OVERVIEW

“The American Renaissance Reconsidered”

The American Renaissance refers to a period around the half of the 19th century when many American literary masterpieces were published. The term was introduced in 1941 by F.O. Matthiessen with the publication of his seminal critical study American Renaissance--Art and Expression in the Age of Emerson and Whitman. The course aims at reconsidering the concept and works of the American Renaissance according to recent critical perspectives.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will acquire a general knowledge of the language, culture, institutions and selectied literary trends and texts of the U.S.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to familiarize students with major trends of American culture and with important works in different genres (fiction, essay, drama, poetry, film). Students will learn how to analyze such works competently from a historical and generic perspective.

TEACHING METHODS

Lecture course. Three hours per week given in two classes (of 2 hours and 1 hour respectively).

LESSONS ARE IN ENGLISH.

For students who decide to come to lessons the attendance is mandatory for 28 hours out of 36 (75% of the couse). Attendance is checked through signatures. 

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

PROGRAM A for students who attend lessons (attendance is mandatory for 75% of the course, 28 hours out of 36)

In his critical study American Renaissance--Art and Expression in the Age of Emerson and Whitman Matthiessen focused mainly on works by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Herman Melville, while restricting the American Renaissance to a very short period, between 1850 and 1855. Over the past decades Matthiessen has been criticized for considering only white male writers from New England exaggerating their importance while excluding women, African American writers and popular authors.

During the course students will read works by the classical writers identified as belonging to the American Renaissance period, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Herman Melville. At the same time students will be introduced to other authors –  such as Frederick Douglass, Emily Dickinson, Harriet Ann Jacobs, just to mention a few – whose works have been only recently regarded as belonging to the American Renaissance period and contributing to the extraordinary literary expression of this period.

The list of works that will be examined in class will be communicated with announcements on aulaweb.
 

PROGRAM B for students who do NOT ATTEND lessons
History of American Literature: American Renaissance (1830s-1860s) to be studied on manuals that will be listed in the section TEXTS/BIBLIOGRAPHY at the beginning of the course. Additional critical texts will be given before the beginning of summer exams.

Reading of 4 unabridged texts and of some extracts from collections of poems, essays or short stories that will be listed in the section TEXTS/BIBLIOGRAPHY at the beginning of the course.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

PAOLA ANNA NARDI (President)

MASSIMO BACIGALUPO

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The course will take place in the second semester.

Week of 18 February 2019

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Students will take a written exam at the end of the course (June, July, September, October 2019 February 2020). Their work will be evaluated by the lecturer and a colleague in the same subject. 

ASSESSMENT METHODS

ASSESSMENT METHODS

EXAMINATION PROCEDURE
There will be a written exam (3 hours), which can be taken in June-July, September-October 2017 or February 2018.
The exam is in three parts:
Part 1 - Fill in the blank (10 questions);
Part 2 - Short Answers (5 questions);
Part 3 - Essay questions (3 questions).

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Erasmus students are welcomed!