A study of characterisation in the novels of George Eliot

126.
face of a law which is not unarmed with Divine lightnings--lightnings
that may yet fall if the warrant has been false. II 9 Savonarola has represented
the law for Romola. Her separation from him requires her to
learn a hard lesson and we cannot wonder that her loss of trust in him
should leave her totally adrift and alienated. She is in a state where
"all motive lt is· "bruised. II 10 The very force and passion of her nature
have made her insist that the person to whom she gives her trust shall
be immaculate. Sne has been inspired by the Frate and now her mind cannot
accept the notion of his fallibility. This reveals an element in her oft
self-righteousness and a rigidity. In this respect she shows certain
similarities to Adam Bede, whose moral progress is likewise characterised
by a greater tolerance of human frailty.
Romula leaves Florence a second time, and although she does not actually
attempt suicide, she gambles on her chances of survival by casting
herself adrift in a boat. The fairy-tale ending of the novel makes it
difficult to sort out the myth from the actuality and the idealised presentation
of Romola as a Madonna who comes to care for the plague-ridden
village rather distracts our attention from the moral dilemma she has
been facing. However, the setting herself out to sea symbolises not just
the sick disillusionment she feels in her loss of faith in Savonarola.
She has, all her life, been accustomed to surrender her vall to the demands
of others and suddenly there are no' others. She is left to her own
resources and initially she drifts aimlessly. But when she comes ashore
at the plague-ridden village, she acts instinctively from her own sense
of what is right, and thus finds her ovm strength. This restores her lost
balance and enables her to gain a perspective not only on Savonarola and
the events of the previous few months but on her O"i'm behaviour and judgement.
Vlhen she is at leisure to examine her motives it is obvious that
she does not like what she sees. She recognises the harsh, uncompromising