Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

casaubon

Proper Noun

kɛˈzoʊbɒn

Definition

A fictional character, a learned man, often portrayed as a pedantic scholar in literature.

Examples

In the novel, Casaubon spends years writing a comprehensive study on the Middle Ages, yet he fails to connect with the people around him.
Readers often find Casaubon to be a tragic figure, illustrating the limitations of scholarship without true understanding of life.

Meaning

Casaubon typically represents scholarly diligence but is also seen as lacking passion or emotional depth. The name is closely associated with the character from George Eliot’s novel ‘Middlemarch’, where he embodies the struggles between intellectualism and human experience.