The Study Of Identity Construction In Daniel Deronda

George Eliot is one of the greatest writers in Victorian times,and almost every novel of hers has received favorable comments since their publication,except Daniel Deronda,her last work,which is pointed out by some scholars that the Jewish characters in the novel may have been over-idealized.It is the only work Eliot creates that is based on her ages and social background,and factually shows the confusion and dilemma facing by the English in the late 19th century.The novel has two main plots:the marriage of the English girl Gwendolen,and the lives of the Jews like Deronda.In the novel,Eliot depicts two extremely different sides-the hypocritical and lost Englishmen,and the Jewish people with high national spirit.The sharp contrast between the two sides makes the novel become the most controversial work of hers in Victorian times.However,re-examining it closely from the perspective of modern literary criticism,we could find that her insights toward Jewish issues are foresighted.This study attempts to explore how the protagonists achieve their identity construction through Eliot's depiction,and to further understand her in-depth portrayal of the characters and her exploration on curing English society and culture.The thesis contains three chapters apart from an introduction and a conclusion.The introductory part reviews briefly the concepts and theories of identity construction,and the studies of George Eliot and Daniel Deronda from home and abroad,and illustrates the significance and outline of the thesis.Chapter One explores the lost English and their identity dilemma from the perspective of individual identity,taking Gwendolen,Grandcourt and Deronda as typical examples and analyzing why they are lost in society.Gwendolen's gambling on her own marriage in order to pursue material and status,Grandcourt's indifference and coldness,and Deronda's confusion and uncertainty of his own identity are all manifestations of their identity dilemma,which are also Eliot's subversion of traditional English images to idealize the Jewish characters.Chapter Two analyzes the idealized Jewish images in the novel from the perspective of national identity.Through investigating the Jewish moral models-Mirah and Modercai and Deronda,who remain genuine in their national identity,we can further understand Eliot's ethics to national identity:sympathy,traditional values and national spirit.Chapter Three explores the identity reconstruction of Gwendolen and Daniel from the perspective of de-centering identity construction.Under the guidance of Daniel,Gwendolen achieves her rebirth from being alienated to moral enlightening;and Daniel also transforms his identity from an English gentleman of uncertainty and ambivalence to his real identity as a Jew,pursuing a noble course afterwards and therefore realizing his identity reconstruction.The dissertation arrives at the conclusion that through building various images of the English and the Jews in Daniel Deronda,Eliot shows her condemnation of the extreme material pursuit,the degradation of senses of moral and duty,and the prejudice against marginalized people in British society.Eliot also shows her understanding,sympathy and respect for the Jewish culture and praises the acts of adhering to national spirits'and traditions,which reflects Eliot's concerns for the revival of the Jewish'nation.Through Daniel Deronda,Eliot expresses her reflection on the spiritual crisis and identity dilemma in English society,wishing to absorb the goodness from Jewish culture to find out a way to heal and awaken the lost English.