IJ2B007 Renaissance Humanist Comedy

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2019
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Ludovica Radif, Dottore di Ricerca (lecturer), doc. Paolo Divizia, Dottore di Ricerca (deputy)
doc. Paolo Divizia, Dottore di Ricerca (alternate examiner)
Guaranteed by
doc. Paolo Divizia, Dottore di Ricerca
Department of Romance Languages and Literatures – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Romance Languages and Literatures – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 16:00–17:40 G22
Prerequisites
IJIA028 Bachelor's exam
Knowledge of Italian language. No other pre-requisites are required.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 21 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course will trace the basic outlines of evolution that lead the Italian theatre, especially in the genre of comedy, from the fragmentation of the stage space to the appropriation of classical models in new literary adaptations and in view of a more modern scenic representation. The students will be able to learn about the long and variegated interdisciplinary process that gave birth to the important Renaissance stage plays. They will be able to recognise the skillful mixture of ancient and modern in the text and to develop a personal opinion about it.
Learning outcomes
After attending the coure, students will be able to identify relationships and differences between ancient comedies and their remakes during XV and XVI centuries; introduce and analyse works of visual arts (such as Brunelleschi's "ingegni") as well as of literary tradition, considering their hybrid nature and particular social and cultural conditions; apply scientific and also personal criteria to view and judge renaissance rebirth of theatre.
Syllabus
  • The rediscovery of the ancient Greek and Latin authors in the period of 15th and 16th centuries, with the first traslations of the classic works into Latin or Italian. First attempts at production done by the masters, in particular in Florence (for example by the choirmaster Pietro Domizi), machines for special effects invented by the architect Filippo Brunelleschi for the "sacra rappresentazione" (holy performance) in the churches, iniciatives of the home theatre done in private households, such as was the case of Bartolomeo Scala, all as a part of the cultural renaissance started by Lorenzo de' Medici; the court of Ferrara and the theatre promoted by Borso D'Este as it is reflected in the frescoes of the Palazzo Schifanoia, under the influence of Pellegrino Prisciani and new rediscovery of Vitruvius' De architectura.
Literature
  • P. Burke, The Italian Renaissance: Culture and Society in Italy, Princeton
  • L. Zorzi, Il teatro e la città, Torino, 1977
  • R. Trexler, Florentine Theatre, 1280-1500: A Checklist of Performances and
  • Zdeněk Digrin, Divadlo učenců a diplomatů, Praha 1995.
  • L. Radif, Le Maschere di Machiavelli, Imperia 2010
  • L. Radif, Rimanere maiali nonostante Circe, in Il concetto di libertà nel Rinascimento, a cura di L. Secchi Tarugi, Firenze 2008, pp. 437-444
Teaching methods
The lessons will be divided in two parts - the theoretical one will be focused on the main moments and figures of the Renaissance, the lecture will be accompanied by displays of paintings (Schifanoia), drawings, projects (Brunelleschi) and virtual pictures from online resources that will be considered useful for the comprehension of the events that have served as turning points in the history of theatre. The second part will be practical and it will be based on annotated reading of the most illustrative texts of the genre.
Assessment methods
Oral exam, the students will also produce a short written assesment based on one of the selected topics.
Language of instruction
Italian
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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