OVERVIEW

This course of Italian Literature (fraz. C) is designed specifically for students of Modern Languages ​​and Cultures. Maintained and supported for many years, with considerable scientific effort, by Prof. Luigi Surdich, the teaching aims to offer a critical and mature approach by the freshmen to the study of a major European literature, taking a journey through authors and texts of the utmost importance, both Italian and supranational.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide a picture of the Italian literary tradition from its origins onwards using exemplary texts, with reference to the different styles and genres, to the analysis of texts and cultural contexts, and to relations with foreign cultures.

LEARNING OUTCOMES (FURTHER INFO)

Acquisition of historiographical expertise on Italian literary history. Ability to analyse a literary text (narrative and poetic) through the tools of paraphrase and commentary (metrics –rhetorical figures - content). Enhancement of written and oral communication skills. Study of the relationships between Italian and European cultures literature. 

TEACHING METHODS

Traditional lessons, textual commentary (students are required to attend classes with the books that will be indicated for every lesson).

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Written exam:

1.            Divine Comedy and politics: Dante Alighieri, Divine comedy, Inferno VI, X, XXXIII; Purgatorio VI, XVI; Paradiso VI, XVII (20 hours).

2.            Ludovico Ariosto, Orlando furioso, selected cantos following Astolfo: c. I, VI, XV (octaves 15-105), XXII (octaves 4-30), XXIII (octaves 95-136), XXXIII (octaves 96-128), XXXIV, XXXV (octaves I-30). (15 hours)

3.            Study of 15 texts from 13th-17th century Italian literature (the texts will be made available in Aulaweb). Knowledge of Italian literary history of the same period.

Oral exam:

4.  Novel and poetry in 20th century Italian literature.

Students will have to read four novels (Beppe Fenoglio, Una questione privata; Italo Calvino, La speculazione edilizia e La giornata di uno scrutatore; Elsa Morante, L’isola di Arturo) and two poetry collections  (Giorgio Caproni, Il “terzo libro” e altre cose (integrale); Vittorio Sereni, Il grande amico. Poesie 1935-1981

5. Study of 15 texts from 18th-20th century Italian literature (the texts will be made available in Aulaweb). Knowledge of Italian literary history of the same period.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Texts available in Aulaweb
• Dante, Divina Commedia (suggested editions: a cura di A.M. Chiavacci Leonardi, Milano, Mondadori, edizione recente; a cura di U. Bosco e G. Reggio, Milano, Le Monnier)

-Ludovico Ariosto, Orlando furioso, a cura di E. Bigi, C. Zampesi, Milano, BUR, 2012 (selected cantos).

-Carlo Vecce, Piccola Storia della letteratura italiana, Napoli, Liguori, 2 voll, 2013 (selected chapters will be indicated in class).

-Beppe Fenoglio, Una questione privata, Torino, Einaudi, 2014; Italo Calvino, La speculazione edilizia, La giornata di uno scrutatore, Milano, Mondadori, 2012 or other recent edition; Elsa Morante, L’isola di Arturo, Torino, Einaudi, 2014. Giorgio Caproni, “Il terzo libro” e altre cose, prefazione di E. Testa, con un saggio di L. Surdich, Torino, Einaudi, 2016; Vittorio Sereni, Il grande amico. Poesie 1935-1981, a cura di G. Lonardi e L. Lenzini, Milano, BUR, 2004.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

SIMONA MORANDO (President)

EMANUELA CHICHIRICCO'

MATTEO NAVONE

STEFANO FERNANDO VERDINO

LESSONS

LESSONS START

October 12th, 2016.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written exam (Dante; Ariosto; anthology of 13th-17th century texts): students will be asked to paraphrase some extracts ant to answer to some essay questions.

Oral exam (Novel and poetry in 20th century Italian literature; anthology of 18th-20th century texts). Oral exam can be taken after the written exam.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Written exam: acquisition of text analysis skills; writing skills in Italian

Oral exam: text analysis skills; knowledge of Italian cultural and literary history

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Non-attending students are requested to contact the teacher and to register for the course in aulaweb