2026 Early Books Lecture Series kicks off April 1
Left to right: Professors Fabian Alfie, Albrecht Classen, and Maria Dobozy
Photos by Aengus Anderson
The Early Books Lecture Series was established at the University of Arizona by Dr. Albrecht Classen, University Distinguished Professor of German Studies, in partnership with University Libraries Special Collections. For more than 20 years, University of Arizona scholars and Special Collections have invited the community to explore rare books that are held by Special Collections, provide primary resource materials for research, and are available for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to access and use.
The lectures are free, open to the public, and held in the Special Collections Reading Room, 5pm to 7pm. A reception follows each lecture.
Registration is required.
Wednesday, April 1
The Secrets of Medieval Manuscripts: Italian and German Examples Revealing the Glory of the Past
Speakers: Fabian Alfie, Professor, Italian Studies, College of Humanities
Albrecht Classen, University Distinguished Professor, German Studies, College of Humanities
Maria Dobozy, Professor Emerita, German and Medieval Studies, University of Utah
This talk will offer a teaser of the glory and importance of medieval manuscripts also for us today. Alfie will begin with some reflections on the earliest appearance of the Italian language as documented in thirteenth-century poetic collections treating erotica. However, Alfie will trace the evolution of the Italian vernacular from Latin. Classen and Dobozy will introduce the famous Codex Manesse, the most glorious collection of Middle High German courtly love poetry, the images of which serve as covers for a vast number of modern-day scholarly books.
Wednesday, April 8
Christine de Pizan’s Othea: A Woman Advises the King
Speaker: Albrecht Classen, University Distinguished Professor, German Studies, College of Humanities
Contrary to our modern stereotypes about medieval women, many noble ladies enjoyed great respect and exerted much authority. Fifteenth-century Christine de Pizan can be identified as one of the first feminists who strongly argued in favor of women, and in that process she turned into a major poet and author. As her treatise Othea indicates, she even had the king’s ear and was acknowledged enough to be accepted as a major advisor in political, ethical, and even military terms.
Wednesday, April 15
How Shakespeare Transformed the Play Hamlet
Speaker: Frederick Kiefer, University Distinguished Professor, English, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
Shakespeare never invented the plot of any play he wrote. Instead, he adapted material he found in ancient history, Italian short stories, English chronicles, and previous plays. One previous play was named Hamlet and it had to have been Shakespeare's primary source. The earlier play is lost but we can surmise much about it and speculate about what Shakespeare added.