26018 - Italian Women's Literature

Academic Year 2021/2022

Learning outcomes

The student possesses in-depth knowledge of Italian women's literature. He is able to apply practical methodologies for the analysis and the interpretation of the literary text.

Course contents

Types of identity. Women Writings

From a conceptual and thematic point of view, the course deals with female identity in literature. The first module is dedicated to the writings of Elena Ferrante, Goliarda Sapienza, and Maria Rosa Cutrufelli. The second module will be devoted to Sibilla Aleramo and Anna Banti.

Readings/Bibliography

Readings: S. Aleramo, Una donna, Milan, Feltrinelli, 2013; A. Banti, Artemisia, Milan, SE, 2015; G. Sapienza, Io Jean Gabin, Turin, Einaudi, 2010; E. Ferrante, L'amore molesto, Rome, Ed. e/o, 1992; M. R. Cutrufelli, L'isola delle madri, Milan, Mondadori, 2020.

Programme Gemma and Letterature moderne, comparate e postcoloniali: E. Ferrante, Amore molesto, Rome, Ed. e/o, 1992; G. Sapienza, Io Jean Gabin, Turin, Einaud, 2010; M. R. Cutrufelli, L'isola delle madri, Milan, Mondadori, 2020.

Bibliography:

Sibilla Aleramo, una donna nel Novecento: atti del convegno internazionale, San Salvatore Monferrato-Alessandria, Interlinea, 2019, pp. 33-65 (available online through proxy). S. Bergius, Il risarcimento della scrittura: "Artemisia" di Anna Banti, in «Rassegna europea di letteratura italiana»,8, 2, 1996], pp. 49-59 available online through proxy). A. Bazzoni, Writing for freedom: body, identity and power in Goliarda Sapienza's Narrative, Oxford, Lang, 2018 (chapters 1 and 3). M. Rizzarelli, Goliarda Sapienza: gli spazi della libertà, il tempo della gioia, Rome, Carocci, 2018 (chapters 1 and 3); A. Pirri, Elena Ferrante: nomi e corpi ambivalenti, in Crispino A. M., Vitale M. (edited by), Dell’ambivalenza. Dinamiche di narrazione in Elena Ferrante, Julie Otsuka e Goliarda Sapienza, Rome, Iacobelli editore, 2016, pp. 56-73. I. Pinto, Elena Ferrante: poetiche e politiche della soggettività, Milano;Udine, Mimesis, 2020 (pp. 19-49; pp. 145-187). P. Sambuco, Corporeal bonds : the daughter-mother relationship in twentieth century Italian women's writing
Toronto [Ont.] : University of Toronto Press, c2012
(available online through proxy), pp. 1-44 and pp. 129-151; P. Sambuco, Corpi e linguaggi: il legame figlia-madre nelle scrittrici italiane del Novecento, Padova, Il poligrafo, 2014.

Students of the Master's Degree in Gemma and in Letterature moderne, comparate e postcoloniali will read only the essays regarding Ferrante, Sapienza.

Teaching methods

The course will be divided in frontal lessons and laboratories on the texts. A seminar with M. R. Cutrufelli is planned  (30th Marc 2022).

Assessment methods

Those students who are able to demonstrate a wide and systematic understanding of the issues covered during the lessons, are able to use these critically and who master the field-specific language of the discipline will be given a mark of excellence.

Those students who demonstrate a mnemonic knowledge of the subject with a more superficial analytical ability and ability to synthesize, a correct command of the language but not always appropriate, will be given a ‘fair' mark.

A superficial knowledge and understanding of the material, a scarce analytical and expressive ability that is not always appropriate will be rewarded with a pass mark or just above a pass mark.

Students who demonstrate gaps in their knowledge of the subject matter, inappropriate language use, lack of familiarity with the literature in the programme bibliography will not be given a pass mark.

Non attending students are required to do the same readings and to study the same bibliography of attending students.

Teaching tools

Audio and video aids may be used in support of lectures.


Office hours

See the website of Lara Michelacci

SDGs

Quality education Gender equality Reduced inequalities Partnerships for the goals

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.