Skip to main content

Introduction to Italian Literature (204-0-20)

Topic

Wading Through Emotions

Instructors

Paola Nasti

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-435: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM

Overview of class

Studying emotions through literature allows us to reconsider not only the history of emotions but also the broader course of literary history in new ways. In this course, we will explore how Italian literature from the Middle Ages to the 20th century represents emotions like grief, joy, love, fear, and anger. Emotions, as portrayed in literature, reflect specific historical and cultural contexts, but also transcend time, challenging present-day understanding and inviting alternate forms of cognition and emotional experience.
Through a combination of close reading, historical analysis, and creative projects, students will delve into the complex relationship between emotion, literary form, and historical context. We will explore canonical works by Dante, Leopardi, Montale, and others, while also considering how these emotions resonate with modern audiences throughout the study of films, songs and opera. The course will combine lectures, interactive discussions, and individual presentations, culminating in both analytical and creative responses.

Registration Requirements

Intermediate Italian or equivalent.

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze Emotional Representation in Literature and Art:
Observe and analyze how emotions are depicted in Italian literary works across various historical periods, focusing on forms, genres, and stylistic choices.
2. Understand the Historical Context of Emotions:
Gain awareness of the cultural, political, and historical factors shaping emotional expression in literature, understanding the complexity and anachronism of emotional performances over time.
3. Appreciate the Continuity and Diversity of Emotional Experience:
Understand the continuity and diversity of human emotions as reflected in literature, recognizing both the cultural unity and diversity within the Italian tradition.
4. Critically Engage with Emotional and Aesthetic Responses:
Produce persuasive, well-supported interpretations of how literature provokes emotional and cognitive reactions, using both written and spoken forms.
5. Develop Creative Interpretive Skills:
Refine writing, critique, and interpretive abilities by engaging with the aesthetic qualities of literature and its power to challenge modern emotional responses.

Class Materials (Required)

Material provided.

Class Attributes

Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area