Isola Chapter 14: The Voyage Begins

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Damienne trembles when she first sees the water, and the narrator finds her a sheltered spot in the forecastle. Roberval leads them to their cabin—a cramped room Damienne compares to a coffin. For three days the ship waits for wind; Damienne remains terrified, losing track of time and wishing she were dead. The narrator tries to comfort her with prayers and simple routines. Meanwhile, Roberval eagerly teaches the narrator about the ship: the tiller room, the hourglass, and the astrolabe, which he calls a map of heaven. He places the astrolabe in her hand, but she fears his moods. On the fifth morning, the ship sails from La Rochelle. Watching the coast vanish, the narrator tells the secretary she dreads drowning and her guardian. The secretary admits he obeys Roberval but neither loves nor fully serves him in heart, secretly allying himself with the narrator. At dinner, the secretary plays a galliard on his cittern, but Roberval interrupts, demonstrates his own superior skill, and plays with bold passion. Damienne remains ill and isolated.

Key Events

Damienne becomes ill with seasickness and panic before the ship leaves harbor.
Roberval shows the narrator the ship’s mechanisms, including the tiller and the astrolabe.
The narrator observes that Roberval’s approval frightens her as much as his anger.
On the fifth day, the ship departs from La Rochelle.
The narrator and the secretary share a moment of understanding: he obeys Roberval but does not love him.
During dinner, the secretary plays a cittern, but Roberval takes over and plays more forcefully, asserting dominance.

Character Development

The Narrator: She reveals her growing awareness of her own powerlessness. She notes that she paid for the voyage yet feels like an instrument of her own exile. Her fear of Roberval is tempered by her curiosity about the ship and her tentative trust in the secretary.
Damienne: Her physical and psychological fragility deepens. She cannot adapt to life at sea, and her illness isolates her from the group, making her dependent on the narrator.
Roberval: He appears in two contradictory lights: a generous teacher who shares knowledge about the ship and instruments, and a controlling master who demands absolute obedience and cannot tolerate any attention paid to others. His musical prowess is both a performance and a display of power.
The Secretary: He reveals his hidden disloyalty. Though he performs his duties perfectly, he admits that he does not serve Roberval with his heart. This secret alliance with the narrator marks a small but significant shift in the political landscape of the voyage.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Power and Obedience: Roberval’s authority is total on the ship. He commands the narrator, the crew, and even the secretary’s music. The astrolabe becomes a symbol of that authority—a tool that maps the heavens but is also an instrument of control.
Isolation and Vulnerability: Damienne’s seasickness and her coffin-like cabin literalize the fear of being trapped and helpless. The narrator also feels isolated, torn between her guardian and the secretary.
Instruments and Navigation: The hourglass, astrolabe, and cittern are all instruments that impose order on chaos—time, direction, and music. Roberval’s mastery of each reinforces his dominance.
Secret Alliances: The conversation between the narrator and the secretary introduces a motif of hidden resistance. Their shared understanding sets them apart from Roberval’s world.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter marks the true beginning of the voyage and establishes the ship as a microcosm of power. It deepens the narrator’s internal conflict: she is both the instrument of her own exile and a pawn in Roberval’s ambitions. The alliance with the secretary provides a sliver of hope and sets up future tension. The musical contest between the secretary and Roberval foreshadows the ongoing struggle for influence and control.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does the narrator feel like “the instrument of my own exile”?
She reflects that she financed the voyage—these ships are her inheritance—yet she has no real agency. She has been forced into this journey by Roberval’s control, and she dreads both drowning and her guardian. Her wealth has not translated into freedom.
What does the secretary’s statement “I obey but do not love” reveal about his relationship with Roberval?
It reveals that his compliance is outward only. He performs his duties diligently but holds a secret distance and resentment. By telling the narrator this, he signals that he is an ally, not a loyal follower, and that he shares her unease.
How does the music scene illustrate Roberval’s character?
Roberval interrupts the secretary’s galliard to play his own cittern, criticizing the secretary’s performance. He plays with speed and force, demonstrating technical brilliance. The scene shows that Roberval cannot bear to be outshone, even in a casual game of chess or music. He must dominate every activity and turn it into a display of his power.