00562 - Italian Literature (CL1)

Learning outcomes

Students learn the fundamental elements (contents, methods and tools) for the analysis of the Italian literary civilization; they are able to use them on specific texts in the field of Italian literature; they are able to independently develop additional analytical-literary knowledge and skills and to apply them to other literary texts.

Course contents

Visions of the East: The "exotic elsewhere" in the works of Guido Gozzano and Pier Paolo Pasolini

After some introductory lectures aimed to provide students with a cultural and literary frame of the twentieth-century Italy, the course will focus on how the East (India, but not only) was perceived and represented by two authors as Guido Gozzano (in the early twentieth century) and Pier Paolo Pasolini (in the late twentieth century). If Gozzano had mythologized the Orient on the basis of his own readings and his own imagination, and then remained disappointed at the time of the real journey, Pasolini projected on what was then commonly called "Third World" an instance of escape from the industrialized West, looking for an authenticity that in Europe, in his opinion, was lost.

Readings/Bibliography

GENERAL PART: Elements of the history of Italian culture and literature of the twentieth century

Study texts

Roberto Carnero - Giuseppe Iannaccone, Al cuore della letteratura, volume 6. Dal Novecento a oggi, Firenze-Roma, Giunti TVP - Treccani Editori, 2016, only the following Units (students will study the listed pages, including the documents and literary texts indicated in brackets):

Il primo Novecento, pp. 24-51 (all Documents);

Italo Svevo, pp. 114-122; 143-149; 154-165 (T5; T6);

Il Crepuscolarismo, pp. 340-366 (all Texts);

Il Futurismo, pp. 370-387 (T1; T2); 391-396 (T4; T5);

La poesia italiana del primo Novecento, pp. 404-408; 421-424 (T5; T6);

Giuseppe Ungaretti, pp. 428-435; 443-450 (T3); 452-454 (T5); 456-459 (T7; T8); 467-468 (T10); 470-471 (T12); 473-474 (T14);

Umberto Saba, pp. 504-508; 521-529 (T3); 540-542 (T9);

Eugenio Montale, pp. 554-561; 588-597 (T9); 601-607 (T11; T12; T13);

Ermetismo e dintorni, pp. 632-643 (T1; T2; T3; T4);

Il secondo Novecento e gli anni Duemila, pp. 660-692 (all Documents);

Il Neorealismo, pp. 694-707 (T1);

La narrativa italiana del secondo Novecento, pp. 796-799; 821-827 (T4);

Italo Calvino, pp. 894-912 (T1); 918-923 (T3); 937-949 (T5; T6);

Pier Paolo Pasolini, pp. 962-1005 (all Texts);

La giovane narrativa, pp. 1018-1031 (T1);

Letteratura e giornalismo, pp. 1046-1063 (all Texts);

Mario Luzi, pp. 1104-1117 (all Texts).

MONOGRAPHIC PART: Visions of the East: the "exotic elsewhere" in the works of Guido Gozzano and Pier Paolo Pasolini

Study texts

1) Guido Gozzano, an edition of his poems [e.g. Tutte le poesie, Mondadori; Poesie, Rizzoli-Bur; Le poesie, Einaudi], only the following texts:

- from the collection La via del rifugio:

La via del rifugio;

L'analfabeta; 

In morte di Giulio Verne;

Nemesi;

- from the collection I colloqui:

I colloqui;

Le due strade;

Elogio degli amori ancillari;

Invernale;

Alle soglie,

Il più atto;

Paolo e Virginia;

La signorina Felicita ovvero La Felicità;

L'amica di nonna Speranza;

Cocotte,

Totò Merumeni;

Torino;

- from scattered poems:

La più bella

Ketty

Risveglio sul Picco d'Adamo.

2) Guido Gozzano, Verso la cuna del mondo. Lettere dall'India, a cura di Roberto Carnero, "Tascabili" Bompiani [it is mandatory that students get this specific edition, since they must study well Introduction, Note to the text and Postfazione of the editor], integral reading.

3) Pier Paolo Pasolini, L'odore dell'India, Garzanti, integral reading.

4) Pier Paolo Pasolini, Scritti corsari, Garzanti, only the following chapters:

7 gennaio 1973. Il «Discorso dei capelli»;

9 dicembre 1973. Acculturazione e acculturazione;

10 giugno 1974. Studio sulla rivoluzione antropologica in Italia;

24 giugno 1974. Il vero fascismo e quindi il vero antifascismo;

8 luglio 1974. Limitatezza della storia e immensità del mondo contadino;

22 settembre 1974. Lo storico discorsetto di Castelgandolfo;

14 novembre 1974. Il romanzo delle stragi;

1° marzo 1975. Cuore;

1° febbraio 1975. L'articolo delle lucciole;

Sviluppo e progresso;

Il genocidio.

5) Roberto Carnero, Morire per le idee. Vita letteraria di Pier Paolo Pasolini, "Tascabili" Bompiani, integral reading.

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures aimed to read and comment on the texts included in the main bibliography.

Occasional use of multimedia products.

Assessment methods

Exam will consist of a written test in the form of one or more open-ended questions, in which students will be asked to demonstrate knowledge of the topics of the exam program texts and lessons.

Evaluation criteria

30-28: in-depth knowledge of the contents of bibliography texts and lessons; critical language always exact and precise and of excellent argumentative clarity (the attribution of distinction requests, in addition to previous requirements, a strong and original personal re-elaboration)

27-26: in-depth knowledge of the contents of bibliography texts and lessons; critical language mostly accurate and congruous and of appreciable argumentative clarity

25-24: more than sufficient knowledge of the contents of bibliography texts and lessons; generally correct language, although characterized by some inaccuracy; presence of some excessive simplifications in exposition

23-21: sufficient knowledge of the contents of bibliography texts and lessons; not entirely correct language; presence of excessive simplifications of concepts

20-18: sufficient knowledge, although sometimes incomplete, of the contents of bibliography texts and lessons; poorly written critical language, characterized by generalizations and inconsistencies; presence of frequent trivializations of concepts

failed examination: serious gaps in preparation, concerning the contents of both bibliography texts and lessons; incorrect and inadequate critical language; frequent misunderstandings of concepts

Office hours

See the website of Roberto Carnero