Dante Studies
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The aim of the teaching is to provide students with a thorough understanding of themes and problems central to Dante's poetics and thought, as well as of later interpretations of the writer, through a direct reading of his works and in the light of the most up-to-date acquisitions in criticism.
Expected learning outcomes
Ability to independently read and understand Dante's works, placing them correctly in the context of the period, the author's biography and his thought; knowledge of the current lines and methodologies for the exegesis of Dante's works and for the analysis of their fortune; ability to read the works according to a multiplicity of approaches (philological, literary, linguistic, historical); knowledge of the main bibliographical tools for the study of Dante's works.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Part A (20 hours, 3 ECTS): Dante, the Church and Poverty (Paolo Chiesa)
Part B (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): Prophecy in Dante's Commedia (Guglielmo Barucci)
Part C (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): When did Dante start writing the Commedia? How and when was it published? (Guglielmo Barucci)
Part A will develop a reading and study path through Dante's various works, highlighting the writer's attitude towards the Church of his time, also in relation to discussions on pauperism. The Dante texts under study will be provided in anthology at the beginning of the lessons.
Part B will deal with forms, typologies, technique and functions of the prophecies in the poem; thus, part B will consider as well image, conception and typology of the vision and of both the viator and the auctor produced by the poem. In addition to a systemic analysis, we will proceed with the reading of some case studies in the context of cantos and 'cantiche'.
Part C will deal with the problematic issue of the timeline of composition and publication of the three 'cantiche'; in part C we will analyse tales and records on the birth of the poem, possible clues within the text, relative chronology of the cantos, possible cases of early diffusion. Moreover, we will discuss the most important positions in contemporary critics.
Students who acquire 6 ECTS are supposed to refer to parts A and B; students who acquire 9 ECTS to parts A, B and C.
Part B (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): Prophecy in Dante's Commedia (Guglielmo Barucci)
Part C (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): When did Dante start writing the Commedia? How and when was it published? (Guglielmo Barucci)
Part A will develop a reading and study path through Dante's various works, highlighting the writer's attitude towards the Church of his time, also in relation to discussions on pauperism. The Dante texts under study will be provided in anthology at the beginning of the lessons.
Part B will deal with forms, typologies, technique and functions of the prophecies in the poem; thus, part B will consider as well image, conception and typology of the vision and of both the viator and the auctor produced by the poem. In addition to a systemic analysis, we will proceed with the reading of some case studies in the context of cantos and 'cantiche'.
Part C will deal with the problematic issue of the timeline of composition and publication of the three 'cantiche'; in part C we will analyse tales and records on the birth of the poem, possible clues within the text, relative chronology of the cantos, possible cases of early diffusion. Moreover, we will discuss the most important positions in contemporary critics.
Students who acquire 6 ECTS are supposed to refer to parts A and B; students who acquire 9 ECTS to parts A, B and C.
Prerequisites for admission
A basic knowledge of the literary figure of Dante is required, as is generally obtained in the courses of Italian Literature in undergraduate programmes.
Teaching methods
Lectures with reading and commentary of passages from Dante's works.
Frontal teaching is flanked by moments of discussion aimed at increasing the students' critical abilities.
Class attendance is strongly recommended.
Teaching material will be uploaded before the start of the course on the myAriel platform.
Frontal teaching is flanked by moments of discussion aimed at increasing the students' critical abilities.
Class attendance is strongly recommended.
Teaching material will be uploaded before the start of the course on the myAriel platform.
Teaching Resources
In addition to the bibliography listed below, please note that materials that will be uploaded to the myAriel platform are an integral part of the program.
ATTENDING STUDENTS
Part A (20 hours, 3 ECTS): Dante, the Church and Poverty (Paolo Chiesa)
Reference texts:
- Anthology of Dante's texts that will be made available at the beginning of class. Commentary on the texts will be the subject of the professor's lecture.
Critical bibliography:
- P. Chiesa, "La Monarchia, o il libro di tutti gli uomini", in "Dante e il mondo, tra realtà e poesia, tra storia e letteratura". Atti del LVIII Convegno storico internazionale, Todi, 10-12 ottobre 2021, Spoleto, CISAM, 2022, pp. 1-19.
- G. Marcozzi, Dante e la povertà. Il personaggio di san Francesco nel Paradiso, Roma, Carocci 2024
Part B (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): Prophecy in Dante's Commedia (Guglielmo Barucci)
Reference texts:
Whatever edition of Commedia; advised the edition by Roberto Mercuri (Torino, Einaudi, 2021). An anthology of Dante's prophecies will be made available at the beginning of the class. Students will be expected to demonstrate a full knowledge of the texts.
Materials uploaded to the myAriel platform are an integral part of the program.
Critical bibliography:
- Lucia Battaglia Ricci, "Dice Isaia ": Dante e il profetismo biblico, in La Bibbia di Dante. Esperienza mistica, profezia e teologia biblica in Dante, Atti del Convegno internazionale di Studi (Ravenna, 7 novembre 2009), 49-75
- Piermario Vescovo, Profezie "in scuro", profezie "in chiaro", in Il tempo di Dante. Cronologie della Commedia, Roma, Salerno ed., 2018, pp. 85-98
Part C (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): When did Dante start writing the Commedia? How and when was it published? (Guglielmo Barucci)
Reference texts:
Whatever edition of Commedia; advised the edition by Roberto Mercuri (Torino, Einaudi, 2021). An anthology of Dante's prophecies will be made available at the beginning of the class. Students will be expected to demonstrate a full knowledge of the texts.
Materials uploaded to the myAriel platform are an integral part of the program.
Critical bibliography:
- S. Bertelli, La Commedia: scrittura e tradizione, in Dante fra il settecentocinquantenario della nascita (2015) e il settecentenario della morte (2021), Roma, Salerno, 2016, pp. 441-468
- P. Vescovo, Dal tempo della composizione al tempo del racconto, in Il tempo di Dante. Cronologie della Commedia, Roma, Salerno ed., 2018, pp. 75-84
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
Part A (20 hours, 3 ECTS): Dante and Justice (Paolo Chiesa)
Reference texts:
- Anthology of Dante's texts that will be made available at the beginning of class. Students should know how to comment on each of the texts included in the anthology, in the original language. To this end, take advantage of the most accredited commentaries available on Dante's works (for the Monarchia: Chiesa-Tabarroni 2013; for the Commedia: Bellomo 2013, Bosco-Reggio, various years, Chiavacci Leonardi 2015, Hollander 2011, Mercuri 2021; for the Convivio: Fioravanti 2014).
Critical bibliography:
the texts indicated in the section for attending students, and in addition:
· S. Bellomo, Le muse dell'indignazione: il canto dei simoniaci (Inferno XIX), "L'Alighieri" 37, 2011, pp. 111-131.
· P. Nasti, Canto XIX. Figuralità e storia. L'apostolo e gli pseudo-pontefici, in Cento canti per cento anni, 1: Inferno, vol. II, Roma, Salerno editrice, 2013, pp. 572-603.
· P. Chiesa, La Monarchia di Dante: un pensiero politico ancora attuale?, in Primus in gloria. Studi per il VII centenario della morte di Dante 1321-2021, a cura di D. Personeni, Bergamo, Ateneo di Scienze Lettere e Arti di Bergamo, 2023, pp. 93-105.
Part B (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): Prophecy in Dante's Commedia (Guglielmo Barucci)
Reference texts:
Whatever edition of Commedia; advised the edition by Roberto Mercuri (Torino, Einaudi, 2021). An anthology of Dante's prophecies will be made available at the beginning of the class. Students will be expected to demonstrate a full knowledge of the texts.
Materials uploaded to the myAriel platform are an integral part of the program.
Critical bibliography:
Bibliography indicated for attending students. In addition:
- G. Gorni, Spirito profetico duecentesco e Dante, in "Letture classensi", XIII (1984), 49-68
- N. Maldina, "Per poenitentiam factum prophetam". Filigrane davidiche nel prologo della Commedia in Poesia e profezia nell'opera di Dante, Atti del Convegno internazionale di Studi (Ravenna, 11 novembre 2017), a cura di Giuseppe Ledda, Ravenna, Centro dantesco dei frati minori conventuali, 2019, 163-178
-
Part C (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): When did Dante start writing the Commedia? How and when was it published? (Guglielmo Barucci)
Reference texts
Whatever edition of Commedia; advised the edition by Roberto Mercuri (Torino, Einaudi, 2021). An anthology of Dante's prophecies will be made available at the beginning of the class. Students will be expected to demonstrate a full knowledge of the texts.
Critical bibliography:
Bibliography indicated for attending students. In addition:
- SA. Casadei, I canti fiorentini del poema: solo una leggenda?, in Aggiornamenti sulla Commedia, vol. II, a cura di Valeria Giannantonio e Antonio Sorella, Ravenna, Longo, 2022, 13-26
- G. Indizio, Inizio e diffusione della Commedia prima della pubblicazione, in "Documenta. Rivista internazionale di studi storico-filologici sulle fonti", III, 2020, 9-32
- M. Zaccarello, Dante's Comedy: A Life's Work. Notes on the Poem's Composition and Publication in "Le Tre corone", VII, 2020, 85-100.
ATTENDING STUDENTS
Part A (20 hours, 3 ECTS): Dante, the Church and Poverty (Paolo Chiesa)
Reference texts:
- Anthology of Dante's texts that will be made available at the beginning of class. Commentary on the texts will be the subject of the professor's lecture.
Critical bibliography:
- P. Chiesa, "La Monarchia, o il libro di tutti gli uomini", in "Dante e il mondo, tra realtà e poesia, tra storia e letteratura". Atti del LVIII Convegno storico internazionale, Todi, 10-12 ottobre 2021, Spoleto, CISAM, 2022, pp. 1-19.
- G. Marcozzi, Dante e la povertà. Il personaggio di san Francesco nel Paradiso, Roma, Carocci 2024
Part B (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): Prophecy in Dante's Commedia (Guglielmo Barucci)
Reference texts:
Whatever edition of Commedia; advised the edition by Roberto Mercuri (Torino, Einaudi, 2021). An anthology of Dante's prophecies will be made available at the beginning of the class. Students will be expected to demonstrate a full knowledge of the texts.
Materials uploaded to the myAriel platform are an integral part of the program.
Critical bibliography:
- Lucia Battaglia Ricci, "Dice Isaia ": Dante e il profetismo biblico, in La Bibbia di Dante. Esperienza mistica, profezia e teologia biblica in Dante, Atti del Convegno internazionale di Studi (Ravenna, 7 novembre 2009), 49-75
- Piermario Vescovo, Profezie "in scuro", profezie "in chiaro", in Il tempo di Dante. Cronologie della Commedia, Roma, Salerno ed., 2018, pp. 85-98
Part C (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): When did Dante start writing the Commedia? How and when was it published? (Guglielmo Barucci)
Reference texts:
Whatever edition of Commedia; advised the edition by Roberto Mercuri (Torino, Einaudi, 2021). An anthology of Dante's prophecies will be made available at the beginning of the class. Students will be expected to demonstrate a full knowledge of the texts.
Materials uploaded to the myAriel platform are an integral part of the program.
Critical bibliography:
- S. Bertelli, La Commedia: scrittura e tradizione, in Dante fra il settecentocinquantenario della nascita (2015) e il settecentenario della morte (2021), Roma, Salerno, 2016, pp. 441-468
- P. Vescovo, Dal tempo della composizione al tempo del racconto, in Il tempo di Dante. Cronologie della Commedia, Roma, Salerno ed., 2018, pp. 75-84
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
Part A (20 hours, 3 ECTS): Dante and Justice (Paolo Chiesa)
Reference texts:
- Anthology of Dante's texts that will be made available at the beginning of class. Students should know how to comment on each of the texts included in the anthology, in the original language. To this end, take advantage of the most accredited commentaries available on Dante's works (for the Monarchia: Chiesa-Tabarroni 2013; for the Commedia: Bellomo 2013, Bosco-Reggio, various years, Chiavacci Leonardi 2015, Hollander 2011, Mercuri 2021; for the Convivio: Fioravanti 2014).
Critical bibliography:
the texts indicated in the section for attending students, and in addition:
· S. Bellomo, Le muse dell'indignazione: il canto dei simoniaci (Inferno XIX), "L'Alighieri" 37, 2011, pp. 111-131.
· P. Nasti, Canto XIX. Figuralità e storia. L'apostolo e gli pseudo-pontefici, in Cento canti per cento anni, 1: Inferno, vol. II, Roma, Salerno editrice, 2013, pp. 572-603.
· P. Chiesa, La Monarchia di Dante: un pensiero politico ancora attuale?, in Primus in gloria. Studi per il VII centenario della morte di Dante 1321-2021, a cura di D. Personeni, Bergamo, Ateneo di Scienze Lettere e Arti di Bergamo, 2023, pp. 93-105.
Part B (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): Prophecy in Dante's Commedia (Guglielmo Barucci)
Reference texts:
Whatever edition of Commedia; advised the edition by Roberto Mercuri (Torino, Einaudi, 2021). An anthology of Dante's prophecies will be made available at the beginning of the class. Students will be expected to demonstrate a full knowledge of the texts.
Materials uploaded to the myAriel platform are an integral part of the program.
Critical bibliography:
Bibliography indicated for attending students. In addition:
- G. Gorni, Spirito profetico duecentesco e Dante, in "Letture classensi", XIII (1984), 49-68
- N. Maldina, "Per poenitentiam factum prophetam". Filigrane davidiche nel prologo della Commedia in Poesia e profezia nell'opera di Dante, Atti del Convegno internazionale di Studi (Ravenna, 11 novembre 2017), a cura di Giuseppe Ledda, Ravenna, Centro dantesco dei frati minori conventuali, 2019, 163-178
-
Part C (20 hrs, 3 ECTS): When did Dante start writing the Commedia? How and when was it published? (Guglielmo Barucci)
Reference texts
Whatever edition of Commedia; advised the edition by Roberto Mercuri (Torino, Einaudi, 2021). An anthology of Dante's prophecies will be made available at the beginning of the class. Students will be expected to demonstrate a full knowledge of the texts.
Critical bibliography:
Bibliography indicated for attending students. In addition:
- SA. Casadei, I canti fiorentini del poema: solo una leggenda?, in Aggiornamenti sulla Commedia, vol. II, a cura di Valeria Giannantonio e Antonio Sorella, Ravenna, Longo, 2022, 13-26
- G. Indizio, Inizio e diffusione della Commedia prima della pubblicazione, in "Documenta. Rivista internazionale di studi storico-filologici sulle fonti", III, 2020, 9-32
- M. Zaccarello, Dante's Comedy: A Life's Work. Notes on the Poem's Composition and Publication in "Le Tre corone", VII, 2020, 85-100.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Expected learning outcomes are verified by an individual oral examination. Students will be expected to demonstrate acquired knowledge, ability to organize discourse, and ownership of expression. The possible production of personal critical elaborations (reports or presentations), prepared at the indication of the teachers during the course, enters into the overall grade.
Grade is expressed in thirtieths; the minimum grade of sufficiency is 18/30.
Grade is expressed in thirtieths; the minimum grade of sufficiency is 18/30.
L-FIL-LET/10 - ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor(s)
Reception:
Wednesday 9.30 a.m.-1.00 p.m.
Department of Literary Studies, Philology and Linguistics, Unit of Modern Studies, first floor
Reception:
Office hours: wednesday 15.00-18.00, by appointment only. Nevertheless, due to multiple administrative tasks, appointments could be given in other days.
Department of Literary Studies, Philology and Linguistics; sector Modern Philology, 1st floor, via Francesco Sforza