Midas Summary
The title of the opening chapter is Midas because author feels that the condition of England in
1842 resembled that of King Midas as related in the old Greek fables. Midas was "a King of
Phrygia, who having hospitably entertained Silenus, the tutor of Bacchus when he had lost his
way, was permitted by the god to choose his recompense. He asked that whatever he touches
might be turned to gold. His prayer was granted but when he found that the very meat he
attempted to eat became gold in his mouth, he entreated Bacchus to relieve him of the gift. He
was ordered to wash himself in the river Pactolus, whose sands were turned into gold by the
touch of Midas. On another occasion Midas had the impudence to declare that Pan was a
superior flute-player to Apollo, whereupon the offended god changed his ears to those of an ass,
to indicate his stupidity. This Midas attempted to conceal but one of his servants saw the length
of his ears, and unable to keep the secret, and afraid to reveal it, whispered the fact to some reeds
and these whenever agitated by the wind, repeated to the world that Midas had the ears of an ass,
(Oxford Companion English Literature).
Like the gold of Midas, the wealth of England was enchanted wealth, of no use to the possessor.
The richest country in the world had twelve thousand workers sitting unemployed, subsisting on
a charity dole, and when getting even that much reduced to perpetrating horrible crimes like
poisoning one's own children in order to get some burial fees. Some celestial power had
evidently cursed England, even as Midas was accursed. The natural inference was that England
had been guilty of some serious fence, like Midas, or of some act of crass stupidity like that
stupid king.
Carlyle is too vehement in attacking England and the English nation. Subsequent events proved
that the distress existing in 1842 was prelude to a period of unparalleled prosperity. Carlyle's
observations apply more fitly to our own times when there is so much to eat and drink and yet
millions are unemployed, and are dying of inanition.
Para 1
The condition of England is very disquieting in spite of plentiful harvests and flourishing
industry, England is dying of inanition, as if all its wealth were enchanted wealth.
Para’s 2-5-
Two million workers sit unemployed and have to run to workhouse. Twelve hundred thousand
unemployed in England, alone, sit in front of their Bastilles like the damned ones in Dante’s hell.
Scotland, for all its thrift and industry has not escaped, more and destitution; it is an urgent need
of a Poor Law. At Stockport Assizes Irish parents were found poisoning three children to secure
a big burial fee. Could degradation of body and soul go further? The limit has been reached.
Para 6-9
Let alone miserable paupers; is there anyone in Britain whom the increase of wealth has made
more happy? It is an enchanted wealth, even as the wealth of Midas. No man of us can get touch
of it. Material comforts might have multiplied, but they have not made their possessors better or
more beautiful or blessed. The master workers, the master Unworker are, alike, in gloom Corn-
Laws or no Corn-Laws, nor can Political Economy help them. It is a wonder that we have more
riches than any nation ever had before; but we have less good of them than any nation ever had
before. It seems as if some god has cursed us, even as Midas for all his wealth was accursed.
