, they might want to find a true love. Ironically, they also treat marriage as an adorment, just like men. With this passport, they can go anywhere they really want. Is this a passive-aggressive?

But at the same time, their judgement towards their well-chosen partners and marriage itself could be so wrong.

Their partners are not eager to play the part that the two young women have set for them. Mr. Casaubon shows least inclination to forster Dodo into a capable working partner. And if Lydgate is hunkering after social climing, the best profession for him might not be a provincial doctor in Middlemarch? I doubt whether himself has considered his relationships so thoroughly as Rosamond does. It seems evitable that the young women's hopes will be in vain.

And they do lack practice and experience in real life. It takes two in the marriage game, whether the women or the men like it or not. Also they seem to ignore the possibility that marriage could bite if people don't handle it well. Can anyone teach them such lessons about life and relationships? I guess everyone has to learn these things through painful practice. But the difference between men's practice and women's is the former has more opportunities to make mistakes in their times.

That's it. I guess I wouldn't call them femimists now because they haven't lived through and here my conclusion is emotionally neutral. For now they believe they've given their best shot. But life will unfold unexpectedly for everyone. Then we have to rethink and make our choice again.