30039 - Finnish Literature 1 (LM)

Course contents

The Finns and the Hungarians

We will study the Finns and the Hungarians in the context of Finno-Ugric culture. We will examine the language from a comparative viewpoint with regard to neighbouring languages and we will underline those aspects which mainly characterize their culture. We will clarify the peculiarities of the world vision of theese two peoples, as reflected in their tradition, mythology and literature. We will analyse in particular the archaic elements (related to the original shamanic system of beliefs) of the Kalevala and popular Hungarian literature. With regard to this a comparison will be made with the Western European Medieval epic.

An analysis will be made of works like Ulvova Mylläri (1981) and Ukkosenjumalan poika (1984) of Arto Paasilinna  or the ‘poetic fable' Csongor és Tünde (1831) of Mihály Vörösmarty, and focus will be placed on their connection with the substratum of their traditions.

The presence in modern and contemporary Hungarian literature of the figure of the garabonciás, the traditional worker of magic will be taken into consideration.

The course will be integrated with a seminar about A. Károly Berczeli.

Readings/Bibliography

A. DI FRANCESCO - A. QUARANTOTTO, Preti e negromanti, Napoli, M. D'Auria, 2003.

C. CORRADI MUSI, I Finni, Parma, Palatina Editrice, 1983.

P. LOIKALA - S. MARTIN, Repertorio dei verbi finlandesi, Bologna, Gedit Edizioni, 2007.

C. CORRADI MUSI, Lingue e popoli ugrici, Parma, Palatina Editrice, 1980.

C. CORRADI MUSI, Sciamanesimo in Eurasia. Dal mito alla tradizione, Roma, Aracne, 2008.

C. CORRADI MUSI (edit. by), Simboli e miti della tradizione sciamanica, Bologna, Carattere, 2007.

The reading of at least  two of the following texts will be required:

C. CORRADI MUSI (edit. by),  Lo sciamano e il suo 'doppio', Bologna, Carattere, 2007.

ZS. ROZSNYÓI (edit. by), Re Barbaverde. Favole popolari ungheresi, Ferrara, Tosi, 2000.

M. VÖRÖSMARTY, Csongor és Tünde (Il giovane e la fata), Bologna, Giorgio Barghigiani Editore, 1996, transl. by E. Dala Kisfaludy. 

A. PAASILINNA,  Il mugnaio urlante, Milano, Iperborea, 1997,  transl. by E. Boella.  

A. PAASILINNA,  Il figlio del Dio del tuono, Milano, Iperborea, 1998,  transl. by E. Boella. 

C. CORRADI MUSI (edit. by), Figlio del Sole. Poesie scelte, Parma, Tipo-Lito Tecnografica, “Quaderni Italo-Ungheresi” n. 5, 1978 (A. Károly Berczeli).

 

 

 

 

Teaching methods

Direct lessons and seminar introduced and guided by the teacher.

Assessment methods

There will be an oral examination on the arguments of the course and the seminar.

Teaching tools

Audiovisual support will be used.

Office hours

See the website of Carla Corradi