75828 - Classical Literature and Traditions

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide a knowledge of the main literary models that Greek culture, in many cases through Roman mediation, has furnished to its modern and contemporary imitators; the students will achieve a basic knowledge of the main authors, genres and characters of the classical literature and will be able to adopt historically grounded methods in describing the most relevant phenomena of classical reception in modern and contemporary literatures.

Course contents

The course requires no prior knowledge of the ancient Greek Language (we will make use of Italian translations of the texts analyzed in class, and any references to the original texts will be introduced so as to guarantee everyone the utmost understanding). The course aims to offer a rich panoramic view of the Greek literature to the students who never studied ancient literature, and to provide more experienced students with visions and ideas other than those normally exposed in school manuals.  

Topics of the course:

1) The ideal position of Greek lyric(s). From modern codifications to the ancient genres, strictly backwards.

2) Why Greek lyric does not exist: sociology of a literary genre that is not a genre, and is not literary.

3) The places of the (many) Greek lyric(s): the symposium, the square, the theater, the tavern, and others.

4) The dialectic of genres: the relationship of the ancient lyric with epos and theater.

5) Hidden lyrics: the segret survival of a (presumed) genre between Hellenism and Rome.

6) Return to the modern: the mirage of the lyric and the reinvention of a genre.

The texts analyzed in class will be available online.

Readings/Bibliography

1) For attending students, the class notes and all the documents online (texts, slides, etc.) are the basis for the final exam.

2) The anthologies of reference will be: B. Gentili-C. Catenacci, I poeti del canone lirico nella Grecia antica, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2010 (e ristampe successive); per chi frequenta il curriculum classico, E. Degani-G. Burzacchini, Lirici greci. Antologia, II ed., Bologna, Pàtron, 2005.

3) It is required to read 8 papers taken from G. Cambiano, L. Canfora, D. Lanza (a c. di), Lo spazio letterario della Grecia antica, Roma, Salerno, 1992-1996.

4) The student will read one of the following books: *F. Budelmann (ed. by), The Cambridge Companion to Greek Lyric, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2009; H. Fränkel, Poesia e filosofia della Grecia arcaica. Epica, lirica e prosa greca da Omero alla metà del V secolo, trad. it. Bologna, Il mulino, 1997; B. Gentili, Poesia e pubblico nella Grecia antica da Omero al V secolo, IV ed., Milano, Feltrinelli, 2017; C. Neri, La lirica greca. Temi e testi, Roma, Carocci, 2004; *M. Vetta (a c. di), Poesia e simposio nella Grecia antica, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1995.

For non attending students it is required to read 12 papers from the work quoted at 3 and two books from the list quoted at 4.

 

 

 

Teaching methods

Lectures in class; seminars and discussion of the texts analyzed in class.  

Assessment methods

A viva voce examination  of the average duration of thirty minutes. The single steps of the examination are usually: 1. development of a topic chosen by the student; 2. discussion on some themes of the course; 3. discussion on the readings chosen by the student.

For non attending student the readings are the basis for the examination.

See the web page of Federico Condello for more information about the more typical arguments discussed during the examination.

Assessment guidelines:
failing grades: lack of basic knowledge;
passing grades: literary proficiency at an intermediate level; interpretation of the texts mostly correct, but inaccurate and lacking autonomy
excellent grades: literary proficiency at an upper-mid level; interpretation of the texts not only correct, but performed with autonomy and precision

Teaching tools

Slides; teaching material available via web; online questionnaires.

 

Links to further information

https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/federico.condello/contenuti-utili

Office hours

See the website of Federico Condello