Gwendolen Harleth
Encyclopedia
Gwendolen Harleth is the heroine of George Eliot
's novel Daniel Deronda
; she acts as a foil
to Mirah Lapidoth. The character was played by Romola Garai
in the BBC's serialisation.
Unable to work on the stage and unwilling to be a governess, eighteen-year-old Gwendolen marries the abusive, authoritarian Henleigh Grandcourt... though she has promised his mistress, Lydia Glasher, that she will not. "It was not," Eliot says of Gwendolen, "that she wished to damage men, it was only that she wished not to be damaged by them." Before deciding to marry Gwendolen, Grandcourt had told Lydia that he planned to marry her. Gwendolen and Grandcourt have an unhappy marriage, and Gwendolen is racked by guilt when Grandcourt drowns, as she had been wishing for him to die. Grandcourt had recently made a new will, in which he left the majority of his fortune and estates to his son by Mrs. Glasher, if his marriage to Gwendolen did not produce a male heir.
, Gwendolen was played by Dorothy Fane. The second, better-known version, a BBC
production from 2002
, had Romola Garai
as Gwendolen.
George Eliot
Mary Anne Evans , better known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, journalist and translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era...
's novel Daniel Deronda
Daniel Deronda
Daniel Deronda is a novel by George Eliot, first published in 1876. It was the last novel she completed and the only one set in the contemporary Victorian society of her day...
; she acts as a foil
Foil (literature)
In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
to Mirah Lapidoth. The character was played by Romola Garai
Romola Garai
Romola Sadie Garai is an English actress. She is known for appearing in the movies Amazing Grace, Atonement, and Glorious 39, and for appearing in the BBC adaptation of Emma.-Early life:...
in the BBC's serialisation.
Biography
Gwendolen Harleth is beautiful and wilful, but her family falls on hard times, soon after the novel begins.Unable to work on the stage and unwilling to be a governess, eighteen-year-old Gwendolen marries the abusive, authoritarian Henleigh Grandcourt... though she has promised his mistress, Lydia Glasher, that she will not. "It was not," Eliot says of Gwendolen, "that she wished to damage men, it was only that she wished not to be damaged by them." Before deciding to marry Gwendolen, Grandcourt had told Lydia that he planned to marry her. Gwendolen and Grandcourt have an unhappy marriage, and Gwendolen is racked by guilt when Grandcourt drowns, as she had been wishing for him to die. Grandcourt had recently made a new will, in which he left the majority of his fortune and estates to his son by Mrs. Glasher, if his marriage to Gwendolen did not produce a male heir.
Portrayals on screen
Daniel Deronda has been adapted for the screen twice. The first time, in 19211921 in film
-Top grossing films :-Films released in 1921:U.S.A. unless stated*$10,000 Under a Pillow, silent film directed by Frank Moser*The Ace of Hearts, silent film directed by Wallace Worsley*Across the Divide, silent film directed by John Holloway...
, Gwendolen was played by Dorothy Fane. The second, better-known version, a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
production from 2002
2002 in film
The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of...
, had Romola Garai
Romola Garai
Romola Sadie Garai is an English actress. She is known for appearing in the movies Amazing Grace, Atonement, and Glorious 39, and for appearing in the BBC adaptation of Emma.-Early life:...
as Gwendolen.
External links
- The text of Daniel Deronda at Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
- A profile of Gwendolen Harleth at the PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
website