Professor to lecture on the extraordinary women of 16th century Italy

Middletown - Prof. Rinaldina Russell will discuss the literary scene of highly educated women during the 16 Century in Italy as part of the Lyceum lecture series on Wednesday, March 7, at 7 p.m., in Morrison Hall Mansion, Orange County Community College, in Middletown. Russell, is professor emerita of European Languages and Literatures, CUNY Queens College, will focus on a group of writers, each one stemming from a different social class, who were caught in the shifting political, cultural and religious events that transformed this freewheeling literary society into one tightly controlled by the Index of Forbidden Books and the Inquisition. Several of these women’s writings will also be discussed ranging from poetry of spiritual meditation and criticism of the Church of Rome, to erotic love lyrics, to a treatise on the theory of love and sexuality. Russell has been published both in Italy and in the United States. Her most recent work is the translation of Margherita Sarrocchi’s 1623 epic poem, “Scanderbeide.” Additional information may be obtained by contacting Cultural Affairs at 341-4891 and online at www.sunyorange.edu/lyceum.