Girl With a Pearl Earring : a Novel by Tracy Chevalier

This thesis examines the relationship of a maid and her master in a contemporary novel set in the 17thcentury, Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. I concentrate on those situations when there is a proof for romantic feelings between the two major characters. I will prove that the artist in the novel, Vermeer sees more in his maid, Griet than just an inspiring pretty face. I use the meaning of symbols throughout the story supporting the message in this literary work. I give an account of the life of the artist, Jan Vermeer van Delft, covering those paintings of him, which are related to the novel. I show two examples when we can see that Vermeer is still a modern theme and can inspire the different branches of art.