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Chapter 25
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
Mr. Gascoigne arrives with the news that Mrs. Mompert has set a date to meet Gwendolen. He avoids mentioning Grandcourt’s return, believing it best not to remind Gwendolen of lost opportunities. Once she is alone, Gwendolen breaks down, mourning not just her lost status but the terrifying realization that life will not mold itself to her will. Her despair turns to thoughts of Mrs. Davilow, as she worries that they are both doomed to live in poverty and disappointment.
Mr. Gascoigne’s carefully worded news shields Gwendolen from the reality of Grandcourt’s return, but she does not need the reminder—her loss is already unbearable. Breaking down alone, she finally confronts what she has tried to avoid: life does not obey her desires. Until now, she believed she could shape the world to her will, but the collapse of her status leaves her powerless.
Themes
Mrs. Davilow’s arrival interrupts Gwendolen’s grief, as she gives her daughter a letter from Grandcourt, who wants to see her alone. Gwendolen’s initial flush of emotion drains into cold apprehension. A moment ago, she was resigned to a future of dull submission, and now the possibility of choice has returned. Yet, alongside the thrill of restored power, there is fear. The memory of Lydia and her child rushes back, making Gwendolen feel significantly less triumphant. Gwendolen finds herself wishing she never knew about Lydia in the first place.
Grandcourt’s letter shatters Gwendolen’s resignation. She spent the morning grieving over her lack of choices, but his return gives her a new one. The excitement of regaining some control collides with dread. The memory of Lydia makes it impossible to see Grandcourt as a simple escape; he represents power, but also everything she now knows about his past.
Themes
With mounting urgency, Gwendolen hastily writes her reply, agreeing to receive Grandcourt. Mrs. Davilow suggests that Grandcourt’s persistence despite their financial ruin is a sign of genuine attachment. Gwendolen can tell that her mother still wants her to marry Grandcourt, and she also knows that it may be better to marry him for her mother’s sake, if not for her own. Still, she outwardly insists that nothing will come of the meeting.
Without hesitation, Gwendolen agrees to meet Grandcourt, though she masks her uncertainty behind false confidence. Mrs. Davilow clings to the hope that Grandcourt’s persistence means sincerity, but Gwendolen knows better. Still, she recognizes that her mother wants this marriage, even if she cannot bring herself to admit it outright, and she wants to fulfill her sense of familial obligation.
Themes
