Romola · Chapter
XLIII: The Unseen Madonna explained
Romola, returning from the hospital, becomes caught in a solemn procession carrying the unseen image of the Madonna through Florence.
What happens
Romola, returning from the hospital, becomes caught in a solemn procession carrying the unseen image of the Madonna through Florence. The city is in extremity, awaiting divine help. As the procession passes, Tito arrives as a messenger with news that French galleys laden with corn and men have safely reached Leghorn, bringing relief to Florence. Romola recognizes her husband but her joy is tempered; she continues to seek Baldassarre, feeling a deep sense of duty towards him.
Themes in this chapter
Historical Change and Continuity
The chapter depicts a traditional religious procession amid a city in crisis, highlighting the continuity of ritual and the hope for change through divine intervention.
Duty vs. Personal Desire
Romola's sense of duty compels her to seek Baldassarre despite her fatigue and the emotional strain of Tito's return, illustrating her internal conflict between personal feelings and obligations.
Characters to notice
- Romola de' Bardi
Romola participates in the procession, feeling a deep connection to Florence and its citizens. She is fatigued but remains resolute in her search for Baldassarre, showing her commitment to helping the needy.
- Tito Melema
Tito arrives as a messenger with news of the French galleys' safe arrival, bringing hope to Florence. His return is noted by Romola without a flash of joy, hinting at the strain in their relationship.
- Girolamo Savonarola
Savonarola is part of the procession, his presence evoking both reverence and hostility. His advice to focus on helping the poor rather than offering gifts to the Virgin is mentioned.
- Baldassarre Calvo
Romola intends to search for Baldassarre after the procession, feeling a near claim upon him. His fate remains a concern for her.
Key passages
“Romola was accustomed now to be addressed in this fraternal way by ordinary citizens, whose faces were familiar to her from her having seen them constantly in the Duomo. The idea of home had come to be identified for her less with the house in the Via de’ Bardi, where she sat in frequent loneliness, than with the towered circuit of Florence, where there was hardly a turn of the streets at which she was not greeted with looks of appeal or of friendliness.”
Romola had grown used to being greeted warmly by ordinary citizens who recognized her from church, and she now felt more at home in the streets of Florence than in her own house, where she often sat alone.
This shows Romola's integration into the civic and religious life of Florence, contrasting her previous isolation.
“The Frate in the torn mantle had said that help would certainly come, and many of the fainthearted were clinging more to their faith in the Frate’s word, than to their faith in the virtues of the unseen Image.”
Many people were placing more trust in Savonarola's promise of help than in the power of the sacred image, reflecting the shifting religious sentiment.
Highlights the growing influence of Savonarola over traditional religious practices.