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Performative Realism and Post-Humanism in The Days of Abandonment

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The Works of Elena Ferrante

Part of the book series: Italian and Italian American Studies ((IIAS))

Abstract

This chapter aims to explore the theoretical foundations of Ferrante’s novel, The Days of Abandonment, which can be linked to the concept of performative realism and to the author’s intention of reprogramming the cognitive subject in a post-human direction. The subversion of this traditional cognitive process and its substitution with the new performative-based logic is what enables the character’s development and is thus the focus of my chapter. The protagonist is thus presented not as a victim of the events but rather as one of the agents in this process of concurrent causes where all elements involved are equally weighted. In this performative reality, the decisive role for the reinstatement of order and rationality in the moral subject is played by the dog Otto.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Italian, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Enrica Maria Ferrara

Authors
  1. Enrica Maria Ferrara
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. City University of New York-Lehman College, Bronx, New York, USA

    Grace Russo Bullaro

  2. City University of New York Graduate Center , New York, New York, USA

    Stephanie V. Love

Copyright information

© 2016 The Author(s)

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Cite this chapter

Ferrara, E.M. (2016). Performative Realism and Post-Humanism in The Days of Abandonment . In: Russo Bullaro, G., Love, S. (eds) The Works of Elena Ferrante. Italian and Italian American Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-57580-7_6

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