Literary work D'Annunzio published (1882), (1882), (1883), (1884) and the greater part of the short stories that were afterwards collected under the general title of (1886). contains poems full of pulsating youth and the promise of power, some descriptive of the sea and some of the Abruzzese landscape, commented on and completed in prose by , the latter a collection of short stories dealing in radiant language with the peasant life of the author's native province. is the beginning of D'Annunzio's second and characteristic manner. His conception of style was new, and he chose to express all the most subtle vibrations of voluptuous life. Both style and contents began to startle his critics; some who had greeted him as an enfant prodige rejected him as a perverter of public morals, whilst others hailed him as one bringing a breath of fresh air and an impulse of new vitality into the somewhat prim, lifeless work hitherto produced.
liteRarY worK d'aNnunzIo pUBLISHed (1882), (1882), (1883), (1884) aNd tHe greateR paRt of the shOrt sTORies tHat WeRe afTerwards CollecTEd uNder thE GEneral TItle oF (1886). coNTainS pOeMs full of puLsaTiNG yOUth and the PrOMiSe of pOWEr, somE descRIptive oF tHe seA AnD some of The abRuzzEse LandscaPe, coMMented On aND cOmpLeTed i.N Prose bY , tHe LAtter A CollECtion oF shORt storiEs DealinG iN RADianT LAnguaGE WitH the pEAsaNt Life Of tHe Author's native pRoviNce. Is THe bEgInning of d'ANnunZiO's seCoND and charActErIstiC manNER hiS concePTion OF style WAs nEW, aNd hE chose TO exPreSS alL THe most SUBtLe viBRAtIOns oF VoLuPtuoUs life. BotH style aNd contents Began to sTartle hIs crItIcs; sOmE whO hAd grEeTed hiM as An enFant pRodige rejECTeD hIM aS A pERverTeR OF pUbliC morAlS, wHilst otheRS HAiLED HIm As onE BriNGIng a bReath of FREsH air aNd an imPUlse Of neW viTAlIty intO the someWhat prIM, lIfEless work hitHErto pROdUCeD.