00562 - Italian Literature (M-Z)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has a decent knowledge of Italian literary tradition, a fair capacity for critical analysis and sufficient writing skills.

Course contents

Phylogeny and / or misogyny. The literary representation of the relationship between the sexes.

Between the end of the Middle Ages and the early modern age, writers began to reflect more and more systematically on the complex relationships that unite and make the male and female gender different. Sexual otherness thus becomes a theme that feeds a large number of works that delight by stimulating a fervent debate about the role and rights of women. To a large extent it is a dispute fueled by male writers who contradictorily alternate and mix phylogeny and misogynistic positions. But the female writing experiences that, starting from the sixteenth century, developed in Italy, especially thanks to the inclusiveness favored by the Petrarchist lyric code, cannot be neglected. The purpose of this course is to observe the phenomenon in question, of evident anthropological interest, paying attention to some classics of Italian literature that host a protracted and systematic querelle des femmes (women question), i.e. a dispute about the position of women. in front of the male: Boccaccio's Decameron, Ariosto's Orlando furioso, Goldoni's La locandiera and the Cosi fan tutte by Mozart and Da Ponte.

Beginning of the course: September 19th.

Readings/Bibliography

The course includes the following:

A- a monographic section

B- a general section

 

A- MONOGRAPHIC SECTION:

Bibliography for attending students:

Students attending, in addition to the notes and anthological readings addressed in the course, will have to prepare in-depth three readings chosen from list A.

A)

- G. Boccaccio, Decameron, 21 selected novellas (Giornata prima, nn. 4, 5, 9, 10; Giornata seconda, nn. 7, 9, 10; Giornata terza, nn. 1 9; Giornata quarta, nn. 1, 5, 7; Giornata quinta, nn. 4, 9; Giornata sesta, nn. 1, 7, Giornata settima, n. 2; Giornata ottava, nn. 7, 10; Giornata nona, n. 9; Giornata decima, n. 10) together with to the Proemio and the introductions to Giornata prima, Quarta and Nona, ending of Giornata terza, sesta and decima(recommended editions: V. Branca, Torino, Einaudi, 1980, A. Quondam- M. Fiorilla- G. Alfano, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2013); M. Veglia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2020.

- Orlando furioso: canto I, canto IV (ott. 51-72); canto V (ott. 1-3); canto XXVII (ott. 117-140); canto XXVIII (ott. 1-84); canto XXIX (ott. 57-74); canto XXX (ott. 1-4); canto XXXII (ott. 10-49); canto XXXVII (ott. 1-7; 14-23); canto XLIII (ott. 1-147). (recommended editions: E. Bigi, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2012; R. Ceserani e S. Zatti, Torino, Utet, 1997; C. Segre, Milano, Mondadori, 1964; L. Caretti, Torino, Einaudi, 1966).

- C. Goldoni, La locandiera (any edition provided with an adequate introduction and commentary).

- L. Da Ponte, Così fan tutte o sia La scuola degli amanti. Dramma giocoso in due atti, in L. Da Ponte, Memorie e Libretti mozartiani, introduzione di Giuseppe Armani, Milano, Garzanti, 1976 [o successiva riedizione]; Tre libretti per Mozart (Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte), a cura di Paolo Lecaldano; introduzione di Luigi Lunari, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 1990; Libretti viennesi, a cura di Lorenzo della Chà, Parma-Milano, Guanda Fondazione Pietro Bembo, vol. II, pp. 1019-1095 e 1771-1782.

Other editions or reprints of texts in list A are also accepted, provided they are agreed with the teacher before the exam.

The teaching materials and readings discussed in class will be posted on iol.unibo.it platform.

B- GENERAL SECTION:

Bibliography for attending students:

The student must choose one reading from the B serie, at his discretion. The preparation includes the study of the biography of the author with its historical-cultural framework, the content of all his works, poetics and themes. About the chosen reading, the student will have to know the history of the composition, sources, structure, themes, language, style and fortune.

The student must present himself / herself with the list of the readings he / she has performed for the general section, specifying, where the work is not integral, which songs, which poems or which prose has chosen.

B)

- Dante, 12 cantos at choice from one part of the Commedia, Inferno or Purgatorio or Paradiso (recommended editions: Sapegno, Firenze, La Nuova Italia, 1955, Bosco-Reggio, Firenze, Le Monnier, 1979; Pasquini-Quaglio, Milano, Garzanti, 1982-86; Chiavacci-Leonardi, Milano, Mondadori, 1991-97; recommended critical readings: E. Pasquini, Vita di Dante. I giorni e le opere, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2006; G. Ledda, Leggere la «Commedia», Bologna, il Mulino, 2016). 

- F. Petrarca, Canzoniere, 30 poems (recommended editions: Santagata, Milano, Mondadori, II ed. 2004, Stroppa, Torino, Einaudi, 2011, Vecchi Galli, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2012; recommended critical readings: M. Ariani, Petrarca, Roma-Napoli, Salerno Editrice, 2002; E. Fenzi, Petrarca, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008; L. Chines, Petrarca, Bologna, Pàtron, 2017).

- G. Boccaccio, Decameron, three days, i.d. NOT A PERSONAL SELECTION OF 30 NOVELLAS (recommended editions: V. Branca, Torino, Einaudi, 1980, A. Quondam- M. Fiorilla- G. Alfano, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2013; recommended critical readings: L. Battaglia Ricci, Boccaccio, Roma-Napoli, Salerno Editrice, 2000; L. Surdich, Boccaccio, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008; F. Bausi, Leggere il «Decameron», Bologna, il Mulino, 2016), M. Veglia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2020. [ATTENTION: students who have chosen Decameron for the monographic section can not choose it for the general section].

- N. Machiavelli, Il Principe or Discorsi sopra la prima Deca di Tito Livio (recommended editions for Il Principe: Anselmi-Varotti, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1992; Inglese, Torino, Einaudi, 2005; Ruggiero, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2008; for the Discorsi: Sasso-Inglese, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2000; Vivanti, Torino, Einaudi, 2000; Bausi, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2001; Rinaldi, Torino, UTET, 2006; recommended critical readings: F. Bausi, Machiavelli, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2005; R. Bruscagli, Machiavelli, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008; G.M. Anselmi, Leggere Machiavelli, Bologna, Pàtron, 2014).

- F. Guicciardini, Ricordi (recommended editions: Pasquini, Milano, Garzanti, 1975; De Caprio, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1990; Varotti, Roma, Carocci, 2013; recommended critical readings: E. Cutinelli Rendina, Guicciardini, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2009; C. Varotti, Francesco Guicciardini, Napoli, Liguori, 2010).

- L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso, 5 selected cantos (recommended edition by C. Zampese, with comm. by E. Bigi, Milano, Bur, 2012; recommended critical readings: G. Ferroni, Ariosto, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2008; S. Jossa, Ariosto, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; S. Zatti, Leggere l’«Orlando Furioso», Bologna, il Mulino, 2016).[ATTENTION: students who have chosen Orlando furioso for the monographic section can not choose it for the general section].

- T. Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata, 5 selected cantos (recommended edition: F. Tomasi, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2009; otherwise: L. Caretti, Torino, Einaudi, 1971 or Milano, Mondadori, 1979, M. Guglielminetti, Milano, Garzanti, 1982; recommended critical readings: M. Residori, Tasso, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; G. Alfano, Torquato Tasso, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2010; F. Ferretti, Narratore notturno: aspetti del racconto nella «Gerusalemme liberata», Pisa, Pacini, 2010).

- G. Galilei, Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo (recommended editions: Flora, Milano, Mondadori, 1996; Atzori, Firenze, Sansoni, 2001; Sosio, Torino, Einaudi, 2002; Beltrán Marí, Milano, Bur, 2008; recommended critical readings: M.L. Altieri Biagi, Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi, in Letteratura Italiana diretta da A. Asor Rosa. Le Opere, II, Torino, Einaudi, 1993, pp. 894-971; A. Battistini, Galileo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011).

- G.B. Marino, Adone, 5 cantos (recommended editions: Russo, Milano, Bur, 2013; Pozzi, Milano, Adelphi, 1988; recommended critical readings: E. Russo, Marino, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2008).

- C. Goldoni, three comedies to choose among the following: I rusteghi, Il servitore di due padroni, La bottega del caffè, La locandiera, Le baruffe chiozzotte, Una delle ultime sere di Carnovale (any complete edition; recommended critical readings: F. Fido, Nuova guida a Goldoni. Teatro e società nel Settecento, Torino, Einaudi, 2000; C. Alberti, Goldoni, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2004).[ATTENTION: students who have chosen La locandiera for the monographic section can not choose it for the general section].

- G. Parini, Le odi or Il giorno (recommended editions: Nicoletti, Milano, Bur, 2011; Bonora, Milano, Mursia, 1999; Ebani, Milano, Guanda, 2010; recommended critical readings: G. Nicoletti, Parini, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2016).

- V. Alfieri, Vita, or, together, Saul and Mirra (any complete edition; recommended critical readings: G. Fenocchio, Alfieri, Bologna, il Mulino, 2012; A. Di Benedetto, V. Perdichizzi, Alfieri, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2014; A. Battistini, Svelare e rigenerare. Studi sulla cultura del Settecento, a cura di A. Cristiani e F. Ferretti, Bologna, Bononia University Press, 2019, pp. 233-279.).

- U. Foscolo, Ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis and Sepolcri (recommended editions for Ortis: Binni-Felici, Milano, Garzanti, 2007; Terzoli, Roma, Carocci, 2012; for Sepolcri: Martinelli, Milano, Mondadori, 1987; Palumbo, Milano, Bur, 2010; recommended critical readings: A. Campana, Ugo Foscolo. Letteratura e politica, Napoli, Liguori, 2010; M. Palumbo, Foscolo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010).

- G. Leopardi, Canti, 10 poems, and Operette morali, 10 texts (recommended editions: Campana, Roma, Carocci, 2014; Melosi, Milano, Bur, 2008, or subsequent reprints; recommended critical readings: M.A. Bazzocchi, Leopardi, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008).

- A. Manzoni, I Promessi Sposi (recommended editions: Raimondi-Bottoni, Milano, Principato, 1987; Nigro, Milano, Mondadori, 2006; de Cristofaro, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2014; recommended critical readings: A. Cottignoli, Guida ai «Promessi sposi», Roma, Carocci, 2002; F. De Cristofaro, Manzoni, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; G. Raboni, Come lavorava Manzoni, Roma, Carocci, 2017).

- G. Verga, I Malavoglia or Mastro-don Gesualdo (complete editions; recommended critical readings: N. Borsellino, Storia di Verga, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1982; R. Luperini, Verga moderno, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005; P. Pellini, Verga, Bologna, il Mulino, 2012; G. Alfieri, Verga, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2016).

- G. D’Annunzio, Il piacere or Alcyone (recommended editions by F. Roncoroni, P. Gibellini, G. Oliva; see you also G. d'Annunzio, Prose di romanzi, ed. diretta da E. Raimondi; a cura di A. Andreoli e N. Lorenzini, Milano, Mondadori, 1988-1989, I, and Id., Versi d'amore e di gloria, ed. diretta da Luciano Anceschi, a cura di A. Andreoli e N. Lorenzini, Milano, Mondadori, 1982-84, II; recommended critical readings: G. Bàrberi Squarotti, Invito alla lettura di Gabriele D’Annunzio, Milano, Mursia, 1990; N. Lorenzini, D’Annunzio, Palermo, Palumbo, 1993; S. Costa, D’Annunzio, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2012).

- G. Pascoli, Myricae (recommended editions by G. Lavezzi, Milano, Bur, 2015; G. Nava, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1991; recommended critical readings: M. Pazzaglia, Pascoli, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2002; G. Capecchi, Giovanni Pascoli, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2011; M. Castoldi, Pascoli, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011; C. Chiummo, Guida alla lettura di «Myricae», Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2014).

- L. Pirandello, Il fu Mattia Pascal and Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore (complete editions; recommended critical readings: C.S. Nobili, Luigi Pirandello: guida al «Fu Mattia Pascal», Roma, Carocci, 2004; M. Guglielminetti, Pirandello, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2006; M. Polacco, Pirandello, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010; A.R. Pupino, Pirandello poetiche e pratiche di umorismo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2014).

- I. Svevo, La coscienza di Zeno (any complete edition; recommended critical readings: A. Cavaglion, Italo Svevo, Milano, Mondadori, 2000; B. Stasi, Svevo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; G. Tellini, Svevo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2013).

- G. Ungaretti, L’allegria (recommended editions: Piccioni, Milano, Mondadori, 1969 e successive; Ossola, Milano, Mondadori, 2016; recommended critical readings: D. Baroncini, Ungaretti, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010; Niva Lorenzini, Stefano Colangelo, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Milano, Le Monnier Università, 2012; A. Saccone, Ungaretti, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2012).

- E. Montale, Ossi di seppia or Le occasioni (recommended editions: Cataldi-D’Amely, Milano, Mondadori, 2016; De Rogatis, Milano, Mondadori, 2011; recommended critical readings: M. Villoresi, Come leggere “Ossi di seppia” di Eugenio Montale, Milano, Mursia, 1997; G. Marcenaro, Eugenio Montale, Milano, Mondadori, 1999; T. Arvigo, Guida alla lettura di Montale: «Ossi di seppia», Roma, Carocci, 2001; G. Ioli, Montale, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2002; R. Luperini, Storia di Montale, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005; A. Casadei, Montale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008).

- C.E. Gadda, La cognizione del dolore or Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana (complete editions; recommended critical readings: A. Pecoraro, Gadda, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1998; R. Rinaldi, Gadda, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010; M. Bersani, Gadda, Torino, Einaudi, 2012; G. Patrizi, Gadda, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2014; P. Italia, Come lavorava Gadda, Roma, Carocci, 2017).

- I. Calvino, the narrative trilogy I nostri antenati: Il barone rampante, Il cavaliere inesistente, Il visconte dimezzato (complete editions; recommended critical readings: F. Serra, Calvino, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2006; M. Barenghi, Calvino, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; S. Perrella, Calvino, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2010).

Other editions or reprints of the texts in list B are also accepted, provided they are agreed with the teacher before the exam.

The student will also have to know in-depth the period of Italian literary history (contexts, authors, works, movements, poetic orientations, themes and critical problems) to which the author chosen belongs.

The prescribed readings are the manuals by G. Alfano, P. Italia, E. Russo, F. Tomasi, Profilo di letteratura italiana. Dalle origini a fine Ottocento, Milano, Mondadori, 2021 and A. Casadei, Il Novecento, seconda ed., Bologna, il Mulino, 2005. More exactly: if you choose Dante or Petrarch or Boccaccio, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 3-156; - if you choose Machiavelli or Guicciardini or Ariosto or Tasso, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 159-386; - if you choose Galileo or Marino, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 363-456; - if you choose Goldoni or Parini or Alfieri, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 443-531; - if you choose Foscolo or Manzoni or Leopardi or Verga or d'Annunzio or Pascoli, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 519-702; - if you choose Pirandello or Svevo or Ungaretti or Montale or Gadda or Calvino, Il Novecento by Casadei.

BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS (MONOGRAPHIC SECTION AND GENERAL SECTION)

Non-attending students are required to prepare the institutional part in the same way as attending students. As regards the monographic part, they must prepare three readings at their choice from list A and, in place of the notes and anthological readings addressed within the course, they are required to study the following manual: Itinerari nella letteratura italiana: da Dante al web, ed. by N. Bonazzi, A. Campana, F. Giunta and N. Maldina, coordination by G. M. Anselmi, Roma, Carocci, 2018 (or previous editions and reprints).

Teaching methods

30 (two hours) traditional lessons.

Assessment methods

Oral exam. The interview (approx. 40 minutes) serves to probe the knowledge of the texts in question together with the problems related to their interpretation and the historical-literary context.
The student can first support the general oral exam or the monographic oral exam, at his choice, in the same round or in different rounds.

Students will be required to discuss their readings and the contents of the course. Markers will assess: standard of expression; ability to provide clear and accurate interpretations of the texts; ability to discuss the contents of the course; ability to use the specialist language of literary criticism; quality of critical reflection. Students may choose whether they prefer to discuss the monographic and the general section together in a single oral exam or in two different sessions.

Assessment Criteria. To be awarded a final mark between 27 and 30 cum laude students are expected to: show the ability to analyse in depth literary texts following the methodology introduced by the lecturer and/or in the set critical readings; possess and be able to present both verbally and in writing a thorough and organic knowledge of the topics discussed in class and/or in the set readings; show an excellent standard of expression; show the ability to use properly the technical language of philology and literary criticism. A mark between 23 and 26 will be awarded to students who will show: a good knowledge of the course contents; the ability to provide an accurate analysis of literary texts (although there might be some minor imperfections); a good standard of expression (with occasional minor flaws in the presentation and/or in the use of technical language). Students obtaining a mark between 18 and 22 will typically show: an adequate but superficial knowledge of the contents; a basic understanding of the texts and a limited ability to analyse them, an acceptable standard of expression with a fairly competent (although not always accurate) use of technical language. Poor knowledge of the set texts and course topics, inadequate ability to analyse literary texts; inaccurate and inappropriate expression with major problems in the use of technical language will result in a fail.

Teaching tools

The teaching material presented in class (texts, images, videos) will be projected on the classroom multimedia board and made available on IOL (Word or Pdf format). We will often use the most important database of Italian literary texts: "Biblioteca Italiana", BiBit, http://www.bibliotecaitaliana.it/

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Ferretti