The subject matter of this thesis will focus on the female characters Elena Greco and Raffaella Cerullo, the protagonists of the Neapolitan Novels, whose lives we follow from an early age until their later years. The feminist reading of the novel will analyze the status of women within the patriarchal-political society in which Lila and Elena grew up. The first part of the thesis will theoretically deal with the concept and history of feminism, which will be related to cultural studies. The Center for Contemporary Cultural Studies was founded by Richard Hoggart in 1964, and some time later the first problems with the Center in the context of feminist work were noticed. As the Center was mostly engaged in the study of the field of contemporary culture, the distinction between high and popular culture will be clarified. An important role in the fight for equality of rights will be played by the emergence of feminist critique during the Women's Liberation Movement, which we will divide into two traditions with the same goal but a different focus. Finally, we will look at Elena Ferrante and her place within world literature. The author's pseudonym will be related to the problem of publishing literary works of women writers who were often hiding under false names in order to avoid prejudice and disparagement. The central part of the thesis will be a comprehensive analysis of the Neapolitan Novels with an emphasis on the problems of masculinity and femininity. The analysis will start from the very core of the problem, the patriarchal society within which the family's attitude towards the education of the female child is visible. This will not be any easier for Elena, who will face obstacles and prejudices during her education until the very end, but also after graduation. The last part of the thesis will be dedicated to literary influence and relations between texts, but also to women's literature, which is an important part of this story.