Abstract
My thesis examines Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Quartet as a dialectical narrative that critiques the intertwined structures of capitalism and patriarchy through the lives of its protagonists, Elena Greco and Raffaella “Lila” Cerullo. Moving beyond readings that focus primarily on female friendship or identity formation, my project argues that Ferrante reworks the traditional Bildungsroman into a feminist critique of how gendered labor—both reproductive and intellectual—shapes women’s political consciousness and limits their autonomy.
Drawing on Silvia Federici’s theory of reproductive labor, my thesis foregrounds how domestic, emotional, and industrial work sustain capitalist systems while simultaneously constraining women’s mobility and visibility. Lila’s trajectory exemplifies this dynamic: her labor, whether in the home, marriage, or factory, produces value for others while reinforcing her subordination. In contrast, Elena’s path of education and authorship represents intellectual labor that promises escape but remains mediated by patriarchal institutions and cultural hierarchies. Her success depends on validation from male-dominated literary spaces, revealing that intellectual achievement does not guarantee true autonomy.
My project further argues that the Quartet operates dialectically, with each novel revising and complicating the assumptions of the previous one. This structure exposes the instability of social mobility, showing that every attempt at liberation is accompanied by new forms of loss, alienation, or constraint. Naples itself functions as an ideological terrain where class, gender, and violence are materially inscribed, shaping the protagonists’ identities before they attempt to transcend them.
Central to this analysis is the relationship between Elena and Lila, whose friendship serves as a political engine for the narrative. Defined by tension, competition, and interdependence, their bond reflects broader social inequalities while also generating critical awareness.
My thesis contends that Ferrante presents writing and memory as forms of resistance. Although complete liberation from oppressive systems may be impossible, the act of documenting women’s lives becomes a radical gesture that challenges their erasure and preserves their complexity.