Italian Studies 324 - Introduction to Italian Lit I

This course's main goals are articulated around one overarching activity: the comprehension of human experience as reflected in Italian literary documents of the pre-modern period, ca. 1225-1650, and the application of that knowledge to contemporary issues. Although the points of comparison are not necessarily direct (we start with Aristotle rather than modern philosophers), all the questions addressed are of vital interest to anyone who asks the fundamental philosophical questions of life. Who am I? What am I doing here? How should I live? and so on. Students see them first in their readings and apply them during class discussions to their own lives. Students constantly practice oral and written communication skills by engaging in oral debate and producing written assignments in Italian. Prerequisite: intermediate-level proficiency or consent of instructor. Not suitable for native speakers.

Pre Req: ITALIAN 240 or 246 For Spring 2018 This course, taught in Italian, presents an overview of the major
figures and concerns of Italian authors from about 1250 to 1650, a
period that spans from the birth of the Italian language to the waning
of the Renaissance. Among these authors are Dante, Petrarch,
Boccaccio, Pico della Mirandola, Machiavelli, Michelangelo and more.