31163 - German Literature 2

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired in-depth knowledge about various aspects and problems regarding literary history. The student will have a sound knowledge of the individual authors and works, and will be able to evaluate the literary quality of the works that have been studied, analyzing the texts according to specific critical methodologies.

Course contents

The Century of Ideologies. The Twentieth Century of German Literature in the European Context.

The European twentieth century and its culture are characterized by the presence of multiple ideologies. The term “ideology” is not to be meant in the Marxist sense, even if Marx's Ideologiekritik is to be considered crucial, but in a neutral sense (without ignoring ideologies such as the Stalinist or the Nazi ones), as “erstarrte Leitbilder” (stiff guiding-images) for social groups or organizations, with which one justifies one's own acting, categories, values, ideas, and all this is characterized by a strong tendency to the so-called “Letztbegründung” (“it cannot be different”), and by a tendency to the “Absolutheitsanspruch” (“claim of absoluteness”, “one only Church”, “there is no other truth”). In this sense capitalism, communism, environmentalism, religions, but also technique and science (Habermas) can be ideologies. The course aims at illustrating a series of texts belonging to German literature, which reflect in a way or another the ideological culture, take a position on the ideologized political reality, or represent moments of ideological developments.

During the course a series of texts and poems (which can be found in the “Materials” section SE ON-LINE) will be illustrated. The following readings are mandatory:

Two further works, among the ones included in the following list, must be chosen; all the texts are recommended and will be dealt with during the course.

Readings/Bibliography

Readings/bibliography

-Max Horkheimer/ Theodor W. Adorno: Dialettica dell'Illuminismo. Capitolo “Industria culturale”/ Dialektik der Aufklärung, Kapitel Kulturindustrie”

-Theodor W. Adorno, Impegno (Engagement). In: Adorno, Note per la letteratura

-Michael Dallapiazza/ Claudio Santi: Storia della letteratura tedesca, vol. 3, Il Novecento. 3. Ed. 2005, Laterza

-Ulrike Kindl, Storia della letteratura tedesca, vol. 2, Dal Settecento alla prima guerra mondiale, pp362-400, Laterza

Sono obbligatori le letture di 4 opere a scelta, tra essi un romanzo, un volume di poesie e un pezzo teatrale:

-Gottfried Benn: Morgue (testo bilingue, Einaudi); -Gottfried Benn: Poesie Statiche (testo bilingue. Einaudi) -Heinrich Mann, Il suddito -Alfred Döblin: Berlin Alexanderplatz -Bert Brecht, Il Signor Puntila e il suo servo Matti -Bert Brecht, Santa Giovanna dei Macelli -Thomas Mann, Doktor Faustus -Wolfgang Koeppen, La morte a Roma. Zandonai, Rovereto 2008-Max Frisch: Omobono e gli incendiari -Rolf Hochhut: Il Vicario -Jurek Becker, Jakob il bugiardo - Uwe Johnson, I giorni e gli anni, primo volume (agosto 1967-dicembre 1967). L'Orma editore, Roma - Hans Magnus Enzensberger: La breve estate dell'anarchia. Vita e morte di Buenaventura Durruti- Christa Wolf, Il cielo diviso - Siegfried Lenz, Lezione di tedesco - Karin Struck, Amore di classe -Il consiglio dei gamberi e altre passeggiate sott'acqua, traduzione di Silvia Ruzzenenti, in "Prosa saggistica di area tedesca", a cura di G. Cantarutti e W. Adam, Il Mulino, Collana "Scorciatoie", Bologna 2011, pp. 17-50

Teaching methods

Seminar lessons

Assessment methods

The oral test consists in an oral interview which has the aim of evaluating the competence as well as the critical and methodological ability of the students.

Office hours

See the website of Michael Gottlieb Dallapiazza