Modern Languages 186- Spring 2012
Italian Civilization 2 – From the Renaissance to the Present
Tu/Th 1:10 – 2:40
Professor Costanza Gislon Dopfel, Ph.D.
Office hours: Tu/Th 12:20-1:10; Tu 4:30-5:00 and by appointment
Office: Dante 318
cdopfel@stmarys-ca.edu
Textbooks:
Christopher Duggan, A Concise History of Italy, Cambridge UP
Alessandro Manzoni, The Betrothed
Amara Lakhous, Clash of Civilizations over an elevator in Piazza Vittorio
Course description:
ML 186 – Italian Civilization – is an interdisciplinary course that focuses on the art,
literature, music and culture of Italy. It is taught sequentially in two parts/courses that can be
taken independently. This syllabus refers to the second part/course. The first course covers
the time period from proto-history to the Renaissance, while the second course starts with
the late Renaissance and ends with present-day Italy.
The material covered in the second part includes art, literature, architecture, history and
music. The class and the readings are in English, and the course has no pre-requisites. It is
highly recommended to students who plan to spend a semester in Italy and to students
pursuing a Minor or Major in Art History and in Italian Studies.
The material is vast and diverse, and students are expected to become familiar with hundreds
of works of art, several literary works as well as music. Accordingly, the course looks at
Italian civilization through its artistic and literary expressions. Each period will be examined
through the lens of multiple works of art: sculpture, architecture, painting, literature and
music. Each week features a work of art that will be carefully examined and discussed in
class.
Course Goals:
To interpret and critique works of Italian literature, music and art within their specific historical
context; to analyze and discuss images, object, words and sounds using appropriate vocabulary; to
understand the varied aspects of Italian civilization; to understand the development of art and
literature as living and ever-changing expressions of a society; to connect different periods while
identifying their differences; to recognize artwork and gain knowledge of its genesis.
Course outcomes:
Students will learn how to examine works of art in an accurate and observant way, allowing
for a deeper, more accurate reading (CC 1a and 1b); they will be able to think of the Italian
artistic heritage in an organized, informed and organic way (CC 1b); to understand and
identify different periods and styles, while connecting them to key historical and social
events(CC 1d); to develop or refine their understanding and analysis of artwork and
literature and bring them together as connected cultural expressions(CC 1c); to discuss and
write about artistic expression using appropriate vocabulary and methodology(CC 1c).
Textbooks:
Christopher Duggan, A Concise History of Italy, Cambridge UP
Alessandro Manzoni, The Betrothed
Amara Lakhous, Clash of Civilizations over an elevator in Piazza Vittorio
Classroom Policy and Procedure
Attendance and participation are necessary in this course. Come prepared to listen, respond
and be involved in class activities. After three absences, each absence will result in one
point being deducted from the total percentage points at the end of the semester.
There is no distinction between excused and unexcused absences. Repeated
tardiness is not acceptable. No eating in class unless it is social eating.
Honor Code: This course follows all rules and practices of Saint Mary’s College Honor
Code. Students will be required to submit their papers through Turnitin.
Students with disabilities:
Reasonable and appropriate accommodations, that take into account the context of the course and its essential
elements, for individuals with qualifying disabilities, are extended through the office of Student Disability
Services. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Student Disability Services Coordinator at
(925) 631-4164 to set up a confidential appointment to discuss accommodation guidelines and available
services. Additional information regarding the services available may be found at the following address on the
Saint May’s website: http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/academics/academic-advising-andachievement/student-disability-services.html
Week 1 – Introduction
Reading: Duggan, Chapter 1 and 2
2/7 –
The Trecento
2/9 –
The Quattrocento
Featured art: Ghiberti’s doors of the Baptistry
Week 2 –
Reading:
2/14 –
2/16 –
Featured art:
The end of the Renaissance
On Moodle Castiglione and Ariosto
The literature of the Cinquecento: Castiglione, Machiavelli and Ariosto
The Art of the Cinquecento: Michelangelo, Raffaello and Mannerism
Raffaello’s School of Athens
Week 3 –
Reading:
2/21 –
2/23 –
Featured art:
The end of the Cinquecento
On Moodle, Torquato Tasso’s summary and Book 1
The Popes of the Cinquecento; Saint Peter’s Basilica; Torquato Tasso
Martin Luther and the Counter Reformation
Saint Peter’s Basilica
Week 4 – The Seicento – class summary: the Renaissance
Reading: Duggan, Ch 3;
2/28– Artists Caravaggio and Bernini
3/1- Galileo Galilei
Featured art: Caravaggio’s Bacchus
Featured art: Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne
Week 5 –The Settecento
Reading: Duggan, Chapter 4
On Eres: Ugo Foscolo, Jacopo Ortis and selected poems
3/6 – The Age of Enlightment
3/8- Classicism and pre-Romanticism
Featured art: Canova’s Graces
Week 6 – The Ottocento: Romanticism
Reading: I Promessi Sposi/The Betrothed
3/13 – Opera
3/15 – Midterm
Featured art: Francesco Hayez The Kiss
Week 7 – Romanticism – class summary: Art and Literature
Reading: I Promessi Sposi/The Betrothed
Film: Senso
3/20 – Manzoni and the Italian Language
3/22 – Towards a Unified Italy.
Featured art: Bellini’s Norma
Week 8 – Unified Italy
Reading: Duggan Ch 5 and 6
On ERes: Tomasi di Lampedusa The Leopard
On Moodle: Poems by Carducci and Leopardi
Film: The Leopard
3/27 – Mazzini, Cavour and Garibaldi
3/29 – Poets of Unified Italy: Carducci and Leopardi
Featured art: Verdi’s La Traviata
Week 9 – Easter
Week 10 – The First World War
Readings: On ERes: Gabriele D’Annunzio’s Il Piacere
Duggan ch. 7
Film: For Whom the Bell Tolls
4/10 – Pre-war decadentism: Gabriele D’Annunzio
4/12 – The Hermeneutic Poets: Ungaretti, Montale and Quasimodo
Featured art: Puccini’s Madama Butterfly
Week 11 – The Rise of Fascism – Students’ Presentations
Readings: ERes, Giorgio Bassani, Il giardino dei Finzi-Contini
Duggan ch. 8
ERes: Luigi Pirandello
Film: The Garden of the Finzi Contini
Film: Amarcord
4/17 – Fascist art, poetry and architecture: Futurism
4/19 – Fascist society
Featured art: Umberto Boccioni’s Unique Forms
Week 12 – The Second World War - Students’ Presentations
Film: Rome Open City
Film: Christ Stopped at Eboli
4/24 – Giorgio Bassani
4/26 – Carlo Levi, Primo Levi
Week 13 – Post-war Italy- Students’ Presentations
Duggan Ch.9
Film: Bicycle Thieves
Film: The Night of the Shooting Stars
Week 14 - Italy: The last 40 years.
Reading: Amara Lakhous: Clash of Civilizations over an elevator in Piazza Vittorio
5/8 – Review
5/10 – Review
Week 15 – FINAL PAPER DUE
5/15 – Final –2:00 p.m. in GV 150
Grading:
Midterm 15%; Final 20%; Paper 40%
Attendance, Presentations and Participation 25%
Attendance is mandatory: more than three absences will result in point deduction from your
final grade.
Honor Code: This course follows all rules and practices of Saint Mary’s College Honor
Code. Students will be required to submit their papers through Turnitin.
Guidelines for analytical paper
When you write an analytical paper, try to focus on something relatively small or specific,
and to go deep instead of wide. The analytical paper is just that, your own close reading or
analysis of a literary work, artwork or film. Do not fill the pages with summary, only refer to
the storyline when needed.
Guidelines for writing your research paper
1) Choose a book, film, painting or artifact from the period we cover during this
course. Look for something you find interesting, something that can hold your
attention and makes you want to find out more.
2) Begin your research. Find out about the context of the work, why was it produced,
by whom and for whom. Although some of the background information can be
used as a backdrop for your research, this is not the basis for your paper, it is just the
information upon which you can start building your own interpretation.
3) Now that you can situate the work in a social and historical context, start looking at
it carefully and try to develop the purpose of your paper. Ask yourself questions
without relying on readily available answers: What does the work convey as its
apparent message? Are there other layers of reading and interpretation? How does
it fit with what was expected of similar artifacts?
4) DO NOT COPY OR RELY ON AVAILABLE INTERPRETATIONS,
DEVELOP YOUR OWN. Plagiarism will be harshly dealt with, so be extremely
careful about citing all sources.
5) DO NOT USE ONLINE SOURCES, except for obtaining images. Learn how to
research on books
6) Set up the purpose of your paper. What are you going to discuss? What are you
trying to prove? What is the message that the artifact delivers, according to your
own reading of the work?
7) Now you can use your research to find out if your interpretation fits within the
general and current approach, or if it counters it. You can support your thesis not
just on your personal reading of the artifact itself and its historical and social context,
but also using current interpretations. Find out if there are conflicting views, and
state your position.
8) Finished papers must be at least 8 pages long and must contain:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Title, name, date
Text, double-spaced
Footnotes
Bibliography
List of illustrations, with printed copies of the work(s), labeled including
location, artist and date