Rosamond and Lydgate are a recently married couple confronting financial difficulties. Lydgate is calm about the situation and has a plan about how to proceed. Unlike Lydgate , Rosamond is emotional and struggles to see Lydgate's plan. In the novel Middlemarch, by George Eliot, specific literary devices such as, symbolism, specific detail, and diction are used show how Lydgate's mature reasoning, coupled with Rosamond's foolish thoughts, do not complement each other, resulting in a strained and unfavorable relationship. George Elliot makes effective use of symbols to demonstrate the clash between Rosamond and Lydgate's ideas. She uses money as one of these symbols. Throughout the passage money is the root of their problems. Lydgate is cautious of his expenses, and has to convince his wife to give up on her lavish ideas. "[We] may recover it, but in the meantime we must pull up--we must change our way of living"(line 40-43). Rosamond, in contrast, overlooks money, not understanding its full value. This is why Rosamond is so quick to ask her father for money. Rosamond's father is another symbol. He shows how willing Rosamond is to take money. "'Have you not asked Papa for money?'"(line 1-2). Her philosophy starkly contrast with her husband, who does not want to accept any sort of charity: "I insist upon it that your father shall not know unless I choose to tell him." (line 10-11) Lastly, London is a symbol of Rosamond's impractical desires. Rosamond wants to go to London but has to be reminded that they need money to go anywhere. Rosamond has these fantasies, but no idea about how to accomplish them. This puts a strain on their relationship because Rosamond keeps expressing these desires that are impractical, so Lydgate has to tear down these fantasies. Their relationship is difficult because it resembles that of a father and daughter rather than husband and wife. Lydgate is thoughtful in his reasoning while Rosamond is impulsive. Aside from symbolism, Elliot also uses specific detail to show how Lydgate's insight and Rosamond's irrational thinking complicates their marriage . In the beginning of the passage, Rosamond is informed of their financial situation:" [R]eleasing her hands for Lydgate's to stand at two yards distance from him" (line 5). Eliot is careful to include how far they are separated. Two yards is an extremely long distance for two people to be having a conversation considering most conversations are only inches apart. This detail shows both a physical gap and idealistic gap between them. In this instance it there separation if their ideas is clearly shown.. Later on in the passage the author even shows Lydgate becoming aware of the contrast. "[I]magine fully what this sudden trial was to a young creature who had known nothing but indulgence" (line 23). The detail in this line specifically show how Lydgate is trying to imagine what she is going through. Lydgate understands that they are very different, so he is attempting to see things from her perspective to deflate the situation. Lydgate wants the relationship to work but their two completely different mindsets prevent this from happening. Diction is
