Naples’s pathological body: cholera, disability, and problematic cures in Matilde Serao’s Il ventre di Napoli

«Bisogna sventrare Napoli!» (Naples must be disemboweled!) decreed Italian Prime Minister Agostino Depretis in reaction to the 1884 cholera outbreak. Consequently, Neapolitan journalist and author Matilde Serao chronicled government’s violent desire cure Naples’s belly Il ventre di Napoli (1884-1904). In this article I draw on disability feminist studies carry out an intertextual analysis of through readings «Parthenope» «Virgil» from Serao’s Leggende napoletane (1881) Law 2892, «Per il risanamento della città Napoli» (1885). argue that pioneers a discourse which Naples can understood not only as choleraic infected body, but more importantly, female body with disabilities is worthy attention, visible space, voice. The concept disability, while explicitly named by Serao, unquestionably present her close attention bodies–especially bodies–at higher risk mortality due systemic injustices, chronic illnesses, society’s reactions bodily difference. contrasted governmental gaze attempts «cure» superficial, and, at times, means, does upon body; nor she restore voyeuristic literary image beautified Parthenopean body. Rather, writing perspective woman author, stares, thereby «creat[ing] circuit communication meaning-making» (Garland-Thomson 2009) co-construct embodied practice enquiry care addresses unjust inhumane conditions impoverished belly.