"Pietro always avoided showing her he loved her in case he became too submissive" pg 50
In Tozzi's Eyes Shut the character of Pietro has grown away from his mother who suffers from nervous convulsions. Pietro believes that by showing his mother he loves her he will appear as submissive. Pietro somewhat has this mentality when it comes to interactions with other people, particularly Ghisola. Ghisola's ability to assert herself makes Pietro become unintentionally submissive to her. This irritates Pietro, because to him "she was supposed to defer to him" (pg 38). Pietro is submissive to Ghisola because of the emotions she instills in him. Ghisola appears to make Pietro timid, at one point he "hadn't the courage to look [her] in the face" (pg 40). Pietro also becomes physically submissive to Ghisola, her eyes made him "[sag] at the knees with a new weakness that increased his confusion like a disease" (pg 40). Ultimately Ghisola jeopardizes Pietro's confidence, "his self-consciousness increased" (pg 45) and at times he became "so frantic he nearly tottered" (pg 46). Pietro may believe that by showing someone affection he becomes submissive, but that does not stop him from showing his affection for Ghisola. He infact acknowledges how emotionally and physically submissive he has become because of his emotions toward her, this acknowledgement causes his confusion and annoyance.
I agree that Pietro becomes submissive to Ghisola, because he is attracted to her and feels emotions he labels as love. However, further exploration of this submissiveness reveals that it causes his "confusion and annoyance," as well as his jealousy and spiteful violence (Mason 1). Ghisola is the dominant figure in their relationship, and she demonstrates her superiority by slighting his efforts to speak with her and ignoring his presence. On one occasion, “she turned her back on him . . . he opened a penknife he had in his pocket and stabbed her in the thigh” (27). In response to his feelings of powerlessness, he lashes out and physically injures her. Additionally, in moments where “her silence baffle(s) and embarrasse(s) him, nothing would enable him to speak first. So he g(ives) her a slight push” (38). He feels inferior in her presence and is unable to converse with her, because her preeminence intimidates him. In response, he reveals his physical strength by pushing her in an attempt to feel powerful. Pietro deals with his submissive state through acts of physical aggression that display his masculine dominance.
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