Beatrice Fazio‘s “The Renaissance of Emotions” course was exciting and thought-provoking for students, allowing them to explore the meaning, history, and evolution of emotions in the texts of Italian literature from the 14th to the early 19th century. The course provided students with the critical tools to engage with different literary genres (from Petrarch’s poetry to Machiavelli’s comedies, from Tasso’s epics to the philosophical prose of Vico and Leopardi, to name a few) and study the influence of emotions in literature from aesthetic, sociopolitical, philosophical, and psychological perspectives.

Carmelo De Grazia Parra’s final project in The Renaissance of Emotions is a podcast that provides an engaging and accessible introduction to the works of Italian poet Giacomo Leopardi, making it easy for listeners who may not be familiar with him to appreciate his literary contributions.

Elio Germano in “Il giovane favoloso” (M. Martone, 2014).