La rima amore/onore di Pupetta Maresca. Una primadonna nella camorra degli anni cinquanta

How Pupetta Maresca rhymed love and honour
The story of a Neapolitan camorrist first lady around the middle of the last century is described in this essay. Pupetta Maresca became very popular during the 1955 war among members of the «Camorra», when, as a very young woman, she killed the killer of the so called «Pascalone ‘e (from) Nola», who was her husband. Pupetta’s life is here investigated till the interview given to the British journalist Clare Longrigg in the nineties. The methodology of this investigation develops three biographical aspects related to three kinds of sources. The debate on the Camorra’s revival after the Second World War with new economical and social characteristics is illustrated. Moreover the essay underlines Pupetta’s «modern» media approach to the penal trial in which she is involved (1955-59), where the character of young widowed camorrist prevails even over the character of Pupetta as a mother. After ten years’ imprisonment and a new sentimental bond, this time to a very violent drug trafficker, the first lady of Camorra will suffer from many frustrations both by her man and by the members of the so called «New Organized Camorra» leaded by Raffaele Cutolo. Even telling the story of her life when she was an elderly woman, Pupetta Maresca confirms the psychological and sentimental characteristics of a cool and determined personality. Her intense report is taken into account focusing on subjectiveness, according to the point of view adopted by Gender History. With respect to the structure of her camorristic personality, it is noticeable her tendency to freeze emotions (even sorrow) and free hate and anger, that belong to the languages of Power.