00562 - Italian Literature (N-Z)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students are expected to show a sound knowledge of the Italian literary tradition through the close reading of selected texts; they will also be able to develop critical reflections on the material under analysis and present clear and accurate interpretations of it, both orally and in writing, by applying independently and appropriately the methodology introduced by the lecturer.

Course contents

The syllabus is composed by:

A- Monographic course

B- Basic principles

C- Written test

A-MONOGRAPHIC COURSE

The authors and their libraries between XIV and XVI Centuries: Petrarca, Boccaccio, Ariosto and Tasso as authors and readers.

Lessons will begin on 2017, October, 5th and they will take place in the cinema 'New Nosadella' (Berti street, 2/7) on Wednesday, Thursday, from 1 to 3 pm, and on Friday, from 9 to 11 am.

During the course the professor will read and comment exemplar texts of Petrarca's, Boccaccio's, Ariosto's and Tasso's main works, both in poems and in prose, by putting them in relation with the writers known, read and loved in the volumes composing their own libraries.

During the course the professor will gave bibliographical referencies.

Students have to prepare for this part of the programme:

L. Chines, Francesco Petrarca, Pàtron, 2016;

L. Battaglia Ricci, Giovanni Boccaccio, Salerno ed., 2000 (chapters I, II, III, X, XV);

Testimoni del vero. Su alcuni libri in biblioteche d’autore, a cura di E. Russo (only the chapters regarding Petrarca, Boccaccio, Ariosto and Tasso), Bulzoni, 2000.

 

B- BASIC PRINCIPLES

Student are asked to be able to read and comment:

1) The three crowns

- Dante Alighieri, Inferno (all)

- Francesco Petrarca, Canzoniere, poems I, III, V, XI, XVI, XXXV, LII, LXI, XC, CXXVI, CXXVIII, CXXXIV, CXXXVII, CCLXXII, CCCII, CCCLXV, CCCLXVI

- G. Boccaccio, Decameron, three days 

2) One among the following list of authors, together with historical background (see point 4):

- N. Machiavelli, Il Principe e Mandragola;

- F. Guicciardini, Ricordi;

- L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso, five cantos;

- T. Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata, eight cantos; 

- G. Galilei, Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo;

- G.B. Marino, Adone, five cantos.

3) One among the following list of authors, together with the historical background (see point 4):

- C. Goldoni, two comedies: La locandiera, Le baruffe chiozzotte, La bottega del caffè;

- G. Parini, Le odi and Il giorno;

- V. Alfieri, Vita, or, together, Saul and Mirra;

- U. Foscolo, Ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis and Sepolcri;

- G. Leopardi, Canti, 15 poems, and Operette morali, ten texts;

- A. Manzoni, I promessi sposi o Il Fermo e Lucia;

- G. Verga, I Malavoglia or Le novelle rusticane;

- G. D'Annunzio, Il piacere or Alcyone;

- G. Pascoli, Myricae;

- L. Pirandello, Il fu Mattia Pascal and Sei personaggi in cerca di autore;

- I. Svevo, La coscienza di Zeno;

- G. Ungaretti, L'Allegria;

- E. Montale, Ossi di seppia;

- C.E. Gadda, La cognizione del dolore or Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana;

- I. Calvino, Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno and Se una notte d'inverno un viaggiatore.

Students can read, of course, if she/he is interested, even more books than compulsory ones. In any cases, students have to come to oral exam with the list of the books read (and, if the choosen works are not complete, she/he has to indicate which poems/cantos/chapters have been read).

4) Manuals and tools

Student have to know the history of Italian literature of, at least, the two centuries in which the authoirs she/he choose to read in the list 2) and 3) lived. In any cases, students are expected to know the relevant aspects of all history of Italian literature. For this point the professor suggests: Itinerari della letteratura italiana. Da Dante al web, Carocci, 2013; C. Vecce, Piccola storia della letteratura italiana, Liguori, 2009.

Furthermore, student are expected to know the principal elements of Italian philology, by reading at least one classic in a scholar edition, and: M. Motolese, Scritti a mano. Otto storie di capolavori italiani da Boccaccio a Eco, Garzanti, 2017. Furthermore, it is compulsory: L. Chines, C. Varotti, Che cos'è un testo letterario?, Carocci, 2015 (last edition).

It can be helpful for students updated literary anthologies like the one directed by E. Raimondi: Leggere come io l'intendo..., Mondadori, 2007 (six voll.)

Non-attending students

Non-attending students are required to read another one of the authors included in General section (by choice, from group 2 or group 3)

C- WRITTEN TEST

The written test is compulsory and student have to do it before oral exam. Student can do oral exam only if their written test is not valued by Professor "Seriously insufficient".

To help students to prepare the written test and the basic principles of the discipline, Andrea Severi will held a seminarium (andrea.severi5@unibo.it).

Readings/Bibliography

A- MONOGRAPHIC COURSE

L. Chines, Francesco Petrarca, Bologna, Pàtron, 2016;

L. Battaglia Ricci, Giovanni Boccaccio, Roma, Salerno, 2000 (chapters I, II, III, X, XV);

Testimoni del vero. Su alcuni libri in biblioteche d’autore, a cura di E. Russo (only the chapters regarding Petrarca, Boccaccio, Ariosto e Tasso), Roma, Bulzoni, 2000.

 

B- BASIC PRINCIPLES

- Dante Alighieri, Inferno (all)

suggested editions: Pasquini-Quaglio, Garzanti, 1982-86; G. Inglese, Carocci, 2007; suggested critical readings: E. Pasquini, Vita di Dante. I giorni e le opere, Rizzoli, 2006; G. Ledda, Dante,  Il Mulino, 2008.

- Francesco Petrarca, Canzoniere, poems I, III, V, XI, XVI, XXXV, LII, LXI, XC, CXXVI, CXXVIII, CXXXIV, CXXXVII, CCLXXII, CCCII, CCCLXV, CCCLXVI

suggested editions: Vecchi, Bur, 2012; Santagata, Mondadori, 1996 (2004 2a ed.).

- G. Boccaccio, Decameron, three days

suggested editions: Quondam – Fiorilla – Alfano, Bur, 2013; Branca, Einaudi, 1980.

2) One among the following list of authors, together with historical background (see point 4):

- N. Machiavelli, Il Principe e Mandragola (scholar edition by G. Inglese, Roma, Nella sede dell'Istituto, 1994; suggested editions of Il Principe: Anselmi-Varotti, Bollati Boringhieri, 1992; Inglese, Einaudi, 2005; Ruggiero, Bur, 2008; suggested editions of Mandragola: Rinaldi, Rizzoli, 2012; suggested critical readings: R. Bruscagli, Machiavelli, Il Mulino, 2008; G.M. Anselmi, N. Bonazzi, Niccolò Machiavelli, Le Monnier, 2011; R. Ruggiero, Machiavelli e la crisi dell'analogia, il Mulino, 2015);

- F. Guicciardini, Ricordi (scholar edition by R. Spongano, Sansoni, 1951; suggested editions: Varotti, Carocci, 2013; Pasquini, Garzanti, 1975; suggested critical readings: C. Varotti, Francesco Guicciardini, Liguori, 2010);

- L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso, eight cantos (scholar edition by Santorre Debenedetti - Segre, Commissione per i Testi di Lingua, 1960, with following reprints; suggested editions: Bigi - Zampese, Bur, 2015);

- T. Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata, eight cantos (suggested editions: Tomasi, Bur, 2009; suggested critical readings: M. Residori, Tasso, Il Mulino, 2009; G. Alfano, Torquato Tasso, Le Monnier, 2010);

- G. Galilei, Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo (scholar edition by O. Besomi and M. Helbing, Antenore, 1998; suggested editions: Flora, Mondadori, 1996; Atzori, Sansoni, 2001; Sosio, Einaudi, 2002; suggested critical readings: A. Battistini, Galileo, Il Mulino, 2011);

- G.B. Marino, Adone, five cantos (suggested editions: Russo, Bur, 2013; Pozzi, Adelphi, 1988; suggested critical readings: E. Russo, Marino, Salerno, 2008).

3) One among the following list of authors, together with the historical background (see point 4):

- C. Goldoni, two comedies: La locandiera, Le baruffe chiozzotte, La bottega del caffè (any complete edition); suggested critical essays: F. Fido, Nuova guida a Goldoni. Teatro e società nel Settecento, Torino, Einaudi, 2000; C. Alberti, Goldoni, Roma, Salerno, 2004.

- G. Parini, Le odi and Il giorno (suggested editions: Nicoletti, Milano, Bur, 2011; Bonora, Milano, Mursia, 1999; Erbani, Milano, Guanda, 2010; suggested critical essays: G. Nicoletti, Parini, Roma, Salerno, 2016).

- V. Alfieri, Vita, or, together, Saul and Mirra (any complete edition); suggested critical essays: G. Fenocchio, Alfieri, Bologna, il Mulino, 2012; A. Di Benedetto, V. Perdichizzi, Alfieri, Roma, Salerno, 2014).

- U. Foscolo, Ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis and Sepolcri (suggested editions of Ortis: ed. Binni-Felici, Milano, Garzanti, 2007 and for Sepolcri, ed. Martinelli, Milano, Mondadori, 1987; suggested critical essays: M. Cerruti, Introduzione a Foscolo, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1990, or A. Campana, Ugo Foscolo. Letteratura e politica, Napoli, Liguori, 2010).

- G. Leopardi, Canti, 15 poems, and Operette morali, ten texts (suggested editions: Campana, Roma, Carocci, 2014; Melosi, Milano, Bur, 2010; suggested critical editions: M.A. Bazzocchi, Leopardi, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2008).

- A. Manzoni, I promessi sposi o Il Fermo e Lucia (scholar edition of Fermo e Lucia: B. Colli, P. Italia, G. Raboni, Casa del Manzoni, 2006; suggested editions of Promessi sposi: De Cristofaro, Bur, 2014; Nigro, Mondadori, 2006; suggested critical readings: A. Cottignoli, Guida ai «Promessi sposi», Carocci, 2002; F. De Cristofaro, Manzoni, Il Mulino, 2009);

- G. Verga, I Malavoglia or Le novelle rusticane (scholar edition of Le novelle rusticane: G. Forni, Interlinea, 2016; suggested critical essays: N. Borsellino, Storia di Verga, Laterza, 1982; R. Luperini, Verga moderno, Laterza, 2005; G. Alfieri, Verga, Salerno, 2016);

- G. D'Annunzio, Il piacere or Alcyone (suggested editions: ed. F. Roncoroni, P. Gibellini, G. Oliva; suggested critical essays: G. Bàrberi Squarotti, Invito alla lettura di Gabriele D'Annunzio, Mursia, 1990; N. Lorenzini, D'Annunzio, Palumbo, 1993; S. Costa, D'Annunzio, Salerno, 2012);

- G. Pascoli, Myricae (suggested editions: ed. G. Lavezzi, Milano, Bur, 2015; ed. G. Nava, Roma, Salerno, 1991; suggested critical essays: M. Pazzaglia, Pascoli, Roma, Salerno, 2002; G. Capecchi, Giovanni Pascoli, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2011; M. Castoldi, Pascoli, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011).

- L. Pirandello, Il fu Mattia Pascal and Sei personaggi in cerca di autore (any complete editions; suggested critical essays: C.S. Nobili, Luigi Pirandello: guida al «Fu Mattia Pascal», Roma, Carocci, 2004; M. Guglielminetti, Pirandello, Roma, Salerno, 2006; M. Polacco, Pirandello, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010; A.R. Pupino, Pirandello poetiche e pratiche di umorismo, Roma, Salerno, 2014).

- I. Svevo, La coscienza di Zeno (scholar edition by B. Stasi, Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, 2008; suggested critical readings: A. Cavaglion, Italo Svevo, Mondadori, 2000; B. Stasi, Svevo, il Mulino, 2009; G. Tellini, Svevo, Salerno, 2013).

- G. Ungaretti, L'Allegria (suggested editions: ed. Piccioni, Mondadori, 1969 and following ones; suggested critical readings: ed. D. Baroncini, Ungaretti, il Mulino, 2010; A. Saccone, Ungaretti, Salerno ed., 2012);

- E. Montale, Ossi di seppia (suggested editions: Cataldi-D'Amely, Milano, Mondadori, 2013; suggested critical readings: G. Marcenaro, Eugenio Montale, Mondadori, 1999; G. Ioli, Montale, Salerno, 2002; R. Luperini, Storia di Montale, Laterza, 2005; A. Casadei, Montale, il Mulino, 2008);

- C.E. Gadda, La cognizione del dolore or Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana (any complete editions of Pasticciaccio and of Cognizione; suggested critical essays: 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, 2014; P. Italia, Come lavorava Gadda, Roma, Carocci, 2017).

- I. Calvino, Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno and Se una notte d'inverno un viaggiatore (any complete editions; suggested critical essays: F. Serra, Calvino, Roma, Salerno, 2006; M. Barenghi, Calvino, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2009; S. Perrella, Calvino, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2010).

Manuals and tools

M. Motolese, Scritti a mano. Otto storie di capolavori italiani da Boccaccio a Eco, Garzanti, 2017 (compulsory)

L. Chines, C. Varotti, Che cos'è un testo letterario?, Carocci, 2015 (compulsory).

Itinerari della letteratura italiana. Da Dante al web, Carocci, 2013; or C. Vecce, Piccola storia della letteratura italiana, Liguori, 2009 (suggested)

E. Raimondi: Leggere come io l'intendo..., Mondadori, 2007 (six voll., suggested)

Teaching methods

- taught class

- interactive lesson

- Reading, analysis and comment of texts

- Discussion of interpretations of texts

Assessment methods

Written exam (4 hours). The choice of questions includes an essay on literary history and text analysis. Students are required to sit the written exam before taking the oral exam, but they are allowed to take the oral exam even if they don't 'pass' the written exam. The result of the written exam will form a part of the final overall mark. Markers will assess: standard of language and expression; structure of argument; quality of critical reflection; ability to discuss the contents of the course; ability to provide clear and accurate interpretations of the texts; ability to use the specialist language of literary criticism. In some cases (for instance: non-native speakers of Italian), students might be allowed to substitute the written exam with a 3,000-word essay, whose topic must be agreed in advance with the lecturer.

Oral exam (approx. 30 minutes). Students will be required to discuss their readings and the contents of the course. Markers will assess: standard of expression; ability to provide clear and accurate interpretations of the texts; ability to discuss the contents of the course; ability to use the specialist language of literary criticism; quality of critical reflection. Students may choose whether they prefer to discuss the monographic and the general section together in a single oral exam or in two different sessions.

Assessment Criteria. To be awarded a final mark between 27 and 30 cum laude students are expected to: show the ability to analyse in depth literary texts following the methodology introduced by the lecturer and/or in the set critical readings; possess and be able to present both verbally and in writing a thorough and organic knowledge of the topics discussed in class and/or in the set readings; show an excellent standard of expression (both written and verbal); show the ability to use properly the technical language of philology and literary criticism. A mark between 23 and 26 will be awarded to students who will show: a good knowledge of the course contents; the ability to provide an accurate analysis of literary texts (although there might be some minor imperfections); a good standard of verbal and written expression (with occasional minor flaws in the presentation and/or in the use of technical language). Students obtaining a mark between 18 and 22 will typically show: an adequate but superficial knowledge of the contents; a basic understanding of the texts and a limited ability to analyse them, an acceptable standard of expression with a fairly competent (although not always accurate) use of technical language. Poor knowledge of the set texts and course topics, inadequate ability to analyse literary texts; inaccurate and inappropriate verbal and written expression with major problems in the use of technical language will result in a fail.

Teaching tools

- Classroom-taught Lessons;

- Interactive lessons;

- Reading, analysis and comment of texts;

- Discussion and elaboration of hermeneutic interpretation.

Office hours

See the website of Loredana Chines