Italian Modern and Contemporary Literature
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide an advanced overview of the modern literary system in Italy, in its historical development to the present day, according to different perspectives. One perspective is critical and methodological: it aims to strengthen the comprehension of the functional relationships among the main actors of literary communication (authors, readers, publishers, critics). The other perspectives focus on specific literary periods, training students to the critical analysis of the authors' choices of genre and style.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge: 1) Essential account of the raise and development of the modern bourgeois literary system: cultural trends, movements and conceptions of literature; genres and styles; analytical knowledge of significant works of Italian literary tradition from Unity to the present day. 2) Main issues related to the modern dynamics of literary experience: modes and forms of literary reading; the narrative pact; functions of publishing mediation.
Skills: 1) Ability to examine the reading list recognizing the authorship and audience features: reading pacts, role of paratexts, discursive regime, space-time narrative coordinates. 2) Ability to delineate the genre system and its main transformations; ability to place the individual works correctly; ability to describe and interpret the paratextual sections. 3) Ability to analyse the works comparing different critical interpretations, and to build up a streamlined bibliography.
Skills: 1) Ability to examine the reading list recognizing the authorship and audience features: reading pacts, role of paratexts, discursive regime, space-time narrative coordinates. 2) Ability to delineate the genre system and its main transformations; ability to place the individual works correctly; ability to describe and interpret the paratextual sections. 3) Ability to analyse the works comparing different critical interpretations, and to build up a streamlined bibliography.
Lesson period: First 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
A-H
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Students taking the exam for 6 ECTS must study parts A and B
- Teaching part A (3 ECTS) is meant to highlight dynamics and phases of the modern literary system, focusing on authors, intellectuals, horizon of expectation-related changes and the functional relationships between the main actors of literary communication (authors, readers, publishers, critics).
Teaching part B: The tradition of the novel in Italy (3 ECTS)
- Development of the novel in Italy from the beginning of the 18th century to the end of the 20th century. Interpretation of Il proto di Toledo by Anna Maria Ortese
Teaching part C: Anna Maria Ortese and Naples (3 ECTS)
Reading of Angelici dolori or Il mare non bagna Napoli by Anna Maria Ortese
In addition to the lessons, the didactic part B offers the opportunity of an optional Critical Writing Workshop, consisting in further seven lessons held by a teacher assistant. For students who decide to take the workshop, attendance is mandatory. The maximum number of participants is 35: enrolment will be possible within the first three lessons of the course.
During the workshop, students will be guided to the composition and discussion of a critical essay of 4/5 pages, about a twentieth-century Italian narrative text agreed with the teacher assistant. The evaluation of the paper will contribute to the final assessment of the exam. For students who will attend the Critical Writing workshop, the exam interview will focus on only one of critical essays of parte A) and parte B).
The positive evaluation of the workshop short essay favours the possibility of writing the Bachelor final paper in the discipline.
- Teaching part A (3 ECTS) is meant to highlight dynamics and phases of the modern literary system, focusing on authors, intellectuals, horizon of expectation-related changes and the functional relationships between the main actors of literary communication (authors, readers, publishers, critics).
Teaching part B: The tradition of the novel in Italy (3 ECTS)
- Development of the novel in Italy from the beginning of the 18th century to the end of the 20th century. Interpretation of Il proto di Toledo by Anna Maria Ortese
Teaching part C: Anna Maria Ortese and Naples (3 ECTS)
Reading of Angelici dolori or Il mare non bagna Napoli by Anna Maria Ortese
In addition to the lessons, the didactic part B offers the opportunity of an optional Critical Writing Workshop, consisting in further seven lessons held by a teacher assistant. For students who decide to take the workshop, attendance is mandatory. The maximum number of participants is 35: enrolment will be possible within the first three lessons of the course.
During the workshop, students will be guided to the composition and discussion of a critical essay of 4/5 pages, about a twentieth-century Italian narrative text agreed with the teacher assistant. The evaluation of the paper will contribute to the final assessment of the exam. For students who will attend the Critical Writing workshop, the exam interview will focus on only one of critical essays of parte A) and parte B).
The positive evaluation of the workshop short essay favours the possibility of writing the Bachelor final paper in the discipline.
Prerequisites for admission
he students must have passed the exam in Italian contemporary literature.
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons with use of telematic tools, slides, audio-visual contents.
Dialogic teaching moments; explanation of the learning assessment methods and evaluation criteria.
If are difficult to find, the teaching materials will be available on ARIEL.
Attendance is optional, but strongly recommended.
Dialogic teaching moments; explanation of the learning assessment methods and evaluation criteria.
If are difficult to find, the teaching materials will be available on ARIEL.
Attendance is optional, but strongly recommended.
Teaching Resources
Course syllabus for attending students
Teaching part A
M. Bachtin, Epos e romanzo, in Estetica e romanzo, a c. di C. Strada Janovic, Torino, Einaudi, 1979, pp. 445-482
G. Rosa, Il patto narrativo e Ai margini del sistema, in Il patto narrativo. La fondazione della civiltà romanzesca in Italia, Milano, il Saggiatore, FAAM, 2008, pp. 9-92
V. Spinazzola, La valorizzazione del testo, in L'esperienza della lettura, Milano, Edizioni Unicopli, 2010, pp. 7-68
Teaching part B
Students must read one work with critical essays:
A.M. Ortese, Il porto di Toledo, Milano, Adelphi, 1998
Critical essays: P. Villani, Prima persona femminile: Anna Maria Ortese e la scrittura autobioscopica, in "Italianistica", anno XLIX, n. 3, 2020, pp. 51-63; S. Sgavicchia, Essere contemporanei: memoria e utopia nel Porto di Toledo di Anna Maria Ortese, in "Atlantide" 3, Cahiers de l'EA 4276 - L'Antique, le Moderne, 2015 - on-line: https://ricerca.unistrapg.it/bitstream/20.500.12071/690/1/Ortese%20Nantes%20sgavicchia.pdf
Teaching part C
Students must read one work among the following with critical essays:
1) A. M. Ortese, Angelici dolori, in Angelici dolori e altri racconti, Milano, Adelphi, 2006, pp. 11-150
Critical essays: L. Clerici, La vocazione letteraria, in Apparizione e visione. Vita e opere di Anna Maria Ortese, Milano, Mondadori, 2002, pp. 70-99; F. Amigoni, I rottami del niente, in Fantasmi del Novecento, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 2004, pp. 95-123
2) A. M. Ortese, Il mare non bagna Napoli, Milano, Adelphi, 2008
Critical essays: A. Baldi, Storie di ordinaria agonia: i racconti napoletani di Anna Maria Ortese, in "narrativa", Université Paris X - Nanterre, n. 24, Janvier 2003, pp. 55-83 (on Ariel); A. Benvenuto, Il mare non bagna Napoli. Anna Maria Ortese e gli amici di Napoli, in Novecento italiano. Saggi su Pirandello, Rebora, Montale, Ortese, Maier, Cecovini e La Capria, Napoli, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, 2008, pp. 45-61
Course syllabus for non attending students
Teaching part A
V. Spinazzola, L'egemonia del romanzo, in L'egemonia del romanzo, Milano, il Saggiatore, 2007, pp. 7-69
Teaching part B
Critical essays: Beatrice Manetti, Il dettato dell'ombra. La scrittura autobiografica di Anna Maria Ortese, in "Paragone Letteratura", anno LXII, terza serie, febbraio-giugno 2011, pp. 104-122 - on-line: https://core.ac.uk/reader/301874830; Daniele Visentini, "Il più mio di tutti i libri". Autobiografia nel Porto di Toledo di Anna Maria Ortese, in "Paragone Letteratura", anno LXIV, terza serie, febbraio -giugno 2013, pp. 159-172 - on-line: https://www.academia.edu/10576892/_Il_pi%C3%B9_mio_di_tutti_i_libri_Autobiografia_nel_Porto_di_Toledo_di_Anna_Maria_Ortese_Paragone_Letteratura_anno_LXIV_terza_serie_febbraio_giugno_2013_pp_159_72
Teaching part C
M. Farnetti, Ortese, Anna Maria - on-line: https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/anna-maria-ortese_(Dizionario-Biografico)/
For students who have chosen Angelici dolori:
Critical essays: F. De Nicola, Angelici dolori, il libro d'esordio, in Convegno di studi su Anna Maria Ortese, a c. di F. De Nicola e P.A. Zannoni, Genova, Sagep, 1999, pp. 9-20 (ON Ariel); L. Clerici, L'invisibile trama dei racconti, in A.M. Ortese, Angelici dolori e altri racconti, Milano, Adelphi, 2006, pp. 445-465
For students who have chosen Il mare non bagna Napoli:
Critical essays: S. Contarini, Tra cecità e visione. Come leggere Il mare non bagna Napoli di Anna Maria Ortese, in «Chroniques italiennes» (edition web), n. 5 (gennaio 2004), Spécial concours 2003-2004 (on Ariel); L. Clerici, Il mare non bagna Napoli di Anna Maria Ortese, in Letteratura italiana, Diretta da Alberto Asor Rosa, 16 Il secondo Novecento, Torino, Giulio Einaudi editore - La Biblioteca di Repubblica-L'Espresso, 2007, pp. 381-400 (on Ariel)
Teaching part A
M. Bachtin, Epos e romanzo, in Estetica e romanzo, a c. di C. Strada Janovic, Torino, Einaudi, 1979, pp. 445-482
G. Rosa, Il patto narrativo e Ai margini del sistema, in Il patto narrativo. La fondazione della civiltà romanzesca in Italia, Milano, il Saggiatore, FAAM, 2008, pp. 9-92
V. Spinazzola, La valorizzazione del testo, in L'esperienza della lettura, Milano, Edizioni Unicopli, 2010, pp. 7-68
Teaching part B
Students must read one work with critical essays:
A.M. Ortese, Il porto di Toledo, Milano, Adelphi, 1998
Critical essays: P. Villani, Prima persona femminile: Anna Maria Ortese e la scrittura autobioscopica, in "Italianistica", anno XLIX, n. 3, 2020, pp. 51-63; S. Sgavicchia, Essere contemporanei: memoria e utopia nel Porto di Toledo di Anna Maria Ortese, in "Atlantide" 3, Cahiers de l'EA 4276 - L'Antique, le Moderne, 2015 - on-line: https://ricerca.unistrapg.it/bitstream/20.500.12071/690/1/Ortese%20Nantes%20sgavicchia.pdf
Teaching part C
Students must read one work among the following with critical essays:
1) A. M. Ortese, Angelici dolori, in Angelici dolori e altri racconti, Milano, Adelphi, 2006, pp. 11-150
Critical essays: L. Clerici, La vocazione letteraria, in Apparizione e visione. Vita e opere di Anna Maria Ortese, Milano, Mondadori, 2002, pp. 70-99; F. Amigoni, I rottami del niente, in Fantasmi del Novecento, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 2004, pp. 95-123
2) A. M. Ortese, Il mare non bagna Napoli, Milano, Adelphi, 2008
Critical essays: A. Baldi, Storie di ordinaria agonia: i racconti napoletani di Anna Maria Ortese, in "narrativa", Université Paris X - Nanterre, n. 24, Janvier 2003, pp. 55-83 (on Ariel); A. Benvenuto, Il mare non bagna Napoli. Anna Maria Ortese e gli amici di Napoli, in Novecento italiano. Saggi su Pirandello, Rebora, Montale, Ortese, Maier, Cecovini e La Capria, Napoli, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, 2008, pp. 45-61
Course syllabus for non attending students
Teaching part A
V. Spinazzola, L'egemonia del romanzo, in L'egemonia del romanzo, Milano, il Saggiatore, 2007, pp. 7-69
Teaching part B
Critical essays: Beatrice Manetti, Il dettato dell'ombra. La scrittura autobiografica di Anna Maria Ortese, in "Paragone Letteratura", anno LXII, terza serie, febbraio-giugno 2011, pp. 104-122 - on-line: https://core.ac.uk/reader/301874830; Daniele Visentini, "Il più mio di tutti i libri". Autobiografia nel Porto di Toledo di Anna Maria Ortese, in "Paragone Letteratura", anno LXIV, terza serie, febbraio -giugno 2013, pp. 159-172 - on-line: https://www.academia.edu/10576892/_Il_pi%C3%B9_mio_di_tutti_i_libri_Autobiografia_nel_Porto_di_Toledo_di_Anna_Maria_Ortese_Paragone_Letteratura_anno_LXIV_terza_serie_febbraio_giugno_2013_pp_159_72
Teaching part C
M. Farnetti, Ortese, Anna Maria - on-line: https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/anna-maria-ortese_(Dizionario-Biografico)/
For students who have chosen Angelici dolori:
Critical essays: F. De Nicola, Angelici dolori, il libro d'esordio, in Convegno di studi su Anna Maria Ortese, a c. di F. De Nicola e P.A. Zannoni, Genova, Sagep, 1999, pp. 9-20 (ON Ariel); L. Clerici, L'invisibile trama dei racconti, in A.M. Ortese, Angelici dolori e altri racconti, Milano, Adelphi, 2006, pp. 445-465
For students who have chosen Il mare non bagna Napoli:
Critical essays: S. Contarini, Tra cecità e visione. Come leggere Il mare non bagna Napoli di Anna Maria Ortese, in «Chroniques italiennes» (edition web), n. 5 (gennaio 2004), Spécial concours 2003-2004 (on Ariel); L. Clerici, Il mare non bagna Napoli di Anna Maria Ortese, in Letteratura italiana, Diretta da Alberto Asor Rosa, 16 Il secondo Novecento, Torino, Giulio Einaudi editore - La Biblioteca di Repubblica-L'Espresso, 2007, pp. 381-400 (on Ariel)
Assessment methods and Criteria
The overall evaluation consists of an oral exam on the issues and the texts included in the syllabus.
Students are expected to understand and explain correctly the issues addressed, and to properly analyse the relevant literary texts.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Also students with disabilities (SLD) should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
The evaluation is expressed in 30 out of 30.
Students are expected to understand and explain correctly the issues addressed, and to properly analyse the relevant literary texts.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Also students with disabilities (SLD) should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
The evaluation is expressed in 30 out of 30.
Unita' didattica A
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
I-Z
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Unita' didattica A
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)