Italian Contemporary Literature
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide a first overview of contemporary Italian literature, according to three perspectives. The first one is critical and methodological: it is designed to ensure the knowledge of the contemporary literary institutions. The second one is historical: it offers an overview of the changing relationships between writers and readers during the Twentieth century. The third one provides a training in close reading of a selection of literary works and exemplary authors.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge: 1) Essential historical overview of Italian literature from Unity to the present day (major works and authors, main genres and trends, time frames). 2) Understanding roles and functions of the literary system: author, audience, critical and publishing mediation. 3) Textual analysis techniques (narrative structures; stylistic, rhetorical and metric devices); awareness of the multiple research perspectives on literary works. 4) Criteria for bibliographical tagging.
Skills: 1) Ability to identify main textual features (structural, thematic, stylistic) and to interpret them. Ability to describe textual choices as a result of the author-readers interaction. 2) Ability of setting appropriate chronological sequences and to correctly attribute individual works to a genre. Ability to illustrate the essential data of a historical framework. 3) Ability to sort through literary functional relationships that define the modern literary system and shape the texts. Ability to use bibliographical references for close reading. Ability to handle a basic critical glossary 4) Ability to connect the reading list to its bibliographical reference; ability to identify bibliographical data in order to describe, interpret and evaluate texts and their reliability.
Skills: 1) Ability to identify main textual features (structural, thematic, stylistic) and to interpret them. Ability to describe textual choices as a result of the author-readers interaction. 2) Ability of setting appropriate chronological sequences and to correctly attribute individual works to a genre. Ability to illustrate the essential data of a historical framework. 3) Ability to sort through literary functional relationships that define the modern literary system and shape the texts. Ability to use bibliographical references for close reading. Ability to handle a basic critical glossary 4) Ability to connect the reading list to its bibliographical reference; ability to identify bibliographical data in order to describe, interpret and evaluate texts and their reliability.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
A-De
Responsible
Lesson period
Second 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
Di-N
Responsible
Lesson period
Second 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
O-Z
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course syllabus includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics:
PART ONE: 3 ECTS
- Distinctive features of the Nineteenth-Twentieth century literary system
- Relationships between authors, readers, publishers
- Dynamics of the genres system and literary levels
- Criteria for bibliographic identification
- Tools for literary analysis of poetry and fiction
PART TWO: 3 ECTS
- Knowledge of prominent figures and moments of Nineteenth-Twentieth century Italian literary history
- Overview of dynamics of the Twentieth-century Italian literary genres system, through the analysis of paradigmatic authors and texts
PART THREE - 3 ECTS: Elsa Morante and the Popular Novel
- A critical reading of the Novel La storia
- Structural Analisys and stilistics Chosen
n.b. Students who intend to take the exam for 6 ECTS will have to prepare the teaching unit Part thre and, optionally, the teaching unit Part one or the teaching unit part two.
PART ONE: 3 ECTS
- Distinctive features of the Nineteenth-Twentieth century literary system
- Relationships between authors, readers, publishers
- Dynamics of the genres system and literary levels
- Criteria for bibliographic identification
- Tools for literary analysis of poetry and fiction
PART TWO: 3 ECTS
- Knowledge of prominent figures and moments of Nineteenth-Twentieth century Italian literary history
- Overview of dynamics of the Twentieth-century Italian literary genres system, through the analysis of paradigmatic authors and texts
PART THREE - 3 ECTS: Elsa Morante and the Popular Novel
- A critical reading of the Novel La storia
- Structural Analisys and stilistics Chosen
n.b. Students who intend to take the exam for 6 ECTS will have to prepare the teaching unit Part thre and, optionally, the teaching unit Part one or the teaching unit part two.
Prerequisites for admission
Essential knowledge of Italian literary history from the National Unification to the mid-Twentieth century.
Ability to use basic tools for text analysis and for reading critical essays.
Ability to use basic tools for text analysis and for reading critical essays.
Teaching methods
Frontal lectures and Dialogic teaching moments. Illustration of the learning assessment methods and evaluation criteria. At the End of each Part there will be a simulated exam (voluntary decided by the student).
Attendance is optional, but strongly recommended.
Attendance is optional, but strongly recommended.
Teaching Resources
PART ONE - V. Spinazzola, L'esperienza della lettura, Milano, Unicopli, 2010, limitedly to chapters: 4 Le istituzioni della modernità, pp. 61 - 83; 5. Le coordinate del sistema letterario, pp. 84-98; 7. La valorizzazione del testo, pp. 137-170) ***
- L. Chines-C. Varotti, Che cos'è un testo letterario, Roma, Carocci 2001 (chapter 3 only - La narrazione, pp. 73 - 119. ***
- P. Giovannetti, Modi della poesia contemporanea. Forme e tecniche dal 1950 a oggi ( limitedly to chapter 4, Le metriche, pp. 105 - 144).
PART TWO - B. Manetti, M. Tortora (edited by), Letteratura italiana contemporanea. Narrativa e poesia dal Novecento a oggi, Carocci, Roma 2022, limitedly to chapters: 1; 4-7; 9; 13-18 (pp. 21-41; 73-149; 165-186; 253-384).
- selected texts available on the Ariel teaching platform (Materiali per un percorso Otto-Novecento section).
In addition to the main bibliography, non-attending students will study the following text: V. Spinazzola: Dal romanzo popolare alla narrativa di intrattenimento, in Manuale di letteratura Italia. Storia per generi e problemi, a c. di C. Di Girolamo e F. Brioschi, vol. 4, Dall'Unità d'Italia alla fine del Novecento, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1996, pp. 635 - 700. ***
PART THREE Texts:
E. Morante: History. A Novel, Penguin 1985
C. Garboli, La storia, in ID. Il gioco segreto. Nove immagini di Elsa Morante, Adelphi 1995, pp. 153 - 192. ***
In addition to the main bibliography, non-attending students will study the following text:
G. Rosa, Il decadentismo popolare della "Storia", in EAD., Cattedrali di carta, Il saggiatore, Milano 1995, pp. 207 - 289. ***
THE MATERIALS MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK (***) CAN BE FOUND IN ARIEL ON THE TEACHER'S PAGE
- L. Chines-C. Varotti, Che cos'è un testo letterario, Roma, Carocci 2001 (chapter 3 only - La narrazione, pp. 73 - 119. ***
- P. Giovannetti, Modi della poesia contemporanea. Forme e tecniche dal 1950 a oggi ( limitedly to chapter 4, Le metriche, pp. 105 - 144).
PART TWO - B. Manetti, M. Tortora (edited by), Letteratura italiana contemporanea. Narrativa e poesia dal Novecento a oggi, Carocci, Roma 2022, limitedly to chapters: 1; 4-7; 9; 13-18 (pp. 21-41; 73-149; 165-186; 253-384).
- selected texts available on the Ariel teaching platform (Materiali per un percorso Otto-Novecento section).
In addition to the main bibliography, non-attending students will study the following text: V. Spinazzola: Dal romanzo popolare alla narrativa di intrattenimento, in Manuale di letteratura Italia. Storia per generi e problemi, a c. di C. Di Girolamo e F. Brioschi, vol. 4, Dall'Unità d'Italia alla fine del Novecento, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1996, pp. 635 - 700. ***
PART THREE Texts:
E. Morante: History. A Novel, Penguin 1985
C. Garboli, La storia, in ID. Il gioco segreto. Nove immagini di Elsa Morante, Adelphi 1995, pp. 153 - 192. ***
In addition to the main bibliography, non-attending students will study the following text:
G. Rosa, Il decadentismo popolare della "Storia", in EAD., Cattedrali di carta, Il saggiatore, Milano 1995, pp. 207 - 289. ***
THE MATERIALS MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK (***) CAN BE FOUND IN ARIEL ON THE TEACHER'S PAGE
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written test
Students who take the exam for 9 ECTS (both attending and non-attending) must take a written test, which is held three times a year (May, September, December). The test consists of closed questions and focuses on teaching units PART ONE and PART TWO. It assesses knowledge and skills related to the following topics:
- Characteristics of the twentieth-century literary system;
- Text and paratext analysis tools;
- Elements of bibliographic identification;
- Essential knowledge on periods, authors, genres and trends of Twentieth-century Italian literature
The written test assessment, expressed through a 30 points grade scale (minimum passing grade 18), is worth 50% of the final grade.
The results of written test will be communicated to students through the Ariel teaching platform.
A sample test is available on the same platform.
Oral exam
For students who pass the written test, the oral exam consists of an interview focusing on the poetic texts presented in class during teaching PART TWO (attending students), or listed in the additional bibliography for non-attending students (in the section related to same teaching unit ), and on the entire program of teaching unit PART THREE. The texts presented in class during teaching unit PART TWO are available for attending students on the Ariel platform.
Students who do not pass the written test, or who intend to improve the grade obtained, must present themselves at a later date: to access the oral exam it is necessary to have passed the written test.
Students who take the exam for 6 ECTS access directly the oral exam.
* INTERNATIONAL OR ERASMUS INCOMING STUDENTS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO CONTACT THE TEACHER OF THE COURSE.
** SLD: ALSO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES SHOULD THE TEACHER OF THE COURSE, IN ORDER TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE EXAMINATION METHODS, IN AGREEMENT WITH THE COMPETENT OFFICE.
Students who take the exam for 9 ECTS (both attending and non-attending) must take a written test, which is held three times a year (May, September, December). The test consists of closed questions and focuses on teaching units PART ONE and PART TWO. It assesses knowledge and skills related to the following topics:
- Characteristics of the twentieth-century literary system;
- Text and paratext analysis tools;
- Elements of bibliographic identification;
- Essential knowledge on periods, authors, genres and trends of Twentieth-century Italian literature
The written test assessment, expressed through a 30 points grade scale (minimum passing grade 18), is worth 50% of the final grade.
The results of written test will be communicated to students through the Ariel teaching platform.
A sample test is available on the same platform.
Oral exam
For students who pass the written test, the oral exam consists of an interview focusing on the poetic texts presented in class during teaching PART TWO (attending students), or listed in the additional bibliography for non-attending students (in the section related to same teaching unit ), and on the entire program of teaching unit PART THREE. The texts presented in class during teaching unit PART TWO are available for attending students on the Ariel platform.
Students who do not pass the written test, or who intend to improve the grade obtained, must present themselves at a later date: to access the oral exam it is necessary to have passed the written test.
Students who take the exam for 6 ECTS access directly the oral exam.
* INTERNATIONAL OR ERASMUS INCOMING STUDENTS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO CONTACT THE TEACHER OF THE COURSE.
** SLD: ALSO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES SHOULD THE TEACHER OF THE COURSE, IN ORDER TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE EXAMINATION METHODS, IN AGREEMENT WITH THE COMPETENT OFFICE.
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)
Reception:
Mondays, 10:30AM - 1:30 PM. Please contact me to schedule an appointment.