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ITAL233

Machiavelli
ITAL233 SP

Crosslistings: MDST281

Next Offered in 9899 SP

This course will examine the career of Niccolo Machiavelli from the perspective of the actively engaged form of civic humanism that he practiced as a Florentine political figure, historian, and literary author in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Because Macvhiavelli's work cuts across scholarly boundaries, we will explore the particular character of this Italian humanist's legacy from an inescapably interdisciplinary point of view. We will begin with THE PRINCE and THE DISCOURSES, reading these two texts as different but inseparable parts of Machiavelli's political philosophy. The FLORENTINE HISTORY will then provide us with a model for understanding Machiavelli's historiography. The two comedies MANDRAGOLA and CLIZIA, written toward the end of Machiavelli's life, are vivid pictures of Florentine civic life and illustrate in literary terms important aspects of what their author's earlier philosophical and historiographical work had aimed to promote. Throughout the semester we will read selections from Machiavelli's voluminous correspondence, in order to situate the production of his books and plays within the life from which they emerged.

MAJOR READINGS

THE PRINCE
THE DISCOURSES
THE FLORENTINE HISTORY
MANDRAGOLA
CLIZIA
MACHIAVELLI'S LETTERS

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Two short essays (3-4 pages), one in-class presentation, and one longer final essay (8-10 pages).

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

The course will be offered in both English and Italian sections; students enrolling in the Italian section DO NOT enroll in the English section, and all of their work -reading, writing assignments, course discussion and presentations -will be done in Italian. Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Discussion Lecture

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UG Credit: 1.00 Gen Ed Area & Dept: HA RLIT

Prerequisites: ITAL112 or ITAL214

Last Updated on MAR-03-1998


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