00381 - Romance Philology (A-L)

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course the student has the knowledge of the Romance literatures (especially of the Middle Ages) and the Romance languages (from the origins to the present day) learned in a comparative perspective. The student also acquires notions about the position of Italian among the Romance languages and their expansion in Europe and worldwide, as well as textual philology issues, including the literary communication and semiotics. He also develops the ability to make use of the tools of the discipline (dictionaries, grammars, databases, etc.), to read the sources (through ancient manuscripts and critical editions) and to apply them to the analysis of texts.

Course contents

• The course is divided into two modules for a total of 60 hours and of 12 credits.

• Classes will start on January 29, 2024

Module 1. (30 hours, 6 credits): January 29, 2024-March 8, 2024

Modulo 2. (30 hours, 6 credits): March 18, 2024-May 10, 2024

• Course timetable:

Monday, 15:00-17:00, via Zamboni 38, aula V;

Tuesday, 15:00-17:00, via Zamboni 38, aula V;

Wednesday, 13:00-15:00, via Zamboni 38, aula V.

Students who choose the 6 credits course can attend the first part of the classes, Module 1 (January 29, 2024-March 8, 2024).

At the end of the course the student, through the philological reading of some significant texts, has a good knowledge of the main methods and themes of the philology of Romance languages and literatures, achieves the comparative study of at least one literary genre and a linguistic variety, as well as an adequate development of the critical sense and tools of the editorial practice of modern literary texts.

The course does not require prior knowledge of ancient Romance languages. The texts analysed in class will always be read also in Italian translation; the original ancient texts will be read with the tutor’s guide and introduced in such a way as to ensure everyone’s understanding. Frequency is strongly recommended.

• Syllabus and Course contents:

Module 1. Medieval Romance Literatures

A1. Fundamentals of Romance Philology

In the first introductory part of the Module, the Professor will provide the notions of the discipline’s foundation (modern philology, vulgar Latin, history and evolution of Italian and Romance languages, reading and commentary of some of the oldest texts, comparative method) along with rudiments of linguistics, metrics and rhetoric.

B1. Texts, Genres, Authors

In the second part of the Module, based on the philological reading of selected texts, some of the masterpieces of Romance literature of modern Europe will be studied. These texts will provide the opportunity to explore different literary genres: the epic of the chansons de geste, the romances on classical subjects, the first examples of vernacular tales, the romances dedicated to the myth of Tristan and Isolde, and the verse and prose romances about Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Module 2. The First Poets of Modern Europe

A2. Troubadours, trouvères, Italian poets

This part of the course will focus on the lyric genre, its medieval origin and spread from the France of the troubadours to the Italy of Frederick II and his court. Emphasis will be placed on the spread of these traditions in the work of Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio, but also on specific revivals or peculiar rewritings of medieval poems in modern European texts.

B2. The literary work overtime: critical text exercises

Students will study methods and problems posed by the critical edition of medieval texts, in particular autographs.

At the end of the course students can practice on manuscripts of University Library of Bologna.

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1

Attending students

A1. For attending students, the notes of the lessons will be the essential basis for the preparation of the exam. In relation to the parts developed during the course, attending students will study a collection of handouts available online on Virtuale. Attending students will also study P. G. Beltrami, La filologia romanza, Bologna, il Mulino, 2017.

B1. A book of your choice from those listed here:

– A. Limentani, M. Infurna, L’epica romanza nel Medioevo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2007, pp. 7-52, 61-68 (chpts. 1-2, 4);

– M. L. Meneghetti, Il romanzo nel Medioevo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010, pp. 17-72 (chpts. 1-5);

– C. Lagomarsini, Il Graal e i cavalieri della Tavola Rotonda. Guida ai romanzi francesi in prosa del Duecento, Bologna, il Mulino, 2020, pp. 7-75 (chpts. 1-7).

Module 2

Attending students

A2. Students will prepare the texts commented in class and gathered in the handout (available online on Virtuale), read with the aid of A. Roncaglia, La lingua dei trovatori, Roma (any reprint).

B2. The handout Principi di critica testuale, available on Virtuale, and a methodologically relevant critical essay or book chapter of your choice from those listed in the handouts.

Non-attending students

Non-attending students will prepare:

- the handbook P. G. Beltrami, La filologia romanza, Bologna, il Mulino, 2017;

- the handout Principi di critica testuale, available on Virtuale;

- M. L. Meneghetti, Il romanzo nel Medioevo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010 (complete) or L. Formisano, La lirica romanza nel Medioevo, Bologna, il Mulino 2012 or A. Limentani-M. Infurna, L’epica romanza nel Medioevo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2007.

In addition non-attending students will read in its entirety, in Italian, P. Gresti (ed.), Antologia delle letterature romanze del Medioevo, Bologna, Pàtron, 2006, from which they will also be required to read in Occitan, to comment linguistically and to translate 10 texts (to be chosen from nn. 1-15). The reading, the linguistic commentary and the translation of these texts can be prepared with the support of A. Roncaglia, La lingua dei trovatori, Roma (any reprint).

Students intending to take the examination as non-attenders and Erasmus students are invited to write to the teacher for additional information.

Classes will start on January 29, 2024

Place and course timetable:

Monday, 15:00-17:00, Via Zamboni 38, aula V

Tuesday, 15:00-17:00, Via Zamboni 38, aula V

Wednesday 13:00-15:00, Via Zamboni 38, aula V

Teaching methods

- Lectures and seminars;

- Philological reading and commentary of texts, investigated in their historical genesis and transmission;

- Discussion of the methods, assumptions and different interpretations of the main critical lines;

- Students can apply for specific bibliographies and specially set up laboratories. There will be individual tutoring.

Assessment methods

• Oral examination.
• The student must demonstrate, with correctness and linguistic properties, that he has studied all parts of the program.
• In the interview, the Professor will assess the learning outcomes and the critical capacity of the student. The student has to be able to read, comment philologically and interpret literary texts in the program, with clarity and relevance. The student will be provided with at least two textual examples among those examined during classes.
• Along with the historical understanding of the text and in particular of the literary genre studied, the student will have to demonstrate competence in methods and problems of romance philology, comparative argumentation skills, and good command of the specific vocabulary of modern editorial practice.
• If the student has decided to submit a written essay, evaluation will include oral presentation in front of his mates. The Professor will judge the ability of synthesis, the correct use of language, coherence of argument, as well as contents and form of the paper (submitted ten days before the oral presentation)

The oral exam will be divided in:

• 1. Development of a topic covered in the A sections (Fundamentals of Romance Philology); 2. Reading and commenting of one or two texts studied in class; 3. Development of a topic covered in B sections (Textual Criticism with discussion of the chosen essays).

Evaluation parameters:

• Insufficient vote: absence or strong lack of basic knowledge and lack of the ability to read and analyse texts;
• Sufficient vote (18): possession of basic notions and sufficient understanding of the texts;
• Positive vote (from 19 to 25): possession of intermediate level of knowledge; correct but not thorough ability in reading texts, sufficient capacity of connection between the different contents, essentially correct expression but with some imprecisions;
• More than positive vote (from 26 to 28): possessing good and articulated knowledge; correct language; discrete critical ability;
• Excellent vote (from 29 to 30L): possessing more than good knowledge; precision, maturity of expression and in-depth analysis; great autonomy in data re-elaboration and the ability to connect content; critical ability and mastery in reading, translation and philological commentary texts. Honours will be given only to students who will demonstrate a complete and solid knowledge of the program, critical ability, autonomy and brilliant and organic exposure of acquired knowledge.

Teaching tools

Facsimiles of manuscripts and their digital forms; Linguistic and textual databases in the sector; books and paper materials; etymological cocabulars, lexicons etc., libraries, powerpoints; filmed documents.

Office hours

See the website of Giuseppina Brunetti

See the website of Niccolò Gensini