Reading and composition course based on works by Italians and foreigners about Italy and its culture and by Italians about their distinctive experiences of other cultures as tourists and emigrants. Works studied will be primarily chosen from among fiction and non fiction narratives, both originally in English and translated into it. R5A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition Requirement and R5B satisfies the second half.

Dante's afterlife journey through Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso serves not only as a metaphor for the human experience of overcoming inner obstacles but also symbolizes the formidable challenge of composing such an intricate text as the Divine Comedy. Similarly, in a Reading and Composition class, students embark on a kind of Dantean journey, starting from a place of writerly disorientation when facing academic writing—what Dante describes as the "selva oscura" (a dark forest)—but gradually gaining confidence as they progress.

Like Dante, and alongside him, in our R5A class, we will delve into our own personal dark forest, which in this context means confronting our demons, fears, and insecurities as writers within an academic setting. On this journey with Dante, we will encounter several notable figures, both historical and mythological—such as the lovers Paolo and Francesca, the controversial Count Ugolino, and Ulysses—as well as guiding characters like the poet Virgil and Dante’s beloved Beatrice, with whom we will "converse," using their stories as opportunities for close textual analysis.

From the dark forest, with commitment and courage—together with your R&C instructor and your classmates—you will overcome obstacles and push forward until eventually reaching Paradise, which in our class means confidence as writers!

Although our main text will be Dante’s Divine Comedy, the instructor will also provide a range of additional readings that engage with it in various ways. Some of these texts offer postcolonial reimaginings of Dante’s Commedia, while others are reinterpretations by painters and cartoonists, as well as other artistic forms—including songs and video games.

We will spend a significant amount of time reading and writing together during class sessions, as well as engaging in small group discussions. Students will also post responses to the day’s reading on bCourses and complete two major assignments during the semester, consisting of close reading essays, both of which will include opportunities for revision. Students should purchase a course reader that will be made available by the instructor a few weeks before class.

Requisites

• Satisfaction of the Entry Level Writing Requirement.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills