Midterm (ITAL-230)

1. Describe the Ancient Roman patrician versus plebeian strife.

The Conflict of the Orders (509–287 BCE): the struggle between patricians (elite families) and plebeians (commoners). Plebeians fought for legal equality, gaining victories like the Tribunes of the Plebs, the Concilium Plebis, and legal reforms (Twelve Tables, Lex Hortensia).

1. What occurred with clientelism and patronage?

Clientelism and patronage formed the backbone of Roman politics. Patricians (patrons) offered favors, legal support, or protection, while plebeian clients returned political loyalty and military service.

1. Who are the key historical figures, including Julius Caesar?

• Gracchi Brothers (Tiberius & Gaius, 133–121 BCE): Advocated land reforms favoring plebeians.

• Gaius Marius & Lucius Cornelius Sulla: Leaders in the Optimates (aristocrats) vs. Populares (plebeian-aligned) factions.

• Julius Caesar (100–44 BCE): Allied with the Populares, championed plebeian causes. Through clientelism, military success in Gaul, and crossing the Rubicon (49 BCE), he centralized power and was declared dictator. Caesar’s assassination marked resistance against the concentration of power but also signaled the end of the Republic and beginning of imperial rule

2. Describe the 19th-century Italian Independence movement. What occurred and when?

Known as the Risorgimento, this movement (1815–1871) led to the unification of Italy:

• Key milestones:

  • 1848-49: First War of Independence (Battle of Custoza, Novara).

  • 1859: Second War (Battles of Magenta & Solferino, supported by France).

  • 1860: Garibaldi’s Expedition of the Thousand (I Mille).

  • 1861: Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy.

  • 1866: Third War of Independence (Battle of Bezzecca), Venetia annexed.

  • 1870: Capture of Rome, unifying the Papal States.

2. Who were the key players?

• Giuseppe Mazzini: Republican ideologue.

• Giuseppe Garibaldi: Charismatic military leader.

• Count Camillo Benso di Cavour: Diplomatic architect.

• Victor Emmanuel II: First king of unified Italy

3. Describe the late medieval & Renaissance city-state campanilismo sociopolitical construct.

refers to fierce local loyalty (literally "bell tower syndrome"), leading to fragmented city-state politics over national unity.

3. Please describe the governments of Rome, Florence and Venice.

Rome: Papal theocracy during the Renaissance, governed by the Pope.

Florence: A republic with guild influence; prominent families like the Medici dominated politics. Institutions included the Signoria, Gonfaloniere of Justice, and two councils (People and Commune).

Venice: Stable oligarchic republic. The Doge led, assisted by the Great Council and the secretive Council of Ten, all dominated by hereditary aristocrats listed in the Golden Book

4. What did Machiavelli say about the Italian peninsula in the early sixteenth century? According to The Prince Introduction, does Machiavelli favor principalities or republics? What are Machiavelli’s true objectives for the Italian people?

In The Prince, Machiavelli highlights Italy's fragmentation and foreign domination, calling for a unifying leader to restore order and autonomy. He favors strong principalities in The Prince, though elsewhere (e.g., Discourses on Livy) he leans toward republics. His goal: reclaim Italy's glory, advocating virtù (cunning leadership) over reliance on fortuna (luck)

5. Describe “Liberal” Italy and the Italian monarchy of the late 19th and early 20th century (up to WWI). Was it an effective or ineffectual government, and describe the tariffs, taxes, emigration, and colonialization of this period.

Liberal Italy (1861–1914) was marked by:

• Weak parliamentary monarchy under the House of Savoy.

• High tariffs, the grist tax, and trade wars (esp. with France).

• Mass emigration: By 1900, over 5 million Italians emigrated, especially from the impoverished south.

• Colonial ventures: Italy colonized Eritrea, Somaliland, and Libya, though suffered defeats (notably at Adwa, 1896).

The government faced corruption, inefficiency, and regional inequality, particularly the Southern Question (disease, feudalism, latifundi system)​

6. Describe the first chapter of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s The Leopard.

Prince Fabrizio Salina performs his family’s evening rosary in his decaying Sicilian villa, symbolizing the fading aristocratic world. As news arrives of Garibaldi’s landing and revolutionary unrest, the Prince reflects on the inevitability of social change and his own family's decline. Despite the political upheaval, the chapter highlights how the aristocracy seeks to maintain power by adapting superficially, capturing the theme of transformation masking continuity.

6. How does the storyline correspond to the geopolitical change and/or lack of change?

Stagnation beneath surface change: Despite Garibaldi’s victories, the aristocracy maintains control through adaptation, mirroring the famous line: "Everything must change so that everything can stay the same."

Themes of decay, sensuality, and aristocratic disillusionment parallel the broader unification’s limited impact on southern Italy’s entrenched social order​

7. Describe the Baroque world of The Tale of Tales in the short story excerpts. How is 17th- century Italy depicted? What obstacles and roadblocks do the main protagonists encounter in these short stories?

Giambattista Basile's The Tale of Tales (1634-36) depicts:

• 17th-century Italy as decadent, hierarchical, and surreal.

• Protagonists face magical obstacles, grotesque trials, and rigid societal norms.

• Stories like "The Flea", "The Old Woman Who Was Skinned", and "The Enchanted Doe" blend Baroque excess, satire, and oral tradition.

7. How do the three short stories in the film differ from Basile’s text?

• Tone:

  • Basile’s Text: Satirical, ironic, and filled with exaggerated humor and absurdities.

  • Garrone’s Film: Somber, psychological, and gothic, creating a dreamlike and dark fairy-tale atmosphere.

• Themes:

  • Basile’s Text: Highlights social hierarchies, human folly, unpredictable fortune, and grotesque desires.

  • Garrone’s Film: Centers on obsession, vanity, maternal longing, and emotional depth, with a more tragic tone.

• Characterization:

  • Basile’s Text: Characters are often exaggerated, grotesque caricatures, serving moralistic or satirical purposes.

  • Garrone’s Film: Characters are more humanized and emotionally complex, focusing on their psychological motivations rather than caricature.

8. Describe Italian Fascism, Italian Decadentism, and Italian Futurism. Who are the major figures of each movement?

• Italian Fascism (1922–1943): Militaristic, ultra-nationalist, corporatist, authoritarian (Mussolini, March on Rome).

• Decadentism: Literary/cultural movement, emphasizing beauty, decline, sensuality (linked to figures like Gabriele D'Annunzio).

• Futurism: Avant-garde movement celebrating modernity, violence, speed (Filippo Marinetti).

8. How are they similar AND dissimilar?

Similarities: Anti-traditional, disruptive, nationalist. Differences: Fascism political, Futurism artistic, Decadentism literary with elitist tones.

9. Describe the latter half of the 20th-century Italian political parties. What major changes occurred when the so-called First Republic became the so-called Second Republic in the 1990s?

First Republic (1948–1994): Dominated by Christian Democrats (DC); plagued by clientelism, corruption scandals (e.g., Tangentopoli).

Second Republic (Post-1994): Emerged after political collapse, introducing:

• New parties (Forza Italia, Lega, Five Star Movement).

• Electoral reforms (e.g., Rosatellum system).

9. Who is in charge in 2025?

2025 Leadership: Right-wing coalition led by Giorgia Meloni (Fratelli d’Italia), with Matteo Salvini’s Lega as a significant partner

10. How does John Hooper’s The Italians differ from David Gilmour’s The Pursuit of Italy?

• Hooper's The Italians: Sociological lens on modern Italy’s quirks (clientelism, familismo, mafias). Offers cautious optimism about Italy’s adaptability.

• Gilmour's The Pursuit of Italy: Historical, highlighting Italy’s fragmentation. More critical of unification, emphasizing regionalism and disunity.

10. What common cultural threads are discussed by both authors?

Regional identity, skepticism toward centralized governance.

10. In addition, what stark differences did you notice in each of the two texts?

Scope & Approach:
Gilmour takes a long-term historical view, highlighting Italy’s persistent regionalism and questioning the idea of a unified nation. Hooper focuses on modern Italy, exploring contemporary social customs and cultural quirks.

View of National Identity:
Gilmour is skeptical, emphasizing fragmentation and weak national unity. Hooper sees regionalism as integral to Italy’s identity, presenting it as part of the country's unique character.

10. Is one text more positive than the other about Italy’s future?

Gilmour is pessimistic, stressing historical governance issues, corruption, and north-south inequalities, doubting real change. Hooper is cautiously optimistic, acknowledging problems but emphasizing Italians’ adaptability, creativity, and resilience, especially in private and family spheres.

10. Give concrete examples from each book.

Gilmour (The Pursuit of Italy):
Critiques unification’s negative impact on the south—northern policies worsened poverty, spurred emigration, and deepened Mezzogiorno underdevelopment. Emphasizes Italy’s identity as shaped by regional city-states over national unity, casting doubt on lasting cohesion.

Hooper (The Italians):
Highlights clientelism, familism, and bella figura as adaptive responses to weak institutions. Italians use personal networks to navigate bureaucracy, showing flexibility. While noting corruption, he sees cultural vibrancy and entrepreneurship as sources of hope.