Where Angels Fear to Tread · Chapter
Chapter II explained
Philip Herriton arrives in Italy to confront Lilia about her engagement to Gino Carella.
What happens
Philip Herriton arrives in Italy to confront Lilia about her engagement to Gino Carella. He is disgusted by Gino's manners and social standing, learning that Gino's father is a dentist. Lilia defiantly defends her choice, accusing Philip and his family of having controlled and belittled her for years. The chapter ends with Philip's failed attempt to break off the engagement.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Propriety
Philip's horror at Gino's father being a dentist underscores the rigid class distinctions of Edwardian England.
Cultural Clash
The dinner scene and Philip's disdain for Italian customs highlight the tension between English and Italian cultures.
Hypocrisy and Moral Self-Deception
Philip's claim to rescue Lilia masks his family's controlling behavior, as Lilia's outburst reveals.
Characters to notice
- Philip Herriton
Arrives in Italy to intervene in Lilia's engagement; disgusted by Gino's behavior and social class.
- Lilia Theobald
Defends her engagement to Gino; accuses Philip and the Herritons of controlling her life.
- Gino Carella
Lilia's betrothed; displays crude manners and is revealed to be the son of a dentist.
- Caroline Abbott
Acts as interpreter and reveals Gino's father's profession to Philip.
Key passages
“Conversation, to give it that name, was carried on in a mixture of English and Italian. Lilia had picked up hardly any of the latter language, and Signor Carella had not yet learnt any of the former.”
The couple struggled to communicate, with Lilia knowing little Italian and Gino no English.
Highlights the communication barrier and cultural disconnect.
“A dentist! A dentist at Monteriano. A dentist in fairyland!”
Philip is appalled that Gino's father is a dentist, shattering his romanticized view of Italy.
Emphasizes Philip's snobbery and the clash between idealism and reality.
“For twelve years you've trained me and tortured me, and I'll stand it no more.”
Lilia accuses Philip and his family of controlling and mistreating her since her first marriage.
Reveals Lilia's pent-up resentment and desire for independence.