OVERVIEW

«Systems consisting of elements clearly separated from one another and functionally unequivocal do not exist in reality, in a condition of isolation. Their division into parts is only a heuristic necessity. Indeed, none of them, taken separately, is capable of really functioning. It does so only if it is immersed in a semiotic continuum full of formations of different types located at various levels of organization (...) The semiotic universe can be considered a set of texts and languages separated from one another. In this case, the entire building will seem formed by individual bricks. However, the opposite approach is fruitful. In fact, the entire semiotic space can be considered as a single mechanism (if not as an organism)», Jurij M. Lotman

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The main purpose of the discipline is to lead female students and students to reflect critically on the intertextual practices of transposition of the literary text into other media (musical, visual, scenic and cinematographic), identifying and comparing different transformative processes, which allow content and narrative forms to migrate in different sign systems; establishing and testing the possible equivalence relations and the conditions of translatability e transferability between different semiotic contexts. The analysis of cases of intersemiotic translation (adaptations, reworkings, rewritings), particularly significant from a historical, aesthetic, or interpretative, it allows us to verify the strength and usefulness of the majority pregnant theoretical models developed to question this phenomenon, define it, classify it and think about it in its complexity. Following i sinuous experimental paths of these wandering narratives, yes study how much and how the semantic, morphological, stylistic aspects linguistic and linguistic aspects of the literary text are redefined and remodeled at the same time that they redefine and reshape the media that support them they welcome.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course students will be able to

• know and reciprocally compare the main theoretical concepts regarding intertextuality and intermediality

• apply the different theoretical positions to the concrete practice of concrete intersemiotic translation cases analysis, knowing how to evaluate the congruence of theoretical choice, in relation to the class of texts to which it is decided to apply 

• critically master the theoretical categories for intertexuality amalysis, increasing abilities for abstract reflection and argumentative skills, sensitive to contexts

• demonstrate the historical awareness of the different theoretical positions and the ability to conceive their possible interpretative function ​​ relatively to contemporary literary phenomena

PREREQUISITES

The theoretical characterization of the discipline engages a dialogue with the course of Comparative Literature, developing and deepening, its aformative objectives, according to a different and more specific methodological perspective.

TEACHING METHODS

In its 60 hours of lessons, the course will provide for a close and continuous interconnection between frontal lessons (presenting analytical methodologies and synoptic historiographic frameworks) and participatory activity of students (collectively discussing  theoretical models, and analysing literary, musical and cinematographical texts in their intersemiotic relations). Active participation in lessons is therefore very important for the full achievement of the learning objectives.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

An uncommon want: Don Giovanni, a Heroe between Wolfgang Amadé Mozart (1756-1791) and George Gordon Byron (1788-1824).

Don Juan was a moralizing and didactic invention of the Spanish siglo de oro. The burlador, the trickster becomes one of the most axiologically ambiguous and complex figures in European literary mythology. For Mozart and Da Ponte, the dissoluto punito offers himself as the protagonist of a dramma giocoso, one of the most mysterious and profound outcomes of European musical dramaturgy. For Byron, the wanted, elusive hero is the protagonist of a narrative poem, that transforms the Ariostean octave into a novelistic gesture.
The course will analyze these two rewritings, musical and literary, of the character of Don Giovanni in their cultural and intermedial transformation work with respect to their sources; in their reciprocal relationship, and finally in their nineteenth-century reception space.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The bibliography, indicative of the critical and literary texts to be analyzed in the course, will be integrated in relation to the participating students’ interests. 

1. General handbooks on intertexuality/intermediality 

[to have a general idea of the conceptual contexts for intertextuality theories:

Laura Neri, Giuseppe Carrara, Teoria della letteratura. Campi, problemi, strumenti, Carocci 2022 or Stefania Sini, Franca Sinopoli, Percorsi di teoria e comparatistica letteraria, Pearson 2021 ]

Gerard Genette, Palimpstes, Seuil [Palinsesti, Einaudi 1997]

Lubomir Dolezel, Heterocosmica, [Bompiani 1999]

2. Theoretical and Critical Texts

Harold Bloom, Lord Byron’s Don Juan, Chelsea House Pub 1987

Harold Bloom, The Anatomy of Influence, Yale University Press, 1992 

Giovanni Macchia, Vita Avventure e Morte di Don Giovanni, Adelphi 1991

Pierre Jean Jouve, Il Don Giovanni di Mozart, trad. di T. Turolla, Adelphi 2001

Lidia Bramani, Don Giovanni. Mozart massone e illuminista, il Saggiatore 2026

 3. Texts:  

George Gordon Byron, Don Juan, Penguin 2025

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Lessons will begin in the second semester.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of a written (a) and an oral (b) part.

(a) redaction of an essay of a length appropriate to the chosen topic, previously agreed and discussed with the teacher, presented in its final form at least one week before the exam. In the paper, one of the methodological approaches addressed during the course must be applied, in a critical and personal way, to detect, describe and interpret a case of intertextual (for the 6 credits) or intermedial  (for the 9 credits) elaboration of  the texts chosen in agreement with the teacher. It will be possible to define different presentation / argumentative methods connected to specific students’ professional training interests (educational projects, journalistic reviews, editorial materials, ...)

(b) critically discussion of the written paper, placing the adopted  intertextual methodology in the context of the main literary theories of the twentieth century (explored with the help of one of the manuals indicated in section 1 of the Bibliography).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The evaluation of the paper (a) will consider:

• the terminological property of the analysis [elocutio]

• the understanding of the critical model and the ability to personal re-elaboration of the studied contents [inventio]

• the reflection on the formal organization [dispositio] in the presentation of the research results

• the effectiveness of the analytical model application n to the text reading

The evaluation of the oral discussion (b) will consider:

• the general knowledge of the discipline contents o

• the degree of the contents’ personal critical re-elaboration

• the ability for abstract reflection and argumentative ability, sensitive to the contexts of discourse

• the awareness of the essential historical relationships between texts and theories

FURTHER INFORMATION

Non attending students should contact the teacher  in order to define a personal program related to her/his interests and curriculum. There is no extra-bibliography for non attending students.  

Erasmus students not proficient in Italian may request a substitutive bibliography, and take the examination in English (or in other European languages as Spanish or French).

Students with disabilities or learning disabilities (SLD) can request exam accommodations, uploading their certification to the University website at servizionline.unige.it in the Students section. the University Services Department for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and Learning Disabilities (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111) will examine the documentation.

Students must send an email to the professor, copying both the School Coordinator for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and Learning Disabilities (Prof. Elisabetta Colagrossi: elisabetta.colagrossi@unige.it), at least 7 days before the exam date.

The email must specify: the name of the course; the exam date; the student's surname, first name, and student ID number; and any compensatory tools and dispensations deemed appropriate and requested. The Coordinator will confirm to the Professor that the applicant is entitled to request adaptations during the exam and that such adaptations must be agreed upon with the Professor. The Professor will respond by informing whether the requested adaptations can be used.

Requests must be submitted at least 7 days before the exam date to allow the Professor to evaluate the content. In particular, if the concept maps for the exam (which must be much more concise than the maps used for study), are not submitted within the required timeframe, there will not be enough time to make any changes.

For further information regarding the request for services and adaptations visit the web page: https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa/modulistica