“I suppose we faulty creatures can never feel so much for the irreproachable as for those who are bruised in the struggle with their own faults. It is a very ancient story, that of the lost sheep--but it comes up afresh every day." "That is a way of speaking--it is not acted upon, it is not real," said Gwendolen, bitterly. "You admire Miss Lapidoth because you think her blameless, perfect. And you know you would despise a woman who had done something you thought very wrong." "That would depend entirely upon her own view of what she had done," said Deronda. "You would be satisfied if she were very wretched, I suppose," said Gwendolen, impetuously. "No, not satisfied--full of sorrow for her. It was not a mere way of speaking. I did not mean to say that the finer nature is not more adorable; I meant that those who would be comparatively uninteresting beforehand may become worthier of sympathy when they do something that awakens in them a keen remorse. Lives are enlarged in different ways. I dare say some would never get their eyes opened if it were not for a violent shock from the consequences of their own actions. And when they are suffering in that way one must care for them more than, for the comfortably self-satisfied.”
Quote by George Eliot
Work
Daniel Deronda is a complex narrative that intertwines the lives of its characters with the broader social and political context of the time. The story follows Daniel, a young man raised by a Jewish family, as he navigates his identity and relationships amidst the backdrop of the British Empire's expansion and the rise of Zionism. more
Author
George Eliot, born Mary Ann Evans, was a renowned 19th-century British novelist. Her works are known for their profound psychological insights and critical exploration of social issues. With her unique narrative techniques and rich emotional expression, she has had a profound impact on literature. more
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