Il Piacere
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Il piacere (1889) was the debut autobiographical novel by D'Annunzio. It was translated into English as The Child of Pleasure by Arthur Symons. Protagonist is the count Andrea Sperelli, whose motto is «it needs to do his own life as it makes him a work of art». Poet, painter, musician, but above all refined craftsman to like, he spends his days among worldly occupations, it is surrounded of elegant people and of precious objects. Andrea is tormented by the memory of a complicated and sensual relationship with the enigmatic Elena Muti, brusquely truncated by the sudden departure of the woman. After a brief period of isolation, it plunges him in a new series of adventures, until a jealous rival it challenges him to duel and it hurts him. He surrenders to a convalescence «purifier» in the villa of a rich cousin. Here he knows a chaste and sensitive creature, Maria Ferres, wife of a minister of Guatemala. He deludes to have for her a spiritual love, but soon their relationship downfall and in the contact with Maria he tries to reproduce the feelings already tried with Elena. To the peak of the pleasure, Andrea allows to escape the name of the ancient lover: Maria runs away aghast. (The Child of Pleasure[1], 1889)
First English translation by Arthur Symons.
