Gismonda is a Greek-set melodrama in four acts by Victorien Sardou that premiered on October 31, 1894 at the Théâtre de la Renaissance.

In the opening act, we find Gismonda, the widow of the Duke of Athens, and the mother of his child, a five-year-old boy named Francesco.

Gismonda is the ruling power of the duchy as regent for her son, an absolute monarch.

She is surrounded by a flattering court, among whom is a Venetian, named Zaccaria Franco, who loved the Duchess before she married the Duke of Athens.

Gismonda's young son Francesco, the heir to the duchy, stands between Zaccaria and his ambitions.

He looks down at a tiger in a pit, preferring to keep his distance from it, and discusses a statue of Aphrodite, next to the cross, with some comrades.

They plan to lure Francesco, Gismonda's son, to the edge of the pit, and shove him in, making it look like an accident.

After a long scene, in which every detail of their scheme is arranged, Zaccaria and Gregoras are joined on stage by Gismonda, with Francesco and others.

Joyful, Gismonda hugs Francesco, and vows before God to marry and share her duchy with the man who saved her son.

The second act begins in the Convent of Daphne, where Gismonda has gone into a retreat with her son, Francesco.

Rumors circulate, even in the convent, that during Easter week Gismonda will marry Almerio, the man who has saved the life of her son.

A character tells how Almerio was treated for his injuries in the palace, and that the courtiers learned to admire the handsome, brave man.

Almerio had been a falconer at the ducal palace and loved Gismonda long before she ever knew of his existence.

Half of the lower part of the city is flooded, cholera is raging, a cross has blown off a church, and, worst of all, pirates have landed at Marathon.

A noble offered an estate and the title of duke to the man who will bring before him the head of the pirate leader.

He tells her that he did not save Francesco to become Duke of Athens, but just to win Gismonda's love.

He offers to give up his dukedom and even his claim to marry Gismonda if he can become her lover.

"Un homme qui dort ne donne pas de peine (A sleeping man is no trouble at all)," Zaccaria urges.

"Il est plus facile de pousser un enfant dans un trou que de tuer un homme, grand et fort comme Almério (It is easier to push the child into the tiger's pit than to kill a big strong man like this Almerio)," Gregoras answers.

The people of Athens are outside carrying palms, demanding that Gismonda announce her marriage to Almerio.

Gismonda, in turn, accuses Gregoras of having thrown her son to the tiger, at the order of Zaccaria, and of meaning to kill Almerio.

Almerio is only too happy to marry Gismonda, and to become father to Francesco and the new duke of Athens.

"[4] The original production starred Sarah Bernhardt as Gismonda and Lucien Guitry as Almerio.

The set design was by Joseph Clare, D. Frank Dodge, Homer Emens, Richard Marston, and Ernest Albert.