Gabriele D’Annunzio through the lens of translation

Abstract

Gabriele D’Annunzio (1863 - 1938) was a multifaceted writer, whose work established him as one of the most important figures of twentieth-century Italian literature. His influence, therefore, extended beyond the boundaries of literature and the territory in which he wrote, gaining an international reception that is the focus of this article. This study aims to investigate which of his works were translated and how his complex relationship with Italian politics influenced this process, both in terms of the number of translations and potential censorship. The analysis is based on the works Le traduzioni delle opere di Gabriele d’Annunzio all’estero dal dopoguerra ad oggi by Dario D’Alessandro, published in 1996, and Gabriele d’Annunzio in altre lingue by Mario Cimini, published in 2023;  both of which focus on the translation and circulation of his texts. At the same time, the article highlights D'Annunzio' s translational awareness, as he viewed translation as a strategic instrument for expanding the reach of his works. For this, the study explores the book Carteggio D’Annunzio-Hérelle (1891 - 1931), which brings the correspondence between the author and his first French translator. Through these materials, the article reflects on how D’Annunzio was not only a translated author, but an active agent in the translational process and in shaping his international literary image.