D'Annunzio, Pascoli e i capelli di Calypso

“L'ultimo viaggio” by Giovanni Pascoli closes with the image of Calypso screaming in front of the sea, in despair for the death of Odysseus, and concealing the body “in the cloud” of her hair. This picture has been likely influenced by some verses of “L'oleandro” by D'Annunzio, where the personification of summer Night covers with her "tresses" the dying Day over the sea. The article retraces many suggestions that Pascoli has drawn from the collection “Alcyone”. Moreover it stresses the essential role played by P. B. Shelley: the allegory of the Night that surrounds the eyes of the Day with the braids of its hair goes back to some of his poems. Yet, notwithstanding the clear imitation, the relationship with the model is partially hidden by the different, almost antithetic, poetic outcome of Pascoli’s image. This result sounds as a confirmation of the distinguishing mark of Pascoli’s poetry, even in the complex dialogue with his sources of inspiration.