In My Brilliant Friend, there is deep emotional intensity with Raffaella "Lila" Cerullo, as she goes about her life dealing with love, friendship, and betrayal. Fans have debated over her choices for years, particularly her dramatic relationships with several men which dramatically changed the course of her life.
Meanwhile, Elena "Lenù" Greco, Lila's closest friend, has much to worry about her studies and travels. Lila is still stuck in the neighborhood of Naples.
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Who does she eventually marry after her long and winding path to it? Lila finally marries Stefano Carracci, a son of the local grocer in order to get out of an unwanted union with Marcello Solara; that, however ultimately leads her to disillusion.
Stefano, initially safe, reveals the worst sides of his character, and marriage becomes a downward spiral for them. Lila's past relationships and motivations clarify why she married Stefano and how her life contrasts with Lenù's.
Disclaimer: Parts of this article solely contain the author's opinions on Lila's arc in My Brilliant Friend.
Who does Lila finally marry in My Brilliant Friend?
In late adolescence, Lila marries Stefano Carracci, largely in pursuit of emancipation from the suffocating bonds within her community. His engagement seems a means of mobility up the social ladder, although she soon discovers that her perceptions of marriage are far different than what she had originally thought.
Stefano seems to offer Lila protection, not only in the sense that he can offer her economic security, but also a way to escape the marriage with Marcello Solara that she did not want. While Stefano has charm, however, things start going darker when they get married on My Brilliant Friend.
Audiences often point out how Lila's hopes are dashed when Stefano starts taking on all the controlling behaviors she has been trying to avoid. When Stefano finally shows his real colors, it is as if Lila realizes that she cannot escape this cycle of oppression.
The urge for autonomy conflicts with the need for control from Stefano and breaks down trust and connection. The freedom she would have wanted in her marriage leads her to other options and relationships, as seen in My Brilliant Friend.
Who all had Lila been involved with in the past on My Brilliant Friend?
Lila's life in My Brilliant Friend often involves complicated relationships and strong ties to the dynamics within her neighborhood. Then there is Marcello Solara, a member of the powerful Solara family, one of her early serious suitors.
Lila, however, detests the autocratic nature of Marcello because Marcello marries her for power. Lila then shows interest in her childhood friend Nino Sarratore, who eventually becomes the love interest of both her and Lenù. Nino Sarratore creates more problems. Nino is an intellectual charmer, but a very defective character.
He charms Lila and Lenù with his supposed ideals, but again, he proves quite unloyal and narcissistic toward them. Lila's attachment to Nino on My Brilliant Friend was essentially one of mutual infatuation rather than any tangible sense of commitment.
That modus operandi is repeated time and again in other such relationships in her life and, most notably, that tumultuous marriage with Stefano, which speaks again to her disillusionment in more traditional relationships, especially of the rigid gender expectations.
Involvement with several men before and after marriage is an indicator of the fact that Lila's involvement is not a reflection of a lack of commitment but, rather, a deep search for life outside her oppressive social environment.
Each of the relationships she enters indicates her attempt to find personal agency within the limitations of her social class and gender.
Why did Lila marry before Lenù on My Brilliant Friend?
It was due to her limited choices, that Lila on My Brilliant Friend married young. Unlike Lenù, she did not have her freedom through education. At one point, she marries Stefano Carracci partially to satisfy her family's expectations and the societal pressure from various members who want stability through the marriage of a young woman.
Moreover, for Lila, Stefano will represent the way through which she could gain power over her life, albeit a very conventional one. As author Elena Ferrante described in My Brilliant Friend, social forces that push girls like Lila into marrying men at young ages are "socially acceptable" ways out of economic adversity.
Lila's choice of marrying Stefano was a rebellion within the garment of submissiveness. While she may have wedded out of practical considerations, it is not long before Lila realizes her choices place her in restrictive limitations. She becomes unfulfilled and finally finds herself rooted deep into the straits of her social upbringing.
Her early marriage contrasts in sharp relief with Lenù's long single life, determined more by intellectual pursuits and personal growth than by matrimonial status. Lila's decision to marry Stefano initially gives her some sort of a sense of security, but it eventually turns out to be disillusionment.
This stark contrast of the path that Lenù follows demonstrates the societal push to marry women like Lila off early, effectively capping the potential for agency.
Watch My Brilliant Friend on HBO.
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