85056 - Twentieth Century Italian Prose (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student possesses critical understanding of the genres and styles that characterize 20th-century narrative. The student knows how to identify schools of thought and the essentials of aesthetics and taste in narration.

Course contents

Beginnings: forms of palingenesis (1939-1962)

Between the end of the Second World War and the beginning of the economic “boom”, the transition unfolded from the dramatic derailments of the Fascist regime to a form of democracy which, while disregarding the most radical proposals to redefine the entire value system shaped by the Resistance, nonetheless seemed to herald a progressive renewal of Italian society. In those years, it appeared essential to come to terms with Fascism: with the Spanish Civil War and the racial laws, with the tragic alliance with Hitler and the Allied bombings, with the Nazi occupation and the Republic of Salò, with the civil war and the Liberation; and, finally, with the urgent need to rebuild the national territory, devastated by the hostilities. This historical arc marks the end of one era and the beginning of another. And in the intentions of those who had fiercely opposed Fascism, a new beginning and a new origin were to be founded upon the ashes of the past. To achieve this, however, it was necessary to rethink that past, to truly rework it, and not merely to rely on the idea that the two years of Resistance had swept away the guilt of two decades of dictatorship, allowing all Italians to redeem themselves.

Readings/Bibliography

Primary Bibliography:

The 1940s

1.  T. Landolfi, La pietra lunare. Scene della vita di provincia (1939), Milano, Adelphi, 1995.
2. R. Bilenchi, Conservatorio di Santa Teresa (1941), Milano, Bur, 2018.
3. C. Pavese, Paesi tuoi (1941), Milano, Rizzoli, 2021.
4. C. Levi, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli (1945), Torino, Einaudi, 2025.

The 1950s

1. U. Saba, Ernesto (1953), Torino, Einaudi 2014.
2. P.P. Pasolini, Ragazzi di vita (1955), Milano, Garzanti, 2014.
3. E. Morante, L'isola di Arturo (1957), Torino, Einaudi 2014.
4. G. Bassani, Le storie ferraresi (1960), Torino, Einaudi (this edition is no longer available; it is recommended to consult Five Stories from Ferrara and The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles, both published by Feltrinelli).

or additional teaching material, see Virtuale. All content available on Virtuale is to be considered an integral part of the exam syllabus and is therefore mandatory.

For context (mandatory for all):

R. Gasperina Geroni, Ricominciare, Turin, Einaudi, 2025.

For students who may have gaps in their knowledge of the twentieth century, it is recommended to consult a good general textbook on twentieth-century literature. Students must demonstrate knowledge of the following topics:

• Fragment and autobiography in the early twentieth century

• Modernism

• The novel of the 1960s

• New forms of the Neo-Avant-garde

• Postmodernism and the writing of the 1980s and 1990s

Non-attending students must study:
M.A. Bazzocchi (ed.), One Hundred Years of Literature: 1910–2010, Turin, Einaudi, 2021.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Teaching methods

The course will be held in person, and no recordings of the lectures will be provided.
Classes will be based on the reading, analysis, and discussion of both literary and critical texts included in the syllabus. Active participation in class is required from all students.
The instructor will provide a detailed schedule of the lectures. Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to read the literary texts before each class session, in order to engage actively in the discussions.

Assessment methods

Assessment consists of a viva voce examination aiming to assess the knowledge and critical skills acquired by the candidate during the course.

1. First-class marks will be awarded to candidates who demonstrate an ability to analyse texts in depth and to produce an organic overview of the topics covered in the course. Overall mark between 27 and 30 cum laude (high linguistic ability is required).

2. A mostly mnemonic knowledge of the subject, analytical skills lacking depth, and correct but not always apposite expression will result in a modest mark. Overall mark between 23 and 26.

3. Elementary knowledge, superficial understanding, poor analytical skills, and inapposite expression will lead to a pass or only slightly higher mark. Overall mark between 18 and 22.

4. Gaps in the candidate’s knowledge, inapposite language, and inadequate engagement with the secondary literature offered in the course will result in a fail mark.

 

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Students are requested to register on the course page on the virtuale.unibo.it platform, which will be the tool used by the teacher for communications, notices and to provide additional teaching material.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Gasperina Geroni