Previous
Chapter 15
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
The narrative presents an extended flashback to Daniel’s childhood. As a boy, Daniel enjoys a privileged upbringing under the care of Sir Hugo Mallinger, whom he believes to be his uncle. His early years are spent in comfort, surrounded by the wealth and traditions of English aristocracy, and he idolizes Sir Hugo, seeing him as the model of a perfect gentleman. However, a seemingly minor conversation with his tutor, Mr. Fraser, changes everything. While reading in the garden, Daniel innocently asks why popes and cardinals always have so many nephews, to which Fraser responds that the nephews were actually their illegitimate children. The remark triggers a sudden and unsettling realization: could he, too, be illegitimate?
Daniel’s childhood is one of privilege, yet it lacks the certainty of true belonging. He idolizes Sir Hugo, seeing him as the ideal gentleman, but his unquestioning admiration rests on the assumption that he is part of the same world. His early years are shaped by an acceptance of his surroundings without any deeper reflection. The conversation with Mr. Fraser changes that. A casual remark becomes a catalyst for self-doubt, forcing Daniel to confront a possibility he had never considered. The ease with which his understanding of his place in the world is shaken suggests that his sense of identity was never as stable as he believed.
Themes
For the first time, Daniel begins to question his own origins. His memories of childhood are vague, consisting only of fleeting impressions of a woman, possibly his mother, kissing him and surrounding him with perfumed fabrics before vanishing from his life. Until this moment, he has never thought to question Sir Hugo’s explanation that his parents died when he was very young. Now, however, he is consumed by the suspicion that Sir Hugo may be more than just his guardian.
The vagueness of Daniel’s memories makes his mother more of a ghost than a real presence in his life. His past, which he had once accepted without question, suddenly seems unreliable. Every detail—perfumed fabrics, brief gestures of affection—feels significant in hindsight, but none provide him with concrete answers.
Themes
This revelation isolates Daniel in ways he has never experienced before. He becomes deeply self-conscious, wondering whether those around him know something he does not. Even casual remarks, such as a farmer once noting that Daniel “features the mother,” now seem laden with hidden meaning. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask Sir Hugo directly, fearing both confirmation and rejection. His self-doubt manifests in a newfound reserve, making him cautious in his relationships and hesitant to form close friendships.
Daniel’s insecurity shapes his interactions with others. He becomes hyperaware of how people perceive him, interpreting innocent comments as hidden clues about his origins. Even remarks made long ago take on new meaning in this context. His inability to seek answers directly turns his uncertainty into a private burden, making him guarded and reluctant to form deep relationships.
Themes
Shortly after this revelation, Sir Hugo jokingly suggests that Daniel pursue a career as a singer. Though Daniel is musically gifted and enjoys performing, he reacts with uncharacteristic anger. The suggestion stings, reinforcing his fear that Sir Hugo does not see him as a gentleman’s son but as someone meant for a public career—something unthinkable for the heir of a noble house. The idea horrifies Daniel, strengthening his suspicion that he does not belong in Sir Hugo’s world.
Daniel’s reaction to Sir Hugo’s suggestion about becoming a singer is disproportionate but revealing. Music is something Daniel enjoys, but the idea of making it a career feels like an attack on his social status. If Sir Hugo sees him as someone who should work for a living rather than inherit wealth and status, then, in his mind, the worst must be true: he is not a gentleman’s son.
Themes
Get the entire Daniel Deronda LitChart as a printable PDF.
A turning point arrives when Sir Hugo informs Daniel that he will be sent to Eton. The news comes as a relief. A proper education at a prestigious school reassures Daniel that, whatever his origins, he is still being raised as a gentleman. His time at Eton is successful, though he is known more for his reflective nature than his ambition. He is well-liked and respected, but his reluctance to share personal details and his habit of overanalyzing situations make him stand apart from his peers.
Going to Eton reassures Daniel, at least for a time. The school represents stability and legitimacy, a place where birth and status are reaffirmed. If Sir Hugo is investing in his education, then perhaps he is not entirely an outsider. However, Daniel never fully integrates. His thoughtful, introspective nature sets him apart, making him respected but distant.
Themes
At Cambridge, Daniel follows a similar pattern. He excels in his studies but lacks the drive to push himself toward traditional markers of success. He is drawn toward intellectual exploration rather than competition. During this time, he forms a deep friendship with Hans Meyrick, a talented but financially struggling student. When Hans falls ill just before an important scholarship exam, Daniel dedicates himself to helping him prepare, neglecting his own studies in the process. As a result, Hans wins the scholarship, while Daniel fails to achieve the distinction expected of him.
Daniel succeeds academically but does not strive for recognition. His friendship with Hans Meyrick shows his instinct to prioritize people over personal achievement, a trait that separates him from many of his peers. By sacrificing his own academic standing to help Hans, he proves his loyalty, but he also demonstrates that he does not define himself by conventional success.
Themes
This failure forces Daniel to reevaluate his future. He realizes that the rigid academic path of Cambridge does not suit him, and he begins to consider leaving to pursue broader studies abroad. His growing dissatisfaction with university life, coupled with his ongoing identity crisis, leads him to make a bold decision: he will not remain at Cambridge. Instead, he wishes to travel and study in a way that will give him a deeper understanding of the world.
Daniel’s decision to leave Cambridge is his first true act of self-direction. Until now, his life has been shaped by circumstance and others’ expectations. His growing dissatisfaction pushes him toward a different kind of education, one that is not bound by formal institutions. However, his crisis of identity is still unresolved. His desire to study abroad is a way to distance himself from the uncertainty of his origins, as he searches for something that will define him outside of Sir Hugo’s influence.
Themes
When Daniel presents his decision to Sir Hugo, he expects resistance but is surprised by the baronet’s easy acceptance. Sir Hugo, while amused by Daniel’s desire to rid himself of an “English attitude,” offers no real objection. Instead, he reassures Daniel that he will have a secure income of 700 pounds a year, enough to give him the freedom to explore his own path. Daniel, now convinced more than ever that he is illegitimate, takes this as further proof that Sir Hugo is compensating him in place of a proper inheritance.
Sir Hugo’s easy acceptance of Daniel’s departure confirms his suspicions rather than alleviating them. He feels that if he were truly Sir Hugo’s legitimate heir, there would be more resistance, more investment in his future within traditional structures. Instead, Sir Hugo gives him financial security but little else, treating him as someone who must find his own way rather than inherit an established place.
Themes
Before leaving for the Continent, Daniel spends time with Hans’s family, where he is warmly received. The Meyrick sisters find him fascinating, seeing him as a kind of noble and mysterious figure. As he departs, they even paint his portrait as Prince Camaralzaman, a fairy-tale hero. With his future still uncertain, Daniel sets off on a journey of self-discovery, determined to find his own place in the world.
Before leaving, Daniel finds a sense of warmth and belonging with the Meyrick family that he has never felt with Sir Hugo. Their admiration for him as Prince Camaralzaman, a fairy-tale hero, is ironic—he is no prince, and his noble image is built on uncertainty rather than inheritance. To him, the portrait they paint is just an illusion, a version of himself that he does not fully believe in.
Themes
