ITAL 37.04 Italian Fairy Tales
We will study the rich and precocious Italian fairy-tale tradition, from the Renaissance to our times, and the ways in which its forms and contents have evolved. We will address questions concerning canon formation; the role of “marvelous” genres such as the fairy tale in socialization and the expression of national identity; and the appropriation of fairy-tale subjects and motifs by contemporary popular culture. We will also acquaint ourselves with a variety of critical approaches to the fairy tale, and consider some of the other European fairy-tale traditions, especially the French and the German.