Abstract
While providing the readers of women’s fictions with some guidelines for developing their awareness of the age-based constructions that pervade the cultural imaginary of contemporary western societies, the essay argues that the choice of an “age-conscious” perspective affects narrative choices and genre development. After acknowledging the most significant theoretical contributions in Angloamerican humanistic gerontology and feminist age studies and their impact on literary analysis, the essay investigates the narrative strategies employed by most novels of aging. Finally, the author identifies emerging trends in Italian gender- and age-related discourses and changing notions of generational transmission.
