Winter 2005 Advance Course Information

This information effective for Winter 2005. Check with instructor the first day of class for any changes.

Italian Literature

[LTIT-165]

165. Studies in Italian Literature and Culture: La Novella

Note: Taught In Italian

T/Th, 4:00-5:45 p.m.
Soc. Sci. 2, room 137
Instructor: Irene Zanini-Cordi

Course Description:

Tales and fables of love, lust, and amorous conflict have left an impressive trace in Italian literature. Following this theme, we will analyze the development and the reciprocal influence through the centuries of three literary genres that have played an important role in the Italian literary tradition: the novella, the fairy tale, and the short story. We will approach these brief texts both from a formal and a thematic perspective; we will examine the connections between literature, politics, anthropology, and history. To what extent can we think of the tale as "historical testimony"? Is the fairytale simply a flight of fantasy? What does the short story have to say about contemporary Italian culture and relationships? To answer these and other questions, the course will survey an array of texts ranging from the thirteenth century to the present.

Week 1: Introduction to the course; to the history of the short story and fable. Introduction to the Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio; readings: the Proemio; novella III, 10 "Alibech e Rustico." Introduction to the Quarta Giornata.

Week 2: Decameron, IV, 6 "Andreuola e Gabriotto."
VIII, 2 "Il prete da Varlungo e monna Belcolore"
Franco Sacchetti, Il Trecentonovelle:
Novella CCVI "Farinello da Rieti mugnaio"

Week 3: Giovanni Sercambi, Il Novelliere: Exemplo XXXIII "De Vana Luzuria"
Lorenzo de' Medici, "Novella di Giacoppo;"
Leon Battista Alberti, "Istorietta amorosa fra Leonora de` Bardi e Ippolito Bondelmonti;"
Matteo Bandello, Novelle. "La sfortunata morte di due infelicissimi amanti." (Giulietta e Romeo).

Week 4: Gianfrancesco Straparola, da Le Piacevoli Notti: "Galeotto, re d'Anglia, ha un figliolo nato porco"
Giovan Battista Basile, da Lo cunto de li cunti (selections)
Carlo Gozzi, L'amore delle tre melarance.

Week 5: Emma Perodi, da Fiabe fantastiche. Le novelle della nonna.
"Lo sposo d'Oretta."
Luigi Capuana, da C'era una volta … fiabe. "Ranocchino." "Il raccontafiabe."
Caterina Percoto, da Novelle scelte. "L'album della suocera"

Week 6: Camillo Boito, da Nuove storielle vane. "Senso."
Viewing of Visconti's film Senso.
Giovanni Verga, da Vita dei campi. "La lupa"

Week 7: Gabriele D'Annunzio, da Novelle della Pescara: "La veglia funebre."
Grazia Deledda, da Il fanciullo nascosto. "Un uomo e una donna."
Italo Svevo, "La novella del buon vecchio e della bella fanciulla."
Vitalino Brancati, da Sogno di un valzer e altri racconti.
"Poche e molte parole." "Letizia."

Week 8: Luigi Pirandello, da Novelle per un anno. "Nel gorgo." "Maestro amore"
Dino Buzzati, da Sessanta racconti. "Una lettera d'amore."
Alba De Cespedes, da Invito a pranzo. "La ragazzina."

Week 9: Italo Calvino, selections Le fiabe italiane
Alberto Moravia, da Racconti 1927–1951. "Luna di miele, sole di fiele"
Dacia Maraini, da Mio marito "Diario coniugale"

Week 10: Tommaso Landolfi, da I racconti fantastici. "Le labrene."
Giorgio Bassani, Gli occhiali d'oro.
Alessandro Baricco, Seta.

Among others, we will read novelle from: il Novellino, Boccaccio's Decameron, Sacchetti's Trecentonovelle, Ser Giovanni Fiorentino's Pecorone, Bandello's Giulietta e Romeo, Anton Francesco Grazzini's Cene, Giraldi Cintio's Ecatommiti, Giovanni Verga's Vita dei campi, Pirandello's Novelle per un anno;fiabe from: Giovan Francesco Straparola's Piacevoli notti, Gianbattista Basile's Lo cunto de li cunti, Carlo Gozzi's Fiabe, Luigi Capuana's C'era una volta, Emma Perodi's Fiabe fantastiche, Calvino's Fiabe italiane; racconti from Camillo Boito's Senso, Dino Buzzati's Il crollo della Baliverna, Alberto Moravia's Racconti, Dacia Maraini's Mio marito, Alessandro Baricco's Seta.

Students will view Visconti's film, Senso

Requirements: Students are expected to attend regularly and to participate actively in class discussions. There will be four short papers (3-4 pp.) and several in-class oral reports. Students will take a final exam.

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