Disguise and romance
As far as romances go, this tale has a somewhat sinister feel that comes from the Machiavellian attempts to control Rosine's perception that constitute much of the plot. On the one hand, a well-meaning caretaker takes personal liberties in marrying Rosine away, as if to imply that she were a burden and he demands some compensation for having provided for her. On the other hand, a well-meaning man who desires Rosine's heart but will not reveal his true identity or wealth until after he knows her love is pure.
Passion and zeal
This story captures something so essential about romantic passion. The zeal emerges in overwhelming states of ecstasy that make elaborate manifestations of the underlying emotional dynamics that are always detected but rarely lead to anything. Instead of letting emotions come and go, these participants fight for their desires with boldness. Not only is Count Almaviva interested in seducing a bride for himself; he is also giving voice to deep feelings of emotion through his singing for and with Rosine. She sings back to his piano and they kiss right under the doctor's nose.
Duality and opposites
The imagery of duality defines the story because the book portrays the art of falling in love as a kind of well-executed dance, instructions for which emerge emotionally, by instinct, when the moment is right. The principles of this imagery are well-known in European literature. On the one hand, a masculine entity comes into the village making a stir and causing changes by the execution of his desire. On the other hand, the passive female dancer who always seems too aloof for comfort, so that the masculine actor is brought into mating dances in order to capture her attention and inevitably her heart.
Witness and friendship
Many people will know Figaro's name from the opera derived from this source material. In this story, he is much more than the musical motif that bears his name. In the novel, he is a true friend. In a way, he emerges into the story as a very early "deus ex machina." He is Hermes; he has one foot in the protagonist's camp and one foot in the antagonist's camp. He is not only The Barber of Seville; he is also a major catalyst in the precipitating romance. He is always handy when the plot needs him, and what he provides the novel by way of imagery is a framework for celebrating the beauty of the romance in real time. He is the person that makes the things happen in the book which please the reader most.
