OVERVIEW

Italian theater literature juxtaposes the study of theatrical texts with the broader study of the relationships between text and theater. The discipline uses a philological and literary-historical methodology together, applying it to the writings that prepare, preserve or replace the spectacular event. Its main object of study are therefore the literary texts that, in gradually different ways, have accompanied the history of Italian performance from the 15th century to the present.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The discipline's aim is to introduce students to the specificity of the dramatic text in the context of Italian literary and spectacular production; to introduce students to the history of the dramatic text in Italy from the 15th to the 20th century through examples and texts, including the theme of the theatrical book: being able to analyze a text and a theatrical book in all of its structural components and to recognize theatrical elements. It is thus a teaching that engages with Italian literature, theater history and dramaturgy, as well as the history of theater language, in order to highlight a specific tradition of poets, authors, and theatrical writing practices.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Participation in the activities and / or individual study will allow the student to:

• demonstrate knowledge of the forms of the theatrical text from the 15th century to the present day (in particular, authors and texts in the syllabus);
• employ basic elements of theatrical philology and drama vocabulary;
• understand the texts in the syllabus and recognise and place unfamiliar theatrical texts in historical context;
• analyse a theatrical text highlighting its main features (genre, structure, themes, setting, relationships between characters, etc.);
• describe and interpret texts according to their dramatic function.

PREREQUISITES

Good command of Italian literature and History of the performing arts.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching involves lectures with the aid of multimedia tools and materials, as well as innovative educational IT systems, flipped classroom, and self-assessment. During the lectures, commented readings of theatrical texts and cultural insights aimed at contextualizing the examined works will be proposed. Students will also be invited to divide into groups, conduct research on texts related to the course theme independently, following the teacher's guidelines, and present it in class.

Due to its nature of active and participatory confrontation with theatrical texts, attendance of the course is highly recommended. It is also advisable to attend the first lecture, during which the syllabus of the course and exam methods will be presented. Non-attending students should make contact with the lecturer (giordano.rodda@unige.it).

Lectures will be held in person unless otherwise specified by the University.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

For all students:

1. The dramatic text: formal, linguistic, and structural features; analysis of the dramatic text.

2. “Was it a true reform?” Goldoni’s project between mask and character.
   The second part of the course is devoted to the theatre of Carlo Goldoni, examined through three comedies representing distinct phases of his oeuvre: Il servitore di due padroni, La bottega del caffè, and Sior Todero Brontolon. This module seeks to problematize the so-called “reform,” not as a single, definitive turning point—beyond the banalizations and simplifications of standard manuals—but as a complex and often contradictory process. We will analyse the evolution of characters, the relationship between orality and writing, the use of scenic space, and the gradual shift from mask to character, with particular attention to the social and linguistic implications of the new comic theatre, also in relation to the competing proposals of Pietro Chiari and Carlo Gozzi.

For 9 CFU, in addition to 1) and 2):

1. Dario Fo, from zanni to the jester
   The final part of the course will focus on two “jesting” works by Dario Fo, separated by thirty years: Mistero Buffo (1969) and Lu santo jullare Francesco (1999). Through these texts we will reflect on the survivals, transformations, and twentieth-century reinventions of the popular comic tradition. Mask, body, dialect, and improvisation return to the stage in a parodic and political key, embodied in the figure of the actor–author–jester, who rewrites the past to interrogate the present.

For non-attending students:

The examination for non-attendees includes additional texts beyond those required for attendees; students are invited to contact the instructor at giordano.rodda@unige.it.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Simona Morando, La letteratura teatrale italiana. Il testo drammatico e la sua storia dal Medioevo al Novecento​, Milan, Carocci, 2023;; handouts on the dramatic text and its history by the teacher on Aulaweb.

Pocket editions of the drama texts in the program. A file with detailed bibliographical directions will be available on Aulaweb and hard-to-find texts will be uploaded.

Format of the analysis sheet developed and shared in class.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Lessons will start September 2025.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam can be taken in one of two alternative formats, at the student's choice:

• Written and oral. In this case, the exam consists of two parts: a written test on the Manuale di letteratura teatrale by Prof. Morando (limited to the chapters specified by the instructor), and an oral test (coinciding with the final exam) on the topics covered in class. If the written test is passed, the manual will not be included in the oral exam; if the written test is failed, the manual will be included in the oral exam.

• Oral only. In this case, the oral exam will cover the entire syllabus (both the manual and the topics discussed in class), and no written test is required.

In both cases, students are required to submit an analysis sheet on one of the works studied in class. The sheet must be submitted to the instructor at least 10 days before the exam date and will be assessed separately. It may contribute between 0 and 2 additional points to the final grade. The optional paper, if positively evaluated, may further improve the final grade, according to the criteria explained by the instructor at the beginning of the course.

The grade communicated at the end of the exam may be declined; in case of refusal, the student must skip one exam session before retaking the exam. If the exam is not passed, the student may take the next available session. There is no limit to the number of attempts. Further details on the exam will be provided during the course.

To take the exam, students must register online at least five days before the exam date.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The optional written test (see the Exam Description section) consists of three open-ended questions on the Manuale di Letteratura teatrale, based on the chapters indicated by the instructor.

The mandatory oral exam is an interview on the topics covered in the syllabus, and aims to assess the student’s ability to:

• paraphrase and summarize a scene or part of a scene from a dramatic text, or a paratextual element;

• contextualize the works studied from a historical and cultural perspective and describe their metrical and stylistic features;

• draw connections and comparisons between the topics covered in the course;

• present ideas clearly and effectively using appropriate terminology;

• formulate a personal critical judgment on the topics discussed.

FURTHER INFORMATION

All students, attending and non-attending, are asked to register for teaching on AulaWeb to receive communications and notices regarding the course.

Erasmus or non-native Italian-speaking students should contact the lecturer to arrange the exam schedule.

Students with disabilities or DSA are reminded that to request exam adaptations, they must first upload their certification on the university's website at servizionline.unige.it in the "Students" section. The documentation will be verified by the University's Inclusion Services for Students with Disabilities and DSA (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111).

At least 10 days before the exam date, students should email the instructor, copying the School's Inclusion Representative (Prof. Elisabetta Colagrossi: elisabetta.colagrossi@unige.it) and the Inclusion Services. The email must include: the course name, exam date, student’s name and ID number, requested compensatory tools, and dispensative measures. The representative will confirm the student's right to adaptations, which must be agreed upon with the instructor. The instructor will respond regarding the feasibility of the requested adaptations.

Requests must be sent at least 10 days prior to the exam date to allow the instructor to assess the content. Specifically, for the use of concept maps (which must be much more concise than those used for studying), if the submission is late, there may not be enough time for necessary adjustments.

For more information on requesting services and adaptations, refer to the document: Guidelines for requesting services, compensatory tools, and/or dispensatory measures and specific aids May 2024.