# X: Under the Plane-Tree explained — Romola

> Chapter companion for Romola by George Eliot.

## What happens

On the day of San Giovanni, Tito Melema, having recently handed money to Cennini, wanders through Florence with a carefree demeanor. He encounters a crowd gathered around a conjuror who is holding a young contadina, Tessa, against her will. Tito intervenes, freeing her, and they walk together to the Prato, where they sit under a plane-tree outside the gates. Tessa, a simple and affectionate girl, shares her apricots and sweetmeats with Tito, and they talk about her life, her fears, and her faith. Tito, charmed by her innocence, flirts with her and eventually falls asleep with his head on her lap. When he wakes, he realizes he has delayed too long and must leave, but Tessa's sorrow prompts him to promise to see her again. The chapter highlights Tito's aversion to unpleasantness and his tendency to yield to immediate pleasures, even at the cost of his obligations.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Selfishness

Tito's interaction with Tessa is driven by his own pleasure and comfort, showing a self-indulgent form of affection that prioritizes his desires over her well-being or his responsibilities.

## Character check-ins

### Tito Melema

Shows his carefree and pleasure-seeking nature, avoiding unpleasantness and delaying his duties to enjoy Tessa's company.

### Tessa

A simple, affectionate contadina who is drawn to Tito's kindness, finding in him a rare source of gentleness and attention.

## Key lines

> It seemed not to have entered Tessa’s mind that there was any change in Tito’s appearance since the morning he begged the milk from her, and that he looked now like a personage for whom she must summon her little stock of reverent words and signs.

Tessa did not notice that Tito's appearance had changed since the morning he asked her for milk; she saw him as the same kind figure, not as a grand personage.

_Highlights Tessa's innocent perception and Tito's transformation in status._

> It takes very little water to make a perfect pool for a tiny fish, where it will find its world and paradise all in one, and never have a presentiment of the dry bank.

A small amount of water is enough to create a perfect world for a tiny fish, which never anticipates the danger of drying up.

_Metaphor for Tessa's contentment and lack of awareness of future sorrow._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/romola_se/chapters/x-under-the-plane-tree
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/romola_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/romola_se/chapters