75993 - Classical Literary Sources for the Study of Cultural Heritage

Learning outcomes

The student will learn to use classical literary sources for the study of the archaeological, historical and artistic cultural heritage. The student will learn classical tradition and mythology, their cultural, symbolic and narrative elements, as well as their persistence in the history of ideas and culture.

Course contents

Themes:

1. Classical tradition and its persistence in modern and contemporary culture through the cultural heritage; interpretation and storytelling of cultural heritage through the use of Greek and Latin literary texts.

2. Mythical narratives of the classical civilisation and the function of myth in the organisation of society and thought, as well as in the construction of behavioural models and shared values; tradition and reception of myth in modern and contemporary culture; the myth , as a language and compositional code for artistic and literary works.

3. Case studie. Strength and cunning. Civilizing heroes in the classical mythographic tradition, from ancient narratives to modern representations (visual arts, literature, theater, philosophy):

• Heracles and his exploits;
• acting and human destiny in the story of Sisyphus.

Readings/Bibliography

1. On the Classical Tradition: lecture notes and teaching materials available on the course website.
Students who do not yet possess a basic knowledge of classical literature are recommended to study A. Beltrametti, La letteratura greca. Tempi e luoghi, occasioni e forme, Roma: Carocci, 2005.

2. On the Classical Myth it is required to study one between:   W. Burkert, Mito e rituale in Grecia: struttura e storia, trad. it. Roma-Bari: Laterza, 1996; F. Graf, Il mito in Grecia, Roma-Bari: Laterza, 2007.

3. On the Heracles and Sysiphus Myth: ancient and modern texts analyzed in class will be made available on the course website; it is also required to read at least one short critical essay on Heracles or Sysiphus from among those available on the course website.

For non attending students it is required the reading of one among these volumes: M. Bettini – M. Lentano, Il mito di Enea. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Torino: Einaudi, 2013; M. Bettini – C. Brillante, Il mito di Elena. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Torino: Einaudi, 2013; M. Bettini – C. Franco, Il mito di Circe. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Torino: Einaudi, 2010; M. Bettini - S. Romani, Il mito di Arianna. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Torino: Einaudi, 2015; F. Condello, Elettra. Storia di un mito, Roma: Carocci, 2010; G. Ieranò, Arianna. Storia di un mito, Roma: Carocci, 2010; S. Fornaro, Antigone. Storia di un mito, Roma: Carocci, 2012; G. Paduano, Edipo. Storia di un mito, Roma: Carocci, 2012; M. Bettini, G. Pucci, Il mito di Medea. Immagini e racconti dalla Grecia a oggi, Torino: Einaudi, 2017; R. Deidier (ed.), Kore, la ragazza ineffabile. Un mito tra passato e presente, Roma: Donzelli Editore, 2011.

Teaching methods

The course is delivered through frontal lectures supplemented by seminar activities, laboratory exercises on the main bibliographic and iconographic repertoires on classical literary sources.

At the end of the course students who request it will be able to carry out a didactic laboratory on Iconography of classical myth (2 CFU) at the FrameLAB of the Department of Cultural Heritage, aimed at the construction of the Mythologiae repository; during this lab the students will be able to apply the skills acquired on the classical tradition and digital storytelling of cultural heritage.

Assessment methods

The  acquired knowledge and skills  will be verified through a Critical essay of between 10,000 and 15,000 characters, based on a format available at the course website. The essays must be submitted by email  seven days before the date of the examination call.

During the oral examination, the discussion of the submitted critical essay will be integrated with a brief review of the course topics.

The assesement will take into account the degree of skills acquired on the programme, the ability to critically review, the skills in the use of literary sources for the understanding and storytelling of cultural heritage objects.

Scores will be awarded taking into account the level of pass (between 18/30 and 23/30); full merit (between 24/30 and 27/30) and distinction (28/30 and 30/30).

Teaching tools

The course website will offer the following teaching materials:

• classical texts discussed during the lectures
• critical essays related to the classical persistence
• guides for the use of digital repositories for bibliographic and iconographical searches

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Iannucci