OVERVIEW

The module is intended to provide a knowledge overview of 20th century Polish theatre forms, together with the Hebrew and the Yiddish theater, which in this country was born.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The module is intended to provide a knowledge overview of 20th century Polish theatre forms, together with the Hebrew and the Yiddish theater, which in this country was born.

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.

TEACHING METHODS

Frontal lessons. Reading, explanation and commentary in class. 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

Particularly throughout the last century, theatre played a fundamental role in the social and political life of Poles. In this art, Poland counts some of the greatest directors and theatres of the Western world, such as Tadeusz Kantor or Jerzy Grotowski. Some of the greatest representatives of prose of the period, such as Witkiewicz and Gombrowicz or, in our days, Andrej Stasiuk, have also dedicated themselves to theatre. But The Avi (Dziady) by Adam Mickiewicz is also a play in which the poet lays the foundations for the spiritual birth of modern Poland.

Through the works examined (excerpts of which will be read and commented on in both Italian and Polish) and the artistic and biographical journey of their authors, two centuries of cultural history in Poland will be traversed: a culture that was always passionately ‘committed’ and aimed at a critical confrontation with every kind of power. The reading of the texts will be accompanied, where possible, by the viewing of films or footage of the staging of the works examined.

The second part of the course (an additional 18 hours, for a total of 9 CFU) will consist of a general overview of the major literary currents and historical-political events from Young Poland to the present day.

ALSO

In November 2024, a 3-day conference/event dedicated to the work of Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz is planned in Naples. Polonistics students are invited to attend, with expenses covered.

In June 2025, the national premiere of the play dedicated to the work of Czeslaw Milosz (Nobel Prize for Literature in 1980) is planned at the Palazzo Ducale in Genoa. As preparation for this event, we will have meetings/lessons with the director Sergio Maifredi, director of the Ligurian Public Theatre, and with the professor of polonistics at La Sapienza University in Rome Luigi Marinelli, who will co-author the texts.

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS MUST ESTABLISH A CUSTOMISED EXAMINATION PROGRAMME WITH THE PROFESSOR

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Compulsory readings

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

MANUAL:

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

Theatre and power in Poland from the 19th century to the present day

The Avians Part III (1832) by Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855) Fragments

The Shoemakers (1934) by Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz (1885-1939)

Operetta (1966) by Witold Gombrowicz (1904-1969)

Emigrants (1974) by Slawomir Mrozek (1930-2013)

The Dead Class (1975) by Tadeusz Kantor (1915-1990)

Night (2005) by Andrzej Stasiuk (1960 -)

Non-attending students will discuss with the teacher an addictional 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

October 2024

Class schedule

POLISH LITERATURE AND CULTURE MOD.1

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. Attendance and active participation in the lessons and at the conferences, which are an integral part of the teaching, is also obviously evaluated.

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

Special facilities are 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.