"At such times he was startled at the horrible suspicions that rose, monster-like, out of the caverns of his heart and stared him in the face..."See in text(Rappaccini's Daughter)
In another simile that describes Giovanni’s emotional state, his suspicions are “monster-like,” and his love becomes “thin and faint as the morning mist.” It’s unclear exactly what Giovanni’s suspicions are. He could be worrying that Beatrice doesn’t love him as much as he does her or that she will never allow them to have a physical relationship. Giovanni’s feelings are prone to dramatic fluctuations.
"when their spirits darted forth in articulated breath like tongues of long-hidden flame..."See in text(Rappaccini's Daughter)
In this simile, the narrator compares Giovanni and Beatrice’s dialogue to the “tongues of long-hidden flame.” This suggests that, as the story progresses, their feelings grow in heat and passion. However, this image also suggests that their love, like fire, has elements of danger.
"Beatrice darted forward, uttering a shriek that went through his heart like a dagger...."See in text(Rappaccini's Daughter)
In this simile, the narrator compares Beatrice’s voice to a dagger. Beatrice is trying to save Giovanni by preventing him from touching the flowers; yet, she herself is also a dangerous weapon. This introduces the irony that is at the heart of the story’s ending: that which might prevent death causes it.
"A fervor glowed in her whole aspect and beamed upon Giovanni's consciousness like the light of truth itself..."See in text(Rappaccini's Daughter)
The narrator develops a conflicting sequence of metaphors to describe Beatrice’s character in this interaction with Giovanni. First, she beams “like the light of truth itself.” This description gives Beatrice a god-like or angelic aspect. Then, Beatrice’s breath “embalmed her words with a strange richness.” Embalming is the process by which bodies are chemically preserved after death, so Beatrice’s breath is given grim, macabre power. This complex development, associating Beatrice with both light and dark, supports the reading that her character and the story avoid simple moral evaluation.
"You are a connoisseur in flowers, signor..."See in text(Rappaccini's Daughter)
A “connoisseur” is someone who has expertise or highly developed taste in a given area. Beatrice says that Giovanni is an expert of flowers. As this is based on the fact that he merely purchased a bouquet, the sincerity of this statement is unclear. Either she is naive and truly charmed by him, or she is flattering him in order to manipulate him.
