Two Naples in the literary text: contrasting image of the city

The subject of this research is the peculiarities of representation of the city of Naples in “Neapolitan Novels” by Elena Ferrante. The object of this research is the tetralogy of the Italian writer Elena Ferrante “The Neapolitan Novels”. The goal of this article consists in description, analysis, and revelation of a controversial image of Naples in the works of Elena Ferrante “The Neapolitan Novels” compared with the text of other Russian and foreign writers of various times. Special attention is paid to the negative characteristics of the city reflecting the secular chronotope, daily image of the city through the eyes of female protagonists of the novel. Methodology is based on intertextual method, since the analysis suggest comparison of the image of Naples in specific works; and comparative method, which allows noticing the commonalities and differences in the image of Naples. The following conclusions are made: 1) the opposite interpretations of the city – positive and negative – depend on a particular observer, whether he is a tourist or a local; 2) Naples of Elena Ferrante is presented as a source of ethical and spiritual decay; this is the “second” Naples representing dehumanized, backstage image, the inside of a beautiful city. The novelty of this article lies in viewing the dualistic nature of Naples, as well as analysis of Elena Ferrante’s work “The Neapolitan Novels”, which did not previously fall under the spotlight of literary scholars.