OVERVIEW

Teaching for 6 CFU: 36 hrs, first semester

Teaching for 9 CFU: 54 hrs, second semester

The first part of the teaching (36 hrs, 6 CFU) will be devoted to Polish cinema, and in particular to Krzysztof Kieślowski (1941-1996), Decalogue (1988-1989), an award-winning classic of Polish and European cinema.

The ten short films (approximately one hour each) focus on the Ten Commandments and combine, in an often unexpected way, moral, psychological and social issues. They provide a mine of information about life in Poland at the crest of the transition between authoritarianism and democracy, about the realities of life in the Polish People’s Republic and possible translation problems in other countries/cultures.

SECOND PART (a further 18 hours, for a total of 54 h, 9 CFU) will consist of a general summary of the major literary currents and historical-political events, from Romanticism to the present day.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, students must be able to orient themselves and understand Polish literature/cinema of the twentieth century, in particular as regards the general themes of teaching.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, students must be able to orient themselves and understand Polish literature of the twentieth century, in particular as regards the general themes of teaching. They will have to know at least in broad terms the complex geo-political history of Poland of the last century. They will also have acquired a first knowledge of translation techniques from Polish into Italian and will be able, through group work and on-line support, to carry out simple translations from literary texts.

PREREQUISITES

To have completed one or two year of Polish Literature

Participation is also allowed for Polish Erasmus students.

TEACHING METHODS

Reading, explanation and commentary of the films and of some of the main texts. At least once during the semester students will be asked to prepare, in small groups of two or three people, a brief comment on one of the topics covered and to present it to the rest of the class

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Teaching for 6 CFU: 36 hrs, first semester

Teaching for 9 CFU: 54 hrs, second semester

The first part of the teaching (36 hrs, 6 CFU) will be devoted to Polish cinema, and in particular to Krzysztof Kieślowski (1941-1996), Decalogue (1988-1989), an award-winning classic of Polish and European cinema.

The ten short films (approximately one hour each) focus on the Ten Commandments and combine, in an often unexpected way, moral, psychological and social issues. They are not only reasons for constant reflection in the face of complex situations (‘how would I have behaved/behaved in his place?’) but also provide a mine of information about life in Poland at the crest of the transition between authoritarianism and democracy, about the realities of life in the Polish People’s Republic and possible translation problems in other countries/cultures.

During the teaching the ten films will be viewed and discussed and their links with Polish literature and culture of the period and before will be examined.

SECOND PART (a further 18 hours, for a total of 54 h, 9 CFU) will consist of a general summary of the major literary currents and historical-political events, from Romanticism to the present day.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography

COMPULSORY READINGS

MANUAL:

History of Polish Literature edited by Luigi Marinelli, Einaudi 2004, from p. 324 to the end.

Krzysztof Kieslowski’s ‘Decalogue’

Chapters from the book Of Elephants and Toothaches: Ethics, Politics, and Religion in Krzysztof Kieslowski’s ‘Decalogue’ available free of charge at https://unopertutto.unige.net/

Watching, explaining and commenting on the films

Further readings will be indicated at the beginning of the course

Non-attending students will discuss with the teacher an additional program.

Polish students and those who wish may read the literary texts in the original language.

Before accessing the exam, at least a week in advance, all students, whether attending or not, will have to prepare a short paper (one or two pages), on one of the subjects of the course, following the instructions in the file Norme per tesi e tesine available on the Teacher Page

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Lessons start: October 2025

Class schedule

POLISH LITERATURE AND CULTURE II

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The oral exam will allow to evaluate the student's ability to put in relation the various topics discussed during the course. During the exam, which includes open questions and feedbacks on the entire program covered, will be evaluated the quality of the presentation, the correct use of the vocabulary (in particular in relation to the literary movements and the currents of thought studied), the capacity of critical and temporal orientation.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The student will demonstrate to have assimilated the program, to have acquired the basic knowledge provided during the teaching, to be able to elaborate a short speech both on the subject at will and on those required and to comment on the texts studied during the course semester, placing them in the Polish and European historical and cultural context. Attendance and active participation in the lessons will not only facilitate the exam path but will also be evaluated in the final score.
The essay submitted before the exam will be discussed and evaluated

FURTHER INFORMATION

Polish students may read all the texts in the bibliography in the original language.

Special facilitations will be provided for Ukrainian students.

Students who have duly filed a certification of disability, DSA or other special educational needs are advised to contact both the contact person Prof. Sara Dickinson (sara.dickinson@unige.it) and the lecturer at the beginning of the course, in order to agree on teaching and examination methods that, while respecting the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning methods and provide suitable compensatory tools.