The Gadfly

Set in 1840s Italy, which at the time was under the dominance of Austria, The Gadfly centres on the life of the protagonist, Arthur Burton, a member of the Youth movement, and his antagonist Padre Montanelli. Arthur becomes a journalist, expounding radical ideas in brilliant satirical tracts published under the pseudonym "the gadfly". The local authorities are soon dedicated to capturing him. A thread of a tragic relationship also develops between Arthur and his love, Gemma. With the central theme of the book being the nature of a true revolutionary, The Gadfly was exceptionally popular in the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China and Iran, exerting a large cultural influence.