Elena Ferrante: A Virtual Author

Abstract

The present study scrutinizes the novels by Elena Ferrante, in order to discover the actual writer hidden behind the pseudonym. Rather than simply reopen the authorship question, however, the paper attempts at testing the stability of the authorial signal in the works by “Ferrante”, whoever the actual author might be. To address the research question, a network of 150 novels and their stylistic similarities has been computed using the Bootstrap Consensus Network method. A list of authors most similar to “Ferrante”, including Domenico Starnone at the first place, was then analyzed using the technique Rolling Classify, which was designed to detect local stylistic idiosyncrasies in literary texts. The series of Rolling Classify tests – performed independently for the novels by both Ferrante and Starnone – allows for formulating general observations. The overall picture confirms, with a few exceptions, that Starnone and Ferrante can be told apart, which, in turn, seems to be a strong argument in favor of the virtual author hypothesis. Apparently, Domenico Starnone demonstrates, particularly in his late works, the ability to differentiate his own stylistic profile and the voice of his alter ego.