# LXI explained — Daniel Deronda

> Chapter companion for Daniel Deronda by George Eliot.

## What happens

Hans Meyrick, convinced of a serious attachment between Deronda and Mrs. Grandcourt, observes Mirah's passionate reaction to this possibility, leading to a complex interplay of jealousy and self-reproach. Mirah struggles with her own feelings of love and jealousy toward Deronda, while Mordecai discusses spiritual unity and self-sacrifice, prompting a philosophical disagreement with Mirah about the nature of love and selflessness.

## Themes in this chapter

### Jewish Heritage and Nationalism

Mordecai discusses the Shema and the concept of divine unity as a foundation for universal unity, linking Jewish separateness to a binding theory for humanity.

### Sympathy and Moral Growth

Mirah's internal struggle with jealousy and her self-examination reflect a moral awakening, as she confronts her own selfish feelings and seeks to understand them.

### Art and Performance

Mirah's thoughts are influenced by plays and stories, and Mordecai critiques her tendency to judge by theatrical depictions of human passions rather than her own heart.

## Character check-ins

### Hans Meyrick

Hans observes Mirah's distress and interprets her anger as a sign of her feelings for Deronda, while he himself harbors hopes of winning her affection.

### Mirah Lapidoth

Mirah experiences intense jealousy and self-reproach upon realizing her love for Deronda, feeling her pure gratitude has degraded into selfish pain.

### Mordecai Cohen

Mordecai is in a state of exaltation, anticipating seeing Deronda again, and shares his thoughts on spiritual unity and self-sacrificing love with Mirah.

### Daniel Deronda

Deronda is the object of both Mirah's and Hans's thoughts, with Hans believing he is attached to Mrs. Grandcourt and Mirah struggling with her feelings for him.

### Gwendolen Harleth

Mrs. Grandcourt is the focus of Mirah's jealousy, as she imagines Deronda drawn to her.

## Key lines

> He had a strong persuasion, which only direct evidence to the contrary could have dissipated, and that was that there was a serious attachment between Deronda and Mrs. Grandcourt;

Hans was firmly convinced, and only clear proof could change his mind, that Deronda and Mrs. Grandcourt were deeply in love.

_Hans's conviction about Deronda's feelings for Gwendolen._

> It is not sublime, but it is common, for a man to see the beloved object unhappy because his rival loves another, with more fortitude and a milder jealousy than if he saw her entirely happy in his rival.

It is not noble but ordinary for a man to bear his beloved's unhappiness over his rival's love for someone else more easily than if she were completely happy with that rival.

_Narrator's observation on Hans's mixed feelings._

> Strange that she should have to pray against any feeling which concerned Deronda!

It was odd that she needed to pray against any emotion related to Deronda.

_Mirah's shock at her own jealousy toward Deronda._

> The Jewish girl must have had jealousy in her heart, and she wanted somehow to have the first place in the king’s mind. That is what she would die for.

The Jewish girl was driven by jealousy and desired to be foremost in the king's thoughts, which she would die to achieve.

_Mirah's interpretation of the Midrash story, challenging Mordecai's idealistic view._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/daniel_deronda_se/chapters/lxi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/daniel_deronda_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/daniel_deronda_se/chapters