The Passion

Venetian Villanelle embodies everything about her beloved city, which is nicknamed the city of change and the city of sin. She has no allegiance to binaries, lounging in churches and making her living as a cross-dressing card dealer at the casino. Taking pride in making love to men and women without losing her heart, Villanelle surprises herself by losing her “reliable organ” to a mysterious woman she affectionately calls the Queen of Spades. Though she reclaims her heart with Henri’s help and adopts a more sedate lifestyle, Villanelle admits she’ll likely gamble her heart again. In this way, she represents the idea that passion inspires risk, and that risk is a fact of human life.

The cook starts out preparing meals in the army but is soon ousted by Henri when he passes out drunk during a surprise visit from Napoleon. He resents Henri for this misconduct and vows to seek revenge in the future. Part 3 reveals that the cook is in fact Villanelle’s villainous husband, and that he has risen in Napoleon’s ranks. The cook’s success symbolizes greed and the dehumanization wrought by war.

Domino is a good-natured horse hand who insists that Henri should only believe in the present. He makes up for his small size by becoming a fine boxer. The reader last sees Domino after he suffers a war injury that renders him unable to speak. He writes what he wishes to say. The last thing he communicates to Henri is the word “future” crossed out, indicating war’s irreparable damages.