Leopardi, La ginestra, the cholera: historicizations and digressions (with a look at our current situation)

Abstract

The essay reflects on the testimonies relating to the Neapolitan cholera epidemic of 1836-1837 left by Giacomo Leopardi in his letters; in particular, he tries to reconstruct the historical and social context in which these letters were written, referring to contemporary texts such as Gennaro Maldacea’s Storia del colera della città di Napoli (1839). This investigation will also allow us, today, to better understand our condition as victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.