French Literature 1
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
Starting with authors and exemplary works and by focusing particularly on poetic structures (metrics, phonoprosodics, rhetoric) and thematic structures that characterize and reveal specific writing choices, the course aims to identify how to recognize and define a cultural-literary movement (foundation, evolution, manière) choosing a particular poetic moment as an exemplary one. At the same time, the student will be introduced to the hermeneutics of the literary text, by introducing the basic tools of poetic analysis and their scientific and non-impressionistic application.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: students will learn what is a course of literary history and how to define it, starting from the works and the historical, cultural and artistic framework of a defined period. They will also acquire basic tools of poetry analysis that allow them to analyse the literary text avoiding impressionistic readings. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: ability to draw critical interpretation and interpretative autonomy of medium level applicable to the literary text of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Ability to set transversal readings in the cultural, artistic and social-historical framework, going beyond the impression that art moves in a watertight compartment.
Lesson period: First 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
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Due to the health emergency and the rules introduced in this regard, the course will take place mainly remotely, in sync, on the Microsoft Teams platform. Meetings are planned in presence with the students of the first year of the course, mainly related to orientation.
Course syllabus
The title of the course is : French Symbolism: poetry as metaphysical quest.
It is divided into three teaching units that will be carried out in sequence:
Unità A: Basis and birth of French Symbolism. Baudeairian anthropology. Reading and analyzing "Les Fleurs du Mal"
Unit B: The Poetry of Stéphane Mallarmé
Unit C: The Poetry of Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine.
The publication of "Les Fleurs du Mal" (1857) marks the end of Romanticism and the birth of a new vision of Man, characterized by an existential anguish that spurs him towards a metaphysical research. Poetry, in this sense, becomes the place and a means of this research. The revolution set by Baudelaire is absorbed and continued by the great masters of the first symbolist-decadent generation: Mallarmé, Rimbaud and Verlaine. Through the full reading of "Les Fleurs du Mal" and exemplary texts of the poetic production of the other poets, the course aims to define a fundamental moment for French modern literature, but also to introduce to rigorous methods of analysis of the poetic text.
The course is aimed only at students of the three-year degree in Foreign Languages and Literature (no students of any other LT are allowed) and it takes place in Italian. All literary texts, however, will be read and analyzed in the original language (with translation into Italian during the lesson, by the teacher).
It is divided into three teaching units that will be carried out in sequence:
Unità A: Basis and birth of French Symbolism. Baudeairian anthropology. Reading and analyzing "Les Fleurs du Mal"
Unit B: The Poetry of Stéphane Mallarmé
Unit C: The Poetry of Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine.
The publication of "Les Fleurs du Mal" (1857) marks the end of Romanticism and the birth of a new vision of Man, characterized by an existential anguish that spurs him towards a metaphysical research. Poetry, in this sense, becomes the place and a means of this research. The revolution set by Baudelaire is absorbed and continued by the great masters of the first symbolist-decadent generation: Mallarmé, Rimbaud and Verlaine. Through the full reading of "Les Fleurs du Mal" and exemplary texts of the poetic production of the other poets, the course aims to define a fundamental moment for French modern literature, but also to introduce to rigorous methods of analysis of the poetic text.
The course is aimed only at students of the three-year degree in Foreign Languages and Literature (no students of any other LT are allowed) and it takes place in Italian. All literary texts, however, will be read and analyzed in the original language (with translation into Italian during the lesson, by the teacher).
Prerequisites for admission
None. The course is held in Italian but all the poems will be read in the original version (French). Students are required, however, to "enroll" in this course(French Literature 1) using the EasyLesson app, the same one they will have to use to book any seat in the classroom.
Teaching methods
The course adopts the following teaching methods: frontal lessons; reading, translation and commentary of poems taken from the works belonging to the program; viewing and commenting on images and short films.
Teaching Resources
The course has a site on the online Ariel platform, to which students must refer for further details and any other materials provided by the teacher. Here below are the mandatory (all those that are not followed by the explicit expression "recommended reading") and recommended reading works, for the various teaching units and the critical reference. Students will also have to view all the videos indicated as an integral part of the course on the Ariel website.
General bibliography
- Antoine COMPAGNON, "La littérature, pour quoi faire?", Paris, Fayard, 2007
- Marco MODENESI, Liana NISSIM, "Au fond de l'inconnu pour trouver du nouveau. Antologia e saggi critici (Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Verlaine, Rimbaud)", Milano, Mimesis Edizioni, 2012
- Sergio CIGADA (a cura di), "Il simbolismo francese", Varese, SugarCo, 1996, pp. 11-133.
Lionello SOZZI, "Storia europea della letteratura francese. II. Dal Settecento all'età contemporanea", Torino, Piccola Biblioteca Einaudi, 2013; pp.129-233 mainly.
- Michèle AQUIEN, "La versification appliquée aux textes", Paris, Colin, coll.128, 2005.
Unit A
- M. MODENESI, L. NISSIM, "Au fond de l'inconnu pour trouver du nouveau. Antologia e saggi critici (Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Verlaine, Rimbaud)", Milano, Mimesis Edizioni, 2012
- Charles BAUDELAIRE, "I Fiori del Male", Milano, Universale Economica Feltrinelli, 2008 or any other complete edition with French and Italian texts or even only French version edition. No texts that only include the Italian translation are allowed.
Unit B
- M. MODENESI, L. NISSIM, "Au fond de l'inconnu pour trouver du nouveau. Antologia e saggi critici (Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Verlaine, Rimbaud)", Milano, Mimesis Edizioni, 2012
- Stéphane MALLARMÉ, "Poesie" (traduzione e commento di Luciana Frezza), Milano, Feltrinelli, 2007 (recommended reading)
Unit C
- M. MODENESI, L. NISSIM, "Au fond de l'inconnu pour trouver du nouveau. Antologia e saggi critici (Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Verlaine, Rimbaud)", Milano, Mimesis Edizioni, 2012
- Arthur RIMBAUD, "Opere", Venezia, Marsilio, 2019 (recommended reading)
- Paul VERLAINE, "Poesie", Milano, Rizzoli BUR, ed. disp. (recommended reading).
General bibliography
- Antoine COMPAGNON, "La littérature, pour quoi faire?", Paris, Fayard, 2007
- Marco MODENESI, Liana NISSIM, "Au fond de l'inconnu pour trouver du nouveau. Antologia e saggi critici (Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Verlaine, Rimbaud)", Milano, Mimesis Edizioni, 2012
- Sergio CIGADA (a cura di), "Il simbolismo francese", Varese, SugarCo, 1996, pp. 11-133.
Lionello SOZZI, "Storia europea della letteratura francese. II. Dal Settecento all'età contemporanea", Torino, Piccola Biblioteca Einaudi, 2013; pp.129-233 mainly.
- Michèle AQUIEN, "La versification appliquée aux textes", Paris, Colin, coll.128, 2005.
Unit A
- M. MODENESI, L. NISSIM, "Au fond de l'inconnu pour trouver du nouveau. Antologia e saggi critici (Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Verlaine, Rimbaud)", Milano, Mimesis Edizioni, 2012
- Charles BAUDELAIRE, "I Fiori del Male", Milano, Universale Economica Feltrinelli, 2008 or any other complete edition with French and Italian texts or even only French version edition. No texts that only include the Italian translation are allowed.
Unit B
- M. MODENESI, L. NISSIM, "Au fond de l'inconnu pour trouver du nouveau. Antologia e saggi critici (Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Verlaine, Rimbaud)", Milano, Mimesis Edizioni, 2012
- Stéphane MALLARMÉ, "Poesie" (traduzione e commento di Luciana Frezza), Milano, Feltrinelli, 2007 (recommended reading)
Unit C
- M. MODENESI, L. NISSIM, "Au fond de l'inconnu pour trouver du nouveau. Antologia e saggi critici (Baudelaire, Mallarmé, Verlaine, Rimbaud)", Milano, Mimesis Edizioni, 2012
- Arthur RIMBAUD, "Opere", Venezia, Marsilio, 2019 (recommended reading)
- Paul VERLAINE, "Poesie", Milano, Rizzoli BUR, ed. disp. (recommended reading).
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an individual interview (in Italian or in French, according to the student's decision) which opens with the reading, translation and interpretative comment of a poem, chosen by the student. The interviews continue with questions asked by the teacher, interactions between the teacher and the student and the analysis and commentary of the other works at program. The interview has a variable duration, but it lasts an average of twenty minutes and usually takes place in Italian. It can be taken in French at the choice of the student. The interview aims to verify the knowledge of the works read and the texts assigned in the bibliography, the ability to contextualize authors and works, the ability in the exhibition, the precision in the use of specific terminology, the capacity for critical and personal reflection of the student. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to refuse it (in this case it will be verbalized as "withdrawn").
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the teacher promptly. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or with DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in agreement with the competent Office.
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the teacher promptly. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or with DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in agreement with the competent Office.
Unita' didattica A
L-LIN/03 - FRENCH LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-LIN/03 - FRENCH LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-LIN/03 - FRENCH LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)
Reception:
2nd SEMESTER: tuesday, 3.30pm-5.30pm; wednesday, 9.30am-10.30am
Department of Foreing languages,literatures, cultures and mediations; 1, S. Alessandro Square, Milan