OVERVIEW

The course concentrates on some classical texts of the history of Italian literature (Dante, Tasso) and it aims to equip students with the methodological tools (elements of metrics, paraphrase, distinction among literary genres, etc.) useful for analysing and interpreting texts. Students are required to have a basic knowledge of the essential authors and works of literature. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The “Italian Literature” course aims to give a thorough knowledge of the history of Italian literature from the origins to the present day, and a good (both written and oral) ability to read, understand, interpret and situate Italian literary texts historically and culturally

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to reinforce the following abilities, knowledge and competencies: learning of Italian literature and its historiography; learning of basic critical and philological tools, to enable the interpretation of a literary text in the context of the poetics of its author and within its historical-cultural context; the correct use of bibliographical sources. 

TEACHING METHODS

Reading and annotating Italian literary texts with the help of multimedia tools and materials (Aulaweb). 

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Institutional part

History and texts of Italian literature from the origins to the present day should be studied according to the following list of authors and readings:
Guinizzelli, Al cor gentil rempaira sempre amore; Cavalcanti, 3 pieces of the students’ choice; Dante, Divina Commedia: 10 cantos for every part (students must present the list of 30 chosen cantos at the exam; cantos that have been annotated during lectures can also be included), Vita Nuova: all the passages in the anthology, Convivio: proem, De vulgari eloquentia: 1 passage of choice; Petrarca, Canzoniere: 15 pieces of choice, including Voi ch'ascoltate in rime sparse il suono, Solo e pensoso, Chiare, fresche et dolci acque, Italia mia (students must present the list of chosen pieces at the exam), Familiares: Ascesa al Monte Ventoso; Boccaccio, Decameron: Proem, description of the plague and 10 tales of choice (students must present the list of chosen tales at the exam); Lorenzo De’ Medici, 1 piece of choice; Pulci, 1 piece of choice from Morgante; Poliziano, 1 piece of choice from Stanze and 1 from Orfeo; Boiardo, 1 piece of choice from Orlando innamorato; Machiavelli, 2 pieces from Mandragola, 5 chapters of Principe; Guicciardini, 3 passages from Ricordi or from Storia d’Italia; Bembo, 1 passage from Prose della volgar lingua; Della Casa, 2 pieces of choice from Rime; Ariosto, 3 passages from 3 different cantos of Orlando Furioso and 1 Satira; Marino, 2 passages from Adone e 2 pieces of choice from Lira; Tassoni, 1 passage from Secchia rapita; Galilei, 1 passage from Dialogo sopra i massimi sistemi; Metastasio, 2 pieces of choice; Goldoni, all the passages from the comedy plays in the anthology, or the full text of a comedy; Alfieri, self-portrayal sonnet, all the passages in the anthology from Vita e dalle tragedie; Parini, 2 passages from Il Giorno and 1 ode; Monti, 2 pieces of choice; Manzoni, all the passages in the anthology from Promessi sposi and the tragedies, 1 hymn, 1 civil ode; Leopardi, all the passages in the anthology from Canti, Operette morali and Zibaldone; Nievo, 1 passage from Confessioni d’un Italiano; Carducci, 3 pieces of choice; Verga, 2 novellas; all the passages in the anthology from Malavoglia and from Mastro don Gesualdo; Pascoli, 5 pieces of choice from Myricae and Canti di Castelvecchio; Svevo, anthology passages from Senilità and La coscienza di Zeno; Pirandello, anthology of passages from Il fu Mattia Pascal, L'umorismo and plays, 1 novella of choice; Gozzano, 2 pieces of choice; Sbarbaro, 3 pieces of choice; Saba, 5 pieces of choice from Canzoniere; Ungaretti, 5 pieces of choice; Gadda, 2 passes from Cognizione del dolore and Quer pasticciaccio brutto de Via Merulana; Sereni, 3 pieces of choice; Caproni, 5 pieces of choice; Luzi, 2 pieces of choice; Pavese, anthology of passages from Paesi tuoi, La casa in collina, La luna e i falò, or one complete work; Fenoglio, anthology of passages from Partigiano Johnny and Malora, or one complete work; Calvino, anthology of passages from Sentiero dei nidi di ragno and the trilogy, or one complete work; Moravia, 1 passage of choice from La noia; Morante, 1 passage of choice from L’isola di Arturo or La Storia; Pasolini, anthology of passages from Ragazzi di Vita e da Poesie, or one complete work; Sciascia, anthology of passages from A ciascuno il suo, Todo modo, Il giorno della civetta, or one complete work; Sanguineti, 2 pieces of choice.

N.B. – Anthology readings must be integrated by an adequate knowledge of the author, their works and the historical-literary context. “Passages” refer to the anthological choices present in the reference text (see bibliography). It goes without saying that it is possible to integrate this list with further reading, at the discretion of students.

Monographic Part

Artists and scholars in Divina Commedia by Dante.

«Fu poeta e pittore, ma non cantò, dipinse»: Tasso and Gerusalemme liberata.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

SIMONA MORANDO (President)

LUCA BELTRAMI

MARCO BERISSO

STEFANO FERNANDO VERDINO

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

ASSESSMENT METHODS

There is one exam for both modules.

Written exam: analysis and annotation of a literary text. The written test is obligatory and constitutes part of the final evaluation (not with arithmetic average however). Dates for the exams will be announced at the beginning of the course.

Oral exam: assessment of knowledge of texts and historiography

Exam schedule