The Road to Character: Looking for Role Models in Romance Studies in Premodern Times

1 credits · Undergraduate

Course explores a wide range of early modern writings (e.g., essays, fiction, lyric poetry, epic poetry, conduct manuals) originally published in French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, studied in English translation. It examines questions of ethics, education, and civic and familial responsibility as they are probed in historical, political, and literary works concerned with exemplary figures and 'the good life.' It engages debates about wealth and poverty, justice and injustice, and access to—or exclusion from—civic life, as these concerns shape the experiences of both men and women. No prerequisites; course conducted in English, with all readings and assignments in English.