The course will study Italian culture from the perspective of social and historical forces, as articulated by a broad variety of cultural, ideological, and institutional discourses.

NOTE: In this course we will take a multilingual approach. Students will have the option of reading the books in Italian, English or another Romance language. The class is open to anybody who wish to embark on a collaborative journey of discovery. In this course we will dive into Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan world, exploring the ways in which her characters come to life, and her stories masterfully unfold, both in her writing and on the screen. The author of the international best-selling quadrilogy, My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who stay and The Story of the Lost Child, has caught the imagination of readers around the world. We will analyze Ferrante’s writing delving into themes such as female identity, coming of age, adulthood, friendship, abandonment, violence, memory, language, gender and class, authorship. Students will be encouraged to draw from their respective fields of study and linguistic repertoires to make comparisons with other Italian and/or international authors and to analyze topics discussed in class from a wide range of perspectives. Readings, class discussions and assignments will be both in Italian and English. Discussion in class is a very important component of the course and students are expected to participate actively. Short written assignments (500 words) will be due weekly. The final assignment will be a longer paper (2000 words) written in either Italian or in English. For questions or concerns, please email me at ambellezza@berkeley.edu Required Texts: L’amica geniale (My Brilliant Friend), La vita bugiarda degli adulti (The Lying Life of Adults), I giorni dell’abbandono (The Days of Abandonment) Secondary texts: other selected readings will be assigned later

Repeat Rules

Requirements class fulfills