“The Autobiographical Code” in the “Neapolitan Novels” by Elena Ferrante

The article focuses on “the autobiographical code” in the “Neapolitan Novels” (“My Brilliant Friend” (“L’amica geniale”, 2011), “The Story of a New Name” (“Storia del nuovo cognome”, 2012), “Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay” (“Storia di chi fugge e di chi resta”, 2013) и “The Story of the Lost Child” (“Storia della bambina perduta”, 2014) by Elena Ferrante, whose identity is still a mystery to researchers. The writer’s myth is realized through a conscious writing strategy of anonymity which results in mystification, with the novels being seen as partly fictional and partly non-fictional (specifically, mimicking autofiction). The author has a dual alter ego: Elena (Lenù) Greco and Raffaella (Lila) Cerullo. Both these characters represent opposite strategies of publicity: a disciplined author who is aimed at self-presentation and an active public position, and a writer who is weary of fame and chooses a mystification strategy. The tetralogy acquires the features of meta-narration which focuses on the writer’s self-reflection. It shows not only in characters’ images, but also in features of the text organization.

Elena Ferrante, “autobiographical code”, the writer’s myth, “alter ego”, meta-narration, autobiography, fiction and nonfiction, mystification