Dorothea Brooke (Juliet Aubrey) marries ageing scholar, Edward Casaubon (Patrick Malahide) with the intention of supporting his great intellectual endeavours. But Casaubon resists her help and dies without completing his opus and places conditions upon her inheritance that prove a burden to Dorothea – he will disinherit her from the grave if she ever marries his cousin, the artist Will Ladislaw (Rufus Sewell).
Meanwhile, Dr Tertius Lydgate (Douglas Hodge) is put in charge of the fever hospital in Middlemarch and falls in love with town beauty Rosamond Vincy (Trevyn McDowell). They marry and are very happy together – but his new bride is extravagant and their financial position deteriorates to the point where many of their furnishings are repossessed.
Other smaller plots interweave the main stories and lead to reconciliation, resignation, remuneration, and resolution.
This BBC series was adapted from the classic George Eliot novel of the same name.
Dorothea Brooke
Juliet Aubrey Dr Tertius Lydgate
Douglas Hodge Rosamond Vincy
Trevyn McDowell Will Ladislaw
Rufus Sewell Nicholas Bulstrode
Peter Jeffrey Fred Vincy
Jonathan Firth Arthur Brooke
Robert Hardy Rev. Edward Casaubon
Patrick Malahide Sir James Chettam
Julian Wadham Mr Hawley
Colum Convey Rev. Farebrother
Simon Chandler Mayor Vincy
Stephen Moore Mrs Bulstrode
Rosemary Martin Celia Brooke
Caroline Harker Caleb Garth
Clive Russell Mr Standish
Ronald Hines Mary Garth
Rachel Power Lady Chettam
Mary Hanefey Mrs Cadwallader
Elizabeth Spriggs Mrs Vincy
Jacqueline Tong Dr Wrench
James Garbutt Mrs Plymdale
Patti Love Peter Featherstone
Michael Hordern Pritchard
Cheryl Fergison Pratt
Roger Milner Mrs Garth
Gabrielle Lloyd Voice of George Eliot
Judi Dench
