120: Topics in Italian Studies: One Hundred Years Ago: Italy and the “Great War”

MWF 10-11 | Instructor: Giuliana Perco

Units: 4 Satisfies L&S Arts & Literature breadth requirement.

Course and readings in English

A century ago, the outbreak of the “Great War” brought about the dissolution of centuries old empires, the creation of brand new countries, and of the unstable terrain from which later ideologies developed. It also brought about a geographically, economically and socially different Italy.

In this course we will study and analyze how literature described and re-interpreted not only the grim experience of the war bloodshed and its consequences, but the years immediately before the war broke out and their ideologies. We will study works by Italo Svevo, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Emilio Lussu and the futurists, among others. Since WWI was the first “global war”, we will also read works by authors from other nationalities and cultures, such as Wilfred Owen and Jaroslav Hašek. Additionally, we will look at some examples in figurative arts of the time, from paintings to photography, while films related to the war, for instance All Quiet on the Western Front, Francesco Rosi’s Uomini contro (Many Wars Ago) and Federico Fellini’s E la nave va (And the Ship Sails On), will also be included among the class materials.

Ultimately, through this course, we will attempt to understand the variously faceted perceptions of the “Great War” from different cultural and historical points of view.

Reading reports, a midterm, a presentation and a final paper are required.

Prerequisites: This course is taught in English; previous knowledge of Italian is not required. Students with a background in Italian, however, are welcome to read some of the assigned texts in Italian.