English Literature 3 | Università degli Studi di Milano Statale

A.Y. 2024/2025

Max ECTS

Overall hours

SSD

L-LIN/10

Language

English

Included in the following degree programmes

Foreign Languages and Literature (Classe L-11)-Enrolled from 2021/2022 Academic Year

Learning objectives

This course concludes the three-year undergraduate course in English Literature and is aimed at third-year students. It provides historical and literary knowledge of the period under consideration (Early Modern Period and Restoration, 1530 to 1700) and teaches students to analyse complex literary texts and position them in their cultural context. The syllabus deals with the reading, analysis and contextualisation of Early Modern and Restoration poetry, prose and drama.

Expected learning outcomes

Knowledge required: at the end of the course, students are expected to be able to place the literary texts in the syllabus in the historical, cultural and literary context of reference; to situate each author precisely in the period in which he/she lived; to have a good knowledge of all the works in the reading list. Required language skills: at the end of the course, students will be able to read and translate the literary texts (non-Italian students will be asked to paraphrase the same in English), as well as to discuss in English the topics covered during the course. Required literary skills: to be able to carry out a critical analysis of the texts in the reading list and to make connections between different authors, texts, and literary trends.

Lesson period: First semester

Lessons timetable

Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi

Exams calendar

Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Take a single course

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Responsible

Iannaccaro Giuliana

Lesson period

First semester

Syllabus
(active tab)
Course structure

Course syllabus

The course is addressed to all students of Lingue e Letterature Straniere. The course bears 9 credits.
The course syllabus is valid until February 2026.

The course is entitled "Between Heaven and Earth: Early Modern English Literature (1530-1700)".
We will study the various forms that English verse inherited from the classical and Renaissance European tradition, as well as some of the period's most relevant and original poetic proposals. We will do the same with some narrative and/or essayistic prose works. Finally, we will focus on a full-length play, investigating all aspects involved in the work's production, performance, and contextualisation.
Attendance at the course is highly recommended, as in-class work, conducted through constant student involvement, is of great help when studying for the exam.

Prerequisites for admission

The course is taught in English. To attend the course successfully, a good knowledge of the previous literary periods and good critical skills are required (both should have been acquired during the first and second-year literature courses). To sit the third-year exam, students must have passed the first and second-year English language and the first and second-year English literature exams.

Teaching methods

The course adopts the following teaching methods: lectures with close reading, analysis, and contextualisation of the works in the reading list; whenever possible, both videos and poetry reading/singing will be used in class. Students will be constantly involved in the analytical and critical learning process by giving voluntary presentations on some of the texts in the syllabus.

Teaching Resources

MATERIALI DI RIFERIMENTO /REFERENCES
1) INTRODUCTIONS (historical and cultural context): The Norton Anthology of English Literature.
In particular:
- The Sixteenth Century (1485-1603): Introduction and Timeline
- The Early Seventeenth Century (1603-1660): Introduction and Timeline
- The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century (1660-1785): Introduction and Timeline (until 1700).
2) VERSIFICATION: During the course, we will investigate several poetic texts. Students must be able to recognise and analyse poetry techniques like: structure, metre, foot, rhyme pattern, and figures of speech. Reference: Norton Anthology (Appendix, the essay "Literary Terminology") and/or the reference texts used in previous years.
3) BIOGRAPHIES OF AUTORS: database Unimi LION (Literature Online): https://www.sba.unimi.it/ > Literature Online > Reference > name of author > ProQuest Biography.
4) LITERARY TEXTS: see the reading list below.
5) LITERARY CRITICISM: See the detailed syllabus uploaded on the course Team.
6) In addition to this reading list, students will study all materials uploaded on Teams before or during the course.

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS: Besides this reading list, students who do not attend classes must study supplementary critical materials. It is mandatory to refer to the detailed syllabus on the course Team.

LITERARY TEXTS
PROSE
- Anne Askew, from The First Examination of Anne Askew (on Teams).
- John Foxe, from Acts and Monuments (on Teams).
- Elizabeth Tudor, "The Tide Letter" (Princess Elizabeth to Queen Mary, March 17, 1554) (on Teams and free online)
- Francis Bacon, Essays, "Of Marriage and Single Life".
- John Bunyan, from The Pilgrim's Progress, "Christian sets out for the Celestial City" and "Vanity Fair".

POETRY
THE BALLAD: English and Scottish Popular ballads (Internet Archive, https://archive.org).
- "Riddles Wisely Expounded" (Child Ballad 1A).
- "Lord Randall" (Child Ballad 12A)
THE SONNET:
- William Shakespeare, Sonnet 73, "That time of year thou mayst in me behold"; Sonnet 146, "Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth".
- Philip Sidney, Sonnet 1: "Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show".
- John Donne, from Holy Sonnets: Holy Sonnet 14, "Batter my heart, three-personed God; for you".
- John Milton, "When I consider how my light is spent".
SONGS, ELEGIES, HYMNS:
- John Donne, from Songs and Sonnets: "The Good Morrow"; "A Valediction. Forbidding Mourning"; Elegy 19: "To his Mistress Going to Bed".
- John Donne, from Holy Sonnets: "A Hymn to God the Father".
- George Herbert, from The Temple: "Easter Wings"; "The Collar".
THE EPIC POEM:
- John Milton, from Paradise Lost: Book 1, vv. 1-75; Book IV, 1-113 and 288-324.

DRAMA
- William Shakespeare, Hamlet. The suggested edition will be indicated on the detailed syllabus (on Teams).
- Sigmund Freud, excerpts from The Interpretation of Dreams, Chapter 5, "Dreams of the Death of Beloved Persons (Oedipus and Hamlet)", 1899 (Full text in Internet Archive). Freud examines Hamlet in light of his "Oedipus complex" theory.

Assessment methods and Criteria

Oral exam: it consists of an oral interview assessed in thirtieths; 18/30 is the passing score.
The interview will ascertain the capacity of students to read and translate the literary texts in the course syllabus (non-Italian students will be asked to paraphrase the same in English); their knowledge of the historical, cultural, and literary context of both texts and writers proposed; their knowledge of the literary works proposed; their critical abilities (their capacity to analyse the literary works, and to connect different authors, texts and literary trends). To take the exam, it is mandatory to bring along all literary texts listed in this syllabus.
It is possible to take the exam in English and Italian (in the latter case, at least one or two answers must be given in English).
The final score is expressed in thirtieths; students may accept or reject the mark (in that case, the record will be "ritirato", and they will have to retake the whole exam in a future session).
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher. Also students with disabilities should contact the teacher to agree on alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent office.

L-LIN/10 - ENGLISH LITERATURE - University credits: 9

Lessons: 60 hours

Professor: Iannaccaro Giuliana

Educational website(s)

Letteratura inglese 3 (LT) (a.a. 2024/25)

Professor(s)

Iannaccaro Giuliana

Reception:

Tuesday, 16:30-19:30, either in person or on Teams. Please send me a mail in advance to make an appointment.

Piazza S. Alessandro 1, Anglistica; or Microsoft Teams Platform

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