The Titan · Chapter
XXVII: A Financier Bewitched explained
Cowperwood becomes increasingly infatuated with Stephanie Platow, whose free-spirited and artistic nature both captivates and torments him.
What happens
Cowperwood becomes increasingly infatuated with Stephanie Platow, whose free-spirited and artistic nature both captivates and torments him. He grows suspicious of her relationships with other men—Gardner Knowles, Lane Cross, and the new poet Forbes Gurney—and confronts her, demanding fidelity. Stephanie reassures him, but her evasiveness and the presence of other admirers leave Cowperwood in a state of jealous doubt.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Betrayal
Cowperwood's obsessive love for Stephanie is shadowed by his fear of her infidelity, as she maintains ties with other men.
Individual vs. Society
Stephanie's free, artistic lifestyle clashes with Cowperwood's conventional expectations of loyalty and possession.
Characters to notice
- Frank A. Cowperwood
Bewitched by Stephanie Platow, he becomes jealous and suspicious of her many male admirers, pleading for her fidelity.
- Stephanie Platow
An artistic, free-spirited young woman who loves Cowperwood but also enjoys the attention of other men, including Gardner Knowles, Lane Cross, and Forbes Gurney.
- Forbes Gurney
A tall, melancholy poet and playwright newly arrived in Chicago, who catches Stephanie's interest and is sketched in her notebook.
- Gardner Knowles
An admirer of Stephanie who sings her praises and attempts to advance her theatrical career.
- Lane Cross
An artist with a studio where Stephanie visits; Cowperwood is jealous of their relationship.
Key passages
“It is not too much to say that in her, perhaps, he found revivified the spirit and personality of Rita Sohlberg.”
Stephanie Platow reminded Cowperwood of Rita Sohlberg, rekindling a similar emotional intensity.
Cowperwood sees Stephanie as a revival of his past love for Rita Sohlberg.
“Stephanie, on the other hand, had the strange feeling that affection was not necessarily identified with physical loyalty, and that she could be fond of Cowperwood and still deceive him.”
Stephanie believed that love and physical fidelity were separate, allowing her to care for Cowperwood while being unfaithful.
Stephanie's unconventional view of loyalty sets the stage for conflict.
“Cowperwood meditated deeply. He scarcely knew what to think. The constant atmosphere of suspicion and doubt in which he was compelled to remain, came by degrees to distress and anger him.”
Cowperwood was troubled by persistent suspicion and uncertainty about Stephanie's faithfulness, which gradually angered him.
Cowperwood's jealousy grows as he struggles to trust Stephanie.
“I do not care to share you with anyone else. What I can’t understand, if you care for me, is how you can take so much interest in all these affairs?”
Cowperwood demands exclusive devotion from Stephanie, questioning how she can be so involved with other men if she truly loves him.
Cowperwood confronts Stephanie about her many male friends.