Gioconda

New York: R.H. Russell, 1902. Hardcover. Very Good. Early American edition. Translated by Arthur Symons. Grease pencil price on front fly, a little wear at the cloth spine ends, very good or better. A play dedicated to, and inspired by the author's lover of long duration, the great Italian actress Eleonora Duse. D'Annunzio, despite many estimabletraits as a writer, was himself a more interesting character than those he created. His teenage poetry was a public scandal, he was instrumental inconvincing the powers in Italy to enter the First World War, and later he served in the war with extraordinary distinction and bravery, particularly as an aviator, where he ended the war as commander of the air squadron of Venice. After the war he personally lead the invasion of the city of Fiume,capital of Dalmatia, and ruled it as absolute dictator for nearly two years. He later supported Mussolini and was named a Prince by the fascist dictator. Duse spent the years after his death attempting to promote his plays into a sort of Italian national theatre, despite his humiliating renunciation of her in his novel, *The Flame of Life.* This play probably stands as the "high water mark" of his relationship with Duse.