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2011/12 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ITAL2095 The Italian Renaissance: Ideals and Realities

20 creditsClass Size: 12

Module manager: Brian Richardson
Email: b.f.richardson@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2011/12

Pre-requisite qualifications

Level 1 Italian or equivalent

This module is mutually exclusive with

ITAL2090	Power, Pain and Beauty: Introduction to the Art and Literatu
ITAL2094	The Italian Renaissance: Ideals and Realities

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

The high Italian Renaissance produced some of the Europe's most famous and influential writers, artists and architects, among them Machiavelli, Ariosto, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Palladio. One of the main inspirations behind their work was the rediscovery and reuse of the ideals and achievements of the classical world, and it is from this concept of rebirth that the period was given its name in the nineteenth century. But how far were classical ideas merely imitated and how far were they adapted to contemporary needs? This module studies some of the cultural achievements of the Renaissance between about 1470 and 1600 and sets them in the context of the realities that shaped the lives and activities of men and women, such as the political upheavals that threatened the fragile system of independent courts and republics, the Church's struggle to suppress the new religious ideas of the Reformation, the invention of the printing press, the workings of artistic patronage and the relative status of the two sexes.

Objectives

The module provides an introduction to the culture and society of the Italian Renaissance, one of the major research strengths of the Department of Italian at Leeds. It will examine the ideals that inspired some of the literary, artistic and architectural achievements of the high Renaissance and will relate them to the social and political realities of their period.

Learning outcomes
On completion of the module, students should have a knowledge and understanding of some of the main developments in Italian culture in the period from about 1470 to 1600, and should be able to relate them to their social and historical contexts. Students should be able to discuss these topics critically in writing and orally.

Syllabus

- A selection of literary texts, such as Machiavelli¿s political treatise Il principe and his comedy Mandragola, and Ariosto¿s chivalric epic Orlando furioso (extracts).
- Patronage in art and literature: courts, guilds and private patrons
- The use of classical models in architecture
- The introduction of printing and its effects
- The place of women in society

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	20	1.00	20.00
Seminar	10	1.00	10.00
Private study hours			170.00
Total Contact hours			30.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Private study, reading of texts, preparation for general class discussion: 120 hours
Preparation and writing of assessed written work: 45 hours
Preparation for class presentation: 5 hours

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Progress will be monitored through student presentations in seminars and performance in assessed written work. Feedback will be provided on presentations and on written work. Progress will also be monitored informally through general class participation.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,000 words	35.00
Essay	2,000 words	35.00
Presentation	Seminar presentation	5.00
Tutorial Performance	Throughout module	5.00
Written Work	Commentary (1000 words) In the case of failed essays and/or commentaries, an alternative essay or commentary chosen from the original list may be resubmitted for a maximum of 40%.	20.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 20/02/2012

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