OVERVIEW

Medieval and Humanistic Latin literature deals with Latin literary works produced in the Middle Ages and in Humanism, their authors, genres and cultural environments within which they were developed.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide a global picture of the main literary genres and authors of Latin literature from the sixth to the fifteenth century, through the reading and commentary of the most significant texts, with particular attention to the identification of the relationships between literary facts and related historical contexts.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course is to fill, as far as possible, a gap in the field of humanistic studies usually proposed by secondary school and to illustrate, through an investigation of the most significant episodes, some founding manifestations of the civilization of medieval Europe and its culture, considered through the specific vehicle of literary expression. Secondary school, in fact, generally leaves in the shadow or even forgets the cultural and literary events that affect a millennium (approximately between the sixth and fifteenth centuries) within which the written expression and, consequently, the communication of thought, passed almost exclusively through the vehicle of writing in Latin.

Participation in the proposed training activities and individual study will allow the student to acquire:

• a theoretical-methodological knowledge of the problems related to the subject;

• the ability to critically elaborate the issues related to basic literary knowledge;

• the ability to apply, to concrete and specific cases, the theoretical-methodological tools learned;

• the ability to analyze a Middle Latin literary text and place it in the correct historical-cultural context;

• the ability to develop a critical approach that allows to evaluate the different interpretations and evaluations of a text and to formulate personal hypotheses;

• the ability to communicate the specificities of the subject using appropriate terminology;

• the ability to critically consult the reference texts and the bibliography.

PREREQUISITES

None.

TEACHING METHODS

Lessons will be held in presence only. Attendance, although not compulsory, is recommended. It is possible that some lectures will be held in seminar form by experts in the subject.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course will offer a profile of the history of Latin literature from late antiquity to the fifteenth century, with anthological reading and commentary of some significant texts (which, for 9 CFU students, will be in greater number than those who will have to prepare 6 CFU students). These, more specifically, are some of the topics:

• the ages of the medieval millennium;

• culture and school in the Middle Ages and Humanism;

• the languages of the Middle Ages;

• the tradition of texts in the medieval and humanistic period;

• the genres of medieval and humanistic Latin literature, between continuity and innovation.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Program for 6 CFU:

1. notes that will be available in the specific reserved area of the University website;

2. anthology of the texts that will be read and commented on in class: like the notes, it will be available in the specific reserved area of the University website;

3. G. Cappelli, L'Umanesimo italiano da Petrarca a Valla, Carocci, Rome 2010 (and reprints);

4. slides and other bibliographic material provided during the lessons.

Program for 9 CFU:

1. notes that will be available in the specific reserved area of the University website;

2. anthology of the texts that will be read and commented on in class: like the notes, it will be available in the specific reserved area of the University website;

3. G. Cappelli, L'Umanesimo italiano da Petrarca a Valla, Carocci, Roma 2010 (and reprints);

4. slides and other bibliographic material provided during the lessons.

5. one volume chosen among these:

• L.D. Reynolds - N.G. Wilson, Copisti e filologi. La tradizione dei classici dall'antichità ai tempi moderni, Antenore, Roma-Padova 2016 (4th ed.);
• L.C. Rossi, L’uovo di Dante. Aneddoti per la costruzione di un mito, Carocci, Roma 2021;
• P. Rosso, La scuola nel Medioevo. Secoli VI-XV, Carocci, Roma 2018 (and reprints);
• P. Rosso, Le università nell’Italia medievale. Cultura, società e politica (secoli VI-XV), Carocci, Roma 2021 (and reprints);
• Scrivere storia nel medioevo. Regolamentazione delle forme e delle pratiche nei secoli XII-XV, a cura di F. Delle Donne - P. Garbini - M. Zabbia, Viella, Roma 2021.

Non-attending students (6 or 9 CFU) will add E. D'Angelo, La letteratura latina medievale. Una storia per generi, Viella, Roma 2009. However, non-attending students are required to contact the teacher in time to define better the exam program.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

DOMENICO LOSAPPIO (President)

CLARA FOSSATI (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

February 13, 2023.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

About four or five questions relating to points 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the bibliography, plus one relating to point 5 (the latter for the 9 CFU programme). Students must not only demonstrate knowledge of the topics discussed during the course, but they also have to demonstrate that they have read the texts of the anthology, and that they are able to comment on them and to contextualize them correctly from the historical, cultural and literary point of view. Non-attending students will also have to demonstrate knowledge of the topics covered by the additional texts.

Exam schedule