Department of Italian

Paper It 3

Italian Modernism

This paper is suspended for 2013-14

Download the Specimen exam paper (the content of this paper was changed for Tripos 2007)
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Download the 2009 exam paper
Download the 2010 exam paper
Exam papers which have been set since 2010 can be downloaded from CamTools.

This paper aims to explore some of the most significant and influential Italian cultural responses to the far-reaching changes, in society and ideas, which took place in the early twentieth century (1900-1929). As in other parts of Western Europe, the twentieth century in Italy is in fact characterized by industrialization, urbanization, and modernization. Discussion of Italian modernism will explore such issues as subjectivity (including the impact of psychoanalysis), the traumatic experience of WWI, and the responses on the part of writers to the enormous upheavals in the social structure, gender roles, moral values and views of writing taking place at the beginning of the twentieth century. All the works to be explored offer a challenge to traditional certainties, in idea and form. The relationship between the works studied and the contemporary political and intellectual background will be explored; while the treatment of key themes and techniques used in the set texts will be also analyzed.

Summary of Teaching

There will be 6-8 supervisions and 16 lectures for the course, divided as follows:

Michaelmas Term:

8 lectures on: Svevo, Futurism. Click here for more information and a reading list for the Futurism topic.

Lent Term:

8 lectures on: issues in modernism, Ungaretti, Montale, Pirandello, Moravia.

Set texts for 2010-11:

G. Ungaretti, L' allegria
E. Montale, Ossi di seppia
F.T. Marinetti, various Futurist manifestoes and works
L. Pirandello, Il fu Mattia Pascal, Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore
I. Svevo, La coscienza di Zeno
A. Moravia, Gli indifferenti

Examination

One three-hour examination will be set. You will be asked to answer one general question on modernism and two questions on single set authors.