Quote:
Originally Posted by poohbear_nc
Just wait - the Daniel Deronda narrative strands will follow. Some critics called it two books in one.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by astrangerhere
And some call Gwendolyn Eliot's best character in all of her works!
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Leavis was one who noted the fact that there were in effect two books. He also felt that Gwedolyn was possibly the greatest character Eliot created.
However he also felt that the novel as a whole was a failure--mainly because of the Deronda section.
Elsewhere, in an essay, “Gwendolen Harleth” he said “. . . my purpose . . . is to establish . . . that there is a major classic, which may suitably called ‘Gwendolen Harleth,’ hidden from the general recognition it deserves in the voluminous mixed work that George Eliot published--a classic that it is incumbent on us to reclaim for English literature.”
From
The Critic As Anti-Philosopher 1982 pp. 65-75
Leavis seems to feel that it might be a good idea to simply eliminate the Deronda section and keep the Gwendolen portion as a separate narrative.
Not everyone agrees.