Abstract

The essay addresses the importance of theater in Annie Vivanti's life and work. Always a theater enthusiast, since her literary debut Vivanti transferred her passion for theater to novel writing, as can be seen in her narrative strategies, characterizations, and themes. This lasted until the late 1910s. The essay looks at the theatrical qualities of Vivanti's best-known novels, from Marion artista di caffè-concerto to The Devourers, and argues that Vivanti used theatrical devices in novel writing not only to innovate popular literature and collective imagination, but also to better explore gender relations and women roles.