THE COLLEGE
OF NEW JERSEY
HONORS
PROGRAM
ITALIAN
CULTURE AND LITERATURE OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Dr. Simona
Wright
Bliss Hall
303
simona@tcnj.edu
X2996
Website:
www.tcnj.edu/~simona
OFFICE
HOURS: Mon-Thur.: 3.30-6.00PM. And or by appointment. Feel free to discuss with
me any other time. I will be happy to meet you and help you with your
questions.
TEXTS:
Aleramo,
Sibilla. A Woman.
Calvino,
Italo. Marcovaldo
Deledda,
Grazia. Reeds in the Wind.
De Luca,
Erri. Sea of Memory
Moravia,
Alberto. Two Women.
Morante,
Elsa. The Story.
Pavese,
Cesare. The Moon and the Bonfires.
Pirandello,
Luigi. The Late Mattia Pascal
____________.
Eleven Short Stories.
FILMS
Vittorio De
Sica, Two Women
___________.
The Garden of the Finzi-Contini's
Roberto
Rossellini, Rome Open City
Vittorio and
Paolo Taviani, Kaos
____________________,
My Father My Master
Giuseppe
Tornatore, Malena
GOALS:
This course
concentrates on the Italian culture of the Twentieth century as reflected and
represented in its literary and cinematic production. Various aspects
(cultural, social, economic, political) of contemporary Italy will be analyzed
and discussed through readings representative of the different authors and
styles that have influenced the Italian cultural discourse of the past hundred
years. Literary texts will be presented and investigated on the basis of their
cultural significance. Particular emphasis will also be given to the study of
the their form, content and style.
OBJECTIVES:
A. After
studying the selected works the student will be able to:
1. Analyze
and discuss the selected literary and artistic works and assess their
significance
on the basis of form, content and style.
2. Write
essays which include critical analysis based on the prevalent interpretations
of contemporary literary theory.
3.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of particular genres and their
connection to cultural changes in Italian and European society.
4.
Demonstrate knowledge of the cultural and historical aspects of contemporary
Italy and of its most prominent literary and artistic movements.
TEACHING
METHODS:
1. Lectures,
class discussions, written papers and oral presentations by the
students.
2. Research
and study utilizing the various databases at the TCNJ West Library.
3. Internet
resources and bibliographical references provided by the instructor will assist
the students in their research.
4. Movies
and documentaries selected and shown by the instructor will provide additional
assistance for students' study and research.
COURSE
REQUIREMENTS:
1. Term
paper. Students will write a research paper (15 page minimum) on a text,
author, or movement discussed during the course. The topic of the paper will
have been previously approved by the instructor. The paper will be evaluated on
the basis of its organization, clarity of ideas, style, use of bibliographical
references and application of critical theory.
2. Midterm
Take Home Exam. A midterm take home exam will cover the materials presented and
discussed in class. Students will answer three separate questions relating to
the historical, cultural and literary situation in Italy and Europe at the turn
of the century. The exam will be evaluated on the basis of organization and
presentation of ideas, style, application of critical thinking and analytical
skills.
3. Two
additional short papers (5 pages) will also be required in order to provide the
students an essential basis for discussion in class and for consistent critical
evaluation of selected texts.
4. Class
discussions. Students will be divided in groups of two (or three) and lead
class discussions. They will read the narrative segment assigned for the day
and prepare analysis and questions that will stimulate constructive and
productive class debates.
5. Students
each week will be asked to post their analysis and reflections on e-mail. The
rest of the class will critique their observations. At the end of the semester
students will prepare a portfolio with all their written assignments (e-mail),
a self-critique and a self-evaluation.
6.
Participation in class is most important. Students will take active part in
discussions
and group work. The papers will be handed in whenever assigned.
GRADING:
20% Research
paper
20% Midterm
Take Home Exam
20% Short
Papers
20% Class
Discussions
20%
Portfolio
SYLLABUS:
WEEK 1
A) Introduction to the Course.
Socio-historical context of Italy before and after World War I.
Assignments:
Read: Sibilla Aleramo, Una donna
B) Class Discussion on Sibilla
Aleramoís A Woman. Womanís Image in Italy at the turn of the
century.
Assignments:
Aleramo, Una donna. Read: Critical Essay on Sibilla Aleramo.
WEEK 2
Final class
discussion on A Woman.
Introduction to Luigi Pirandello.
Assignments:
Read: Pirandello, The Late Mattia Pascal. E-mail posting on Sibilla Aleramo.
Class
discussion on The Late Mattia Pascal
Assignments:
Pirandello, The Late. Read: Critical Essay on Luigi Pirandello
WEEK 3
Class
discussion on The Late Mattia Pascal
Assignments:
Pirandello, The Late Mattia Pascal. E-mail posting.
B) Final Class discussion on The Late.
Mattia Pascal. Introduction to Eleven Short Stories: View:Chaos (Taviani)
Assignments:
Eleven Short Stories. View: Chaos (Taviani). E-mail posting on the film.
WEEK 4
(Short Essay due)
A) Class discussion on the Short Stories
by Luigi Pirandello
Assignments:
Eleven Short Stories. Read: Critical Essay on Luigi Pirandello.
B) Final class discussion on Pirandello.
Introduction to Grazia Deledda and Verismo.
Assignments:
Read: Grazia Deledda, Reeds in the Wind. E-mail posting on Luigi
Pirandello.
WEEK 5
A) Class discussion on Deleddaís
Reeds in the Wind.
Assignments:
Reeds in the Wind. Read: Critical Essay on Grazia Deledda.
B) Class discussion on Reeds in the
Wind.
Assignments:
Reeds in the Wind View: My Father,
My Master, V. E. Taviani
E-mail
posting on film and Grazia
Deledda. (8 students)
WEEK 6
A) Class discussion on Deledda and My
Father, My Master. Existence in the far away provinces of Italy (Gramsci and a
national-popular literature)
Assignments:
Read: Alberto Moravia, Two Women.
B) Introduction to Alberto Moravia. Class
discussion on Two Women.
Assignments:
Two Women. Read: Critical Essay on Alberto Moravia.
WEEK 7
A) Class discussion on Two Women.
Italy, Fascism and the II World War.
Assignments:
Two Women. Read: Critical Essay
B) View: Vittorio De Sica, Two Women.
Assignments:
Two Women. Read: Critical Essay on De Sica. E-mail posting on Film.
WEEK 8 (Mid-Term Exam Due)
B) Final class discussion on Alberto
Moravia: Between Novel and film. Introduction to Elsa Morante.
Assignments:
Read: Elsa Morante, The Story. E-mail posting on Alberto Moravia.
Class
discussion on Elsa Morante, The Story.
Assignments:
The Story.
WEEK 9
A) Class discussion on The Story.
Assignments: The Story. Read: Critical Essay. Film:
Rome Open City (Rossellini)
B) Class discussion on The Story.
Assignments:
The Story. View: Rome Open City.
E-mail posting on the film.
WEEK 10
A) Final Class discussion on Morante and
Film. Introduction to Cesare Pavese.
Assignments:
E-mail posting on Elsa Morante. Read: Cesare Pavese, The Moon and the Bonfires.
B) Class discussion on The Moon and the
Bonfires.
Assignments:
The Moon and the Bonfires. Read: Critical Essay.
WEEK 11
A) Class discussion on The Moon and the
Bonfires.
Assignments:
The Moon and the Bonfires. Read: Critical Essay. E-mail posting on Cesare
Pavese.
B) Final class discussion on The Moon and
the Bonfires.
Assignents:
Italo Calvino, Marcovaldo.
WEEK 12 (2nd Short Paper Due)
Class
discussion on Marcovaldo.
Assignments: Marcovaldo. Read: Critical Essay.
B) Final class discussion on
Marcovaldo.
Assignments: Marcovaldo. E-mail posting on Italo
Calvino.
WEEK 13
A) Film: The
Garden of the Finzi-Contini's
Assignments: Erri De Luca, Sea of Memory.
B) Class discussion on The Garden of the
Finzi-Contini's. Introduction to Erri De Luca. Class discussion on Sea of
Memory.
Assignments:
Sea of Memory. Read: Critical Essay.
WEEK 14
A) Final class discussion on Sea Of
Memory.
Assignments:
Read: Critical Essay. E-mail posting on Erri De Luca. Film: Malena (Tornatore)
B) Class discussion on Tornatoreís
film. Evaluation of the course.
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