Abstract

his essay explores the singular and paradigmatic transformation of Jhumpa Lahiri, renowned American author of Bengali descent, into a writer in the Italian language: at the core of this metamorphosis lies her Italian oeuvre, which stands as a compelling example of a complex literary reconfiguration. The process began with an implicit act of self-translation from English, undertaken during her apprenticeship in Italian, and culminated in the emergence of an autonomous Italian literary voice. The originality and literary quality of her Italian works are such that Lahiri may now be fully acknowledged not only as a prominent Anglo-American author, but also as a significant figure within contemporary Italian literature, in a state of productive and harmonious bilingual coexistence.