00562 - Italian Literature (A-L)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have acquired a comprehensive understanding of the evolution, interconnectivity, and enduring influence of Italian literature. They will also have developed a discerning critical perspective and refined their writing abilities.They know how to communicate what they have learnt using terminology specific to the discipline and in accordance with its scientific status.

Course contents

"Reality"/"Realisms". An Ever-open Problem

What have Italian writers understood by 'reality' over the centuries? What is the relationship between a writer’s 'ego'—imbued with emotionality, memories, and ideological convictions—and the depiction of the real? From Dante and Boccaccio in the Middle Ages to Pasolini and Elsa Morante in the late twentieth century, the works of our literature have offered varying responses to these questions. Consequently, in contrast to a single 'reality', a multiplicity of 'realisms' has always emerged. This course aims to bring this very multiplicity to the students' attention, utilizing four works (Goldoni’s Le smanie per la villeggiatura, Verga’s Novelle rusticane, Serao’s Il ventre di Napoli, and Ginzburg’s Lessico famigliare) as instruments for a broader reflection spanning the pre-modern and modern eras.

Readings/Bibliography

The course includes the following:

A- a monographic section

B- a general section

 

A- MONOGRAPHIC SECTION

A.1 Bibliography for attending students:

Students attending, in addition to the notes and the teaching materials and anthological readings discussed in class (that will be posted on virtuale.unibo.it platform at the end of the course), will have to prepare in-depth the following readings: 

- C. Goldoni, Le smanie per la villeggiatura (recommended editions: Fido 2005, Lunari-Pedretti 2008, Davico Bonino 2016, Gibellini 2019);

- G. Verga, Novelle rusticane (recommended editions: Zaccaria 2015, Carnazzi 2017, Riccardi 2017);

- M. Serao, Il ventre di Napoli (recommended editions: Bianchi-De Blasi 2025);

- N. Ginzburg, Lessico famigliare (recommended editions: Segre-Scarpa-Garboli 2014).

N.B.: Other editions or reprints of the texts in list A are also accepted, provided they are agreed with the teacher before the exam.

 

A. 2 Bibliography for not-attending students:

- C. Goldoni, Le smanie per la villeggiatura (recommended editions: Fido 2005, Lunari-Pedretti 2008, Davico Bonino 2016, Gibellini 2019);

- G. Verga, Novelle rusticane (recommended editions: Zaccaria 2015, Carnazzi 2017, Riccardi 2017);

- M. Serao, Il ventre di Napoli (recommended editions: Bianchi-De Blasi 2025);

- N. Ginzburg, Lessico famigliare (recommended editions: Segre-Scarpa-Garboli 2014).

In place of lecture notes and anthology readings covered during the course, students must study one of the following two textbooks: Itinerari nella letteratura italiana: da Dante al web, edited by N. Bonazzi, A. Campana, F. Giunta, and N. Maldina, coordinated by G. M. Anselmi, Rome, Carocci, 2013 (or later editions); or C. Vecce, Piccola storia della letteratura italiana, Naples, Liguori, 2009 (or later editions).

 

 B- GENERAL SECTION

There are no differences here between attending and not-attending students:

The student must choose one reading from the B serie, at his discretion. The preparation includes the study of the biography of the author with its historical-cultural framework, the content of all his works, poetics and themes. About the chosen reading, the student will have to know the history of the composition, sources, structure, themes, language, style and fortune.

The student must present himself / herself with the list of the readings he / she has performed for the general section, specifying, where the work is not integral, which songs, which poems or which prose has chosen.

LIST B)

- Dante Alighieri, Vita nova. Recommended editions (among the many available): Vita nuova – Rime, a cura di A. Battistini; nuova ed. riveduta a cura di L. Giglio, Roma, Salerno, 2022; Vita nova, a cura di S. Carrai, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2009; Vita nova, a cura di L. C. Rossi, Milano, Mondadori, 2016.

- Dante, 12 cantos of your choice from Inferno or from Purgatorio or from Paradiso (recommended editions: Pasquini-Quaglio, Milano, Garzanti; recommended critical readings: E. Pasquini, Vita di Dante. I giorni e le opere, Milano, Rizzoli, 2006; G. Ledda, Leggere la «Commedia», Bologna, il Mulino, 2016).

- F. Petrarca, Canzoniere, 30 poems of your choice (recommended edition: Vecchi, Milano, Rizzoli, 2012; recommended critical readings: M. Ariani, Petrarca, Roma-Napoli, Salerno Editrice, 2002; E. Fenzi, Petrarca, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008; L. Chines, Petrarca, Bologna, Pàtron, 2017).

- G. Boccaccio, Decameron, three days of your choice (recommended editions: Veglia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2020; recommended critical readings: L. Battaglia Ricci, Boccaccio, Roma-Napoli, Salerno Editrice, 2000; L. Surdich, Boccaccio, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008; F. Bausi, Leggere il «Decameron», Bologna, il Mulino, 2016).

- N. Machiavelli, Il Principe and Mandragola or Discorsi sopra la prima Deca di Tito Livio (recommended editions for Il Principe: Anselmi-Varotti, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1992; Inglese, Torino, Einaudi, 2005; Ruggiero, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2008; for La mandragola: Gibellini-Piras, Garzanti, 2014; Davico Bonino, Einaudi, 2015; Stoppelli, Mondadori, 2016; for the Discorsi: Sasso-Inglese, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2000; Vivanti, Torino, Einaudi, 2000; Bausi, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2001; Rinaldi, Torino, UTET, 2006; recommended critical readings: F. Bausi, Machiavelli, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2005; R. Bruscagli, Machiavelli, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008; G.M. Anselmi, Leggere Machiavelli, Bologna, Pàtron, 2014).- F. Guicciardini, Ricordi (recommended editions: Varotti, Roma, Carocci; Pasquini, Milano, Garzanti; recommended critical readings: E. Cutinelli Rendina, Guicciardini, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2009; C. Varotti, Francesco Guicciardini, Napoli, Liguori, 2010).

- L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso, 5 cantos of your choice (recommended edition by C. Zampese, with comm. by E. Bigi, Milano, Bur, 2012; recommended critical readings: C. Dini, Ariosto. Guida all’«Orlando furioso», Roma, Carocci, 2001; G. Ferroni, Ariosto, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2008; S. Jossa, Ariosto, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; S. Zatti, Leggere l’«Orlando Furioso», Bologna, il Mulino, 2016).

- T. Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata, 5 cantos of your choice (recommended editions: Tomasi, Milano, Bur, 2009; recommended critical readings: M. Residori, Tasso, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; G. Alfano, Torquato Tasso, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2010; F. Ferretti, Narratore notturno: aspetti del racconto nella «Gerusalemme liberata», Pisa, Pacini, 2010; Emilio Russo, Guida alla lettura della «Gerusalemme liberata» di Tasso, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2014).

- G. Galilei, Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo, two giornate of your choice (recommended editions: Flora, Milano, Mondadori, 1996; Atzori, Firenze, Sansoni, 2001; Sosio, Torino, Einaudi, 2002; Beltrán Marí, Milano, Bur, 2008; or Il Saggiatore (raccomanded edition Guaragnella-Lavopa, Milano, Bur, 2023. Recommended critical readings: M.L. Altieri Biagi, Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi, in Letteratura Italiana diretta da A. Asor Rosa. Le Opere, II, Torino, Einaudi, 1993, pp. 894-971; A. Battistini, Galileo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011).

- G.B. Marino, Adone, 5 cantos of your choice (recommended editions: Russo, Milano, Bur, 2013; Pozzi, Milano, Adelphi, 1988; recommended critical readings: E. Russo, Marino, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2008).

- G. Parini, Le odi or Il giorno (recommended editions: Nicoletti, Milano, Bur, 2011; Bonora, Milano, Mursia, 1999; Erbani, Milano, Guanda, 2010; recommended critical readings: G. Nicoletti, Parini, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2016).

- V. Alfieri, Saul and Mirra (any complete edition; recommended critical readings: G. Fenocchio, Alfieri, Bologna, il Mulino, 2012; A. Di Benedetto, V. Perdichizzi, Alfieri, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2014).

- U. Foscolo, Ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis, Poesie and Dei Sepolcri (recommended editions for Ortis: Binni-Felici, Milano, Garzanti, 2007; Terzoli, Roma, Carocci, 2012; for Poesie and Dei Sepolcri: Martinelli, Milano, Mondadori, 1987; Palumbo, Milano, Bur, 2010; recommended critical readings: A. Campana, Ugo Foscolo. Letteratura e politica, Napoli, Liguori, 2010; M. Palumbo, Foscolo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010).

- A. Manzoni, I promessi sposi (recommended editions: De Cristofaro, Milano, Bur, 2014; Nigro, Milano, Mondadori, 2006; recommended critical readings: A. Cottignoli, Guida ai «Promessi sposi», Roma, Carocci, 2002; F. De Cristofaro, Manzoni, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; G. Raboni, Come lavorava Manzoni, Roma, Carocci, 2017).

- G. Leopardi, Canti, 20 poems of your choice (recommended edition: Campana, Roma, Carocci, 2014); recommended critical readings: G. Tellini, Leopardi, Roma, Salerno ed., 2001, M.A. Bazzocchi, Leopardi, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008.

- G. Leopardi, Operette morali, 20 texts of your choice (recommended edition: Melosi, Milano, Bur, 2008, or subsequent reprints); recommended critical readings: G. Tellini, Leopardi, Roma, Salerno ed., 2001, M.A. Bazzocchi, Leopardi, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008.

- G. d’Annunzio, Alcyone (recommended editions: P. Gibellnii, Milano, Garzanti, 2006; F. Roncoroni, Milano, Mondadori, 2020; d’Annunzio, Versi d'amore e di gloria, ed. diretta da Luciano Anceschi, a cura di A. Andreoli e N. Lorenzini, Milano, Mondadori, 1982-84, II; recommended critical readings: G. Bàrberi Squarotti, Invito alla lettura di Gabriele D’Annunzio, Milano, Mursia, 1990; N. Lorenzini, D’Annunzio, Palermo, Palumbo, 1993; S. Costa, D’Annunzio, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2012).

- G. Pascoli, Myricae or Canti di Castelvecchio; recommended editions (for Myricae) by G. Lavezzi, Milano, Bur, 2015; G. Nava, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1991; (for Canti): G. Nava, Rizzoli, Bur, 2011; recommended critical readings: M. Pazzaglia, Pascoli, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2002; G. Capecchi, Giovanni Pascoli, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2011; M. Castoldi, Pascoli, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011; C. Chiummo, Guida alla lettura di «Myricae», Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2014).

- L. Pirandello, Uno, nessuno e centomila and Enrico IV (complete editions); recommended critical readings: M. Guglielminetti, Pirandello, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2006; M. Polacco, Pirandello, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010; A.R. Pupino, Pirandello poetiche e pratiche di umorismo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2014).

- U. Saba, Il Canzoniere, one of your choice of the three Volumi [I.1900-1920; II.1921-1932; III.1933-1954] (recommended editions: Lavagetto-Stara, Mondadori, 1988: recommended critical readings: S. Carrai, Saba, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2017; U. Saba, Storia e cronistoria del Canzoniere, introduzione di S. Carrai, Milano, Mondadori, 2023).

- G. Ungaretti, L’Allegria (recommended editions: Piccioni, Milano, Mondadori, 1969 e successive; Ossola, Milano, Mondadori, 2016; recommended critical readings: D. Baroncini, Ungaretti, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010; Niva Lorenzini, Stefano Colangelo, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Milano, Le Monnier Università, 2012; A. Saccone, Ungaretti, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2012).

- E. Montale, Ossi di seppia or Le occasioni (recommended editions: Cataldi-D’Amely, Milano, Mondadori, 2016; De Rogatis, Milano, Mondadori, 2011; recommended critical readings: G. Marcenaro, Eugenio Montale, Milano, Mondadori, 1999; T. Arvigo, Guida alla lettura di Montale: «Ossi di seppia», Roma, Carocci, 2001; G. Ioli, Montale, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2002; R. Luperini, Storia di Montale, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005; A. Casadei, Montale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008).

- E. Morante, Menzogna e sortilegio or La Storia (complete editions; recommended critical reading: G. Rosa, Elsa Morante, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013).

- C.E. Gadda, La cognizione del dolore or Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana (complete editions; recommended critical readings: A. Pecoraro, Gadda, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1998; R. Rinaldi, Gadda, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010; M. Bersani, Gadda, Torino, Einaudi, 2012; G. Patrizi, Gadda, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2014; P. Italia, Come lavorava Gadda, Roma, Carocci, 2017).

- I. Calvino, Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno, Marcovaldo and Se una notte d'inverno un viaggiatore (complete editions; recommended critical readings: F. Serra, Calvino, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2006; M. Barenghi, Calvino, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; S. Perrella, Calvino, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2010).

Other editions or reprints of the texts in list B are also accepted, provided they are agreed with the teacher before the exam.

The student will also have to know in-depth the period of Italian literary history (contexts, authors, works, movements, poetic orientations, themes and critical problems) to which the author chosen belongs.

The prescribed readings are the manuals by G. Alfano, P. Italia, E. Russo, F. Tomasi, Profilo di letteratura italiana. Dalle origini a fine Ottocento, Milano, Mondadori, 2021 and A. Casadei, Il Novecento, seconda ed., Bologna, il Mulino, 2005. More exactly:

- if you choose Dante or Petrarch or Boccaccio, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 3-156;

- if you choose Machiavelli or Ariosto or Tasso, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 159-360;

- if you choose Galileo or Marino, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 363-456;

- if you choose Goldoni or Parini or Alfieri, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 443-515;

- if you choose Foscolo or Manzoni or Leopardi or Verga or d'Annunzio or Pascoli, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 519-702;

- if you choose Pirandello or Ungaretti or Montale or Morante or Gadda or Calvino, Il Novecento by Casadei.

Teaching methods

30 (two hours) traditional lessons.

Assessment methods

Written exam. For the 2026–27 academic year, a decision has been made to pilot a computer-based written exam using the EOL platform, lasting two hours (up to a maximum of three hours for students with a certified specific learning disability/DSA). The exam consists of two sections: the "institutional" section and the "monographic" section. The institutional section—identical for both attending and non-attending students—includes one open-ended question based on a text selected by the student (from the list provided for the institutional section) and two closed-ended questions regarding the literary-historical period associated with that text. The monographic section, however, differs depending on whether the student is following the syllabus for attending or non-attending students. Attending students must answer 10 closed-ended questions covering topics addressed during the course and two open-ended questions regarding one of the texts or issues discussed in class. Non-attending students must answer 10 closed-ended questions on the history of Italian literature (studied using "Itinerari" or Vecce) and two open-ended questions regarding the texts listed in the "monographic" section. Each correct answer in the quiz section is worth 1 point (total: 2 + 10 = 12 points), while the maximum score for each of the three open-ended questions is 7 points (7 x 3 = 21). The maximum achievable score is therefore 33 (12 + 21). Scores ranging from 31 to 33 are equivalent to a grade of 30 *cum laude* (30L). Note: A written exam of this format is scheduled only for the current academic year, during which the Italian Literature professors for the ARCO program (Professors Campana and Ferretti) are managing a double teaching workload (as the course is being delivered this year to both the second-year and third-year student cohorts). This trial arrangement will remain in effect until the end of the aforementioned year (March 2028); however, the instructors reserve the right to revert to an oral exam starting in the 2027–2028 academic year—a format that would also apply to any students with outstanding exam requirements. Conversely, should the written exam prove effective, it is possible that—subject to potential refinements—it could be retained in the future. Finally, it goes without saying that for an exam of this nature, the use of any AI-generated aids is strictly prohibited.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Exam sessions are scheduled for the following months of the academic year: January, March, May, July, September, November (2027), January (2028); for students in debt of exam/for all students.

Teaching tools

The teaching material presented in class (texts, images, videos) will be projected on the classroom multimedia board and made available on IOL (Word or Pdf format). We will often use the most important database of Italian literary texts: "Biblioteca Italiana", BiBit, http://www.bibliotecaitaliana.it/

Students who require specific services and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD), must first contact the appropriate office:https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Campana