B5080 - Literature and Natural Sciences in the Middle Ages

Learning outcomes

The course aims to offer students an overview of the literature concerning natural sciences produced during the Middle Ages. By the end of the course, students acquire adequate knowledge of the historical development of sciences and scientific literature taking place during the Middle Ages, and are able to analyze the most representative texts dealing with natural sciences written between the 6th and the 14th century; they will also earn the ability to use the specific tools that are necessary to carry out researches on medieval scientific culture

Course contents

This course will focus on the literary genre of Medieval bestiaries and on the symbolical and allegorical interpretation of the animal world in Medieval Latin and vernacular literature.

In particular, we will analyze the tradition of the Physiologus, its reception and use in Medieval literature and spirituality, as well as the purpose of the texts conveying the allegorical interpretation of the animal world.

The course will included a first, introductory section exploring the historical development of the study and the allegorical interpretation of nature during the Middle Ages.

Readings/Bibliography

Testi (selezione):

- Theobaldi Physiologus, ed. P. T. Eiden, Leiden-Köln, 1972;

- Physiologus. Versio B, ed. F. J. Carmody, Paris, Droz, 1939; Physiologus. Versio Y, ed. F. J. Carmody, Berkeley-Los Angeles : University of California press, 1941;

- Philippe de Thaon, Bestiaire, ed. I. Short, Oxford: Anglo-Norman Text Society, 2018;

- Richard de Fournival, Il Bestiario d'amore e La risposta al Bestiario (Li Bestiaires d'amours e li response du Bestiaire), ed. F. Zambon, Roma, Carocci, 2020.

Bibliografia (selezione):

- A. Dorofeeva, Reading nature in the early Middle Ages : writing, language, and creation in the Latin Physiologus, ca. 700-1000, Leeds, Arc Humanities Press, 2023;

- The multilingual Physiologus. Studies in the oldest Greek recension and its translations, ed. C. Macé and J. Gippert, Turnhout, Brepols, 2021;

- Le Physiologus. Manuscrits anciens et traditions médiévales, ed. I. Draelants, A. Zucker et S. Lazaris = RursuSpicae, 2 (2019), accessibile al sito https://journals.openedition.org/rursuspicae/411;

- Medieval Bestiaries: New Approaches, ed. D.H. Strickland, Leiden et al., Brill, 2025.

Further readings will be presented during the Course.

Students who cannot attend classes are requested to contact Prof. Ventura in order to receive further instructions concerning the preparation of the exam.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching methods

Classes (30 hours). Classes will consist of introductory lessons given by Prof. Ventura and concerning each author we will focus upon, and of close discussions on the translation and interpretation of the selected texts.

Non-attending students are offered a virtual meeting to get an overview of the course, or, if they request it, the possibility to attend the first class via Microsoft Teams.

Assessment methods

The exam will consist of an interview. Attending students have two options; they may:

- prepare a short lecture on a text related to the topics discussed during the course and selected by them, and present it by using the bibliography put together with the assistance of Prof. Ventura at least one month before the exam (this option is reserved to attending students);

- undergo an interview and answer the questions put by Prof. Ventura.

Whatever decision they will make, students should demonstrate that

-they are able to outline the main elements of the historical development of Medieval Latin and Vernacular encyclopedic literature;

- they are able to interpret and present the main characteristics of the text discussed during classes correctly.

The final evaluation will consider these elements:

- insufficient qualification = lacking basic knowledge, scarce capacity to portrait cultural and historical phenomena

- sufficient qualification = average knowledge of the subject, but careless, inaccurate exposition lacking personal elaboration

- good qualification = general preparation of adequate level, ability to explain cultural and historical phenomena correctly and with logical coordination

- excellent qualification = outstanding knowledge of the subject, ability to analyze cultural and historical phenomena in depth and independently, excellent communication skills

Attending students may choose between the two option listed above; if the select the lecture option, they must must fix a subject in agreement with Prof. Ventura at least 30 days before the examination date.

Student who cannot attend classes are kindly requested to contact Prof. Ventura in time, and set an appointment for a meeting with her, in order to prepare themselves for the exam.

 

Teaching tools

The selected texts will be uploaded on the "Virtuale" platform, when accessible only in print. If works can be accessed via the online platform "Sourcencyme", the texts will be directly from it, and will be accessible in OA even after classes free of charge.

Further bibliography will be provided during the Course.

Office hours

See the website of Iolanda Ventura