2 ?b90

figurative meaning of rialto from rialzare,, that is "alzare di nuovo ...
16
thus she fulfils the promise of her name,, which calls to mind the Emperor
Augustus. The reign of this Roman emperor heralded an age of great li-
terary activity, which is most interesting since Doffa Augusta contributes
much to the youthful Jos6 Cemi's awareness of elegant and expressive lan-
guage. Rialta's name is explained as follows: "Jos6 Eugenio., absorto,
comprendi6 que por primera vez se habia trazado un puente que lo unia con
algo, con las ciudades que unen a dos familias en un puente. Mir6 a
Rialta, que, muy aturdida, extendia el tapete que cubria el piano" (1,155).
Jos6 Eugenio's realization occurs during his first formal visit to the
Olaya family. We are to believe that the meeting inspires both young
people with a sense of awe and awareness. We are shown how Rialta hides
her maidenly confusion,, "muy aturdida, " by busying herself with a simple
task. Whether or not this degree of awareness is realistic - they are
very young - is not important. What is significant is the emphasis placed
on the meeting by Lezama, here and elsewhere in the novel. The name
"Rialta" reminds the reader of the peculiar character of the Venetian
Ponte Rialto, on which stand large family houses2 with the Grand Canal
below. It could thus be said that Venice is one of the "ciudades que unen
a dos familias en un puente" (1.155). The bridge is named after the is-
land which it links to the rest of the city, the word being defined in
the. Dizionario Enciclopedico Italiano as: "rialto (comp. di ri-e. alto, mo-
dellato su rialzare) a. Luogo che s'innalza alquanto sul piano; altura.
b. Piu genericam., parte rilevata, prominenza. " However, whilst he no
doubt had the function of the bridge in mind, Lezama would be aware of the
5
riprender coraggio2 redimersi, rialzarsi dal peccato..,,
The concept
of striving upwards, of self-renewal, is crucial to the character of Rialta.
and her influence on her son, Jos6 Cemi. Rialta performs the function of
the Ponte Rialto in Venice, spanning a gulf between two groups of strangers