In Search of Elena Ferrante

<p> Elena Ferrante--named one of the 100 most influential people in 2016 by <I>Time</I> magazine--is best known for her Neapolitan novels which explore such themes as the complexity of female friendship; the joys and constraints of motherhood; the impact of changing gender roles; the pervasiveness of male violence; the struggle for upward mobility; and the impact of the feminist movement. Ferrante's three novellas encompass similar themes focusing on moments of extreme tension in women's lives.</p><p> This study analyzes the integration of political themes and feminist theory in Ferrante's works including men's entrapment in a sexist script written for them from time immemorial. Her decision to write under a pseudonym is examined along with speculation that Rome-based translator Anita Raja and her husband Domenico Starnone are coauthors of Ferrante's books.</p>