Daniel Deronda

Classics for Your Collection: goo.gl/U80LCr --------- Daniel Deronda contains two main strains of plot, united by the title character. The novel begins in late August 1865 with the meeting of Daniel Deronda and Gwendolen Harleth in the fictional town of Leubronn, Germany. Daniel finds himself attracted to, but wary of, the beautiful, stubborn, and selfish Gwendolen, whom he sees losing all her winnings in a game of roulette. The next day, Gwendolen receives a letter from her mother telling her that the family is financially ruined and asking her to come home. In despair at losing all her money, Gwendolen pawns a necklace and debates gambling again to make her fortune. In a fateful moment, however, her necklace is returned to her by a porter, and she realizes that Daniel saw her pawn the necklace and redeemed it for her. From this point, the plot breaks off into two separate flashbacks, one which gives us the history of Gwendolen Harleth and one of Daniel Deronda. All in all, this is a novel about double-standards, redemption. and balance. Eliot provides a fascinating portrait of the situation and lives of English and European Jews during the Victorian period, and particularly the nascent proto-Zionist movement and her interpretation of the Kabbalistic philosophy. Eliot balances this portrait with a similar examination of the ways and social mores of the well-established English upper class. Daniel Deronda was the last novel she completed and the only one set in the contemporary Victorian society of her day. A beautiful 19th Century romance novel that is not entirely from the perspective of a young woman. The story has a male and female protagonist and the reader is able to know the thoughts, feelings & motivations of both. Facts and Trivia: The novel has been adapted for film three times, once as a silent feature and twice for television. It has also been adapted for the stage, most notably in the 1960s by the 69 Theatre Company in Manchester with Vanessa Redgrave cast as the heroine Gwendolen Harleth. Scroll Up and Get Your Copy! Timeless Classics for Your Bookshelf Classic Books for Your Inspiration and Entertainment Visit Us at: goo.gl/0oisZU