Daniel Deronda · Chapter
LXVIII explained
Deronda, emboldened by Hans's assurance that Mirah needs relief from jealousy, resolves to confess his love to her.
What happens
Deronda, emboldened by Hans's assurance that Mirah needs relief from jealousy, resolves to confess his love to her. Meanwhile, Lapidoth's gambling obsession drives him to steal Deronda's ring, leading to a crisis. Deronda finds Mirah in distress and declares his love, proposing marriage, which she accepts.
Themes in this chapter
Identity and Self-Discovery
Deronda's declaration of love and commitment to Mirah marks a pivotal moment in his self-understanding and moral growth.
Power and Control
Lapidoth's gambling addiction and theft illustrate the destructive power of desire over moral restraint.
Sympathy and Moral Growth
Deronda's response to Mirah's shame and his willingness to share her burden demonstrates profound sympathy and moral development.
Characters to notice
- Daniel Deronda
Resolves to confess his love to Mirah; discovers his ring is missing; declares his love and proposes to Mirah.
- Mirah Lapidoth
Returns home to find Deronda's ring missing; realizes her father may have taken it; accepts Deronda's proposal.
- Mordecai Cohen
Present during Deronda's visit; later comforted by Mirah and Deronda after the theft.
- Lapidoth
Steals Deronda's ring driven by gambling desire; leaves the house to sell it.
- Hans Meyrick
Mentioned as having assured Deronda that Mirah needs relief from jealousy.
Key passages
“All thoughts, all passions, all delights, Whatever stirs this mortal frame, All are but ministers of Love, And feed his sacred flame.”
Every emotion and experience in life ultimately serves and nourishes love.
Coleridge epigraph sets the theme of love's centrality in the chapter.
“Deronda’s eagerness to confess his love could hardly have had a stronger stimulus than Hans had given it in his assurance that Mirah needed relief from jealousy.”
Hans's claim that Mirah was jealous pushed Deronda to finally declare his love.
Motivation for Deronda's confession.
“The imperious gambling desire within him, which carried on its activity through every other occupation, and made a continuous web of imagination that held all else in its meshes”
Lapidoth's gambling obsession dominated his thoughts and actions constantly.
Description of Lapidoth's addiction.
“Say you will not reject me—say you will take me to share all things with you. Say you will promise to be my wife—say it now.”
Deronda begs Mirah to accept his proposal and share her life with him.
Deronda's proposal to Mirah.
“She could say nothing—she could only lift up her lips to his and just kiss them, as if that were the simplest 'yes.'”
Mirah silently accepted Deronda's proposal with a kiss.
Mirah's acceptance of Deronda's proposal.