Middlemarch opens with a very concise prelude commenting on the life of Saint Theresa. The prelude almost puts Saint Theresa on a pedestal, when the narrator compares other women to her by calling them “Many Theresas”.  In many ways, the narrator sees Saint Theresa as an ideal woman, sharing about her life and her motivations as if she was a legend. Interestingly, the prelude gives us a hint that there may be a character in this story as prominent and selfless as Saint Theresa.

What does womanhood mean to Celia and Dorothea Brooke, and to what extent can Dorothea be seen as a parallel to Saint Theresa?