From the "Sea in the Middle": Medieval Mediterranean’s Stories

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The objective of this course is to explore the intricate tapestry of the multiethnic and multicultural Italian peninsula during the Late Middle Ages (12th-15th Centuries) and its interactions with Mediterranean societies. Throughout this course, we will dissect pivotal historical events, cultural and religious exchanges, geographical implications, and the traditions of the primary populations inhabiting the region. Our journey through this rich history will be guided by Italian authors of short stories, offering us a profound insight into this captivating fusion of civilizations. During the Late Middle Ages, Italians, particularly Venetians, Pisans, Genoese, and Florentines, reigned as the foremost commercial and naval powerhouses in the Mediterranean. Eminent Tuscan literary figures and intellectuals such as Giovanni Boccaccio, Franco Sacchetti, and Giovanni Sercambi (to name just a few) demonstrated a remarkable ability to capture and expertly convey in their narratives the multifaceted sociological, political, religious, geographical, historical, and psychological intricacies characterizing this enduring cultural crossroads. Within the intricate and interconnected Mediterranean environment, the short story indisputably emerged as the most prevalent and esteemed literary genre, transcending cultural and geographic boundaries. This genre encompasses a vast array of themes, meticulously portraying courtly love, chivalric values, the far-reaching impacts of the Crusades, the interplay among the three Monotheistic Religions, the tensions between nobility and bourgeoisie, varying perspectives on women and their societal roles from Spain to the Arabic domains, encounters – and sometimes conflicts – between distinct cultures, pivotal Mediterranean historical events, and the initial ventures into geographical exploration. As our course unfolds, we will discover that these themes represent only a fraction of the myriad facets that the short story has adeptly embraced and narrated for generations of avid readers.