This is a translation and new edition of Masaniello. La sua vita e il mito in Europa (Rome, 2007), the first historical biography of the leader of the revolt that broke out in Naples in 1647–48. Initially, its main objectives were the cancellation of the many taxes introduced in previous decades and a political reform that would allow the people to have their voice in the civic parliament. Thanks to Masaniello, the Neapolitans were able to compel the Spanish viceroy to sign new ‘capitoli’ (popular desiderata) but soon after, Masaniello was isolated by his main counselor, Giulio Genoino, and others, and ultimately abandoned to a tragic fate. From the moment of his death, a fascinating new life began in which Masaniello was exalted and condemned in many texts (historical volumes, plays, and even a dialogue with Wilhelm Tell) until, by the Risorgimento, he was remembered as an Italian hero.
- Cover
- Table of Contents
- Introduction to the Present Edition
- Premise
- Part I The Life
- I. Naples in the Time of Masaniello
- 1. Conditions of the City and the Kingdom
- 2. An Odious Gabella
- II. A Job for Masaniello
- The Revolt Begins
- 1. The Fire at the House of the Gabella della frutta
- 2. Black Bread
- 3. Abolish the Gabelle
- 4. At the Prisons
- III. Portrait
- 1. “As Spirited and Vivacious as a Person Could Be”
- 2. The Mother Sold “Toccati”…
- 3. Misfortunes and Pastimes
- 4. “All Riled Up”
- IV. The First “Successes”
- 1. A New Scenario
- 2. To Arms
- 3. The Fires
- V. Among the Great
- 1 Letting it Happen
- 2. “Capitan Generale”
- VI. A Plot and the Death of Peppe Carafa
- 1. Project
- 2. “And I am Aniello the Butcher”
- 3. Absolute Power
- 4. Off with the Cloaks and Other Orders
- 5. The Angel and the Devil
- VII. The Visit to the Palace
- Thursday (Day 11)
- 1. The Food Supply
- 2. With the Dottori
- 3. The Ceremony in the Church and the Cavalcade
- VIII. A Day of “Justice”
- Friday (Day 12)
- 1. The Plebeians Seen Up Close
- IX. The Oath of the Duke of Arcos
- Saturday (Day 13)
- 1. I am Nothing
- X. The Excursion to Posillipo
- XI. Epilogue
- 1. The Death of Marco Vitale and Masaniello’s Attempted Flight
- 2. His Final Salute
- 3. “‘Make way, make way, for the Signora Duchess of the Sardines!’”
- 4. Letters: Thanks to God…
- 5. The Bite of the Tarantula
- XII. The Funeral
- XIII. The Judgments of Those Who Knew the Most
- Part II A Brief History of a Myth
- XIV. A Voice During the Revolt
- 1. The First Phase
- 2. The Double Game of the Duke of Guise
- 3. Woe betide the Vanquished
- 4. Meanwhile, at Venice
- 5. The Plague and the Anti-Christ
- XV. European Stage Plays
- 1. In England
- 2. In the American Colonies
- 3. The United Provinces
- 4. In Germany
- XVI. The Eighteenth Century: People and Plebeians
- 1. It Is Not a Miracle…
- 2. A Hero Sui Generis
- 3. Modène’s beneficent influence
- 4. In France
- 5. For the Parthenopean Republic
- XVII. An Italian Hero during the Risorgimento
- 1. General Considerations
- 2. Against the Foreigners
- 3. La Muette de Portici
- 4. In Naples
- 5. A Daring Biography: Alexandre Dumas
- 6. For the Unity of Italy
- 7. The First Romantic Plays
- 8. 1848
- 9. Masaniello from the Opposing Side
- 10. The Masaniello of the Democrats
- 11. Garibaldi at the Opera Masaniello
- 12. Between Naples and Italy: A difficult Mediation
- 13. In Honour of the Illustrious Patriot
- 14. On the Trail of the True Masaniello
- XVIII. Part of Naples
- 1 The Plebs of Masaniello
- 2. The Refusal of Tragedy
- 3. Masaniello-Pulcinella
- Selected bibliography
- Index
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