98889 - COMPARATIVE LITERATURE 1

Learning outcomes

The course aims to give students a solid knowledge of the humanistic culture in its cultural roots and developments in the present age, with a critical approach. Among the other specific goals, it aims to provide: 1) notions on the literary genres and their development through the time; 2) a critical knowledge of the intertextual dialogue between literatures, arts, and human sciences; 3) notions of literary criticism and theory of literature; 3) the ability to develop critical issues in different literary texts and cultural areas. At the end of the course students acquire the knowledge allowing them to deal with some of the main methodological nuclei of comparative studies; to the study of the complex relationships between literature and other languages (as those of science and philosophy), and analyse the legacy of long lasting literary themes, across different national and cultural contexts.

Course contents

BAES students are reminded that the course of Comparative Literature 1 is offered only at the Forlì Campus.

The BAES study plan awards 6 ETCS for the course of Comparative Literature 1.

In order to reach 6 ECTS, BAES students should attend all lectures and carry out the final exam, as every other student enrolled in the course.

Further information will be provided in class at the beginning of the course.

 

The course will be divided into a general part and a monographic part.

General part: Foundations and institutions of comparative literature

- What is comparative literature and what are its tasks

- The tradition

- Translation

- The main methods of literary criticism in relation to comparative studies

- Literary history and periodization

- Literary genres: characteristics and their evolution over time

- Literature and the other arts

- Western canon and postcolonial studies

Monographic part: Literature and cinema

- The birth of cinema and its relationship with literature

- Intertextuality and intermediality

- Examples of films taken from or inspired by literary works

Readings/Bibliography

Reference book for the general part: Francesco de Cristofaro (edited by), Letterature comparate, Carocci.

Reference book for the monographic part: Alessandro Cinquegrani, Letteratura e cinema, Editrice La Scuola.

During the lessons of the monographic part, some films taken from or inspired by literary works, previously introduced and analyzed, will be screened (in whole or in part). Non-attending students will privately ensure their viewing.

LIST OF TEXTS TO BE READ AND MOVIES TO BE SEEN

Robert Sheckley, Seventh Victim / Elio Petri, La decima vittima

Camillo Boito, Senso / Luchino Visconti, Senso

Daniel Defoe, The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe
/ Luis Bunuel, Le avventure di Robinson Crusoe

Georges Bernanos, Journal d'un curé de campagne / Robert Bresson, Il diario di un curato di campagna

FURTHER READING FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS

Non-attending students will also have to study the following volume for the exam:

Giacomo Manzoli, Cinema e letteratura, Carocci.

Teaching methods

Lectures, text analysis and commentary, use of multimedia products.

Assessment methods

The final exam will consist of a written test. The objectives of the test will be related to the measurement of the learning outcomes expected by the students; the contents of the test will concern the topics covered in the course; the assessment method will consist of an essay about a particular topic covered by the course, to be processed in 60 minutes; evaluation method: overall grade out of thirty. There are no intermediate or partial tests.

Evaluation grid

30-28: in-depth knowledge of the course contents; language that is always exact and precise and of excellent argumentative clarity (the attribution of distinction presupposes, in addition to the previous requirements, a strong and original personal reworking);

27-26: in-depth knowledge of the contents; language mostly exact and congruous and of good argumentative clarity;

25-24: discrete knowledge of the contents; overall correct language, even if characterized by some inaccuracies;

23-21: sufficient knowledge of the course topics; language not always correct; presence of excessive simplifications of concepts;

20-18: overall sufficient knowledge, even if sometimes incomplete, of the contents; incorrect language, characterized by generalizations, inconsistencies and trivializations of concepts;

test not passed: serious gaps in the preparation that testify an overall insufficient knowledge of the course contents and/or incorrect and inadequate critical language with frequent misunderstandings.

Office hours

See the website of Roberto Carnero