Love in Italian Literature

Transcription

1 Italian 320: Writing About Italian Literature Spring 2012 Taught in Italian Recommended preparation: ITAL 224 Office Hours: Mon.: 1-2 / Tue.: 12-1 / Wed. 1-2/ and by appointment/ Lab: Mon (THH 314) University of Southern California Instructor: Dr. Francesca Leardini M /W 2:00-3:20pm VKC 206 Office: THH 155J Ph. #: Leardini@usc.edu Love in Italian Literature Course Description G. De Chirico, Ettore e Andromaca (1917) In this course we will consider love as the guiding theme to detect the changes occurring in various periods of Italian literature, from the Middles Ages to modern times. We will read, discuss, and write about prose and poetry masterpieces by, among others, Dante, Guinizzelli, Cavalcanti, Boccaccio, Petrarca, Marinetti, Calvino, Maraini and Landolfi. Through the analysis of the theme and language of love, students will further develop their observation, interpretation and expression skills in Italian. They will discuss in detail the content and ideas of the text, engaging in a clear critical argument on the subjects studied. By focusing on the historical, social and political environments surrounding the texts we read, students will better understand Italian life and society.

2 Required texts: 1. Teacher s handouts 2. Course materials will also be available on Blackboard (under "Assignments") (NB: There may be modifications to reading assignments and class schedules at any time during the term at the discretion of the instructor) Grading: 15% Midterm Exam 20% Final paper 45% Papers (3 papers, 15% each) 10% Oral presentation 5% Participation 5% Attendance, writing assignments Papers and exams dates: 1 st paper due: Wed. FEBRUARY 8 th Midterm Exam: Wed. MARCH 7 th 2 nd paper due: Wed. MARCH 21 st 3 rd paper due: Mon. APRIL 9 th Final Paper: Wed. APRIL 25 th Grading scale: A A B B B C C C D D D F Course requirements: 1. IN CLASS. Class will be held exclusively in Italian. 2. EXAMS. There will be a Midterm exam based on readings and class discussions. 3. PAPERS ASSIGNMENTS. There will be three written assignments. Each paper will be 3 typed, double-spaced pages. Papers must be handed in on the due date at the beginning of class. 4. FINAL PAPER. There will be a 5 typed, double-spaced pages final paper, which will be handed in at the beginning of the last class. 5. ORAL PRESENTATION. Students will be expected to give oral presentations and to lead a class discussion on one assigned reading. 7. PARTICIPATION. Students will be expected to read the assigned texts before coming to class, and to actively participate in the class discussion based on the readings. 2

3 8. ATTENDANCE AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS. Regular attendance in the course is mandatory. Absences and tardiness will have an adverse effect on the grade. Writing assignments will be posted on Blackboard, and they will have to be turned in at the end of each class. Policy for Make-Ups and Assignments There are no make-up dates for the midterm or final exams. Written assignments should be turned in on scheduled due dates. A paper turned in late will receive one lower grade for each day that went by after the scheduled date: for instance a B+ paper due on Monday and turned in Wednesday will receive a B-. Accomodation Based on Disability Students requesting academic accommodation based on disability are required to register with the Office of Disability Services and Programs (DSP). A letter of verification can be obtained from DSP, when adequate documentation is filed. DSP is open Monday though Friday 8:30 am- 5 pm. The office is located in the Student Union, room 301, phone number (213) , ability@usc.edu. Web: A note on Plagiarism Plagiarism is a serious offence and could result in your dismissal from USC. All instances of suspected plagiarism will be reported to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. If you borrow words or an idea from any source, whether it be a book, journal, magazine, the Internet, or a lecture, you need to indicate where the information came from. Diana Hacker s A Writer s Reference identifies three different acts that are considered plagiarism: (1) failing to cite quotations and borrowed ideas, (2) failing to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks, and (3) failing to put summaries and paraphrases [of other texts] into your own words (Hacker 261). If you have any questions regarding plagiarism, please ask me. You can also refer to the following site: Reference Online Dictionaries: Online Thesaurus: parole.alice.it/parole WEEK 1: Course introduction/ Medieval Love Poetry: the Sicilian School Mon. JANUARY 9 th Introduction to the course Introduction to Frederick II and the Sicilian School of Poetry 3

4 The sonnet Jacopo da Lentini, Amor è un desio che ven da core Io m agio posto in core a dio servire Wed. JANUARY 11 th Discussion on Frederick II and the Sicilian School of Poetry and Amor è un desio Introduction to Northern Italy love poetry Guido Guinizzelli, Io voglio del ver la mia donna laudare Feudalesimo/ volgo, volgare/ corte, cortese, cortesia WEEK 2: Northern Italian Medieval Love Poetry: Guinizzelli Mon. JANUARY 16 th No class Wed. JANUARY 18 th Discussion on Guido Guinizzelli, Io voglio del ver la mia donna laudare 13th century Italian prose: Il Novellino XCIX WEEK 3: Il Novellino Mon. JANUARY 23 rd Discussion on Il Novellino XCIX Il Novellino XLVI Wed. JANUARY 25 th Il Novellino LIV Introduction to Guido Cavalcanti, Voi che per li occhi mi passaste 'l core WEEK 4: Cavalcanti Mon. JANUARY 30 th Discussion on Cavalcanti, Voi che per li occhi mi passaste 'l core Cavalcanti, Tu m'hai si' piena di dolor la mente 4

5 Guelfi and Ghibellini Il comune Francesca Leardini - Italian 320 Spring 2012 Wed. FEBRUARY 1 st Discussion on Cavalcanti, Tu m'hai si' piena di dolor la mente Introduction to Dante, Vita Nuova WEEK 5: Dante and the Dolce Stil Novo Mon. FEBRUARY 6 th Dante, Vita Nuova: prose and poetry excerpts from chapters III, XIV and XX, including the poems: A ciascun'alma presa Con l'altre donne mia vista gabbate Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare Wed. FEBRUARY 8 th FIRST PAPER DUE Dante, Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare Introduction to Boccaccio, Decameron, III, iii Week 6: Love and intelligence in Boccaccio s Decameron Mon. FEBRUARY 13 th Boccaccio, Decameron, III, iii Wed. FEBRUARY 15 th Discussion on Decameron, III, iii Introduction to Boccaccio, Decameron, IV, 5 WEEK 7: Tragic Love in Boccaccio s Decameron Mon. FEBRUARY 20 th No class 5

6 Wed. FEBRUARY 22 nd Discussion on Boccaccio, Decameron, IV, 5 Introduction to Dante, Divina Commedia (general structure and meaning) WEEK 8: Dante s Paolo e Francesca Mon. FEBRUARY 27 th Dante, Divina Commedia, Inferno V (excerpts) Wed. FEBRUARY 29 th Dante, Divina Commedia, Inferno V (excerpts) Purgatorio XXIV, (Dante s definition of dolce stil novo ) Figure retoriche WEEK 9: Petrarca s Canzoniere (Rerum Vulgarium Fragmenta) Mon. MARCH 5 th Discussion on Dante, Divina Commedia, Inferno V (excerpts) Midterm review Wed. MARCH 7 th MIDTERM EXAM Spring recess: March WEEK 10: Petrarca (RVF) Mon. MARCH 19 th Introduction to Petrarca, RVF Petrarca, RVF 134 La figura retorica dell'antitesi La signoria Wed. MARCH 21 st SECOND PAPER DUE Discussion on Petrarca, RVF 134 Introduction to Petrarca, RVF, 35 Petrarca: between latin and vernacular Italian 6

7 WEEK 11: Verga e il verismo Mon. MARCH 26 th Discussion on Petrarca, RVF, 35 Petrarca, RVF 1 Introduction to Giovanni Verga, "La lupa" Il verismo Wed. MARCH 28 th Giovanni Verga, "La lupa" Naturalism, Verism, and Positivism Il Risorgimento WEEK 12: Landolfi Mon. APRIL 2 nd Introduction to "Annina" di Landolfi Wed. APRIL 4 th Discussion on "Annina" di Landolfi Introduction to Calvino, "L'avventura di due sposi" WEEK 13: Calvino Mon. APRIL 9 th Calvino, "L'avventura di due sposi" THIRD PAPER DUE Wed. APRIL 11 th Discussion on Calvino, "L'avventura di due sposi" Introduction to Soldati, "Un paese in o" 7

8 WEEK 14: Soldati/ Marinetti Francesca Leardini - Italian 320 Spring 2012 Mon. APRIL 16 th Soldati, "Un paese in o" Wed. APRIL 18 th Discussion on Soldati, "Un paese in o" Marinetti, Contro il matrimonio WEEK 15: Maraini Mon. APRIL 23 rd Marinetti, Contro l'amore e il parlamentarismo Introduction to Maraini, Il quaderno rosso Wed. APRIL 25 th Discussion on Maraini, Il quaderno rosso FINAL PAPER DUE IN CLASS WEDNESDAY APRIL 25 th 8