![Domenico di Michelino, Dante and the Three Kingdoms, 1465, oil on canvas, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Florence A painting of a man in a pink robe standing between the mountain of purgatory and the city of Florence](/history/sites/default/files/styles/hero/public/img/course/HIST419_Delia.jpg?itok=JEzHByZu)
This course studies fourteenth-century Italy through the works of Dante Alighieri, Boccaccio, and Petrarch. Known as the three crowns of Florence these authors wrote literary masterpieces deeply rooted in the society, politics, religion, and culture of their times. Using historical analysis, recent scholarship, and a variety of different sources, students will contextualize and unravel Dante鈥檚 vision of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, Boccaccio鈥檚 picture of Italian society with all its comedy and tragedy of love, lust, trickery, stupidity, and cruelty, and Petrarch鈥檚 grappling with pagan Antiquity, pride, and fame at the foundation of the Renaissance. Prominent themes for discussion include gender, sexuality, religion, sin, Hell, Purgatory, Heaven, political and church corruption and reform, Plague, popular culture and humor, magic, and the reception of Classical antiquity. Many of these same themes will also be explored in the life of Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380).聽
Tentative Evaluations:
Attendance and Participation: 25%聽
2 Short Papers: 20%聽聽
5 Multiple Choice Quizzes (OnQ): 25%聽
Research Paper (8-10 pages): 30%