75826 - Comparative Medieval Literatures (1)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students know - through the study of key texts and their historical and cultural contexts and through the investigation of specific critical issues - topics and major works of medieval literature. They are able to use linguistic and philological methodologies and apply them to the analysis of the origin and development of the major European literary genres (lyric poetry, novel, short story, etc..) in a comparative perspective.

Course contents

Metamorphoses, Cross-Dressing, and Gender Transitions

The course aims to study, from a comparative and gender perspective, the metamorphosis and disguise in some of the main works of the Medieval Romance tradition, with examples from the Modern and Contemporary literature, cinema and visual arts.

 

 

Readings/Bibliography

A)

- Thomas, Tristano e Isotta, Mucchi

- Béroul, Il romanzo di Tristano, edizioni dell'Orso

- Heldris di Cornovaglia, Il romanzo di Silence, Carocci

B)

 Maria di Francia, Lais, ed. by G. Angeli, Carocci ((a selection of short stories)

- Alexandre de Paris, Roman d'Alexandre, the episode of the Flower Maidens ( available online on Virtuale)

- Chrétien de Troyes, Philomena (available online on Virtuale)

- Aucassin e Nicolette, Carocci

- Boccaccio, Decameron, edizione A. Quondam, M. Fiorilla, G. Alfano, BUR (The text, without notes and commentary on Virtuale), Le novelle: II;9 (Zinevra), IV, 1 (Tancredi), IV,5 (Elisabetta), V, 8 (Nastagio).

- Pages selected from Ovidio, Metamorfosi, Yde et Olive; Christine de Pizan, La metamorfosi di Fortuna; la Legenda Aurea; Ariosto, Orlando Furioso; Cervantes, Le novelle esemplari; V. Woolf, Orlando.

C)

Bibliography of Secondary Texts (essays, articles, volumes): online on Virtuale.

D)

Optional in-depth seminar: students who choose to participate in the seminar will be required to read two texts, rather than three, from Group A.

 

Teaching methods

Lessons, seminars and conferences given by external scholars.

Lesson attendance is strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of an oral test. The knowledge of the individual topics covered during the course, the ability to contextualize the cultural and literary phenomena and to identify the elements of originality of the texts studied, the ability to personal and critical re-elaboration of the reference bibliography and the language properties will be evaluated with top marks. A manual competence without any interpretative support will be considered to be positive but will not be given a high grade. Training gaps, superficial analyses, inappropriate and confused language will make the evaluation insufficient.

 

Teaching tools

Multimedia resources (films, Power Point, audio and image projection, links to Internet sites, etc.)

Office hours

See the website of Patrizia Caraffi