ONLINE LITERATURE COURSE | “The Hill We Climb”: Dante’s Purgatory for the 21st Century Reader with Dr. Kristin Stasiowski LIVE COURSE

Details

ONLINE LITERATURE COURSE
“The Hill We Climb”: Dante’s Purgatory for the 21st Century Reader

Course Description:

Discover why Dante’s Divine Comedy has inspired writers and readers for nearly 700 years in this engaging, interdisciplinary discussion of some select canti (sections of poems) from the Purgatorio (Purgatory). We will delve deep into the fantastical world of Dante’s second realm of the imagined afterlife and discuss his writing not only in its medieval context but also with an eye to its enduring relevance to modern-day readers. Close readings of select canti will explore the literary, political, theological, and philosophical concerns of the Purgatorio to understand Dante’s thematic concerns within the wider intellectual and poetic goals of the whole Comedy.

Instructor:

Kristin Stasiowski, Ph.D is the Assistant Dean of International Programs and Education Abroad for the College of Arts and Sciences and is also an Assistant Professor of Italian Language and Literature in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages at Kent State University. She received her Ph.D from Yale University in Italian Language and Literature and has taught Italian language, literature, cinema, history and culture in both Florence, Italy and at Kent State. She recently published a chapter entitled A Divine Comedy for All Time: Dante’s Enduring Relevance for the Contemporary Reader in Italian Pop Culture: Media, Product, Imageries. Rome, Italy: Viella Editrice s.r.. Her current research is focused on Dante, Boccaccio, and the modern poet Clemente Rebora.

Course Objectives:

• CULTURE AND HISTORY: Students will develop a deeper appreciation of the historical, literary, and theological context of the Divine Comedy.
• CRITICAL APPROACH: Students will gain the ability to read works of literary, rhetorical, and cultural criticism and will work on their own critical, active reading and writing skills through directed reading.
• SENSE OF GENRE: Students will be able to identify formal elements of Dante’s use of language and poetry and how those shape the overall meaning of his poem.
• ORAL COMMUNICATION: Students will learn productive and relevant modes of discourse to speak thoughtfully and in an informed way about moral, philosophical, ethical, and theological concerns in the Divine Comedy.

Virtual Classroom: Full access to an online educational platform with discussion forum, videos of recordings, syllabus, and reading list.

Location: LIVE INTERACTIVE ON-LINE LITERATURE LECTURES

Optional Readings:
Readings to be provided to students in PDF format prior to the beginning of course.

Complete syllabus will be provided upon registration.

• ALL LECTURES WILL BE RECORDED AND AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT YOUR CONVENIENCE IN OUR VIDEO LIBRARY FOR THE DURATION OF THE COURSE

Schedule

LECTURE 1 – THE MOUNTAIN OF PURGATORY AND THE SALVATION OF CATO

– Tuesday, September 7

This lecture will cover the first few canti of the Purgatorio and offers an introduction to the major themes and issues of the historical and theological idea of Purgatory.

LECTURE 2 – THE POETRY OF PURGATION AND THE ART OF LOVE

– Tuesday, September 14

This lecture will offer an in-depth discussion on the way Dante imagines the Divine Art of God and the role of the imagination in Love.

LECTURE 3 – A RING OF FIRE, VIRGIL’S LONG GOODBYE, AND BEATRICE

– Tuesday, September 21

This lecture will discuss the final canti of the Purgatorio including Virgil’s farewell to Dante and Dante’s fateful meeting with Beatrice. In addition, we will meet many poets of Dante’s Purgatory and discover the ways that art and literature inform, and free, the soul.

Instructor

Kristin Stasiowski, Ph.D is the Assistant Dean of International Programs and Education Abroad for the College of Arts and Sciences and is also an Assistant Professor of Italian Language and Literature in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages at Kent State University. She received her Ph.D from Yale University in Italian Language and Literature and has taught Italian language, literature, cinema, history and culture in both Florence, Italy and at Kent State. She recently published a chapter entitled A Divine Comedy for All Time: Dante’s Enduring Relevance for the Contemporary Reader in Italian Pop Culture: Media, Product, Imageries. Rome, Italy: Viella Editrice s.r.. Her current research is focused on Dante, Boccaccio, and the modern poet Clemente Rebora.

Testimonials

• “Dante had his Beatrice. Kristin is ours. As she  breathes new life into Dante’s immortal words, Kristin will transport you into an unparalleled creative universe, spark your imagination and stir your soul!  I would follow her through all the circles of Hell and Purgatory for the sheer thrill of the journey and the ultimate glimpse of Paradise.  You don’t want to miss the ride!!” -Dianne Hales, New York Times bestselling author of La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair with Italian, the World’s Most Enchanting Language

• “Kristin is a superb speaker: articulate, erudite, and yet relaxed! Her Dante talks captivate and enthrall and made me feel truly elevated in the way that Dante himself would have wanted.” -Chandi Wyatt, Founder, Paradise of Exiles