31038 - Polish Literature 1

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will know the history of Polish literature from Middle Ages up to the end of the XVIII century. A special attention will be paid to the relationship betweenthe literary texts and their historical, ideological and linguistical contexts, and - in a comparative perspective -to the cultural connections between Italy and Poland. The student will be introduced to the methods for analysis and interpretation of a literary text.

Course contents

The monographic course, the same for all students, to which year-specific readings must be added, will focus on the theme:

Polish Literature 1939-1989:a literature on the rise

The course aims to present the trends, authors and most important works of the period 1939-1989, all translated into Italian. In this period Polish literature asserted itself in Europe and in the world with important writers such as Nobel Prize winners Milosz and Szymborska, and also Herbert and Rozewicz for poetry, Gombrowicz for prose, Mrozek for theatre, still considered canonical authors in their respective genres.

The course will be structured as follows

1 lesson/week: poetry

1 lesson/week: narrative prose

1 lesson/week: drama, non-fiction and other genres.

The course can also be taken by beginners or people who do not know Polish.

 

ATTENTION: The course will be held in the first semester

Readings/Bibliography

Monographic part:

Texts and readings will be provided by the teacher on the online platform during the course.

 

Specific readings

First year

T. Borowski, Da noi, ad Auschwitz, trad. di V. Parisi, Mondadori, Milano 2023;

O. Tokarczuk, I vagabondi, trad. di S. De Fanti, Bompiani, Milano 2023.

Cz. Miłosz, La mente prigioniera, trad. di G. Origlia, Adelphi, Milano 1981;

G. Herling-Grudziński, Un mondo a parte, trad. di G. Maggi, Feltrinelli, Milano 1994;

Józef Czapski, La terra inumana, a cura di A. Ceccherelli, trad. di A. Ceccherelli e T. Villanova Adelphi, Milano 2023

S. Mrożek, Tango, in Idem, Teatro, a cura di L. Gambacorta, Einaudi, Torino 1995;

Cz. Milosz, Poesie, a cura di P. Marchesani, Adelphi, Milano 1983 (the following poems: A Varsavia, Prefazione, Campo de’ Fiori, Un povero cristiano guarda il ghetto, Canzone sulla fine del mondo, Speranza, Tu che hai oltraggiato, Mia lingua fedele, Ars poetica?, Oeconomia divina, Rue Descartes);

Z. Herbert, Rapporto dalla città assediata, a cura di P. Marchesani, Adelphi, Milano 1993 (the following poems: A Marco Aurelio, Nike che esita, Del tradurre versi, Gli oggetti, Apollo e Marsia, Canto funebre di Fortebraccio, Il ciottolo, L’interrogatorio dell’angelo, Perché i classici, Il signor Cogito osserva il suo viso allo specchio, Il signor Cogito medita sulla sofferenza, Il signor Cogito e la posizione eretta, Il messaggio del signor Cogito, Da in cima allle scale, Lettera a Ryszard Krynicki, Parla Damaste detto Procuste, Potenza del gusto, Rapporto dalla città assediata);

Z. Herbert, Rovigo, a cura di A. Ceccherelli, trad. di A. Ceccherelli e A. Niero, il Ponte del sale, Rovigo 2008 (the following poems: Bottoni, Le nuvole sopra Ferrara, Rovigo).

Second year

A. Mickiewicz, Messer Taddeo, a cura di S. De Fanti, Marislio, Venezia, 2020;

A. Mickiewicz, Dziady parte III, trad. di A. Ungherini, Roux e Frassati, Torino 1898;

J. Slowacki, Kordjan, UTET, Torino 1967;

B. Prus, La bambola , trad. intr. e note di A. Beniamino, ed. Paoline, Milano 1959 (e succ.);

H. Sienkiewicz, Col ferro e col fuoco, ed. Paoline, Catania 1965 (o altra parte della “Trilogia”);

S. Wyspianski, Le nozze , trad. di S. De Fanti, CSEO, Bologna 1983.

W. Gombrowicz, Ferdydurke, trad. di I. Salvatore e M. Mari, Il Saggiatore, Milano 2020;

S.I. Witkiewicz, Commedia ripugnante di una madre, Bulzoni, Roma 1970 as well as one of these plays: I calzolai or Il pazzo e la monaca (from the edition De Donato, Bari 1969);

B. Schulz, Le botteghe color cannella , Einaudi, Torino 1970.

Third year

J. Kochanowski, Frasche , a cura di N. Minissi, BUR, Milano 1995 (in particular: libro I, n. 3, 14, 79, 97; libro III, n. 1, 54, 76);

J. Kochanowski, Treny. Treni. Lamenti, trad. di U. Norsa ed E. Damiani, a cura di G.O. Fasoli, introduz. di L. Marinelli, Agorà & Co., Lugano 2020;

J. Kochanowski, Odi, traduzione di Anton Maria Raffo, "In Forma di Parole" 2011, 3 (in particular: libro I, n. 7, 14, 20; libro 2, n. 12, 24)

I. Krasicki, Le avventure di Niccolo' d'Esperientis, trad. di L. Marinelli, Woland, Roma 1997;

J. Potocki, Il manoscritto trovato a Saragozza , nuova ed. a c. di R. Raddrizzani, trad. di G. Bagliolo, Guanda Ed., Parma 1990 (oppure, TEA, Milano 1995);

M. Wirtemberska, Malvina. L’intuito del cuore, a cura di L. Marinelli, Marsilio, Venezia 2021;

Z. Krasinski, La commedia non divina, trad. di G. Pampiglione, introd. di L. Masi, La Fenice, Roma 2006;

C.K. Norwid, Poesie, CSEO, Bologna 1981;

J. Andrzejewski, Cenere e diamanti, Lerici, Milano 1961;

Cz. Miłosz, La mia Europa, trad. di F. Bovoli, Adelphi, Milano 1985;

T. Kantor, La classe morta, a cura di L. Marinelli, S. Parlagreco; Libri Scheiwiller, Milano 2003;

T. Konwicki, Piccola apocalisse, trad. di P. Marchesani, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1981;

M. Białoszewski, Memorie dell’insurrezione di Varsavia, a cura di L. Bernardini, Adelphi, Milano 2021;

A. Zagajewski, Guarire dal silenzio, a cura di di M. Bruno, Mondadori, Milano 2020.

Handbooks

Storia della letteratura polacca , a cura di L. Marinelli, Einaudi, Torino 2004 (Polish edition: Historia literatury polskiej, Ossolineum, Wroclaw 2009).

Cz. Milosz, History of Polish Literature, 1969.

N. Davies, God's Playground: A History of Poland , Oxford University Press 2005 (the part concerning the year of study).

Teaching methods

Lectures.

Assessment methods

 

A paper in written form or a presentation in class will be required during the course. A positive evaluation will contribute to the final grade by adding one point or honours.

The final examination will consist in an oral test.

The oral test will have the aim of evaluating the competence as well as the critical and methodological ability of the students. The students will be invited to discuss the tests on the course programme, both for the monographic and the general part. The student must demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the bibliography in the course programme.

Those students who are able to demonstrate a wide and systematic understanding of the issues covered during the lessons, as well as of the readings indicated in the programme bibliography, are able to use these critically and who master the field-specific language of the discipline will be given a mark of excellence (28-30).

Those students who demonstrate a mnemonic knowledge of the subject with a more superficial analytical ability and ability to synthesize, a correct command of the language but not always appropriate, will be given a ‘fair' mark (23-27).

A superficial knowledge and understanding of the material, a scarce analytical and expressive ability that is not always appropriate will be rewarded with a pass mark or just above a pass mark (18-22).

Students who demonstrate gaps in their knowledge of the subject matter, inappropriate language use, lack of familiarity with the literature in the programme bibliography will not be given a pass mark.

Students who cannot attend the classes or find the texts are requested to contact the teacher during the office hours (see teacher's website) or by e-mail ( andrea.ceccherelli@unibo.it ) 

 

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities: It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination

Teaching tools

In addition to lessons and readings, parts of films will be shown.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Ceccherelli