Summary
Mr. Tulliver loses his lawsuit and faces financial ruin, but his pride won't let him accept defeat. Instead of facing reality, he spins elaborate fantasies about how he'll survive - convincing himself that Furley will buy his property and keep him on as tenant. He even considers asking his wife's family for help, something he previously swore he'd never do. But when he learns that his enemy Wakem now holds the mortgage on his land, the shock triggers a stroke that leaves him barely conscious. Maggie rushes home from school to find her father helpless and confused, calling for his 'little wench.' The chapter reveals how devastating it can be when someone who's always been in control suddenly becomes powerless. Tulliver's collapse isn't just physical - it's the complete breakdown of a man who defined himself by his dominance and independence. Meanwhile, the family faces not just financial disaster but the loss of their patriarch's strength and guidance. Eliot shows us how quickly life can change and how our deepest relationships - like Maggie's fierce love for her father - become our anchor when everything else falls apart. The tragedy isn't just in the money lost, but in watching a proud man reduced to childlike dependence.
Coming Up in Chapter 22
As the Tulliver family faces the loss of their home and possessions, Mrs. Tulliver must confront the painful reality of giving up her most treasured belongings. What we cling to in crisis reveals who we really are.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
What Had Happened at Home When Mr Tulliver first knew the fact that the lawsuit was decided against him, and that Pivart and Wakem were triumphant, every one who happened to observe him at the time thought that, for so confident and hot-tempered a man, he bore the blow remarkably well. He thought so himself; he thought he was going to show that if Wakem or anybody else considered him crushed, they would find themselves mistaken. He could not refuse to see that the costs of this protracted suit would take more than he possessed to pay them; but he appeared to himself to be full of expedients by which he could ward off any results but such as were tolerable, and could avoid the appearance of breaking down in the world. All the obstinacy and defiance of his nature, driven out of their old channel, found a vent for themselves in the immediate formation of plans by which he would meet his difficulties, and remain Mr Tulliver of Dorlcote Mill in spite of them. There was such a rush of projects in his brain, that it was no wonder his face was flushed when he came away from his talk with his attorney, Mr Gore, and mounted his horse to ride home from Lindum. There was Furley, who held the mortgage on the land,—a reasonable fellow, who would see his own interest, Mr Tulliver was convinced, and who would be glad not only to purchase the whole estate, including the mill and homestead, but would accept Mr Tulliver as tenant, and be willing to advance money to be repaid with high interest out of the profits of the business, which would be made over to him, Mr Tulliver only taking enough barely to maintain himself and his family. Who would neglect such a profitable investment? Certainly not Furley, for Mr Tulliver had determined that Furley should meet his plans with the utmost alacrity; and there are men whoses brains have not yet been dangerously heated by the loss of a lawsuit, who are apt to see in their own interest or desires a motive for other men’s actions. There was no doubt (in the miller’s mind) that Furley would do just what was desirable; and if he did—why, things would not be so very much worse. Mr Tulliver and his family must live more meagrely and humbly, but it would only be till the profits of the business had paid off Furley’s advances, and that might be while Mr Tulliver had still a good many years of life before him. It was clear that the costs of the suit could be paid without his being obliged to turn out of his old place, and look like a ruined man. It was certainly an awkward moment in his affairs. There was that suretyship for poor Riley, who had died suddenly last April, and left his friend saddled with a debt of two hundred and fifty pounds,—a fact which had helped...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Pride's Collapse - When Ego Becomes Your Enemy
When our identity becomes so tied to never losing that we can't accept reality, leading to increasingly desperate denial until complete collapse.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to spot the dangerous moment when someone's ego becomes more important than their reality.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when you or someone close starts making elaborate excuses instead of facing a difficult truth—that's the warning sign before the breakdown.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Lawsuit costs
In Victorian England, the losing party in a lawsuit had to pay not just their own legal fees, but also the winner's fees and court costs. This could bankrupt families even if they had money to start with.
Modern Usage:
Today we see this in medical bankruptcies - even people with insurance can lose everything when catastrophic illness hits.
Mortgage holder
The person or bank who lends money for property, with the right to take the property if payments aren't made. In Tulliver's time, mortgages were often held by wealthy individuals rather than banks.
Modern Usage:
Like when your car loan gets sold to another company and suddenly you're dealing with new people who might not be as understanding.
Tenant farmer
Someone who works land they don't own, paying rent to the landowner. Tulliver hopes to stay on his own former property this way after losing it.
Modern Usage:
Similar to losing your house but hoping the new owner will let you rent it back - a painful loss of status and security.
Stroke (apoplexy)
A sudden loss of brain function caused by blocked blood flow. In Victorian times, strokes were often called apoplexy and were poorly understood medically.
Modern Usage:
We now know strokes can be triggered by extreme stress and emotional shock, just like what happens to Tulliver.
Pride before the fall
The idea that excessive pride leads to disaster. Tulliver's refusal to accept defeat or ask for help earlier contributes to his complete collapse.
Modern Usage:
Like people who won't declare bankruptcy or ask family for help until they've lost everything, making their situation worse.
Patriarchal authority
The system where the father/husband holds all power and makes all decisions for the family. When Tulliver collapses, the whole family structure falls apart.
Modern Usage:
Still seen in families where one person controls all the finances and major decisions - when they're gone, everyone else is lost.
Characters in This Chapter
Mr. Tulliver
Tragic protagonist
Loses his lawsuit and faces financial ruin but can't accept reality. His pride and denial lead to elaborate fantasies about survival until the shock of learning his enemy owns his debt triggers a devastating stroke.
Modern Equivalent:
The guy who loses his job but keeps telling everyone he's 'consulting' while maxing out credit cards
Maggie Tulliver
Devoted daughter
Rushes home from school when her father collapses. Becomes his emotional anchor when he's reduced to calling for his 'little wench' in his helpless state.
Modern Equivalent:
The adult child who drops everything to care for a parent after a medical crisis
Wakem
Antagonist/creditor
Tulliver's legal opponent who not only won the lawsuit but now holds the mortgage on Tulliver's property. The revelation of this fact triggers Tulliver's stroke.
Modern Equivalent:
The corporate lawyer who not only beats you in court but then buys your debt from the bank
Furley
Potential buyer
The man Tulliver fantasizes will buy his property and let him stay on as tenant. Represents Tulliver's desperate hope for a dignified solution to his problems.
Modern Equivalent:
The friend you hope will buy your house in foreclosure and let you rent it back
Mr. Gore
Attorney/bearer of bad news
Tulliver's lawyer who has to deliver the devastating news about the lawsuit costs and Wakem's control of the mortgage.
Modern Equivalent:
The bankruptcy lawyer who has to explain just how bad your financial situation really is
Key Quotes & Analysis
"He thought he was going to show that if Wakem or anybody else considered him crushed, they would find themselves mistaken."
Context: After learning he lost the lawsuit and faces financial ruin
Shows how pride can blind us to reality. Tulliver's need to appear strong prevents him from taking practical steps to protect his family. His focus is on proving others wrong rather than solving the actual problem.
In Today's Words:
He was determined to prove he wasn't beaten, even though he totally was.
"There was such a rush of projects in his brain, that it was no wonder his face was flushed."
Context: Tulliver spinning fantasies about how he'll survive his financial disaster
Eliot shows us the manic energy of denial - when reality is too painful, our minds create elaborate alternative scenarios. The physical description hints at the stroke to come.
In Today's Words:
His mind was racing with crazy schemes because he couldn't face the truth.
"Father, father!"
Context: When she finds her father collapsed and barely conscious
The simple repetition shows Maggie's desperation and the role reversal happening - she's now trying to reach him like a parent calling to a child. It captures the moment when family dynamics shift forever.
In Today's Words:
Dad, please, talk to me!
Thematic Threads
Pride
In This Chapter
Tulliver's inability to accept defeat leads him to create impossible fantasies rather than face his financial ruin
Development
Evolved from earlier displays of stubbornness into complete reality denial and physical breakdown
In Your Life:
You might see this when you can't admit a mistake at work and keep digging yourself deeper instead of coming clean early.
Class
In This Chapter
Tulliver considers asking his wife's 'inferior' family for help, something his pride previously forbade
Development
Developed from his constant assertions of superiority over his wife's relatives to desperate consideration of their aid
In Your Life:
You might face this when financial troubles force you to ask for help from people you've looked down on.
Power
In This Chapter
A man who defined himself by control becomes helpless and childlike, calling for his 'little wench'
Development
Complete reversal from the dominating patriarch to dependent victim
In Your Life:
You might experience this when illness, job loss, or aging forces you from independence to needing care from others.
Family
In This Chapter
Maggie's fierce love becomes the anchor as her father collapses, showing how relationships sustain us through crisis
Development
Builds on the established father-daughter bond, now tested by his vulnerability
In Your Life:
You might find this when a family crisis reveals who truly shows up and how love transcends roles and expectations.
Reality
In This Chapter
The gap between Tulliver's fantasies and actual circumstances becomes so wide it breaks his mind
Development
Escalated from minor self-deceptions to complete psychological breakdown when faced with unacceptable truth
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when you've been avoiding a difficult conversation or decision so long that facing it feels impossible.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What specific events trigger Mr. Tulliver's physical collapse, and how does his body respond to information his mind can't accept?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does Tulliver create fantasies about Furley and his wife's family instead of facing his financial reality directly?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see this same pattern today - people creating elaborate explanations or fantasies rather than accepting difficult truths?
application • medium - 4
When you've had to deliver bad news to someone whose pride was invested in a different outcome, what strategies helped them hear the truth?
application • deep - 5
What does Tulliver's breakdown reveal about the relationship between our identity and our ability to process reality?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Pride Reality Check
Think of an area in your life where your pride might be making it hard to see the truth clearly. Write down three facts about this situation that you don't want to admit, then imagine you're advising your best friend facing the exact same circumstances. What would you tell them to do?
Consider:
- •Notice the difference between how you talk to yourself versus how you'd talk to someone you care about
- •Pay attention to any physical tension or resistance when writing down the uncomfortable facts
- •Consider what small step you could take today that acknowledges reality without requiring a complete identity shift
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when admitting you were wrong or accepting a limitation actually made you stronger. What did that experience teach you about the difference between pride and self-respect?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 22: When Everything Falls Apart
The coming pages reveal financial ruin reveals what people truly value, and teach us family loyalty can create impossible emotional conflicts. These discoveries help us navigate similar situations in our own lives.