In this course graduate students will undertake close reading of the major dramatic texts (comedy, tragedy, pastoral, religious drama), of the Italian ‘500 (16th century). In addition to analyzing primary texts in their intellectual, historical, political, and artistic contexts, students will read and scrutinize the secondary critical literature informing their interpretation of the plays. Authors include Ariosto, Machiavelli, Trissino, Giraldi-Cinzio, Tasso, Bruno.