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Chapter 39
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
Daniel finds himself thinking about Mordecai and wondering whether there is some sort of bond between them. He rows his boat near the Meyrick household and eventually sees Mordecai, who is watching him intently from a nearby bridge. Their eyes meet, and Mordecai, visibly overcome, lifts his cap and waves in recognition. To him, this moment is nothing less than the fulfillment of a long-held prophecy.
Mordecai’s reaction to seeing Daniel reinforces his belief in prophecy, but his certainty is unsettling rather than reassuring. His intense gaze and physical reaction suggest that he sees Daniel as the long-awaited figure who will carry his ideals forward. Daniel, accustomed to measured reasoning, hesitates to embrace such an interpretation.
Themes
Daniel joins Mordecai, who immediately reveals that he had been waiting for him for years. Though Daniel is skeptical of such a claim, he is moved by Mordecai’s certainty and does not dismiss him. They decide to go to the bookshop together, where Mordecai will soon begin his evening shift. As they walk, Mordecai speaks poetically about the river and sky, seeing them as messengers of the eternal. Mordecai’s intensity is undeniable, and his suffering gives his words a gravitas that compels Daniel to listen rather than judge.
The walk to the bookshop reveals the depth of Mordecai’s poetic imagination. His reflections on nature are not simply aesthetic but spiritual, transforming the ordinary into messages of eternity. His suffering has heightened his awareness rather than diminished it, and his words carry the weight of a man who sees the end of his life approaching. Daniel, though initially detached, cannot ignore the power of Mordecai’s convictions.
Themes
Inside the bookshop, Mordecai begins to share his story. He speaks of his early years studying in Holland and Germany, absorbing knowledge in both Jewish and secular traditions. His passion for Jewish renewal shaped his entire life, but personal struggles, poverty, and illness have isolated him. His physical frailty made him increasingly desperate to pass on his vision to someone who could carry it forward. His writings, composed in Hebrew, have found no audience, and now, as death approaches, he has only one hope left: Daniel. This expectation weighs heavily on Daniel, who is deeply unsettled by the assumption that he will take up Mordecai’s cause.
Mordecai’s personal history highlights the sacrifices he has made for his ideals. His education in both Jewish and secular traditions signals his broad intellectual engagement, yet his devotion to Jewish renewal has left him isolated. The lack of an audience for his Hebrew writings mirrors his broader struggle, as his vision is profound, but it has no successor. His declining health only heightens his desperation, making Daniel’s presence feel like the culmination of a lifetime’s waiting.
Themes
Mordecai’s belief that Daniel is Jewish intensifies the pressure. When Daniel insists that he is not, Mordecai refuses to accept it, confidently asserting that Daniel does not truly know his own origins. In an uncharacteristic moment of openness, Daniel confesses that he has never known his mother or father and that he has always assumed his father to be English. Mordecai seizes on this as proof that Daniel is the one he has been waiting for, convinced that destiny will reveal the truth in time.
Mordecai’s insistence that Daniel does not know his true origins is more than wishful thinking; it is a deliberate attempt to reshape Daniel’s self-perception. By rejecting Daniel’s assumption that he is English, Mordecai forces him to confront an uncertainty he has long avoided. Daniel’s rare admission about his unknown parentage suggests an underlying longing for answers, even if he is reluctant to acknowledge it.
Themes
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Despite his reluctance, Daniel agrees to continue their meetings. Mordecai suggests they use a nearby tavern as a place for future discussions. When Daniel offers to improve his living conditions, Mordecai refuses, saying that his material life is unimportant—only their spiritual connection matters. He then surprises Daniel by correctly guessing that he had another motive for redeeming the ring beyond financial need. Daniel, impressed by Mordecai’s insight, realizes that he cannot easily dismiss this man. He then asks a direct question about the Cohen family: why can’t anyone speak of a daughter to the mother? Mordecai tells Daniel that he knows the reason but cannot say because it was something told to him in confidence.
Daniel’s agreement to continue their meetings signals his growing willingness to engage with ideas he previously dismissed. Additionally, Mordecai’s rejection of material comfort in favor of spiritual purpose contrasts sharply with Daniel’s practical instincts, yet it demonstrates his absolute commitment to his vision. The final exchange, regarding the Cohen family’s silence about a daughter, introduces another mystery that Daniel cannot ignore. Mordecai’s refusal to elaborate only strengthens Daniel’s curiosity, further entangling him in a relationship that is no longer easy to walk away from.
Themes
