OVERVIEW

The course analyzes the evolution of the novel in France from its origins to the XXth century. It deals with the main authors and currents through the analysis of anthological passages, read and commented in the classroom, taken from the most significant works. The programme includes three integral readings: Mme de Lafayette, La Princesse de Clèves; Abbé Prévost, Manon Lescaut; La Peste di A. Camus. The documents will be available on aulaweb. Students who do not attend will choose a manual from those proposed in the bibliography and read the three works mentioned above.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course the student knows the general lines of the history of literature, he is able to read and understand texts in the language and is started to the use of methods and basic analytical tools, to interpret the works of the main authors, contextualizing them in the culture and in the historical period of reference.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The active participation in the proposed training activities (frontal lessons and online activities) and individual study will allow the student :

- to know the general lines of the origin and development of the narrative genre;

- to know the general lines of the history of literature from the origins up to the 20th century;

- to be able to read and understand literary texts in French;

- to use basic analytical methods and tools to interpret the works of the main authors;

- to contextualize literary productions in the culture and historical period of reference.

PREREQUISITES

Understanding the French language.

TEACHING METHODS

Teaching will take place in presence with two weekly meetings, and with the provision of content and materials on the Aulaweb platform.

Students who participate in the lessons, online activities may receive a bonus of up to two points on their final exam grade.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

PROGRAMME A for attending students (monitored frequency - at least 75% of admissions)   

The course will focus on the development of narrative writing in France with specific reference to schools and literary movements from the origins up to the 20th century. There will be constant reference to the reading of theoretical texts and narrative texts.

Main movements and authors that will be treated:

Les origines du roman français

La Renaissance: F. Rabelais

Le roman baroque

Le roman à l'époque classique

Le roman au XVIIIe siècle : l’époque des lumières et J.-J. Rousseau

Le roman au XIXe siècle : préromantisme, romantisme, Réalisme, Naturalisme

Le roman au XXe siècle : M. Proust, A. Gide, l’Existentialisme, le Nouveau Roman, l’OuLiPo

ANTHOLOGICAL READINGS: the texts proposed, read and analyzed during the lessons, will be published on the e-learning portal of the University (aulaweb) and will constitute the subject of examination. The final list of the readings will be published on aulaweb at the end of the course.

READINGS OF THREE INTEGRAL WORKS: Mme de Lafayette, La Princesse de Clèves; Manon Lescaut di Abbé Prévost; A. Camus, La Peste.

EXAMENS BLANCS: 3 self-assessment tests (examens blancs) will be administered and followed by correction.

PROGRAMME B FOR NON-ATTENDING students

History of the French novel from its origins up to the 20th century studied on one of the manuals listed in the bibliography.

Reading of the three integral works (Mme de Lafayette, La Princesse de Clèves; Abbé Prévost, Manon Lescaut; A. Camus, La Peste).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All documents used during the lessons and other teaching materials will be available on aul@web.

The books listed below are suggested as support texts for the attending students; the manual is mandatory for not attending students. The manuals on the history of literature indicated are available in the Department library and must be used in relation to the subject of the course: Histoire du roman des origines au XXe siècle

French Literature manuals in Italian:

• G. Macchia e altri, La letteratura francese, ed. BUR, 5 volumi.

• Brunel Pierre, Bellenger Yvonne, Couty Daniel, Storia della letteratura francese, vol.1+2, Cideb ed.
• Storia europea della letteratura francese, Torino, Einaudi, 2013 volume 1 (Dalle origini al Seicento) e volume 2 (Dal Settecento all'età contemporanea)
• Antologia cronologica della letteratura francese, Milano, LED-CEA, (5 vol.)
• Letteratura francese, a cura di M. Landi, 2 vol. (1. Dalle origini al Settecento; 2. Dall'Ottocento al XXI secolo), Mondadori, 2021.

French Literature Manuals in French:

• X. Darcos, Histoire de la littérature française, Hachette, 2019
• Histoire de la France littéraire, Paris, PUF, 2006
• D. Bergez, Précis de littérature française, Paris, A. Colin, 2010.
• Histoire de la littérature française, GF Flammarion, 1996

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

CHIARA ROLLA (President)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

February 2024

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS (monitored frequency: 75% of admissions)

The exam will consist in a conversation in French or Italian (at the choice of the candidate). It will consist of an interview starting from the analysis of a literary text among those scheduled. It will evaluate the learning of the concepts and basic information transmitted during the course or through the teaching material available on Aulaweb or through the study of the manual as well as the ability to orient within the panorama of the history of the novel in France. The evaluation will take into account not only the knowledge of the program, but also the ability and accuracy in the use of the specific language of the discipline.

FOR non-attending STUDENTS:

The candidate will have to demonstrate to know the history of the novel from its origins up to the 20th century. The candidate must demonstrate that he has read the three works and that he is able to present their contents, their literary and general characteristics, their specific style in relation to the period and the literary movement/school of the author. The evaluation of the exam will take into account not only the knowledge of the program, but also the ability and accuracy in the use of the specific language of the discipline.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam for attending students will verify the actual acquisition of basic knowledge about the history of the novel in France from its origins to the twentieth century and their identification in a text. The ability to display and the accuracy of the use of the specific language of the discipline will also be evaluated.

The exam for non-attending students will verify the actual acquisition of basic knowledge about the history of the novel in France from its origins up to the 20th century. The examination will mainly focus on the three readings and will aim to assess not only whether the student has reached an adequate level of knowledge, but whether he has acquired the ability to place the texts in the historical period in which they were written. The ability to display and the accuracy in the use of the specific language of the discipline will also be evaluated.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students with a certified DSA, disability or other special educational needs are advised to contact 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.