Sommario
San Pantaleone by Gabriele D’Annunzio, published in 1886, is a collection of short stories set in the Abruzzo region, blending vivid realism with poetic and decadent elements.
The titular story depicts a violent clash between the villages of Radusa and Mascálico, sparked by religious fervor and superstition over a blood-red sky, culminating in a deadly battle led by the fanatical Giacobbe in the name of Saint Pantaleone. Other tales, like “Annali d’Anna” and “San Làimo Navigatore,” explore themes of faith, suffering, and mythic heroism through the lives of ordinary and extraordinary figures, such as a sailor’s daughter and a legendary seafarer. The stories weave together intense human emotions, rural traditions, and supernatural undertones against a backdrop of Italian peasant life.