At the ’Cadian Ball

Alcée and Bobinôt contrast with each other in just about every regard. Alcée is a man of action and a risk-taker. He is bold and forward whereas Bobinôt hesitates and is indecisive. Alcée makes assertive romantic propositions to both Clarisse and Calixta. The narrator notes about Clarisse after Alcée grasps her and confesses his love, “No man had ever spoken love to her like that” (181). The other male characters gossip about Alcée’s boldness, and they admire him.

In contrast, Bobinôt initially plans on skipping the ball to avoid seeing Calixta. The reason he decides to go is so he can interfere with Alcée and Calixta, not so he can pursue Calixta himself. When Calixta proposes that she and Bobinôt wed, Bobinôt is rendered speechless. Earlier in the evening, Calixta compares Bobinôt to a cow in the bog for standing still when he should have been dancing. Instead of defending his honor, as Alcée most certainly would have, Bobinôt laughs at himself and soaks up this insult, noting, “It was better to receive even such notice as that from Calixta than none at all” (184). Clearly, Bobinôt does not take himself as seriously as Alcée.