The Intruder

Key themes

Guilt and Conscience

This is the central theme, driving Tullio's entire narrative. The novel meticulously explores the torment of a conscience haunted by past transgressions, particularly the birth and death of Juliana's child. Tullio's guilt is not necessarily a path to redemption but a perpetual, inescapable burden, a form of self-inflicted psychological torture that he both loathes and, in a perverse way, embraces as part of his refined suffering. It questions whether true atonement is possible for a deeply egoistical individual.

Infidelity and Betrayal

The plot is propelled by a cycle of infidelity and betrayal, both Tullio's against Juliana and, subsequently, Juliana's against Tullio. This theme explores the destructive nature of marital disloyalty, not just on the betrayed partner but also on the betrayer. It delves into the motivations behind infidelity – Tullio's narcissism and insatiable desire for novelty, and Juliana's desperate search for affection and agency. The consequences of these betrayals form the emotional core of the novel.

Egoism and Decadence

Tullio Hermil is the quintessential D'Annunzian decadent hero, embodying a radical egoism that prioritizes personal sensation, aesthetic pleasure, and intellectual superiority above all else. This theme explores the dangers of unchecked narcissism and the pursuit of beauty and experience for their own sake, often leading to moral decay and psychological isolation. It reflects the fin-de-siècle anxieties about individualism and the decline of traditional values, where the self becomes the ultimate, often destructive, focus.

Worth discussing

To what extent is Tullio Hermil a victim of his own desires versus a product of his aristocratic, decadent environment?