
All his desires are fulfilled in the end due to a bizarre and ironic twist of fate when he discovers that he is indeed Jewish. That's just how he was born, with a certain lineage or not. In much the same way, Daniel cannot magically become Jewish. Unfortunately for her, she doesn't get to marry Daniel like she hoped because he ends up marrying Mirah. For example, she is freed from her husband because he accidentally drowns. All the positive things that happen to her are results of circumstance. In the case of Gwendolen, she never does accomplish her dreams during the book. The question which Eliot is addressing is whether, under their own authority, they are able to achieve these things or not. The book describes the events of these two people's lives in their struggles to acheive what they want despite difficult circumstances. On the other hand Daniel wants to marry Mirah and become a disciple of Mordecai, but he is not a Jew and isn't able to do either. Gwendolen wants to gain independence from her family and her cruel husband, but she is forced into situations which make that independence almost unattainable. Are we subject to circumstance, or do we choose the course of our lives? The novel follows the lives of two people as they struggle with the conflict of desire and circumstance. In her final novel, Daniel Deronda, Eliot portrays the complicated relationship between circumstance and power. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.
