Taught in Italian.

In this course we will explore the Italian “giallo” (detective fiction/murder mystery), one of the most popular and successful literary genres today, particularly in Italy.

We will begin our exploration by contextualizing the genre historically and comparatively, and then focus on its development in Italian literature. We will analyze not only the inter-relationship between this popular genre and more “serious” literary fiction, but also the role of detective fiction as a mirror of social anxieties. Thus, we will for instance discuss why unsolved murder mysteries have a strong appeal on contemporary readers; why easily predictable (and often repetitive) plots keep attracting a wide and varied readership, or why this kind of escapist works can become very popular in particular historical moments.

The course is entirely in Italian. Though in a couple of cases we will have to read a short text in English (such as Edgar Allan Poe’s “Murder of the Rue Morgue”, for instance), the wide majority of the readings, all class discussion and writing assignments will be in Italian.

Texts: We will read works by, among others, Leonardo Sciascia, Marcello Fois, Gianrico Carofiglio. Specific titles will be given later.

Prerequisite: Italian 101 or placement exam.