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El duelo
One of the few works written in Casanova’s native Italian, The Duel is an important example of the infamous Lothario’s vivid prose style. Translated for the first time into English, this autobiographical novel describes Casanova’s extraordinary battle with a Polish count, while on the run from the Venetian authorities. Foreword by Tim Parks.
Having escaped from Venice’s infamous Piombi Prison, Casanova was forced into exile. Far from destitute, however, his reputation gained him entry into European society’s highest echelons. Yet there, he soon found himself obliged to engage in a duel over a ballerina—a lady in whom neither he nor his Polish rival had the slightest interest. Recounting the deadly encounter and the surprising events it precipitated with sardonic, even blaseacute; wit, Casanova creates a work of thrilling adventure and inimitable literary style. Giacomo Casanova (1725–1798) was an adventurer, a spy, a poet, and a novelist. His literary reputation rests on his remarkable History of My Life, which vividly records not only his exploits and adventures but the manners and morals of the day.
104 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1789
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About the author
Giacomo Casanova
1,449 books276 followersA seminary expelled Giovanni Jacopo Casanova de Seingalt, Italian adventurer, who afterward wandered Europe, met luminaries, worked in a variety of occupations, established a legendary reputation for lust, and chronicled his memoirs.
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova de Seingalt, a Venetian, authored book. People regard Histoire de ma vie ( Story of My Life ), his main book, part autobiography, as one most authentic source of the customs and norms of social life during the 18th century.
He, sometimes called the greatest lust of the world, so famously womanized with his synonymous name with the art of seduction.
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova de Seingalt, a Venetian, authored book. People regard Histoire de ma vie ( Story of My Life ), his main book, part autobiography, as one most authentic source of the customs and norms of social life during the 18th century.
He, sometimes called the greatest lust of the world, so famously womanized with his synonymous name with the art of seduction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 1, 2025
- Libro acquistato a Marzo 2025 -
Il tema del duello, piaga sociale dei secoli passati in cui il combattimento d’onore era condizione “sine qua non” per l’uomo rispettabile di difendere la propria reputazione, è stato frequentemente raccontato nella letteratura: oltre al duello mortale che si portò via una delle menti più illuminate della intellighenzia russa di primo ottocento, alludo a Aleksandr Puskin, ucciso in duello dal cognato che aveva sfidato sospettandolo di avere una relazione con sua moglie, tra le più note composizioni che ho letto sull’argomento mi piace ricordare “I Duellanti” di Joseph Conrad, “Il Duello” di Anton Cechov, “Lo Spadaccino” di Ivan Turgenev, senza dimenticare “Cavalleria Rusticana” di Giovanni Verga e “Versante Sud” di Eduard von Keyserling.
Non sapevo cosa aspettarmi da questo racconto autobiografico di Giacomo Casanova [1725-1798], eterno esule per le corti d’Europa, uomo di mondo, galante e seduttore; il racconto di questo duello mi è risultato davvero soddisfacente ed anche istruttivo perché, al di là dell’episodio nel quale insultato come “poltrone veneziano”, mentre difende da eccessive attenzioni un’attrice italiana, l’autore si vede costretto a chiedere soddisfazione con le armi addirittura al nobile polacco Xaverio Braniski, onorato di un alto incarico a corte, Casanova allarga il suo racconto con digressioni intelligenti e a modo loro istruttive e illuminanti sulla validità del duello, sulla vanità dei protagonisti cui basterebbe una semplice parola di scuse per appianare banali controversie, sul ruolo spesso contraddittorio dei comuni amici che, invece di colmare le disparità, sembrano fare apposta per eccitare ancor più gli animi, e si dilunga opportunamente sugli atti e le consuetudini che precedono, accompagnano e fanno seguito alla disputa sul campo.
E se sul quel campo polacco Casanova, pur riportando fastidiose e dolorose ferite nel corpo, non perde l’onore e la cavalleria che lo contraddistinguono, sarà costretto tuttavia, nelle settimane a seguire, da una campagna diffamatoria tanto anonima quanto incalzante, a fuggire presto dalla Polonia in cerca di altro asilo, a ricucire le ferite dell’animo, a riflettere amaramente sulla perfidia e sulla malignità umana.
Il tema del duello, piaga sociale dei secoli passati in cui il combattimento d’onore era condizione “sine qua non” per l’uomo rispettabile di difendere la propria reputazione, è stato frequentemente raccontato nella letteratura: oltre al duello mortale che si portò via una delle menti più illuminate della intellighenzia russa di primo ottocento, alludo a Aleksandr Puskin, ucciso in duello dal cognato che aveva sfidato sospettandolo di avere una relazione con sua moglie, tra le più note composizioni che ho letto sull’argomento mi piace ricordare “I Duellanti” di Joseph Conrad, “Il Duello” di Anton Cechov, “Lo Spadaccino” di Ivan Turgenev, senza dimenticare “Cavalleria Rusticana” di Giovanni Verga e “Versante Sud” di Eduard von Keyserling.
Non sapevo cosa aspettarmi da questo racconto autobiografico di Giacomo Casanova [1725-1798], eterno esule per le corti d’Europa, uomo di mondo, galante e seduttore; il racconto di questo duello mi è risultato davvero soddisfacente ed anche istruttivo perché, al di là dell’episodio nel quale insultato come “poltrone veneziano”, mentre difende da eccessive attenzioni un’attrice italiana, l’autore si vede costretto a chiedere soddisfazione con le armi addirittura al nobile polacco Xaverio Braniski, onorato di un alto incarico a corte, Casanova allarga il suo racconto con digressioni intelligenti e a modo loro istruttive e illuminanti sulla validità del duello, sulla vanità dei protagonisti cui basterebbe una semplice parola di scuse per appianare banali controversie, sul ruolo spesso contraddittorio dei comuni amici che, invece di colmare le disparità, sembrano fare apposta per eccitare ancor più gli animi, e si dilunga opportunamente sugli atti e le consuetudini che precedono, accompagnano e fanno seguito alla disputa sul campo.
E se sul quel campo polacco Casanova, pur riportando fastidiose e dolorose ferite nel corpo, non perde l’onore e la cavalleria che lo contraddistinguono, sarà costretto tuttavia, nelle settimane a seguire, da una campagna diffamatoria tanto anonima quanto incalzante, a fuggire presto dalla Polonia in cerca di altro asilo, a ricucire le ferite dell’animo, a riflettere amaramente sulla perfidia e sulla malignità umana.
January 16, 2015
The Duel: A Review, Part I
The Duel by Giacomo Casanova:
The Duel from Melville House: The Art of the Novella Series from Melville House Books reprints both great and lesser-known short novels in (as I believe Proustitute said once) colorful little lozenge-like books, and I was rather enamored with them until they decided to go with the lowest common denominator. Although we've since gone our separate ways, I still have some forty-odd literary lozenges prettying up my shelves, many of them unread, including their little five-volume set of tales that share "The Duel" as a title. These stories, by Chekhov, Conrad, Kuprin, von Kleist, and Casanova, are unrelated to each other, sharing only a great and violent clash between two individuals.
But...only five? Surely there must be more than five eponymous duels throughout literature, waiting to receive the MHP treatment. If not, perhaps we need to write some. Here are a few ideas I had while reading Casanova's tale, little sparks inspired by a line or two from the story that could turn into stories themselves, if I wasn't too lazy or unskilled to write them myself. If I did, however, perhaps Melville House could find room on their shelves for:
The Duel (I) by _____:
The Duel (II) by _____:
Well, I'm too lazy to write them, but maybe someone else will, along with the others from the list below. Have at 'em, Melvillians.
See Also:
The Duel by Heinrich von Kleist
The Duel by Anton Chekhov
The Duel by Alexander Kuprin (forthcoming)
The Duel by Joseph Conrad (forthcoming)
The Duel by Giacomo Casanova:
It was his intention to trade a few sword-thrusts in some place or another, and get the business over with... (p. 19)A nameless Venetian (hinted to be the author himself) flees his city after getting into some unspecified trouble and wanders through Europe, eventually settling in Warsaw, where a clash with a Polish nobleman over the attentions of a ballerina leads to a dangerous duel. Thrilling stuff, and apparently adapted from the author's Memoirs, which I definitely did not need to know existed in such a lovely unabridged set. And just when I was beginning to feel (temporarily, at least) satisfied with the size of my library, too. Alas.
The Duel from Melville House: The Art of the Novella Series from Melville House Books reprints both great and lesser-known short novels in (as I believe Proustitute said once) colorful little lozenge-like books, and I was rather enamored with them until they decided to go with the lowest common denominator. Although we've since gone our separate ways, I still have some forty-odd literary lozenges prettying up my shelves, many of them unread, including their little five-volume set of tales that share "The Duel" as a title. These stories, by Chekhov, Conrad, Kuprin, von Kleist, and Casanova, are unrelated to each other, sharing only a great and violent clash between two individuals.
But...only five? Surely there must be more than five eponymous duels throughout literature, waiting to receive the MHP treatment. If not, perhaps we need to write some. Here are a few ideas I had while reading Casanova's tale, little sparks inspired by a line or two from the story that could turn into stories themselves, if I wasn't too lazy or unskilled to write them myself. If I did, however, perhaps Melville House could find room on their shelves for:
The Duel (I) by _____:
The next day, the Podstoli sent over an officer with his compliments, to return the Venetian's sword, inquire about his health, and to let him know that the wound he had inflicted was not fatal... The Venetian responded in kind, and this exchange of communiqués became a daily routine. (p. 52)Story: An episotolary novella about two fanatical duelists who, confined to their beds following their most recent exchange, begin a friendly correspondence that slowly morphs into a thinly-veiled yet barbed rehash of their last encounter.
The Duel (II) by _____:
The Venetian...understood that people who eat and drink to excess end up with both mind and body in a sluggish state. (p.37)Story: A retired officer, aging, bloated, past his prime, is insulted by a younger, rakishly handsome soldier, and, seeing his own past reflected in the man, challenges him to a duel. The young pup, seeing some sport in the chance to humiliate the old lion, accepts, and lets the officer choose his weapons. His choice: sausages. Pies. Cakes galore. A smorgasbord of rich delights and a feast to the death, with the victor just as ruined as the vanquished. The young rake reluctantly accepts, and a cycle begins anew.
Well, I'm too lazy to write them, but maybe someone else will, along with the others from the list below. Have at 'em, Melvillians.
See Also:
The Duel by Heinrich von Kleist
The Duel by Anton Chekhov
The Duel by Alexander Kuprin (forthcoming)
The Duel by Joseph Conrad (forthcoming)
April 8, 2014
I read this to prepare myself for Szentkuthy's 'Marginalia on Casanova,' which I'm currently reading and which will inevitably influence what I write here.
Obviously, I didn't feel like reading all 12 volumes of Casanova's memoirs, and the library didn't have any abridgements, so here I am. Luckily, this story gives a pretty good idea of Casanova's literary character, and, I'm guessing, the flavor of his work as a whole. Much of the eighteenth century is present: ludicrous ideas of personal honor; the bizarre combination of deep respect and murderous hatred, which leads (doesn't it always?) to something like friendship; highly stylized 'love'; the pan-European upper class that gets to go wherever it wants and always gets a good welcome; the deep divides between that upper class and everyone else; and elegance, everywhere you look. Otherwise, it's the story of a duel. You've probably read about eight billion of them, so you know how it goes. There is blood, there is manliness, there is fortitude, there is bravery. There is not, however, any obvious sign as to why Casanova was able to sleep his way through an entire continent. He's still well down my list of "18th Century Men I Would Have Sex With."
Obviously, I didn't feel like reading all 12 volumes of Casanova's memoirs, and the library didn't have any abridgements, so here I am. Luckily, this story gives a pretty good idea of Casanova's literary character, and, I'm guessing, the flavor of his work as a whole. Much of the eighteenth century is present: ludicrous ideas of personal honor; the bizarre combination of deep respect and murderous hatred, which leads (doesn't it always?) to something like friendship; highly stylized 'love'; the pan-European upper class that gets to go wherever it wants and always gets a good welcome; the deep divides between that upper class and everyone else; and elegance, everywhere you look. Otherwise, it's the story of a duel. You've probably read about eight billion of them, so you know how it goes. There is blood, there is manliness, there is fortitude, there is bravery. There is not, however, any obvious sign as to why Casanova was able to sleep his way through an entire continent. He's still well down my list of "18th Century Men I Would Have Sex With."
January 1, 2018
Okay, this is my third attempt to like Casanova's writing, but he's just not for me. Interesting tale, but too verbose.
October 16, 2013
This is a story adapted from Casanova's Memoirs for the Art of the Novella series published by Melville House. Casanova spins a tale with a very engaging style and well-turned plot, which I suppose is to be expected, given his reputation beyond the literary. Along the way, he provides pointed asides and ironic comments that draw attention to the hypocrisies and other moral inconsistencies of mid-18th century European high society. The qualms that literary critics and literate society in general had about the portrayal of his sexual liaisons and other adventures of dubious morality kept his Memoirs from being appreciated as they might have been, but they ought be integrated into the canon (to the extent that any exists anymore) of 18th century literature, now that those inhibitions are no longer relevant. The second half of this volume includes essays, brief passages, and illustrations that set Casanova and the themes addressed in this story in helpful context and led me to consider different readings of the story.
August 27, 2021
Conocí a Casanova este año cuando vi que un libro suyo costaba 100k, lo odié inmediatamente.
Pasó el tiempo y nosé pq me empezó a agradar la idea de este aventurero de 1700. Pillé el libro en la biblioteca de Santiago y no sé si pude haber tenido un mejor acercamiento q leyendo este librito de 100 paginas.
Me recordó mucho a Cándido, la narración, los lugares y palabras (como chambelán)y la crítica social . Si esto realmente le pasó a Giacomo Casanova me retiro de la vida, es un personaje. Muy muy entretenido, de lectura no tan ligera, construye oraciones súper largas. En ciertos puntos del relato se arman diálogos con guiones tipo nose teatro, que no son habituales en el libro, lo que le otorga cierta dinámica a la narración.
Quizá un 5 sea mucho, pero con 4 estrellas quedo corto. Me sorprendí con los hechos y no podía creer lo q estaba pasando, muxa emoción.
Pasó el tiempo y nosé pq me empezó a agradar la idea de este aventurero de 1700. Pillé el libro en la biblioteca de Santiago y no sé si pude haber tenido un mejor acercamiento q leyendo este librito de 100 paginas.
Me recordó mucho a Cándido, la narración, los lugares y palabras (como chambelán)y la crítica social . Si esto realmente le pasó a Giacomo Casanova me retiro de la vida, es un personaje. Muy muy entretenido, de lectura no tan ligera, construye oraciones súper largas. En ciertos puntos del relato se arman diálogos con guiones tipo nose teatro, que no son habituales en el libro, lo que le otorga cierta dinámica a la narración.
Quizá un 5 sea mucho, pero con 4 estrellas quedo corto. Me sorprendí con los hechos y no podía creer lo q estaba pasando, muxa emoción.
November 19, 2023
I think it is well established by now that I trust the Melville House novella series implicitly. I can't imagine that I would have ever gotten around to reading this story otherwise. I think duels are largely dumb and had very little interest in Casanova, but I found this to be surprisingly entertaining and more thoughtful than I expected.
Another score for Melville House.
Another score for Melville House.
February 13, 2017
SIX WORD REVIEW: Duelists respect each other before fight.
April 7, 2017
I'll begin by expressing my astonishment at how few people realize that Giacomo Casanova actually lived and that his adventures and misadventures ran nearly the length of the 18th Century.
Yes, he was flesh and blood, and occasionally his acquired "aristocratic" sang froid turned ice cold—a transformation that is at the heart of this slender volume. A slender book, but also an excellent introduction to the grand life led by Casanova, Chevalier de Seingalt.
Upon finishing THE DUEL, I hope many of you will read the excellent 6-volume, "unabridged" English translation by Willard R. Trask. When you are done, you'll not only have a solid acquaintanceship with that spectacular century, but with customs of the high and low. High meaning the Greats—Catherine The Great, Frederick the Great and Stanislaw II Augustus (King of Poland at the time of THE DUEL)—the low—tavern whores, con men, fallen aristocrats, and cardsharps—and every type in between, all of with whom our Hero was well acquainted.
At this point you will not confuse Casanova with the fictional Don Juan. Although you will be able to engage in the debate as to whether Casanova helped Lorenzo Da Ponte complete the libretto of Mozart’s greatest opera, DON GIOVANNI.
I hold a deep affection for the man who I regard as the first modern celebrity. Everywhere he went people wanted to meet him simply because he was Casanova. This man won such renown and notoriety, he found welcome and patrons wherever he traveled—from Rome, to Naples, to France, to Holland and England, and across all the Italian and German states, and on up to Russia, and to Poland, where THE DUEL, takes place. (He would travel to Spain and Portugal, only to expelled from Spain by the Spanish King, return to Venice, before fleeing again, and ending his days in comfort and punishing boredom, in a kind of purgatory, as librarian to Count Joseph Karl von Waldstein, in the Castle of Dux.)
In was at Dux that Casanova memorialized his own life in his memoirs, HISTOIRE DE MA VIE, (The Story of My Life) originally composed in French, and it is from this extraordinary work that THE DUEL was excerpted.
As mentioned above, this is a small book but a rich one. On the surface it tells the story of a quarrel between Casanova and Count Branicki, an officer and favorite of the King. It was a quarrel over nothing at all, but one that could only be resolved with a duel. The tension arrives chiefly from the fact that dueling was outlawed and punishable by death. Nevertheless, place a woman between two men such as Casanova and Branicki, men obsessed with "honor," and a duel is inevitable.
Casanova is ambivalent. He reasons with himself seeking to justify his role in this life-and-death matter by revisiting Plato's, the Gospels', and Rousseau's thoughts on the subject of Pride and Humility. He takes us through this process, which makes for more interesting than compelling reading. It is slow going, but that pace is essential for it captures the rhythm of the times and adds to the authenticity underlying the tale.
He might have saved himself much trouble if he knew Shakespeare as well as classical and contemporary philosophers. Perhaps if he were acquainted with Falstaff's opinion of honor: "Can honor set to a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honor hath no skill in surgery, then? No. What is honor? A word. What is in that word “honor”? What is that “honor”? Air. A trim reckoning. Who hath it? He that died o' Wednesday."
Alas, he was not, which is a wonderful thing, for if he were, he might not have fought this duel, and we would not have the book.
In the end, he finds his answer in a simple observation whispered to him by an elderly Polish Prince whose friendship he had cultivated: "In circumstance as these, an honest man must do much, or nothing at all." Nothing ensured the insult would go unanswered and much compelled him to duel. The prince's words persuade Casanova and the mechanics of the duel are set in motion. The book is largely concerned with the myriad preparations that precede the duel, the duel itself, and its aftermath.
Throughout the book, Casanova refers to himself in the third person as The Venetian. There is much to be discerned from this, starting with European’s perception of Venice as the exotic Republic in an otherwise crown-heavy Europe. And, although La Serenissima had already sunk into decadence and only a few decades away from having her virtue taken by Napoleon, being The Venetian gave our Hero a certain panache, a panache that Cyrano de Bergerac would be proud to display.
In the end, read the book for your amusement, for lessons regarding dueling etiquette, or for your introduction to the marvelous Giacomo Girolamo Casanova, Chevalier de Seingalt. A man who defied all conventions and limitations. Yes, indeed a great lover of a great many women, but also a man of too many other qualities to list here. To learn more you must read his memoirs. THE DUEL is a fine first step.
Yes, he was flesh and blood, and occasionally his acquired "aristocratic" sang froid turned ice cold—a transformation that is at the heart of this slender volume. A slender book, but also an excellent introduction to the grand life led by Casanova, Chevalier de Seingalt.
Upon finishing THE DUEL, I hope many of you will read the excellent 6-volume, "unabridged" English translation by Willard R. Trask. When you are done, you'll not only have a solid acquaintanceship with that spectacular century, but with customs of the high and low. High meaning the Greats—Catherine The Great, Frederick the Great and Stanislaw II Augustus (King of Poland at the time of THE DUEL)—the low—tavern whores, con men, fallen aristocrats, and cardsharps—and every type in between, all of with whom our Hero was well acquainted.
At this point you will not confuse Casanova with the fictional Don Juan. Although you will be able to engage in the debate as to whether Casanova helped Lorenzo Da Ponte complete the libretto of Mozart’s greatest opera, DON GIOVANNI.
I hold a deep affection for the man who I regard as the first modern celebrity. Everywhere he went people wanted to meet him simply because he was Casanova. This man won such renown and notoriety, he found welcome and patrons wherever he traveled—from Rome, to Naples, to France, to Holland and England, and across all the Italian and German states, and on up to Russia, and to Poland, where THE DUEL, takes place. (He would travel to Spain and Portugal, only to expelled from Spain by the Spanish King, return to Venice, before fleeing again, and ending his days in comfort and punishing boredom, in a kind of purgatory, as librarian to Count Joseph Karl von Waldstein, in the Castle of Dux.)
In was at Dux that Casanova memorialized his own life in his memoirs, HISTOIRE DE MA VIE, (The Story of My Life) originally composed in French, and it is from this extraordinary work that THE DUEL was excerpted.
As mentioned above, this is a small book but a rich one. On the surface it tells the story of a quarrel between Casanova and Count Branicki, an officer and favorite of the King. It was a quarrel over nothing at all, but one that could only be resolved with a duel. The tension arrives chiefly from the fact that dueling was outlawed and punishable by death. Nevertheless, place a woman between two men such as Casanova and Branicki, men obsessed with "honor," and a duel is inevitable.
Casanova is ambivalent. He reasons with himself seeking to justify his role in this life-and-death matter by revisiting Plato's, the Gospels', and Rousseau's thoughts on the subject of Pride and Humility. He takes us through this process, which makes for more interesting than compelling reading. It is slow going, but that pace is essential for it captures the rhythm of the times and adds to the authenticity underlying the tale.
He might have saved himself much trouble if he knew Shakespeare as well as classical and contemporary philosophers. Perhaps if he were acquainted with Falstaff's opinion of honor: "Can honor set to a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honor hath no skill in surgery, then? No. What is honor? A word. What is in that word “honor”? What is that “honor”? Air. A trim reckoning. Who hath it? He that died o' Wednesday."
Alas, he was not, which is a wonderful thing, for if he were, he might not have fought this duel, and we would not have the book.
In the end, he finds his answer in a simple observation whispered to him by an elderly Polish Prince whose friendship he had cultivated: "In circumstance as these, an honest man must do much, or nothing at all." Nothing ensured the insult would go unanswered and much compelled him to duel. The prince's words persuade Casanova and the mechanics of the duel are set in motion. The book is largely concerned with the myriad preparations that precede the duel, the duel itself, and its aftermath.
Throughout the book, Casanova refers to himself in the third person as The Venetian. There is much to be discerned from this, starting with European’s perception of Venice as the exotic Republic in an otherwise crown-heavy Europe. And, although La Serenissima had already sunk into decadence and only a few decades away from having her virtue taken by Napoleon, being The Venetian gave our Hero a certain panache, a panache that Cyrano de Bergerac would be proud to display.
In the end, read the book for your amusement, for lessons regarding dueling etiquette, or for your introduction to the marvelous Giacomo Girolamo Casanova, Chevalier de Seingalt. A man who defied all conventions and limitations. Yes, indeed a great lover of a great many women, but also a man of too many other qualities to list here. To learn more you must read his memoirs. THE DUEL is a fine first step.
July 23, 2017
I have read much of Giacomo Casanova’ autobiography, and at least one biography. The Duel is a lot more autobiography than fiction. Not a big deal, especially given that he make no effort to separate the un-named Venetian, with the initials GC from himself. This is a duel he elsewhere says he, himself fought. The language is too stylized though consistent with that of his many volume autobiography. He always has excuses for himself and few for his opponent. This is consistent with his Autobio. By itself The Duel is not much of a story. There is room for more wit and less self-praise. That Casanova can be a huge egotist should come as no surprise. I had hoped for more of his wit and ingenuity. This being intended as fiction he could have used some imagination. The Duel is a reasonable intro to Giacomo Casanova, but it is not likely to convince you to dive into the unedited many volume work from which this is taken.
While staying in Poland, and we cannot know why he is in Poland or what he travels so much. (Casanova had a habit of schemes, frauds and seductions that tended to make of him a travelling man.) Our narrator is a Venetian gentleman, initials GC, but otherwise unidentified, who gains in favor with the local king. He also falls in with the ladies of the local theater.
In his version he is mostly interested in the actress Anna Benetti who leads one camp of followers in rivalry with the followers of Teresa Casacci. Out of this GC find himself faced with a duel. He expresses no particular preference for either actress or any special desire to fight over them. However he feels keenly that a failure to fight will cost him his standing at court, and perhaps cause him to seek out honest work.
Along the way there are some witty and keenly edged comments about courtly survival. GC , real or imagined is a survivor and a conniver. Both real and fictional GCs are men of great taste and insight into what is jewels and what is paste. Forever the man on the make.
Like the author, GC is a hero in the tradition of the stylish rogue. Impeccable, unruffled and always thinking on the next prospect. Casanova was one of the early in this tradition and should appeal to those so inclined.
While staying in Poland, and we cannot know why he is in Poland or what he travels so much. (Casanova had a habit of schemes, frauds and seductions that tended to make of him a travelling man.) Our narrator is a Venetian gentleman, initials GC, but otherwise unidentified, who gains in favor with the local king. He also falls in with the ladies of the local theater.
In his version he is mostly interested in the actress Anna Benetti who leads one camp of followers in rivalry with the followers of Teresa Casacci. Out of this GC find himself faced with a duel. He expresses no particular preference for either actress or any special desire to fight over them. However he feels keenly that a failure to fight will cost him his standing at court, and perhaps cause him to seek out honest work.
Along the way there are some witty and keenly edged comments about courtly survival. GC , real or imagined is a survivor and a conniver. Both real and fictional GCs are men of great taste and insight into what is jewels and what is paste. Forever the man on the make.
Like the author, GC is a hero in the tradition of the stylish rogue. Impeccable, unruffled and always thinking on the next prospect. Casanova was one of the early in this tradition and should appeal to those so inclined.
August 2, 2016
I had to force myself to read this as 1) I don't like 18th-century literature nor 2) am I fond of Italian literature. But I had the book and to read something by Casanova felt like a bit of an accomplishment. Surprisingly, the story is highly readable and even entertaining. A straightforward telling of a situation that a rogue and rascal gets himself into which ends in a duel, it also was highly philosophical and moralising which I found fascinating. Glad to say I've read it.
November 11, 2015
Lightly fictionalized account of Casanova not being able to keep it in his pants and getting into trouble. Whoops.
July 27, 2011
I had to stop reading every 3-4 pages so I could write down a new quotation. Great stuff here.
May 4, 2019
This autobiographical novella (in which Casanova refers to an anonymous Venetian instead of naming himself) refers to the circumstances of his duel in Warsaw with Colonel Branicki and the complications that followed. The book is largely illuminating about the upper class in Europe in the 18th century, the habits of royalty, gossip, yellow journalism, the role of the church, etc. Casanova doesn't play his unnamed stand-in up too highly, and in some cases he points out various follies.
“The Duel” is interesting in that is puts on a display a complicated and contradictory social structure that created the situation. Man insults man, challenges man to a duel, all parties understand that it's illegal, both are wounded, neither is arrested, and so on. Once or twice, Casanova ponders whether the factors and behaviors are “christian”, and yet the church turns a blind eye to it, while royalty openly pardons it. There's something about frail masculinity and the running theme or reputation.
A weird point of this book is the odd inconsistency, that sometimes Casanova refers to an “I”, possibly separate from the Venetian, as if he witnessed some of the events, rather than taking part in them. Some of the dialogue also lapses into script format, which is acknowledged.
This was a strange slice of reality, but I crack some of the awkwardness to the times and the fact that the novel was really still being born back then.
I bought “The Duel” at Powell's a year ago, partly because Casanova's other books were out of my price range.
“The Duel” is interesting in that is puts on a display a complicated and contradictory social structure that created the situation. Man insults man, challenges man to a duel, all parties understand that it's illegal, both are wounded, neither is arrested, and so on. Once or twice, Casanova ponders whether the factors and behaviors are “christian”, and yet the church turns a blind eye to it, while royalty openly pardons it. There's something about frail masculinity and the running theme or reputation.
A weird point of this book is the odd inconsistency, that sometimes Casanova refers to an “I”, possibly separate from the Venetian, as if he witnessed some of the events, rather than taking part in them. Some of the dialogue also lapses into script format, which is acknowledged.
This was a strange slice of reality, but I crack some of the awkwardness to the times and the fact that the novel was really still being born back then.
I bought “The Duel” at Powell's a year ago, partly because Casanova's other books were out of my price range.
December 15, 2024
Το γεγονός ότι ο Καζανόβας ήταν δεινός χειριστής της γλώσσας ήταν κάτι το αναμενόμενο,το ότι είχε αφήσει πίσω του τόσο καλογραμμένο και άρτιο έργο ήταν κάτι που δεν γνώριζα.Η δεινότητα του γραπτού του λόγου φαίνεται από τις επιστολές του που αποτελούν το πρώτο μέρος του βιβλίου.Καθως και από την περιγραφή των γεγονότων πριν και μετά την μονομαχία του.Ο συγγραφέας αναφέρεται σε τρίτο πρόσωπο στον εαυτό του,επίσης τον παρουσιάζει ως βαθύτατα ηθικό και αδικημένο από τις φήμες γύρω απο το πρόσωπο του.Οπως θα δούμε και στον πρόλογο από τους σχολιαστές του έργου ,το εν λόγω έργο έχει ως κύριο μέλημα να ανασκευάσει τις φήμες που τον ήθελαν να είναι ένας τυχοδιώκτης,γυναικοκατακτητης και απατεώνας και να παρουσιάσει τον Καζανόβα σαν ηθικό, άμεμπτο και αδικημένο.
December 30, 2017
A re-working of the duel Casanova described in his memoir. It tells the tale of his trip to Eastern Europe and the duel he engages in after being insulted after a ballet. The novella is a look at society in the mid 1700s, and Casanova's travels in Europe and the social strata in which he moved.
April 14, 2020
A bromance with pistols
April 17, 2020
Two versions of the same experience, one from Casanova's Memoirs. The accounts show the strange rationalizations that he used in committing himself to a duel, one both dangerous and illegal.
February 19, 2022
Casanova è un personaggio particolare, ha visto molti lati degli uomini e racconta di un tempo a noi lontano. Purtroppo non è un ottimo scrittore
April 21, 2022
Funny and Iconic mostly
December 6, 2011
Casanova's 1780 novella is, according to the flap copy, a "thinly-veiled autobiographical work," and tells the story of a duel that took place in 1766 between Casanova and a member of the Polish court. Having left Venice at the age of twenty-eight, fleeing the law, "the Venetian" at the center of The Duel has made his way through a fair chunk of Europe (Munich, Paris, Holland, London, Berlin and elsewhere in Germany, Latvia, St. Petersburg) before landing in Warsaw. Here, "G.C." does well enough for himself at court, as he's done elsewhere, but the arrival in the city of a Venetian ballerina ends up being the start of his downfall. Count Xavier Branicki, part of the king's court and a soldier, is one of this ballerina's admirers; as he's stopping by backstage to say hi to this ballerina and another dancer-friend after a play one night, G.C. has a run-in with the Count. The Count insults him, and G.C. indicates his anger by touching the hilt of his sword, thereby loosely challenging the Count to a fight. (This is fairly mind-boggling to me, the idea of a culture in which, you know, you have your sword at your hip for a night out at the theatre.) But the Count doesn't show up at the stage-door immediately as G.C. thinks he will, so G.C, after having thought over whether he should let it go or not, formalizes things by writing the Count a letter the next day, challenging him to a duel (even though dueling is illegal in Poland). Since G.C. has already mentioned that the Count's experience as a soldier had taught him "to prefer honor—which is an imaginary thing— to life, which is the sole actual thing that men possess," it's not surprising that the Count agrees to fight (11). The duel happens. Spoiler alert: no one dies, but both parties are injured. And G.C. later ends up banished from the Polish Court, slandered by anonymous letters.
The tone of this book struck me as sort of weird and distant: it's narrated in the third person and feels, often, like a pretty dry chronicle, a straightforward progression of events. It's not particularly atmospheric; it's not a glitteringly detailed depiction of the trappings of a place and time in the way that a novel like Embers, which is about a similar culture, is. It has things to say about a culture of honor and dueling, and about G.C.'s experience of exile from Venice/traveling through Europe. And it has moments of humor, too. For example: on wearing "a battered Papal Order of the Golden Spur": "Such a glittering medal is very useful to a man on the road, who may visit a different city almost every month. It is an ornament, a substantial decoration that elicits the respect of fools. And since the world is full of fools, all of them inclined to nastiness, and since there's nothing like a medal to whip them into line and leave them confused, ecstatic, and humbled, you might as well show it off." (9-10) The logistics of the duel have their humor, too: there's this whole funny back-and-forth about the timing of the duel and what the weapons will be. The aftermath of the duel, to me, was funniest: there's a great exchange between the injured G.C. and the King's surgeons, who want to amputate his hand. G.C. is not having it:
If the whole book were like that passage, I would have loved it. As it was, it wasn't quite for me. Meanwhile, this is a Melville House "HybridBook," meaning that supplementary material related to the book is available for download from the Melville House website. In this case, that means a 92-page PDF file (it's available in other formats too) that contains essays/snippets of essays about Casanova in general and this book specifically. This includes the version of the story of the duel that appears in Casanova's Memoirs, with its first-person narration (which seems to me to be more detailed and more engaging than this novella, though I only skimmed it). There's also a section on "Famous Duels, Duelists and Dueling Grounds," including a list of "Ten People You Would Never Want To Duel" (number one: Andrew Jackson). I wasn't interested in reading all of this, but I guess if I'd totally loved the book I might have been more interested than I was.
The tone of this book struck me as sort of weird and distant: it's narrated in the third person and feels, often, like a pretty dry chronicle, a straightforward progression of events. It's not particularly atmospheric; it's not a glitteringly detailed depiction of the trappings of a place and time in the way that a novel like Embers, which is about a similar culture, is. It has things to say about a culture of honor and dueling, and about G.C.'s experience of exile from Venice/traveling through Europe. And it has moments of humor, too. For example: on wearing "a battered Papal Order of the Golden Spur": "Such a glittering medal is very useful to a man on the road, who may visit a different city almost every month. It is an ornament, a substantial decoration that elicits the respect of fools. And since the world is full of fools, all of them inclined to nastiness, and since there's nothing like a medal to whip them into line and leave them confused, ecstatic, and humbled, you might as well show it off." (9-10) The logistics of the duel have their humor, too: there's this whole funny back-and-forth about the timing of the duel and what the weapons will be. The aftermath of the duel, to me, was funniest: there's a great exchange between the injured G.C. and the King's surgeons, who want to amputate his hand. G.C. is not having it:
SURGEON: But what about the gangrene?
VENETIAN: Where is it?
SURGEON: It is imminent.
VENETIAN: Very well then. But I want to see it. I am extremely curious about it. Once it appears, we can talk about amputating the hand.
SURGEON: It will be too late by then.
VENETIAN: Why?
SURGEON: Because it is progressing very rapidly, and by then it will be necessary to amputate your arm.
VENETIAN: Excellent. You will amputate my arm. But for the moment, please bandage me up and leave. (57)
If the whole book were like that passage, I would have loved it. As it was, it wasn't quite for me. Meanwhile, this is a Melville House "HybridBook," meaning that supplementary material related to the book is available for download from the Melville House website. In this case, that means a 92-page PDF file (it's available in other formats too) that contains essays/snippets of essays about Casanova in general and this book specifically. This includes the version of the story of the duel that appears in Casanova's Memoirs, with its first-person narration (which seems to me to be more detailed and more engaging than this novella, though I only skimmed it). There's also a section on "Famous Duels, Duelists and Dueling Grounds," including a list of "Ten People You Would Never Want To Duel" (number one: Andrew Jackson). I wasn't interested in reading all of this, but I guess if I'd totally loved the book I might have been more interested than I was.
March 12, 2025
Don’t you just hate it when you duel someone, fatally injure your opponent, and then your opponent’s friend tries to hunt you down to kill you? And in that hunt, they go to your friend’s house to demand that they hand you over, and when your friend says they don’t know where you are, they get shot?
Yeah, me too.
Reading about Casanova haunting Europe in the 1700s is quickly becoming my all-time favourite genre to read.
Here are two of my favourite quotes from the book:
“While the Venetian stepped away at a glacial pace, Branicki spoke in a loud voice, so that his words would be audible to two officers standing nearby: “That Venetian coward made the right move by running away. I was about to send him off to fuck himself.”
Without turning around, the other replied: “A Venetian coward is about to send a brave Pole to the next world.”
“Meanwhile, the king and various other notables had received anonymous letters that put the poor Venetian in a most abominable light. They depicted him as an exile not only from his own country, but from almost all the countries of Europe: here for robbing banks, there for treason, for abduction, for infamous acts of wickedness. His exile from his homeland, of course, was chalked up to behaviour so vile that it was virtually unmentionable.”
In conclusion, I love Casanova, and he will forever be on my dream dinner guest list.
Yeah, me too.
Reading about Casanova haunting Europe in the 1700s is quickly becoming my all-time favourite genre to read.
Here are two of my favourite quotes from the book:
“While the Venetian stepped away at a glacial pace, Branicki spoke in a loud voice, so that his words would be audible to two officers standing nearby: “That Venetian coward made the right move by running away. I was about to send him off to fuck himself.”
Without turning around, the other replied: “A Venetian coward is about to send a brave Pole to the next world.”
“Meanwhile, the king and various other notables had received anonymous letters that put the poor Venetian in a most abominable light. They depicted him as an exile not only from his own country, but from almost all the countries of Europe: here for robbing banks, there for treason, for abduction, for infamous acts of wickedness. His exile from his homeland, of course, was chalked up to behaviour so vile that it was virtually unmentionable.”
In conclusion, I love Casanova, and he will forever be on my dream dinner guest list.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2009
The Duel is primarily an account of a game of one-upmanship, between "The Venetian" and a Polish Officer. It is eloquently written and cleverly recounted by, arguably, the most renowned man-about-town in all of Europe: Giacomo Casanova. Although remembered for his way with women, he was also a man of humor, compassion and erudition.
This tale, whether it be judged as, mere fiction, or, authentic autobiographical history, is a fascinating rarity, for it's told from dual perspectives - the third and first person - not by two different people, but by the same one - "The Venetian" or Casanova. This fact is, in itself, interesting, but more importantly, reveals the method in which he wished to present his (fair) conduct to others.
Futhermore, the duel referred to in the title, is more than one event (or series of events) between adversaries; it is two duels, one with pistols, and the other with words. Casanova demonstrates that rhetorical skill can be, just as advantageous as, adroit marksmanship in battle, a battle, in which, he is as gracious as he is graceful. His strict adherence to a code of honor between gentlemen is one worthy of admiration.
This tale, whether it be judged as, mere fiction, or, authentic autobiographical history, is a fascinating rarity, for it's told from dual perspectives - the third and first person - not by two different people, but by the same one - "The Venetian" or Casanova. This fact is, in itself, interesting, but more importantly, reveals the method in which he wished to present his (fair) conduct to others.
Futhermore, the duel referred to in the title, is more than one event (or series of events) between adversaries; it is two duels, one with pistols, and the other with words. Casanova demonstrates that rhetorical skill can be, just as advantageous as, adroit marksmanship in battle, a battle, in which, he is as gracious as he is graceful. His strict adherence to a code of honor between gentlemen is one worthy of admiration.
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June 17, 2008Two, two, two books in one! Casanova wrote two accounts of his duel with the Polish Count Branicki. One was a thinly-disguised autobiographical novella, written in Italian, the other was included in his Memoirs and written in French. The first is more fleshed out, with whole sections of dialogue and much greater description and ruminations. It's interesting to compare the two. All the formality and etiquette of honor and duelling is strange to us, but was quite acceptable in Casanova's time. It is quite curious how Branicki and Casanova duel, while at the same time they deny that their fight is a duel since certain technical requirements are not complied with (no seconds, for instance). Yet they still engage in ritual compliments and deferrals to one another, though there's a bit of treachery on Branicki's part. Casanova was a fascinating character, with much more to him that the Don Juan/Don Giovanni part that he's famous for.
August 11, 2012
This novella is a delightful excerpt of Giacomo Casanova’s autobiographic “Story of my Life”. It recounts Casanova’s duel against a Count Branicki, an army colonel, over a perceived slight over a ballerina (a woman which did not interest either the Count or the Venetian), which ends in a duel and ultimately leads to Casanova’s expulsion from Warsaw.
The story is highly entertaining in spite of having an odd tone and pacing for in spite of it being a highly exciting and terrifying anecdote in a persons life it is written in a rather detached and slightly apathetic manner. Never the less it has a good number of dialogues and reflections written by Casanova which allow the reader a glimpse into the wit and psychology of the famous individual whose name would become synonymous with “Don Juan” character and the attributes associated with him.
The story is highly entertaining in spite of having an odd tone and pacing for in spite of it being a highly exciting and terrifying anecdote in a persons life it is written in a rather detached and slightly apathetic manner. Never the less it has a good number of dialogues and reflections written by Casanova which allow the reader a glimpse into the wit and psychology of the famous individual whose name would become synonymous with “Don Juan” character and the attributes associated with him.
August 15, 2015
Samuel Johnson's a guy I'd heard of who is famous for being witty, so I figured I'd read Boswell's biography, which I'd assumed was full of funny stories about a funny guy and also had a reputation for being very well written. Anyway, Boswell's biography of Johnson is, in my opinion an unreadable, unfunny brick of a book.
I assume that the same is true of Casanova. Here's a guy who's famous for being a ladies man, and has a famous autobiography. But it turns out that the biography is something like twelve volumes and there was no way I was going to even consider reading that. Then I got this little excerpt, and it turns out that it was very readable, and that this Casanova is a funny guy. I'm still not going to read his memoirs, but this was a great little taste of Casanova, and I'd definitely recommend giving it a go.
I assume that the same is true of Casanova. Here's a guy who's famous for being a ladies man, and has a famous autobiography. But it turns out that the biography is something like twelve volumes and there was no way I was going to even consider reading that. Then I got this little excerpt, and it turns out that it was very readable, and that this Casanova is a funny guy. I'm still not going to read his memoirs, but this was a great little taste of Casanova, and I'd definitely recommend giving it a go.
November 11, 2012
Combining elements of an adventure story, a disquisition on the mores of 18th-century Europe, social commentary, and "the dutiful thoughts of a Christian," Casanova's (yes, THAT Casanova) novella is also a thinly-veiled account of an episode later related in his memoirs. After a slow start detailing the protagonist's travels in Europe, the story takes on an engaging pace, due in part to a modern translation by James Marcus. The novella contains several passages that made me laugh out loud, and others that were more contemplative (such as a consideration of the ethics of anonymous, accusatory letters). Overall, this is a highly enjoyable, fast-paced story, one that carries more depth than others of its kind.
May 3, 2014
A much more entertaining novella than it has any right to be. At its center is a frivolous waste of eighteenth century male honor--and all's well that ends well. But Casanova is not a frivolous writer. At the end of the story, he writes that pity "is a sublime sort of revenge,and a heroic one, even if it's coupled with a dash of pride, which I'm afraid it is." That final turn, "which I'm afraid it is," is the kind of realization that the great Henry James would have belabored for pages of unbroken prose,to great and solemn effect. Casanova tosses it off at the end of slight sentence, at the end of a slight story, and it sticks.
October 17, 2012
Wow, I have way less to say than most of the other reviewers. I read this in conjunction with Conrad's The Duel -- thanks 57th St. Books -- and Conrad's was more interesting to me. However, the whole concept of honor and fighting to prove that you're not a coward is interesting to think about. I would never want to die for such a silly reason, but then I am not a Venitian or Polish nobleman, so maybe I just don't get it.
March 30, 2013
G. Casanova was The Man. He was witty, speaker of Truth, but perhaps not truth. He rolled his eyes at societal convention, but would manipulate those same societal conventions for his whims, perhaps not always with success, and then accepted his failures as new beginnings. And when he needs to, he throws it all on the line and duels his opponent. Bring it.
"Your Excellency will do me the honor of firing first."
"Your Excellency will do me the honor of firing first."
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