30931 - Italian Literature 1 (GR. B)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has a good understanding of the Italian literary tradition, knows the fundamental issues of the critical discussion about the authors and texts and is able to use the main methods of analysis of texts and contexts; he has also acquired the ability of adequately expressing himself in writing.

Course contents

The course is dedicated to the forest, as both a real and a symbolic space in literature, and will trace its transformations within the Italian literary tradition. Covering the period from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, it will proceed through selected samples and surveys in order to assess the multiplicity, versatility, and complementarity of the semantic functions associated with literary forests in their oppositional relationship to the city, against the broader backdrop of the opposition between nature and civilisation. The passages under analysis will be taken in particular from Dante, Commedia; Petrarch, Rerum vulgarium Fragmenta; Boccaccio, Decameron; Ariosto, Orlando Furioso; Tasso, Gerusalemme Liberata; A. Manzoni, I promessi sposi; I. Calvino, Il barone rampante.

The 60-hour course takes place in the first semester.
Group B includes students from ... to ... (the initials of the surnames included will be communicated at the beginning of the courses). The division also applies to Erasmus students.

Course changes are not permitted.

Non-attending students should contact the lecturer for specific instructions on exam preparation.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Readings/Bibliography

Reading and commenting on a choice of 10 cantos from Dante's Comedy is required (e.g. Inf. I, II, V, X, XXVI, XXXIII; Purg. I, III, XXVI; Par. I). The site dante.dartmouth.edu is also very useful. It is recommended to show up for the exam with a list of the chosen cantos. Some lessons will be devoted to the reading of Dante's cantos, in order to provide, in addition to the basics of metrics and rhetoric, models of textual analysis.

For the historical and literary contexts related to the authors examined the reference manual is Alfano-Italia-Russo-Tomasi, Profilo di Letteratura italiana. Dalle origini a fine Ottocento, Milano, Mondadori, 2021 or later reprints (single volume).

Texts:

Dante, Commedia, a cura di E. Pasquini-A. Quaglio, Milano, Garzanti (o altro commento);

Petrarca, Rerum vulgarium Fragmenta, a cura di M. Santagata, "I Meridiani" Mondadori;

Boccaccio, Decameron, a cura di V. Branca, Einaudi Tascabili;

Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, a cura di L. Caretti, Einaudi Tascabili;

Tasso, Gerusalemme Liberata, a cura di L. Caretti, Einaudi Tascabili;

A. Manzoni, I promessi sposi, a cura di E. Raimondi, L- Bottoni, Roma, Carocci, 2021;

I. Calvino, Il barone rampante, Oscar Mondadori.

 

Bibliography:

R.P. Harrison, Foreste. L'ombra della civiltà, Milano, Garzanti, 1992;

G. Baffetti, Foresta, in Luoghi della letteratura italiana, a cura di G.M Anselmi e G. Ruozzi, Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 2003;

Further indications and bibliographical materials will be provided during the course.

Teaching methods

Lectures and analyses of literary texts.

Assessment methods

The assessment of the student's acquired knowledge and skills consists of an oral test designed to verify general preparation on all course topics.

During the year 6 oral tests are delivered.

The oral test consists in an oral interview which has the aim of evaluating the critical and methodological ability of the students. The students will be invited to discuss the tests on the course programme. The student must demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the bibliography in the course programme. Access to the oral test depends on having passed the written test. The final mark is not a mathematical average of the two tests.

 

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.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Some texts will be made available on the Internet (http://virtuale.unibo.it)            

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Baffetti