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Originally Posted by fantasyfan
Gwendolen is not the most likeable character in the world but note that Eliot introduces her as the “Spoiled Child”. I think both terms are very significant in evaluating her. She is indeed spoiled. We see her gambling away money that would have been a godsend later if she had followed the advice of her companion. Gwendolen sees nothing wrong with Rex being in love with her as long as she doesn’t have to make any response. She teases her mother to the point of tears.
But she is also a child in that she lacks any real appreciation of the darkness of the world and is very vulnerable. We see this early on during her conversation with Grandcourt in Book 2. After each reply from Gwendolen Eliot immediately follows it with her character’s thoughts about Grandcourt. These inner responses show both her self-centred nature and her complete unawareness of the possible deadly consequences of marrying a powerful man twenty years her senior for whom she has no love but who does have the power to destroy the independence she so much values.
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This stark difference in age and maturity and experience between these two make the idea of their marriage particularly hideous. Gwendolen is truly a child bride, completely clueless. Her survival and eventual adaptation to the marriage didn't really seem realistic to me, given Eliot's description of her thoughts and behavior.