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Chapter 33
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
When Daniel arrives at the Cohen household in the evening, he finds the setting transformed. The shop is closed, and the warm light of an old brass lamp casts a rich glow over the family gathered around a spotless table. The grandmother, in yellow-brown with a heavy gold chain, and the younger Mrs. Cohen, adorned in red and black with artificial pearls, appear more dignified than they had in the shop. Their hospitality softens his earlier disdain, and he takes in the peculiar blend of modest domesticity and old-world traditions, including Cohen’s ritual blessing of his children. When Cohen summons someone else—also named Mordecai—from the other room, Daniel is astonished to see the enigmatic man from the bookshop enter the room.
Daniel’s return to the Cohen household challenges his earlier assumptions. The shop’s transformation from a place of business to a scene of warmth and ritual forces him to reconsider his initial judgments. The women, whom he previously saw as gaudy, now appear dignified, their adornments part of a rich familial tradition rather than mere ostentation. Cohen’s ritual blessing of his children further alters Daniel’s perception, revealing a depth of devotion and continuity that he had not fully appreciated. The arrival of Mordecai from the other room solidifies the moment as one of revelation; it feels like his earlier encounter with the man was not incidental, but part of a larger connection waiting to be understood.
Themes
As the family begins their meal, Cohen leads Hebrew blessings before uncovering loaves of challah, marking the ritual significance of the gathering. Mordecai, now dressed in a worn but once-elegant drab coat, appears even more striking in contrast to the rest of the family. Throughout dinner, Cohen and the women entertain Daniel with anecdotes about their lives. When he sees an opening, Daniel inquires about Cohen’s mother, subtly probing whether she ever had a daughter. Cohen avoids a direct answer, shifting instead to discuss his business.
The meal reinforces Daniel’s growing awareness of Jewish tradition as something lived rather than merely historical. The presence of Hebrew blessings and the ritual uncovering of the challah mark the family’s gathering as more than just an ordinary dinner. Meanwhile, Daniel’s attempt to inquire about a missing daughter is met with deflection, reinforcing his suspicion that something is being concealed.
Themes
As the meal ends, Cohen inspects Daniel’s diamond ring for the loan transaction. When Mordecai retires for the night, Daniel asks about him, and Cohen dismisses him as a charity case, valuable only for his skills in repairing jewelry and tutoring Jacob. Daniel, sensing that the man is more than he appears, departs with his pawn ticket and a growing determination to return after Christmas—not only to conclude his business but to uncover the truth about Mordecai and the Cohens.
Daniel’s final interaction with Cohen reinforces his sense that he has only scratched the surface of something deeper. The casual way Cohen dismisses Mordecai as a mere charity case seems deliberately reductive, as if minimizing his importance. Yet Daniel, already intrigued by the man’s presence and intellect, senses that there is more to uncover.
Themes
