R5B, Section 2: Italian Gothic

MWF 8-9 | 130 Dwinelle | Instructor: Emily Rabiner

Units: 4

This course satisfies the second half or the “B” portion of the Reading and Composition requirement.

Ever since Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto initiated the supernatural genre of Gothic fiction in 1764, Italy has served as potent inspiration for tales of terror, transgression, and the sublime. This course will examine how the Northern European idea of the Gothic has drawn on the Italian peninsula and how it, in turn, has been adapted within Italian literature and film. How does Gothic fiction portray Italy as the terrifying yet seductive land of the “Other,” and what changes when Italian writers take up the genre for themselves? In what ways does the Gothic police sexuality while simultaneously allowing for the subversion of patriarchal norms and sexual mores? And, more broadly, how do the supernatural elements of the Gothic challenge how we view history, social structures, and our own identities? In addition to analyzing primary texts, we will engage with the rich tradition of literary criticism on Gothic fiction.

This course fulfills the second half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and its primary purpose is to prepare you for college-level work through the development of critical reading, writing, and research skills. In addition to producing polished, final drafts of essays, you will write preliminary drafts and numerous close readings, and you will participate in regular in-class writing workshops. After completing this course, you should have an analytical toolkit that allows you to analyze primary and secondary texts, draft research-based essays in clear and elegant academic prose, and provide your peers with constructive feedback on written assignments.

One of our major goals in this class is to reflect on who we are as writers, how we present our ideas, and how we can gain a sense of pride in both the writing process and the product. To that end, all activities – formal and exploratory writing, active reading, peer feedback, classroom discussion, etc. – are designed to encourage awareness and reflection in the cultivation of our academic voices.

Texts: to be announced.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.