A study of characterisation in the novels of George Eliot

128.
see very little of her, has she achieved a wider tolerance and aocepted
responsibility for her arm aotions. She has become morally autonomous,
self-directed, and we must not let the fact that the outward seewing has
altered so little, bemuse us into thinking that there has been no grov~h,
no development.
This discussion of Romola's progress reveals to us how George Eliot
dealt with the nineteenth century belief in the possibility of moral
development. Romola's Upwl4rd growth is schematically contrasted with
Tito's systematic moral deterior~tion.
In addition, we are able to
observe some of the features of moral gro~th
that George Eliot especially
emphasised. Romola's broader, more sympathetio judgement shows
a loss of rigid egoism and her final aohievement of moral autono~
highlights the fact that for George Eliot, the most morally elevated
oharaoters can be trusted to manufaoture their own moral values which
will nonetheless be socially integrative.and in accordance wi~h a goal
of universal good. I will return to this point later. For the moment I
will examine ':rhat I have oalled the problem of IIrighteous resistance. II
In Romola's moral growth we witnessed a painful emergence from dependence
on outward rules, even those given her by so fine a moral
leader as Savonarola. Romola has reached the neoessary state of neutrality
suoh that she is no longer "distressed to discern some folly in
martyrs and some judiciousness in the men who burnt them." 14 She has
achieved a state where autonomy of conscience is paralJlount, but, as is
the Case with Dorothea, this is allowed because she is Trilling to recognise
and act on a higher principle than her ovm "errnnt will. I. 15
Romola's second return to Florence represents the same victory over her
errant will, as Dorothea t s second visit to Rosamond. Dorothea is rewarded
by her marriage to Will; Romola is rewarded by the death of Tito,