Dante: Fall 2009

ITC 349 (37495) / E 322 (35025) / EUS 347 (36495): TTH 11-12:15 in MEZ 1.102

Guy P. Raffa, Dept. of French and Italian
Office Hours: TTH 12:30-2 in HRH 3.104A; phone: 471-6390
e-mail: guyr@uts.cc.utexas.edu
web site: http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~guyr

The Divine Comedy offers a remarkable panorama of the late Middle Ages through one man's poetic vision of the afterlife. However, we continue to read and study the poem not only to learn about the thought and culture of medieval and early modern Europe but also because many of the issues confronting Dante and his age are no less important to individuals and societies today. Personal and civic responsibilities, governmental accountability, church-state relations, economics and social justice, literary and artistic influences, benefits and limitations of interdisciplinarity--these are some of the themes that will frame our discussion of the Divine Comedy. Although you will read the poem in English, a bilingual edition will enable you to study and learn famous lines in the original Italian. The course is taught in English. There is no final examination.

Danteworlds: You are expected to use this multimedia Web site, created specifically for the course, for writing assignments and class and exam preparation. In addition to detailed entries, audio recordings, and study questions, the site contains hundreds of images from works by Sandro Botticelli, an anonymous 16th-century artist, John Flaxman, William Blake, Gustave Dorè, and Suloni Robertson.

Assignments and Computation of Grade:
Two in-class examinations (25% each): 50%
Formal literary essay (1250-1500 words): 25%
Class preparation and participation (including unannounced quizzes): 25%

Regular attendance is required: No student who misses more than 6 classes (3 weeks) for any reason can complete the course with a passing grade.

REQUIRED TEXTS: Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso (Trans. Allen Mandelbaum)
Vita Nuova (Trans. Barbara Reynolds)

OPTIONAL TEXT: The Complete Danteworlds: A Reader's Guide to the "Divine Comedy" (Raffa)

ON RESERVE (PCL): The Complete Danteworlds: A Reader's Guide to the "Divine Comedy" (Raffa), The Cambridge Companion to Dante (Jacoff, ed.), Dante: The "Divine Comedy": A Student Guide (Kirkpatrick), Dante: A Brief History (Hawkins), Dante: Vita, opere, fortuna (Barbi), Vita di Dante (Petrocchi)

"The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641 TTY."

DANTE COURSE SYLLABUS

8/27: Introduction; Multimedia Dante

9/1: Inferno 1-3 (Fence-sitters)

9/3: 4-6 (Limbo, Lustful, Gluttons)

9/8: 7-9 (Avaricious & Prodigal, Wrathful & Sullen)

9/10: 10-12 (Heretics, Murderers)

9/15: 13-16 (Suicides, Blasphemers, Sodomites)

9/17: 17-19 (Usurers, Panderers & Seducers, Flatterers, Simonists)

9/22: 20-23 (Soothsayers, Grafters, Hypocrites)

9/24: 24-26 (Thieves, Evil Counselors)

9/29: 27-30 (Evil Counselors, Schismatics, Falsifiers)

10/1: 31-34 (Giants, Traitors)

10/6: Purgatorio 1-4 (Cato, Casella, Manfred, Belacqua)

10/8: 5-9 (Buonconte, Pia, Sordello, Nino, Conrad)

10/13: 10-12 (Omberto, Oderisi)

10/15: Exam I

10/20: 13-16 (Sapia, Guido del Duca, Marco Lombardo)

10/22: 17-20 (Abbot of Zeno, Pope Adrian V, Hugh Capet)

10/27: 21-24 (Statius, Forese, Bonagiunta); Vita Nuova pp. 1-45

10/29: 25-27 (Guinizzelli, Daniel); Vita Nuova pp. 46-64

11/3: 28-33 (Matelda, Beatrice)

11/5: Paradiso 1-4 (Moon); Essay Abstract Due

11/10: 5-9 (Moon, Mercury, Venus)

11/12: 10-14 (Sun)

11/17: 15-20 (Mars, Jupiter)

11/19: 21-27 (Saturn, Stars, Primum Mobile)

11/24: 28-30 (Primum Mobile / Empyrean); Essay Due

THANKSGIVING

12/1: 31-33 (Empyrean)

12/3: Exam II

THERE IS NO FINAL EXAMINATION

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Department of French and Italian, College of Liberal Arts, UT Austin