Andrea Capra @ The Working Group on Narrative 'Structural Horror'

Dear colleagues, 

The Working Group on Narrative is delighted to host Andrea Capra, PhD candidate in Italian, presenting Structural Horror: Curzio Malaparte and Primo Levi, a chapter from his dissertation Deforming Modernity: The Experience of Horror in Italian Literature. 

Joshua Landy, Andrew B. Hammond Professor of French, Comparative Literature and, by courtesy, of English at Stanford University will act as respondent.

The workshop will take place on Wednesday November 3rd, at 5PM in the Terrace Room and Patio in Margaret Jacks Hall. The event will be held in person, in adherence with university and county protocols regarding social distancing and safety during the pandemic. As a result food will be served outdoors on the Terrace from 5 to 5:30, followed by the discussion from 5:30 to 7pm. 

Andrea has kindly provided an abstract of his dissertation below. Those who wish to read Structural Horror before the session should request the PDF by contacting Allie Gamble (algamble [at] stanford.edu (algamble[at]stanford[dot]edu)). 

Deforming Modernity: The Experience of Horror in Italian Literature

Abstract: This dissertation studies horror as a form of experience and its aesthetics in works of modern Italian literature not belonging to the horror genre. My phenomenology of horror detaches it from the monstrous, the supernatural, and gore, to reconnect it to lived experience and show how it can erupt into a life despite modernity’s claims of safety and control. I argue that horror is underpinned by contextual and contingent elements: a corpse is not horrifying for an autopsist at work. Featured are works from Giacomo Leopardi, Carlo Michelstaedter, Luigi Pirandello, Curzio Malaparte, Primo Levi, Anna Maria Ortese, Tommaso Landolfi, Igiaba Scego, and Elena Ferrante.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Allie Gamble (algamble [at] stanford.edu (algamble[at]stanford[dot]edu))

Ido Keren (ikeren [at] stanford.edu (ikeren[at]stanford[dot]edu))

Casey Patterson (caseyp [at] stanford.edu (caseyp[at]stanford[dot]edu)) 

Alex. Sherman (ajsherm [at] stanford.edu (ajsherm[at]stanford[dot]edu))