ITAL 349 - The Forms of Italian Theater: History and Practice

Prerequisite, ITAL 201, or consent of the instructor. Students engage in a study of various forms of Italian theater from the Renaissance till the Twentieth century, including Commedia dell’Arte, the puppet theater, and the work of playwrights such as: Niccolò Machiavelli, Carlo Gozzi, Carlo Goldoni, Giovanni Verga, Luigi Pirandello, Eduardo De Filippo and Dario Fo. As a means to better understand Italian culture, the texts are studied in relationship to the specific social environments that they represent. The literary, cultural, and historical discussion will be integrated with the development of communicative proficiency, through various exercises and creative activities. Taught in Italian. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits