13287 - Medieval Latin Literature (1)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students know the outline of the history of Middle Latin literature and have the ability to analyze, from a literary point of view, texts both in original language and in Italian translation.

Course contents

The Course aims to introduce students to the tools related to learned activity and transmission of knowledge produced during the Middle Ages, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, collections of exempla and sermons, Biblical commentaries, as well as philosophical and scientific commentaries. The texts will be selected according to two criteria: first of all, according to the their dissemination and diffusion during the Middle Ages; secondly, because of their usefulness for all modern scholars who intend to grasp how knowledge was handed over during the Middle Ages. In this sense, those works will prove useful when performing tasks such as the search for sources, the identification of texts and topics, and the discovery of central cultural and literary patterns of Medieval culture.

A first part of the Course will deal with research tools used by contemporary scholarship in Medieval Latin literature (e.g., handbooks, bibliographies, databases, portals etc.). Aim of this section of the Course is to give students the opportunity to develop their own knowledge and competence in Medieval Literature, and promote the development of their own research.

Readings/Bibliography

- General introduction: students may choose between one of those handbooks: C. Leonardi et al. (a cura di), Letteratura latina medievale (secoli VI-XV), un manuale, Firenze 2002; E. D’Angelo, La letteratura latina medievale: una storia per generi, Roma 2009 (si veda in particolare il capitolo "Storiografia", p. 175-215); P. Chiesa, La letteratura latina del Medioevo, Roma 2017.

- Special section (selection): Glossaires et lexiques médiévaux inédits : bilan et perspectives : actes du Colloque de Paris, 7 mai 2010, ed. J. Hamesse, Porto 2011; Encyclopédire : formes de l’ambition encyclopédique dans l’Antiquité et au Moyen Âge, ed. A. Zucker, Turnhout 2013; R.H. Rouse - M. A. Rouse, Authentic witnesses : approaches to Medieval texts and manuscripts, Notre Dame 1991; G. Lobrichon, La Bible au Moyen Age, Paris 2003; G. Dahan, Lire la Bible au Moyen Age. Essais d'herméneutique médiévale, Genève 2009.

Texts (selection): Glossa ordinaria, Strasbourg 1480-1481 (versione online al sito: https://gloss-e.irht.cnrs.fr/index.php); Vincenzo di Beauvais, Speculum maius, Douai 1624 (repr. Graz 1964; versione online al sito: http://sourcencyme.irht.cnrs.fr/); Hugutio Pisanus, Derivationes, ed. E Cecchini et al., Firenze 2004.

Further readings will be indicated during the Course.

Teaching methods

Classes (30 hours). Classes will consists of introductory lessons given by Prof. Ventura, and of close discussions on the translation, the comment, and the interpretation of the selected texts.

Assessment methods

The exams will consists of an interview. Student will be examined in their skills to

- identify and describe the historical and typological development of Medieval latin literature, as well as the main steps and phases of its history;

- recognize the trends of learned culture and contextualize the production of tools related to scholarship;

- translate, discuss, and comment upon the selected texts.

Strong emphasis will be given when evaluating the students, to their skills in describing the cultural phenomena and the specific attributes of both authors and texts discussed during the Course.

Students who attend classes may choose between two different options: 1) take the oral exam, and answer questions put by Prof. Ventura; 2) select a topic (an author, a text, a literary genre) related to the Course program, and prepare an exposé to be presented during the exam; if they chose this option, students must fix a subject in agreement with Prof. Ventura at least 30 days before the examination date.

Student who cannot attend classes will answer questions dealing with one of the above-mentioned handbooks, with two of the texts mentioned in their bibliography; to this program, they will add following text: P. Gatti, Introduzione alla lessicografia latina da Festo al XII secolo. Antologia di testi. Con un saggio di Ferruccio Bertini, Firenze 2021. At any rate, they are kindly requested to contact Prof. Ventura in time, and fix an appointment for a meeting with her, in order to prepare themselves for the exam.

Teaching tools

During classes, I will provide students with further readings.

The Latin texts discussed during the Course will be uploaded on the "Virtuale" platform set up by the University of Bologna.

Office hours

See the website of Iolanda Ventura