00562 - Italian Literature (M-Z)

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

“Armi e amori”. Paths through Italian Chivalric Literature
Chivalric literature, which originated in 11th-century France and later spread throughout Europe, profoundly shaped the culture of the Middle Ages and the Modern Age—well beyond Cervantes’ brilliant invention of Don Quixote. Within this vast heritage of stories, composed of numerous cycles and encompassing both “popular” texts and highly refined “authorial” works, we will be required to make specific selections: the course will focus on a few exemplary cases and will primarily analyze the great chivalric poems that appeared in Italy between the late 15th and the 16th centuries (Morgante by Luigi Pulci, Inamoramento de Orlando by Matteo Maria Boiardo, Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto, Gerusalemme liberata by Tasso, without overlooking certain female voices that dedicated themselves to this type of literature, such as Moderata Fonte). To explore the reception and re-creation of this tradition in contemporary times, the course will conclude with an analysis of Il Cavaliere inesistente by Italo Calvino, the third and final chapter of the Trilogia dei nostri antenati.

Readings/Bibliography

A- MONOGRAPHIC SECTION:

A. 1 Bibliography for attending students:

Students attending, in addition to the notes and anthological readings addressed in the course, will have to prepare in-depth three readings: Ariosto’s Orlando furioso (selection); Tasso’s Gerusalemme liberata (selection); Calvino’s Cavaliere inesisente.

More exactly:

a. L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso: Canto I (entire); Canto XII (stanzas 1–65); Canto XXIII (stanzas 95–136); Canto XXIV (stanzas 1–14); Canto XXVII (stanzas 110–140); Canto XXVIII (entire); Canto XXIX (entire); Canto XXX (stanzas 1–4); Canto XXXIV (entire); Canto XXXV (stanzas 1–30).
Recommended annotated edition: edited by E. Bigi (1982), re-edited by C. Zampese, Milan, Bur-Rizzoli, 2012. Alternatively, the following commentaries may be used: edited by L. Caretti (Turin, Einaudi, 1966), R. Ceserani and S. Zatti (Turin, Utet, 1997), C. Segre (Milan, Mondadori, 1964).

b. T. Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata, Cantos I, III, XII, XIII, XVI.
Recommended annotated editions: edited by F. Tomasi, Milan, Rizzoli-Bur, 2009; or edited by C. Gigante (introduction) and T. Artico (commentary), Milan, Mondadori, 2022.

c. I. Calvino, Il cavaliere inesistente (any unabridged edition, either standalone or included in the trilogy I nostri antenati).

d. Teaching materials and readings covered during lectures, which must also be studied, will be posted on the VIRTUAL platform.

A. 2 Bibliography for not-attending students:

a. L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso: Canto I (entire); Canto XII (stanzas 1–65); Canto XXIII (stanzas 95–136); Canto XXIV (stanzas 1–14); Canto XXVII (stanzas 110–140); Canto XXVIII (entire); Canto XXIX (entire); Canto XXX (stanzas 1–4); Canto XXXIV (entire); Canto XXXV (stanzas 1–30).
For the recommended edition, see above.

b. T. Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata, Cantos I, III, XII, XIII, XVI (for recommended editions, see above).

c. I. Calvino, Il cavaliere inesistente (any unabridged edition, either standalone or included in the trilogy I nostri antenati).

d. 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.

B)

- Dante, 12 cantos at choice from one part of the Commedia, Inferno or Purgatorio or Paradiso (recommended editions: Sapegno, Firenze, La Nuova Italia, 1955, Bosco-Reggio, Firenze, Le Monnier, 1979; Pasquini-Quaglio, Milano, Garzanti, 1982-86; Chiavacci-Leonardi, Milano, Mondadori, 1991-97; recommended critical readings: E. Pasquini, Vita di Dante. I giorni e le opere, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2006; G. Ledda, Leggere la «Commedia», Bologna, il Mulino, 2016).

- F. Petrarca, Canzoniere, 30 poems of your choice (recommended editions: Santagata, Milano, Mondadori, II ed. 2004, Stroppa, Torino, Einaudi, 2011, Vecchi Galli, Milano, Bur-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, i.d. NOT A PERSONAL SELECTION OF 30 NOVELLAS (recommended editions: V. Branca, Torino, Einaudi, 1980, A. Quondam- M. Fiorilla- G. Alfano, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2013; 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), M. Veglia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2020.

- N. Machiavelli, Il Principe and La 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: Pasquini, Milano, Garzanti, 1975; De Caprio, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1990; Varotti, Roma, Carocci, 2013; 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, different from those listed in Section A (recommended edition by C. Zampese, with comm. by E. Bigi, Milano, Bur, 2012; recommended critical readings: 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, different from those listed in Section A (recommended edition: F. Tomasi, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2009; otherwise: L. Caretti, Torino, Einaudi, 1971 or Milano, Mondadori, 1979, M. Guglielminetti, Milano, Garzanti, 1982; Artico-Gigante, Milano, Mondadori, 2022; 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); E. Russo, Guida alla lettura della “Gerusalemme liberata” di Tasso, 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).

- C. Goldoni, three comedies to choose among the following: I rusteghi, Il servitore di due padroni, La bottega del caffè, La locandiera, Le baruffe chiozzotte, Una delle ultime sere di Carnovale (any complete edition; recommended critical readings: F. Fido, Nuova guida a Goldoni. Teatro e società nel Settecento, Torino, Einaudi, 2000; C. Alberti, Goldoni, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2004).

- G. Parini, Le odi or Il giorno (recommended editions: Nicoletti, Milano, Bur, 2011; Bonora, Milano, Mursia, 1999; Ebani, 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).

- G. Leopardi, Canti, 10 poems of your choice, and Operette morali, 10 texts of your choice (recommended editions: Campana, Roma, Carocci, 2014; 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.

- A. Manzoni, I Promessi Sposi (recommended editions: Raimondi-Bottoni, Milano, Principato, 1987; Nigro, Milano, Mondadori, 2006; de Cristofaro, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2014; 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. Verga, I Malavoglia or Mastro-don Gesualdo or Vita dei campi e Novelle rusticane (complete editions; recommended critical readings: N. Borsellino, Storia di Verga, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1982; R. Luperini, Verga moderno, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005; P. Pellini, Verga, Bologna, il Mulino, 2012; G. Alfieri, Verga, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2016).

- 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 Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore (complete editions); recommended critical readings: C.S. Nobili, Luigi Pirandello: guida al «Fu Mattia Pascal», Roma, Carocci, 2004; 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).

- I. Svevo, La coscienza di Zeno (any complete edition; recommended critical readings: A. Cavaglion, Italo Svevo, Milano, Mondadori, 2000; B. Stasi, Svevo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; G. Tellini, Svevo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2013).

- U. Saba, Il Canzoniere, one at 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: M. Villoresi, Come leggere “Ossi di seppia” di Eugenio Montale, Milano, Mursia, 1997; 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 and Il barone rampante 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 (even for not-attending students who will have prepared a "lighter" literary history such as Itinerari nella literature italiana) 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 Guicciardini or Ariosto or Tasso, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 159-386; - 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. 443-531; - 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 Svevo or Ungaretti or Montale or Morante or Gadda or Calvino, Il Novecento by Casadei.

Teaching methods

30 (two hours) traditional lessons. Ample time will be devoted to the reading, analysis, and discussion of the texts under examination.

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 Francesco Ferretti