75826 - Comparative Medieval Literatures (1)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students know - through the study of key texts and their historical and cultural contexts and through the investigation of specific critical issues - topics and major works of medieval literature. They are able to use linguistic and philological methodologies and apply them to the analysis of the origin and development of the major European literary genres (lyric poetry, novel, short story, etc..) in a comparative perspective.

Course contents

The course is divided into two sections:

A. The medieval novel

B. Love madness: models for the Orlando Furioso and Don Quijote

   The subject of the first section is the medieval novel, which will be illustrated with regard to the Tristan's saga and Chrétien de Troyes' novels.

   In the second part the theme of love madness will be the guiding thread for the study of the Folies Tristan (and Béroul's Roman de Tristan), Chrétien's Chevalier au lion, the novel of Flamenca and other texts concerning the chivalric madness.

Readings/Bibliography

A. The medieval novel

1. M.L. Meneghetti, Il romanzo nel Medioevo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010 ("Itinerari. Filologia e critica letteraria").

2. P. Gresti, Antologia delle letterature romanze del Medioevo, Seconda edizione, Bologna, Pàtron, 2011, Section D (Romanzo), corresponding to Section B of the first edition, Bologna, Pàtron 2006. The texts are to be read in the Italian version together with their introduction and commentary (with the exception of the linguistic annotation).

3. One of the following novels, to be read in the Italian translation:

(a) Béroul, Tristano e Isotta, a cura di G. Paradisi, Alessandria, Edizioni dell'Orso, 2013 ("Gli Orsatti. Testi per un Altro Medioevo", 35).

(b) Chrétien de Troyes, Il cavaliere del leone, a cura di F. Gambino, con un'introduzione di L. Spetia, Alessandria, Edizioni dell'Orso, 2011 ("Gli Orsatti. Testi per un Altro Medioevo", 33). An Italian prose version without the original text is available in Chrétien de Troyes, Romanzi cortesi, a cura di G. Agrati e M.L. Magini, Milano, Mondadori, 1983, t. 5 (Ivano).

(c) Flamenca, a cura di M. Mancini, Roma, Carocci editore, 2006.

Students non attending the course will read Béroul's novel (a), with a choise between (b) and (c).

B. Love madness: models for the Orlando Furioso and Don Quijote

1. The anthology of texts available before the beginning of the course at Mastercopy's, Bologna, via Cartoleria. The texts are to be read in the Italian version.

2. The teaching material attached to the Guide web.

Teaching methods

Readings and commentaries in class, introduced with a historical outline.

Assessment methods

Final oral examination concerning the whole course contents. In particular, students are required to show a good ability of independent and critical study, establishing parallels and differences between the texts and illustrating their historical and literary background. Good language skills are required.

Teaching tools

Traditional tools: books, xerocopies and the teaching material attached to the Guide web.

Office hours

See the website of Luciano Formisano