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Chapter 55
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 waits for Gwendolen to summon him the next morning as promised, but she doesn’t send for him. He learns that she stayed awake all night and has only just fallen asleep. Reflecting on her behavior, Daniel senses that Gwendolen is burdened by deep secrets. Seeking clarity, he visits the fishermen who rescued her. They believe Grandcourt was knocked overboard by the sail, recalling his scream, followed by Gwendolen’s, before she jumped in after him. However, they admit they didn’t witness the entire event.
Gwendolen’s delay in summoning Daniel shows that she is avoiding the reality of what has happened. Her sleepless night suggests that guilt, rather than shock or grief, is consuming her. Daniel senses that she is withholding something, reinforcing how much of her suffering is internal rather than dictated by external judgment. Notably, the fishermen’s uncertain account leaves room for interpretation.
Themes
When Daniel returns to the hotel, he is informed that Gwendolen is awake and wants to see him. In her room, she appears ghostlike and, when she sees Daniel, she claims she is a murderer. Daniel assures her this isn’t true, reminding her that she tried to save Grandcourt. Gwendolen insists on confessing everything, asking if Daniel will abandon her. He promises he will not. She describes being overcome by dark emotions, regretting her marriage and feeling that her happiness was built on Lydia’s pain. She admits she felt fleeting joy when she saw Daniel the previous day, only for Grandcourt to destroy it by forcing her to go sailing. She confesses she wished for his death.
Gwendolen’s claim that she is a murderer comes from her own inability to separate intention from action. She does not confess to seek absolution but to test whether Daniel will reject her. His promise to stay affirms his role as her moral anchor, but it also confirms her dependence on him, making it clear that she has no other source of reassurance.
Themes
Struggling with guilt, Gwendolen recounts the events on the boat. She explains that the sail struck Grandcourt, knocking him overboard. As he called for a rope, she hesitated because some part of her wanted him to die. Only after he sank did she jump into the water. Though shaken by her admission, Daniel reassures her that her actions do not make her a murderer and urges her to rest. Despite his words, Gwendolen continues to cry, unable to find solace.
The hesitation before throwing the rope is enough to condemn Gwendolen in her own mind, even if others would not. Gwendolen’s torment is not about what happened but about what she felt in the moment. The fact that Grandcourt’s death was an accident does not absolve her in her own mind because she had wished for it. Daniel tries to comfort her with logic, but she is not looking for a rational defense. Rather, she is facing the realization that she is no longer the person she thought she was.
Themes
