Frank Smith: Boccaccio and His Age

This is a six-week course which takes us to Italy in the 1300s, the century of transition from the medieval era to the dawn of the Renaissance.  We will focus on Boccaccio, with The Decameron as our principal reading, along with references to his two great contemporaries, Petrarch and Dante.  The cultural and societal history of the age will not be neglected, as the art and architecture which characterize this century will be an intrinsic part of the course.  We will meet Arnolfo di Cambio, Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini, and other great artists of the period.  Before the first class meeting, please purchase The Decameron, by Boccaccio, Penguin Classics, 2nd edition, translated by G.H. McWilliams.
Location: Raytheon Room