Daniel Deronda · Chapter
Chapter XXXVI explained
Gwendolen and Deronda discuss Mirah's past and the nature of suffering and remorse.
What happens
Gwendolen and Deronda discuss Mirah's past and the nature of suffering and remorse. Later, at a New Year's Eve ball, Gwendolen wears the turquoise necklace as a bracelet, provoking Grandcourt's contemptuous admonition. In a private conversation, Deronda urges Gwendolen to seek a higher, more purposeful life beyond personal desires, prompting her to resolve to change.
Themes in this chapter
Sympathy and Moral Growth
Deronda and Gwendolen discuss the deeper sympathy owed to those who suffer from their own faults, and Gwendolen begins to recognize her own selfishness and the need for moral change.
Power and Control
Grandcourt exerts his dominance over Gwendolen by forbidding her to wear the necklace and demanding she behave with dignity, highlighting the oppressive dynamics of their marriage.
Marriage and Gender Roles
Gwendolen's subjugation within her marriage is evident as she must obey Grandcourt's commands and suppress her own desires, reflecting the limited agency of women in Victorian society.
Characters to notice
- Gwendolen Harleth
Engages in a deep conversation with Deronda about remorse and moral growth, defies Grandcourt by wearing the turquoise necklace as a bracelet, and later seeks Deronda's counsel, expressing fear and a desire for change.
- Daniel Deronda
Discusses Mirah's past and the value of remorse, advises Gwendolen on finding a higher purpose, and is interrupted by Sir Hugo during a private moment with Gwendolen.
- Henleigh Grandcourt
Reprimands Gwendolen for wearing the turquoise necklace as a bracelet, asserting his control and demanding she behave with dignity.
- Sir Hugo Mallinger
Interrupts Deronda and Gwendolen's conversation with an admonitory pinch, and later goes with Grandcourt to King's Topping.
- Mirah Lapidoth
Discussed by Deronda as a paragon of grace and refinement who was saved from drowning by a sense of duty.
Key passages
“I have no sympathy with women who are always doing right. I don’t believe in their great sufferings.”
Gwendolen expresses disdain for women who are morally perfect, doubting the depth of their pain.
This reveals Gwendolen's own guilt and her belief that suffering is more meaningful when tied to wrongdoing.
“Take the present suffering as a painful letting in of light.”
Deronda advises Gwendolen to view her current pain as an opportunity for greater self-awareness and moral insight.
This encapsulates Deronda's role as a moral guide, encouraging Gwendolen to transform her suffering into growth.
“The refuge you are needing from personal trouble is the higher, the religious life, which holds an enthusiasm for something more than our own appetites and vanities.”
Deronda urges Gwendolen to seek a spiritual or purposeful life beyond her personal desires as a remedy for her distress.
This highlights the theme of moral growth and the search for meaning beyond selfish concerns.