Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
War: Horror, Beauty, and Humanity
Power, Reality, and Absurdity
History and Storytelling
Politics and Friendship
Family, Opportunity, and Gender Dynamics
Summary
Analysis
One rainy evening, Pelagia pulls out parts of her bedcover and watches Corelli compose a sonata. She gets up to stand behind him and puts a hand on his shoulder. When she realizes what she's done, she agonizes over what to do. She decides to leave it there and hope he doesn't notice. Psipsina saves Pelagia by scratching at the door, creating an excuse to move away. Corelli smiles when he realizes her hand has been on his shoulder, but his happiness is interrupted when a sopping Psipsina settles herself in his lap.
These early romantic overtures cast physical intimacy between Pelagia and Corelli as something natural and almost instinctive. This again illustrates how their ability to set aside their political differences and their stereotypes about each other allows them to find a comfortable way to interact with each other.
Themes
Pelagia scoops Psipsina out of Corelli's lap and begins to brush at his wet and dirty breeches, but she haughtily leaves him when she notices Corelli looking astonished. Psipsina returns to his lap and Corelli starts to daydream about a classroom full of Pelagias. He dreams about naked Pelagias and Psipsina leaps away, annoyed by his erection. Corelli grabs his sheet music and thinks about having sex with each of the Pelagias. At that moment, the real Pelagia asks Corelli for help winding up her wool. Corelli panics.
It's important to keep in mind that for both Corelli and Pelagia, there could be major consequences for admitting their attraction to each other. This is one of the reasons why Pelagia leaves and pretends to be upset; admitting they care for each other and fantasize about each other like this could leave them vulnerable to people who would take issue with their romance.
Themes
Corelli thinks it's a blessing he often acts idiotically as he drops to all fours and approaches her like a dog. Pelagia tells him he's silly and positions his hands so she can wind her wool around them. Corelli continues the charade and Dr. Iannis informs both of them they look ridiculous. Corelli starts to howl and Pelagia jams a peach in his open mouth. Dr. Iannis primly notes that invaders should be more dignified. When Corelli discovers that Pelagia wound her yarn too tightly around his hands for him to escape, he jokingly accuses her of plotting against him. She lowers her eyes and quietly calls him a bad dog.
While Dr. Iannis chides Corelli for behaving this way, it's important to recognize that he doesn't forbid their flirting entirely. This suggests that he's also beginning to come around and see Corelli as a full person who may even be an appropriate match for Pelagia, though like her, he's also required to pretend to disapprove to escape the possible danger that others pose.
Themes
