Local flavour vs global audiences: Elena Ferrante and translatability

Segnini, E. (2017) Local flavour vs global audiences: Elena Ferrante and translatability. Italianist, 37(1), pp. 100-118. (doi: 10.1080/02614340.2016.1273649)

Abstract

Through an analysis of the novels written under the pen name ElenaFerrante and of the paratextual elements that surround them, thisarticle examines the portrayal of Naples and its outskirts in thesenarratives, and how the specific geographical and cultural context isrendered and variously translated for different audiences. It arguesthat the concealment of the author’s identity has enhanced theperceived authenticity of the texts, and that the emphasis onmarginal backgrounds and subaltern characters entails a contradictionnot dissimilar to the phenomenon that Huggan (2001) describesas‘staged marginality’in the context of postcolonial narratives.Ferrante’s cultural specificity can therefore be read as a highlyambivalent discourse that entails both resistance and adherenceto the mechanisms of a global market. Lastly, the article examineshow the emphasis on dialect influences the process of translationfor diverse readerships, showing the relevance of the‘Ferranteproject’within world literature debates.

• Item Type: Articles (Editorial)
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Segnini, Dr Elisa
• Authors: Segnini, E.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Modern Languages and Cultures > Italian
• Journal Name: Italianist
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 0261-4340
• ISSN (Online): 1748-619X
• Published Online: 22 February 2017
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2017 Italian Studies at the Universities of Cambridge, Leeds and Reading
• First Published: First published in Italianist 3791): 100-118
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy