Abstract
This study analyzes George Eliot’s resistance to the marriage plot in her final novel, Daniel Deronda (1876). By creating Gwendolen Harleth, Eliot attempts to create a plot surrounding a female character who disdains marriage in the pursuit of her own interests. This study adapts the hero’s journey/quest structure to examine how and why Gwendolen eventually does accept a marriage proposal and the consequences of that choice. Through an examination of the dwindling selection of options presented to Gwendolen, this paper presents a picture of the difficulties of breaking away from the marriage plot and the gendered realities of Victorian society, both within and without the novel.
Advisor
Hayward, Jennifer
Department
English
Recommended Citation
Campbell Hendricks, Imogen, ""Nothing That I Don't Like:" Gwendolen Harleth's Search for Life Outside the Marriage Plot in Daniel Deronda" (2020). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 8962.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/8962
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities
Keywords
Marriage Plot, George Eliot, Daniel Deronda, Gwendolen Harleth, Hero's Journey, Boy's Quest, Girl's Quest
Publication Date
2020
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2020 Imogen Campbell Hendricks