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Chapter 12
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Daniel Deronda, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Identity and Self-Discovery
Judaism and Zionism
Marriage, Gender, and Control
Familial Duty
Wealth and Social Class
Summary
Analysis
Grandcourt continues to pursue Gwendolen over the next two weeks, arranging frequent meetings and ensuring she is always aware of his attention. At a party he hosts at Diplow, he openly favors her over Catherine, making it clear to their social circle that he intends to marry her. Mr. Gascoigne and Mrs. Davilow both assume a proposal is imminent, but Grandcourt himself is surprised that he has not yet made his intentions explicit. Each day, he plans to speak, but by the evening, he still has not done so. He never doubts that she will accept, but something holds him back.
Grandcourt treats Gwendolen less as a romantic partner and more as a possession he expects to acquire. He assumes she will accept him, not because of any emotional connection, but because of his wealth and social standing. His delay in proposing is not out of doubt but out of an unspoken hesitation, as if some part of him senses that Gwendolen is not as easily controlled as he would like. She, in turn, wields what little power she has by not giving him an answer, making him wait longer than he intended.
Themes
One day, Grandcourt arranges a riding excursion, sending a fine horse for Gwendolen while Mrs. Davilow follows in the carriage. The countryside is peaceful, but Mrs. Davilow remains anxious, hoping her daughter will choose wisely. As Gwendolen and Grandcourt ride ahead, pausing occasionally to talk, Mrs. Davilow wonders if this will be the day he proposes. She knows that Grandcourt offers everything Gwendolen values—wealth, comfort, and status—but she cannot tell if her daughter truly wants to marry him.
The riding excursion is another carefully arranged display of Grandcourt’s control, from the horse he sends to the way he positions himself at Gwendolen’s side. Mrs. Davilow, ever watchful, understands that Grandcourt offers the life her daughter has been taught to desire, but she also sees the unspoken tension between them. Gwendolen enjoys the luxury but does not seem fully engaged. Grandcourt’s quietness makes his presence imposing rather than reassuring, forcing Gwendolen to stay guarded even in a setting designed for relaxation.
Themes
Gwendolen enjoys the ride but remains controlled. Grandcourt, as usual, speaks little, but his words always seem to carry weight. When he asks how she likes the horse, she enthusiastically praises it and jokingly suggests taking a jump. Grandcourt immediately offers to join her, but she hesitates and declines, saying it would frighten her mother. He presses her to reconsider, but she insists it is best not to.
Gwendolen’s playful suggestion about jumping the horse is a test, a small assertion of control in a situation where she has little real choice. Grandcourt’s immediate offer to follow her jump turns it into something else: an expectation. Her withdrawal is not out of fear but out of an instinct to keep him at arm’s length. Grandcourt pushes back, unwilling to let her dictate the terms of even a minor decision.
Themes
After a pause, Grandcourt tells Gwendolen that he would like to always have the right to take care of her. The remark unsettles her, and she hesitates before responding lightly that she does not necessarily want to be taken care of. She avoids looking at him directly, feeling that she might be pushing him too far. Irritated by her evasiveness, Grandcourt decides he will not make an offer in a way that allows her to reject him. He believes she has already accepted him by allowing his attentions and that if she pushes him away now, it will reflect poorly on her.
When Grandcourt speaks of wanting the right to take care of Gwendolen, he is not offering protection but staking a claim. His choice of words makes it clear that he sees Gwendolen as something to be possessed, not an equal partner. She resists by refusing to meet his gaze and turning his statement into something casual, but this only irritates him. He decides that he will not propose in a way that allows her to refuse, further proving that he sees marriage as a matter of control rather than consent.
Themes
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They arrive at Diplow, where a number of guests are gathered. Gwendolen enjoys the attention but feels that Grandcourt remains unreadable. If he was offended by her earlier response, he does not show it, but she is beginning to realize that his calm manner gives little indication of what he is thinking. After lunch, the group explores the grounds, with Grandcourt staying close to her. Eventually, as the group pauses by a pond, Grandcourt quietly suggests they walk up a hill. Gwendolen agrees, both curious and apprehensive. At the top, he looks around and casually remarks that there is nothing to see. She remains silent, gripping her riding whip. He then asks what kind of places she likes, and she responds that she prefers open, cheerful surroundings. He notes that Offendene is too somber, to which she replies that Mrs. Davilow wishes to stay in the area.
At Diplow, Gwendolen enjoys the admiration of others, but she is starting to understand that Grandcourt’s composure is unreadable, not reassuring. She has been accustomed to controlling her interactions with men, but Grandcourt does not react in the ways she expects. His invitation to walk and his comment about there being nothing to see serve no clear purpose, which unsettles her. She grips her riding whip, a rare moment where she shows visible tension, aware that she does not hold the upper hand in this dynamic. Grandcourt also implies that, if they were to marry, they would live elsewhere, meaning Gwendolen would be separated from her mother.
Themes
Grandcourt brings the conversation to the topic of marriage, though he speaks in a circuitous manner, as he tries to determine whether Gwendolen truly wants to marry him. Gwendolen’s responses are ambiguous, never fully giving anything away. Ultimately, the conversation ends in a stalemate, with Grandcourt no closer to knowing whether Gwendolen is interested in him. At the moment, it just feels like she is playing games.
Their conversation about marriage is a test of wills. Grandcourt maneuvers around the topic, expecting Gwendolen to affirm his expectations, while she sidesteps direct answers. She keeps him uncertain, but she is equally unsure of herself. She enjoys the game, but it is also becoming clear that this is not a game she can play forever.
Themes
Later, while returning home, Gwendolen thinks about the archery meeting scheduled for the following day. She knows that she will not be able to play with Grandcourt much longer and feels torn about whether she should accept his imminent proposal. She has always believed in doing as she pleases, but now she is uncertain. The idea of marrying Grandcourt is more appealing than she had expected. The wealth, status, and freedom to do as she likes all seem within reach. Grandcourt himself is not a drawback, as his quiet demeanor means he is unlikely to interfere with her choices. Yet she also feels strangely restrained around him. Unlike other men, he does not inspire her usual confidence, and she is less in control of the situation than she would like to be.
Thinking about the archery meeting, Gwendolen realizes she is running out of time. She has always assumed she could do whatever she pleased, but Grandcourt does not give her that luxury. Marrying him would give her wealth and freedom from financial insecurity, but she is beginning to sense that it would come at a cost. She tells herself that his quietness means he would not interfere in her choices, but his presence already affects her more than she would like. The idea that she might not have full control unsettles her more than the marriage itself.
Themes
On the drive home, Mrs. Davilow watches Gwendolen closely, noticing her distracted manner and changing expressions. Finally, she asks if something has happened. Gwendolen remains silent at first but eventually admits that she is uncertain about her own feelings. When her mother asks if she has given Grandcourt an answer, she says she has not, but she has not exactly discouraged him either. Relieved, Mrs. Davilow suggests that Gwendolen seems to like him. Gwendolen gives an ambiguous reply, stating that he has all the qualities that would make a husband tolerable—wealth, status, and a dignified appearance.
Mrs. Davilow sees Gwendolen’s uncertainty but cannot fully grasp its cause. Gwendolen herself cannot put it into words. She lists Grandcourt’s wealth and status as advantages, but these are practical considerations rather than points of genuine enthusiasm. She is not thinking about love or happiness, only what makes a husband tolerable. Her ambiguity is not indecision; it is the realization that she does not actually want what she has spent years believing she should want.
Themes
When they return home, Gwendolen skips dinner and rests, while Mrs. Davilow gives Mr. Gascoigne a brief account of her conversation with Grandcourt. Mr. Gascoigne feels obliged to intervene, but Mrs. Davilow advises against it. Later, he speaks with Gwendolen, who admits she avoided Grandcourt’s likely proposal but offers no real reason. He warns that rejecting such an opportunity would be foolish, and if she has lost his interest, it is her own fault. Shaken, Gwendolen finally states that she will accept if he proposes. Meanwhile, Mr. Lush travels to Wanchester to meet a woman with two children (for the time, their identities remain a secret). After speaking with her for an hour, he confidently predicts that Gwendolen and Grandcourt’s marriage will never happen.
Mr. Gascoigne’s warning forces Gwendolen into a corner. Rejecting Grandcourt would be foolish, he tells her, as if she has no right to hesitate. His assumption that she is at fault for any loss of Grandcourt’s interest reflects the pressure placed on women to secure advantageous marriages. Gwendolen does not accept because she wants to; she accepts because she feels she must. Meanwhile, Mr. Lush’s visit to Wanchester introduces a complication that Gwendolen does not yet know about. Whatever he has learned makes him confident that this engagement will not happen, suggesting that something larger is at play, something beyond Gwendolen’s own decisions.
Themes
