Summary
Highlights
Gabriele D'Annunzio, also known as 'il vate', was born in Pescara in 1863. Despite circulating rumors, his surname was indeed D'Annunzio. From a young age, he displayed a rebellious temperament and poetic talent, publishing his first collection 'Primo vere' in 1879. He moved to Rome at 18, where he gained literary recognition, though he never graduated university. His early work 'Il Piacere' (1888) reflects his scandalous, dandy lifestyle.
In Rome, D'Annunzio embraced an aesthetic, dandy lifestyle, dedicated to pleasure, art, and beauty. In the 1890s, he became fascinated with Nietzsche’s concept of the 'superuomo' (superman), reinterpreting it in his own unique way. His life was marked by tormented loves, including a famous relationship with actress Eleonora Duse.
D'Annunzio briefly entered politics in 1897 as a far-right deputy, then shifted to the left in 1900. Financial problems forced him to flee to France in 1910. At 52, he joined World War I, participating in daring exploits like the 'Beffa di Buccari' in 1918 and a propaganda flight over Vienna. He championed the 'mutilated victory' myth and led the Fiume expedition in 1919, establishing a personal dominion before being suppressed in 1920. He died in 1938 at the Vittoriale degli Italiani, a recommended site for visitors.
D'Annunzio's aesthetic phase began with poetry collections like 'Primo vere' (1879) and 'Canto novo' (1882), inspired by Carducci. He also wrote short stories, such as 'Terra Vergine', influenced by Verga, and the well-known 'Novelle della Pescara' (1902), which depict daily life in rural Abruzzo. His aesthetic philosophy emphasized art as the supreme value, with life submitting to the law of beauty.
'Il Piacere' (1888), D'Annunzio's first novel, features Andrea Sperelli, an alter ego torn between two women: the fatal Elena Muti and the angelic Maria Ferres. Despite choosing Maria, he betrays her by uttering Elena's name. Followed by a period of experimentation, D’Annunzio published 'Giovanni Episcopo' (1891), a Dostoyevsky-inspired tale of an humiliated postal worker, and 'L'Innocente' (1892), which explores themes of regeneration and purity through Tullio Hermil, a diplomat who betrays his wife but ultimately re-discovers his love for her, leading to a tragic act.
D'Annunzio's 'superuomo' novels incorporate a simplified version of Nietzsche's 'superman' concept, emphasizing the Dionysian spirit and the will to power. These narratives aim to portray an elite, violent, yet refined individual. 'Il Trionfo della Morte' (1894) is a transitional work, featuring Giorgio Aurispa, an aesthete struggling with an inner illness. 'Le Vergini delle Rocce' (1895) is considered the manifesto of the superuomo, with protagonist Claudio Cantelmo seeking to father the future king of Rome, though D'Annunzio's protagonists often remain weak and defeated.
'Il Fuoco' explores the love affair between an artist (Stelio Effrena) and an aging actress (Foscarina), mirroring D'Annunzio's relationship with Eleonora Duse. His novels are structured into trilogies (Rose, Lily, Pomegranate), most of which remained unfinished. His dramatic works, influenced by Nietzsche, reject bourgeois theater in favor of poetic drama, often reflecting superuomo themes. 'La Figlia di Iorio' (1904) is an iconic pastoral tragedy set in Abruzzo, depicting a primitive society and a woman's sacrifice for love.
D'Annunzio's major poetic works include 'Maia', 'Elettra', 'Alcyone', 'Merope', and 'Asterope', which form the 'Laudi del cielo, del mare, della terra e degli eroi', named after four of the Pleiades. 'Alcyone' (1903), a collection of nature poems, stands out for its panoramic vitalism and musicality, with famous poems like 'La Pioggia nel Pineto'. His later work, 'Notturno' (1916), comprises lyrical prose written during a period of temporary blindness caused by a flight accident during the war, marking a shift toward introspective memory.