Antonietta Fantozzi: critica, docente, donna. Una microstoria tra educazione letteraria e spazio femminile nell’Italia del primo Novecento

Abstract

In recent years, the study of school textbooks in Italy has encompassed the field of literary studies. Among the many approaches and purposes, the study of textbooks allows us to rediscover the pedagogical, educational, and cultural contributions of figures who are now largely forgotten, yet contributed to the education of many Italians. Within this framework, this essay aims to investigate the intellectual journey of Antonietta Fantozzi, a schoolteacher who published textbooks and actively contributed to the cultural
debate of her time. Through a close reading of her textbooks and related writings, the study illuminates her positions on school and literary education in the early 20th century, gendered expectations during the First World War, and the conditions of women in Italian prisons.