ITAL 357 - Serious Laughter: Italian Comedy of Yesterday and Today

Prerequisite, ITAL 201, or consent of instructor. This course aims to provide an introduction to the cultural peculiarities of Italian humor as well as to develop the student’s ability to currently interpret and produce humor in Italian. The curriculum entails the study of the tradition of Italian comedy in both high and lowbrow domains, in works of literature and theater from the Renaissance to modern times, in today’s mainstream cinema, and in oral and popular culture and practices. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits