Romola · Chapter
Under the Loggia explained
Romola and Tito meet alone in the loggia for the first time.
What happens
Romola and Tito meet alone in the loggia for the first time. Romola, deeply affected by her brother Dino's death and his vision, seeks comfort in Tito. Tito, initially fearing discovery of his secret, is relieved when Romola does not suspect him. He dismisses the vision as monkish fantasy and urges her to forget it. Romola, torn between her grief and her love for Tito, expresses her devotion and her desire to marry soon, despite her godfather's objections.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Selfishness
Tito's relief at Romola's ignorance shows his selfishness, while Romola's unreserved love contrasts with his self-serving concealment.
Knowledge and Erudition
Romola's reference to scholarly marriage ideals and the intellectual debate between Aristotelianism and Platonism reflect the theme of knowledge.
Characters to notice
- Romola de' Bardi
Grieving for her brother Dino, she seeks solace in Tito and shares her troubling vision, revealing her deep love and trust.
- Tito Melema
Anxious about his secret, he is relieved by Romola's ignorance and attempts to dismiss her spiritual concerns, focusing on their love.
- Dino
Though dead, his deathbed vision and words profoundly impact Romola, creating a conflict between her grief and her love for Tito.
Key passages
“He had never for a moment relied on Romola’s passion for him as likely to be too strong for the repulsion created by the discovery of his secret; he had not the presumptuous vanity which might have hindered him from feeling that her love had the same root with her belief in him.”
Tito knew Romola's love was tied to her trust in him, so he feared she would reject him if she learned the truth.
Highlights Tito's awareness of the fragility of their relationship based on deception.
“The vision was an ordinary monkish vision, bred of fasting and fanatical ideas. It surely has no weight with you.”
Tito dismisses Dino's vision as a product of religious fanaticism, urging Romola to disregard it.
Shows Tito's rationalism and his attempt to steer Romola away from spiritual concerns.
“Everything I had felt before in all my life—about my father, and about my loneliness—was a preparation to love you.”
Romola tells Tito that her past experiences of loneliness and duty to her father made her ready to love him.
Reveals Romola's deep emotional investment and her view of love as a culmination of her life.