Give a character sketch of Dinah Morris.

Q 4: 

Give a character sketch of Dinah Morris.

 Answer: 

 To most of the readers sweet pity of 

Dinah seems distasteful. It seems like too much of a good thing. But this reaction is based on an unhistorical view of the character, it is not valid.

Dinah Morris’s style of speech seems quite odd to the modern reader but this was a fact that such type of speech was common in 18^th century. The reader of 21^st century finds it unnatural but

George Eliot was creating a historically accurate picture and this should be kept in mind while judging her characters. On the other hand, this wrong reaction to Dinah’s character is quite valid. Most critics of the world urge that Dinah is not a realistic character. She is an ideal and a perfect woman who has no fault. Perhaps she is the personification of abstract goal of Eliot’s ethical system. There are perfect no women in the world, nor there likely to be.

Dinah is rather clearly inhuman in her piety. Without any doubt

Dinah is a good woman. She is completely dedicated to the Lord’s work. Wherever she encounters suffering, she tries to alleviate it. She has spent her whole life in deeds of charity. Dinah’s piety is not an abstract one. She preaches what she believes and practices what she preaches. Through long experience she had discovered how to comfort people and bring them to God. In the course of novel, she had a good effect on everyone she comes in contact with.

Dinah is also entirely humble. She considers herself as the servant of the people. She is a working woman and no task is too mean for her. She visits afflicted people in prison and in their simple cottages and she shares their hard life with them.

 The close study of the novel makes it quite evident that she is absolutely selfless. She never allows any thought of her own comfort to interfere with the performance of her duty. She looks upon her own desires as temptations which must be restricted. She always places God before man and other people before herself. And finally she is totally benevolent.

Dinah never does anything which is not likely to have good effects. She has no dislikes and she treats everyone with respect and sympathy. No one in the novel disapproves her behaviour. She is universally praised by all who know her. Dinah gives up her life of taking care and preaching when she marries

 Adam. But, she takes this step only after assuring herself that it is God’s will and her basic personality does not change at all.

Dinah remains at the end what she was at the beginning. She was a morally perfect woman with the face and bearing of an angle and the heart of a saint. To conclude, we may say that

George Eliot has presented Dinah as a symbol of womanly virtue and as a very caring character. She is affectionate, cooperating, sympathetic and very tender hearted. We learn from different parts of the novel about her generosity and large-heartedness. Every critic has shown his appreciation for Dinah for her harmless nature and her appealing personality.

George Eliot has certainly presented a larger than life character in the figure of Dinah. The readers have naturally great regard for her. Her personality gives a very sober colour to the entire action of the novel. The inner piety of the novelist reflects through the noble character of Dinah.