The course will focus on the discussion of major literary texts of Verismo, the Italian literary trend loosely corresponding to what in French is called Naturalism in a period (the second half of the nineteenth century) that may be epistemologically called the era of Positivism. Topics that will be discussed are: the poetics and ideology of Verismo; relationships with other literary trends (Romanticism, Naturalism, Scapigliatura) and arts (painting, photography, music); intersections of literary genres. Readings will include Giovanni Verga, Luigi Capuana, Matilde Serao, Federico De Roberto. This course will count toward the Italian Major and Certificate.