The Lazzaroni Between History and Myth: An Analysis of a Peculiar Topic in Travelogues About Naples

Abstract

In this paper, we will deal with the “Lazzaroni phenomenon”, which became an unavoidable topic in European travelogues about Naples since the second half of the 18th century. Although almost everything related to the so-called Lazzaroni is controversial – from names and origins to their way of life, habits, and their social role – domestic and foreign travel writers managed to create a myth about them. In their case, literary images prevail over the historical ones: whenever the story of the famous Lazzaroni is told, it turns out that it is difficult to separate real elements from the unreal, facts from fiction, history from myth. Starting from travelogues about the Lazzaroni, our goal is to establish the extent to which literary elements differ significantly from historical ones. We will pay special attention to the relationship of the Lazzaroni with the rulers that changed in Naples over the centuries, while this Mediterranean city experienced social, economic and cultural changes.