The Theme of Evil

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In the fourth part of an eight part lecture series on “Daniel Deronda,” Professor Ruth Wisse examines evilness in Henleigh Grandcourt and Mr. Lapidoth. An expert on Yiddish and Jewish literature and winner of the National Humanities Medal, Wisse discusses how Grandcourt symbolizes an aristocracy that loses its purpose before losing financial power. Bored, he exercises power over Gwendolen, who does not suspect his sadism. Mr. Lapidoth exploits Mirah’s loyalty to her father while fulfilling a negative Jewish stereotype. Wisse also identifies a third type of evil, that of anti-Jewish prejudice in British society that developed in response to internal problems such as universal alienism and insecurity. Through the novel, Eliot hoped to save England from adopting Germany’s anti-Semitism ideology.