Vanity in Senso

            In Senso by Boito, Livia believes she dominates her relationship with Remigio because of the vanity she has towards herself. When Livia first meets Remigio, her impression of him is “strong, handsome, degenerate, and reprobate—I was attracted by him. I did not let him know it, because I took delight in teasing and riling this latter-day Hercules” (22). She sees him and automatically assumes that Remigio is attracted to her and, in turn, her presence is a tease to him. In Livia’s mind from the beginning, she is leading Remigio on rather than her falling for him. She is self-absorbed and unable to recognize that Remigio is potentially uninterested in her. As well, Livia attempts to control Remigio through her money. Before Remigio leaves for the war, Livia “kissed him for the last time, and thrust into his pocket a purse containing fifty napoleons” (31). Livia thinks highly of herself, but still worries that when Remigio leaves, he will be tempted by another woman. She delights at being his monetary provider because she is able to exert control over his decisions. Livia consistently gives money to Remigio when asked because she is conceited and does not see that Remigio is using her for her money rather than asking for money out of love. Lastly, Livia convinces herself that Remigio is passionately in love even though she briefly doubts his feelings. When Remigio is at war, he sends her a disconnected and vulgar letter. Livia “gradually persuaded [her]self that the tone in which it was written was affectedly light and gay, and that [her] lover had made a painful but noble effort to contain the violence of his own feelings” (36). Livia has misgivings about the tone of the letter, but in arrogance changes her mind to believe that he wrote the letter filled with passion and vivaciousness. Even though there is an obvious warning that Remigio does not love her, she is so conceited that she overlooks the sign and still believes Remigio is in love with her. In Livia’s mind, she has control over the relationship as well as Remigio’s feelings.