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Daniel Deronda
(1876)
Let thy chief terror be of thine own soul:
There, 'mid the throng of hurrying desires
That trample on the dead to seize their spoil,
Lurks vengeance, footless, irresistible
As exhalations laden with slow death,
And o'er the fairest troop of captured joys
Breathes pallid pestilence.
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For anyone who enjoys reading long books, Daniel Deronda is a wonderful read. It is amazing that this writer had to pose as a man in order for her books to be accepted. She comments on social conditions, particularly in the upper classes of 19th century England. Disgusted at the way Jews were treated she set herself to the task of finding out as much as she could about the Jewish religion before and while writing this book. She then does much to overturn commonly held views that Jews were inferior to other races. In her writing she espouses the cause of a Jewish homeland long before the advent of Zionism, the birth of Hertzl, and even before Lord Lionel Rothschild was able to swear a Jewish oath in Parliament, rather than a Christian oath. One will have many happy hours reading this book.--Submitted by Marilyn Delevante
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Recent Forum Posts on Daniel Deronda
Daniel Deronda's foreskin
I did wonder about this while I was reading it. All the time Daniel spent wondering about his parentage, he never seems to have wondered why he was circumcised. Then on two occasions when he was asked whether he was Jewish, he insisted not. I wonder if it just never occurred to George Eliot that Daniel would be circumcised.
Gwendolen and Daniel
Hello everyone!! Yesterday I finished reading 'Daniel Deronda.'I loved it!! The way things ended for Gwendolen made me cry. :cryin: When I read her brave words to Deronda, and the wish she maintained of being a better person, it really moved me. What do you think of Gwendolen?
Gwendolin's oppression
I wondered how Henleigh Grandcourt Esq. had managed to subdue Gwendolin so oppressively, considering she was so "saucy" and high-spirited before their wedding. Chapter 45 gives a clue: Gwendolin's heart began to beat violently. The words that she wanted to utter, as one wants to return a blow, were, 'You are breaking your promise to me - the first promise you made me.' But she dared not utter them. She was as frightened at a quarrel as if she had foreseen that it would end with throttling fingers on her neck. Poor Gwendolin, so Grandcourt roughs her up. That does make her life seem hellish, despite her wealth and privilege.
Dainel Deronda and Zionism
I am now getting into the Jewish part of the story, or should I say, the Jewish story, as the two strands pretty much stand alone. SPOILER: I was surprised what Mordecai was actually up to. He wanted to recreate a Jewish homeland in Palestine. I was surprised that the project for recreating Israel went so far back, but George Elliot actually wrote Daniel Deronda several years before the first Zionist settlements in Palestine, and two decades before Zionism was political launched by Theodor Herzl. http://forward.com/culture/107981/eliot-s-zionism-before-zionism/ http://www.newenglishreview.org/Ibn_Warraq/George_Eliot,_Daniel_Deronda,_%26_Zionism%3A_Some_Observations/ http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2009/feb/10/zionism-deronda-george-eliot I suppose the idea must have been current at the time Elliot was writing, but that it took time for the movement to get organized enough to make something happen. A bit like John Barton's ideas in Mary Barton appeared to prefigure Marxism.
Gwendolin's predicament (Daniel Deronda)
*Spoilers* I am struggling to condemn Gwendolin for marrying Mr Grandcourt, thereby cutting out Mrs Glasher, the mother of Grandcourt's children. There was no guarantee Grandcourt would marry Mrs Glasher and make their son his heir. It seems to me that Grandcourt would refuse out of obstancy and sadism. It is tough on Mrs Glasher and her kids, but it would have been pretty tough on Gwendolin having to work as a governess. Grandcourt would probably have married someone else if she had refused. Maybe Gwendoline does not deserve to live in all that opulence, but neither does Grandcourt. Mrs Glasher and her son was cut out, but Daniel Deronder is cut out because he is illegitimate, and Sir Hugo's daughters are cut out because they are girls. Neither Daniel Deronda, Mrs Glasher and her children or Sir Hugo's daughters live in poverty. They are far better off than the vast majority of the population. They are all better off than Gwendolin would have been working as a governess. Plus, they don't have to live with him. Mrs Glasher is not entirely blame free neither, or at least would not have been considered so when the book was written. She left her husband to live with Grandcourt. She wrote that poison pen letter to Gwendolin, not Grandcourt because a) she could hurt Gwendolin while Grandcourt would only be annoyed, and b) she cannot afford to annoy Grandcourt because he still pays for their upkeep and could still make their lives worse if he had a mind to.
Daniel Deronda and motherhood
I had a profound thought while reading Daniel Deronda, which I am sure I have not read anywhere: if Silas Marner is largely about fatherhood then Daniel Deronda is largely about motherhood. There are mothers of grown up children, e.g. Mrs Davilow, who spends much time comforting her willful daughter, Gwendolin Harleth. There are mothers of small children, such as Lydia Glasher, whom Grandcourt was honour bound to marry. There are Daniel Deronda's and Mirah Lapidoth's missing mothers. Then there is a substitute mother, Mrs Meyrick. I am less than half way through the book, so more mothers may appear.
Mr Lush
I am about two-fifths through Daniel Deronda. I am quite enjoying it, barring the occasional long,difficult sentence. The title is a misnomer: so far it seems to be much more about Gwendolin Harleth, an attractive, spirited, but shallow young woman. However, my favourite character so far is Mr Lush, Mr Grandcourt's secretary. In fact, he is my favourite George Elliot character so far out of Middlemarch, Silas Marner and Daniel Deronda. I like the way he instantly knows Gwendolin does like him, and that she will cause trouble. I like also that he knows is employer is a bully, and can forsee he will behave foolishingly. He puts up with his employer, because overall it is an easy life which suits him. He has a big brain, could make a formidable politician, but he does not want to work too hard. He schemes to stop the marriage, partly because it will be injurious to him, but he knows it will be bad for the couple too. Then he schemes with Sir Hugo, again partly in his own interest, but also in everyone else's too, even his unpleasant employer.
Veterinarian question about horse knees
I have started reading Daniel Deronda. I was amused young Rex calls his father 'Sir'. I have a veterinarian question regarding horses' knees. Rex borrowed his father's nag to take part in a hunt. The horse was not very strong, fell over, threw Rex, and broke his knees. The horse was injured but managed to walk home. I read about a horse or pony breaking its knees in another book. It was either in Silas Marner by George Elliot or A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh. I thought if a horse broke a leg, it had to be shot.
Reading Daniel Deronda...
I am reading Daniel Deronda right now and I have to say, I am just a bit confused. First of all, the title is Daniel Deronda, but so far there isn't too much about him; it looks like the book is more about Gwendolin Harleth and what a sensitive shrew she is. Gwendolin is really bugging me right now, I mean, I get it that she is amazingly beautiful, has a hard time feeling closeness for anyone except her mother, and is rather frightened of Grandcourt, but what else? It's kind of disappointing after such a strong and beautiful beginning. What does everyone else think? Does Daniel Deronda pick up the pace later, or does it focus on looks, feelings and education of two people for the entire novel? I have to say this for it though, the novel has an uncanny ability to make one want to keep reading in order to find out what will happen next. Thoughts?
Daniel Deronda discussion.
Ive been reading this for over a week now , while Ive had a chance ( slow reading for me ) but I have a few thoughts I wanted to share as I go along. ( oh and this is another ccount for the litnet challenge!!) 1) Gewdoline in MAlory Towers resembles this Gwendoline very much in charcheter and looks - Did enid blyton base her on Eliots charcater? 2) The anti sematisim is quite stong from the beging ( I know that is a poin sopmewhere bu its kind of shcocing in away)-- somewhat remindis me of certain attitudes found in Ivanhoe. 3) What is it with vicorians and dogs? They demostrate how heartless aperson is with how they realte to dogs. Grandcourt in this case and whats his facce in Oliver Twist. for two examoles. There were other exmples I ave come across. Anyway anyone who wants to discuss this here is a place. :D
Here is where you find links to related content on this site or other sites, possibly including full books or essays about George Eliot written by other authors featured on this site.
Book I - The Spoiled Child
Book II - Meeting Streams
Book III - Maidens Choosing
Book IV - Gwendolen Gets Her Choice
Book V - Mordecai
Book VI - Revelations
Book VII - The Mother and the Son
Book VIII - Fruit and Seed
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