Literature of the Grand Tour of Italy

LA CL GT 340
Credit hours: 3
Contact hours: 45

Since antiquity travel has been one of the most fascinating experiences in the lives of individuals or groups, and Italy one of the most desired destinations among travelers of different countries. The term "Grand Tour" was used for the first time in 1670 by the British priest Richard Lassels and it specifically refers to the traveling experiences of members of the British nobility in Italy and France during the 17th and 18th centuries. Especially in the second part of the 18th century the Grand Tour became an essential ingredient in a young gentleman's life and general education. "A man who has not seen Italy is always conscious of an inferiority, from his not having seen what it is expected a man should see," said the critic Samuel Johnson, expressing a vew widely shared by his contemporaries. To complete the Grand Tour the traveler was supposed to visit five cities: Paris, Florence, Venice, Rome, and Naples. But the appeal of Italy was felt not only by British aristocrats; there was a more general fascination with Italian culture, history, art, and architecture that attracted famous European and American writers and artists. This course will analyze the literature generated by the Grand Tour experience in Italy during the 18th and 19th centuries and its continuation and development in the 20th century. The main focus of the course will be the textual analysis of the essays, letters, and diaries written by some of the most famous authors who resided and traveled in Italy. Our selection will include writings by Byron, Shelley, Goethe, Stendahl, Dickens, Mark Twain, Mary McCarthy, Kate Simon, David Leavitt.

Another important aspect of the course will be the study of works of art, monuments, and historical events mentioned and described by travelers.

Prerequisite: none