26020 - German Women's Literature

Learning outcomes

The student acquires in-depth knowledges of German women's literature and is able to use practical methodologies for the analysis and the interpretation of the literary text.

Course contents

The course explores selected works by three Austrian women writers – Marlen Haushofer, Ingeborg Bachmann, and Elfriede Jelinek – whose writings provide an important point of reference for reflecting on the representation and construction of femininity and on the question of female authorship.

In Die Wand (The Wall, 1963), Marlen Haushofer tells the story of a woman who, isolated in a mountain lodge by an invisible wall separating her from a world that has suddenly become still and lifeless, turns diary writing into a space of resistance, imagination, and self-representation. In Ingeborg Bachmann’s Malina (1971), the motif of the wall reappears in the novel’s famous final scene, in which the female “I” disappears, while the novel as a whole questions the very possibility of a female voice and female authorship. Finally, in Der Tod und das Mädchen V. Die Wand (Death and the Maiden V. The Wall, 2002), Elfriede Jelinek returns to both works and, through references to Sylvia Plath, explores the representation of female subjectivity and female authorship.

Using the motif of the “wall” as a guiding thread, the course examines these three works in relation to the authors’ poetics and their historical and cultural contexts, placing them within the broader framework of feminist thought and contemporary gender studies.

Readings/Bibliography

Primary texts

• Marlen Haushofer, La parete (originally published as Die Wand, 1963), translated by Ingrid Harbeck, Roma, E/O, 2018 (or other editions).
• Ingeborg Bachmann, Malina (originally published as Malina, 1971), translated by Maria Grazia Manucci, Milano, Adelphi, 2018 (or other editions).
• Elfriede Jelinek, La morte e la fanciulla V: La parete (originally published as Der Tod und das Mädchen V. Die Wand, 2003), translated by Roberta Cortese, first performed in Scandicci on 27 February 2010 (available online; it will also be uploaded to Virtuale).

Secondary literature

• Rita Svandrlik, Vivere per esistere. Vita e opere di Ingeborg Bachmann, Roma, Carocci, 2026.
• Rita Svandrlik (ed.), Elfriede Jelinek: una prosa altra, un altro teatro (essays by Rita Calabrese, Renata Caruzzi, Maria Fancelli, Lucia Perrone Capano, and Rita Svandrlik), Firenze, Firenze University Press, 2008.
• Uta Treder, Il re nero. Saggi di letteratura femminile tedesca, Roma, Editori Riuniti, 1993.

Additional secondary literature and further reading will be announced before the beginning of the course.

Teaching methods

The course, taught in Italian, consists of 30 hours of teaching. Classes combine lectures with seminar-style sessions, encouraging active participation through discussion, textual analysis, and critical reflection.

The syllabus and assessment are the same for attending, partially attending, and non-attending students. Erasmus students, as well as partially attending and non-attending students and anyone with specific needs, are encouraged to contact the course lecturer, preferably by arranging an appointment, for advice on preparing for the examination.

Assessment methods

Assessment consists of an oral examination conducted in German. Questions are aimed at assessing:

• the knowledge and understanding of the contents presented in the classes;
• the ability to develop and articulate critical thinking;
• the ability to interpret and discuss literary texts in relation to their historical context and the cultural issues they address.

Final grading on a 30-point scale (0-17=fail).

Teaching tools

Teaching is supported by PowerPoint presentations, audio and video materials, and guest lectures and seminars delivered either in person or online by specialists in the authors and topics covered by the course.

Students with SLDs or temporary or permanent disabilities: we suggest that you contact the relevant university office ( https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) and your teacher immediately to work together to find the most effective strategies for attending classes and/or preparing for exams.
Any requests for exam accommodations must be made at least 15 days before the date of the exam, by sending an email to the teacher and copying (Cc) the email address disabilita@unibo.it (in case of disability) or dsa@unibo.it (for students with Specific Learning Difficulties).

Office hours

See the website of Chiara Conterno