“And how should Dorothea not marry?”

The opening chapter of Middlemarch asks a rhetorical question which introduces the thematic preoccupation with marriage. Though the characters view their potential marriages as positive, the idea is expressed in a negative way, asking how "should Dorothea not marry" (8), rather than how she should marry. The ensuing marriage to Casaubon answers this question, showing the audience the consequences of a bad marriage and the misery that follows.

“Certainly these men who had so few spontaneous ideas might be very useful members of society under good feminine direction, if they were fortunate in choosing their sisters-in-law!”

Dorothea wants to be a positive influence on the world around her. However, she acknowledges the patriarchal nature of the society in which she lives, believing that her influence must be expressed vicariously through a man rather than directly through her own actions. At this stage of her life, Dorothea believes that a good man is one who will accept her ideas and allow her to guide him toward social improvement. Unfortunately for Dorothea, she chooses to marry Casaubon, who does no such thing. The contrast between Dorothea's stated ideas and the result of her actions demonstrates the gulf between her ambitions and her capabilities.