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Chapter 21
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
Gwendolen’s letter reaches Herr Klesmer just as he is leaving Quetcham, prompting him to delay his departure. Tensions have been growing in the Arrowpoint household, as Catherine’s parents, who expect her to marry the ambitious politician Mr. Bult, have been oblivious to her growing attachment to Klesmer. They assumed she would conform to social expectations, but Catherine, strong-willed and intelligent, has resisted.
Klesmer’s decision to delay his departure after receiving Gwendolen’s letter reinforces his role as someone deeply committed to others, even at personal inconvenience. However, his situation at Quetcham complicates matters. Catherine’s parents, blinded by social ambition, have miscalculated their daughter’s will. They assumed she would prioritize status over personal fulfillment, but Catherine has quietly resisted.
Themes
Over time, Catherine and Klesmer’s mutual admiration has deepened. Though not conventionally beautiful, Catherine’s refinement and intellect have captivated Klesmer, while his artistic passion and integrity have drawn her in. However, neither expected their feelings to lead to marriage. Catherine assumed men valued her only for her fortune, and Klesmer, aware of class barriers, never pursued her openly.
Catherine and Klesmer’s bond is built on mutual admiration rather than superficial attraction. Klesmer, a man of artistry and integrity, has been drawn to Catherine’s intelligence and strength. Catherine, long aware that most men see her fortune before they see her, never expected true affection. However, in Klesmer, she has found it nonetheless.
Themes
Tensions come to a head at dinner when Klesmer delivers a passionate speech about the lack of idealism in English politics, irritating Bult, who dismisses him as a mere musician. Later, Catherine chides Klesmer for his impatience, but the conversation quickly turns personal. Klesmer confesses his love but insists he cannot ask her to sacrifice her social standing for him. Unfazed, Catherine simply declares that she will marry him because she loves him.
The dinner confrontation exposes the tensions simmering beneath Quetcham’s polite surface. Klesmer’s impassioned critique of English politics provokes Bult, who reduces Klesmer to his profession, revealing the deep-seated prejudices against those outside the aristocracy. Yet the true turning point comes in Klesmer and Catherine’s private exchange. His confession, framed as an impossible love, assumes she will not risk her status for him. Catherine’s simple, unwavering declaration that she will marry him in spite of everything dismantles those assumptions.
Themes
Catherine immediately informs her parents, who are outraged. Catherine firmly rejects their expectations, stating that her fortune has always felt like a burden. When they threaten to disinherit her, Klesmer asserts that he seeks only Catherine, not her wealth. Mrs. Arrowpoint demands that he leave, and Catherine publicly declares her engagement. With nothing truly resolved, Klesmer departs Quetcham, leaving Catherine to figure things out with her parents.
Catherine’s defiance of her parents shatters their illusion of control. Their threats of disinheritance fail because Catherine never valued her fortune as they did. Klesmer’s firm stance—that he wants her, not her wealth—invalidates their belief that he is merely an opportunist. Yet the confrontation does not resolve everything. Catherine remains at Quetcham to face the fallout alone, while Klesmer, for now, removes himself from the conflict.
Themes
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