Romance philology (advanced)
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
The learning objective of this course is to further explore the historical-comparative study of Romance languages and literature and to introduce the students to the guiding principles of textual criticism and its application regarding Romance medieval texts and their manuscript tradition.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the students will have a detailed knowledge of the Romance literature of the Middle Ages, set against their literary and historical background. The students will learn the principles of textual criticism, with a focus on the manuscript traditions of the texts written in the Romance languages of the Middle Ages. The students will learn the historical grammar of the texts proposed in the course. They will achieve a wider awareness of the importance of the philological study of the texts and of the tools of textual criticism. The students will become skilled in the interpretation of the literary works in their formal aspects, content and broader historical and cultural context. The students will be able to paraphrase Old Italian texts or to translate texts in other Romance languages. The students will apply and understand the secondary literature and different methodological perspectives. The students will comment on and expand upon the texts and the specific topics covered in the course, using properly Romance Philology's technical terms
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods:
Assessment result:
Course syllabus and organization
A-H
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
The course is offered in remote format (Microsoft Teams) mostly in synchronous mode (the synchronous lessons will be recorded and mixed eventually with asynchronous mode, audiorecordings, written texts and bibliography). Students will find all the informations (link for the course, Notices, etc.), some materials and eventually changes of the course programme or bibliography on Ariel's site of the discipline. Assessment method and criteria: if the assessment criteria of the exam can't take place as foreseen in the Syllabus, it will be replaced by an oral remote exam as will be announced on the bulletin board on Ariel's site of the discipline at the end of the course.
Course syllabus
Course title (60 hours and 9 ECTS): The Roman de la Rose by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun.
A (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Reading and interpretation of the Roman de la Rose by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun.
B (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Observations of Textual Philology.
C (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Linguistics Considerations.
The course is addressed to students of the Degree Course in Humanities, whose surname starts from A to H that have already taken the first year course of this subject. The students who intend to take the exam for 9 ECTS will attend all the three Parts; students who intend to take the exam for 6 ECTS will attend Part A and Part B.
The advanced course further explores the insight into Romance Philology provided in the first year course according to a strategy that maintains a comparative view of Romance Language and Literature, and studies more in detail the linguistic problems and deals with the principles of textual criticism, and the philological dimension of the texts. This year's programme will mainly look into the Roman de la Rose by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun (A). This year's monographic course will be dedicated to the reading of composite Roman de la rose, traditionally attributed to the court poet Guillaume the Lorris and to the scholastic author Jean de Meun, an allegorical love poem of the XIIIth century, that was the most admired, influential and controversial literary work of the French Middle Ages. Together with the love quest of the plot, the Rose contains a remarkably wide range of themes and styles, and especially Jean de Meun makes space for a variety of discourses and perspectives, moral and philosophical issues, in a work of art especially engaging but captivating. The text will be interpreted against the background of inter-textual connections, considering the literary genre, interpretive and philological issues. The Part A will present the theme of the monographic course. Part B introduces the students to the guiding principles of textual criticism and its application in relation to Romance medieval texts and their manuscript tradition. Part C will focus on the Linguistic features of the text proposed in the course.
Other Information for the students
1. Non-attending students are invited to see the Professor at the office hour for any information regarding their exam.
International students or Erasmus incoming are invited to contact the Professor of the course.
The examination mode for SLD students and/or students with other disabilities will be agreed upon with the Professor in accordance with the competent Office.
2. Students of Degree Courses other than Humanities can substitute Teaching unit C (Linguistics) with other studies agreed with the Professor.
3. The students interested in a Thesis in Romance Philology (Three-year degree or Master Programme) are advised to contact the Professor in time in order to define the subject of the Thesis.
Please Note: Until further notice, in the current situation student's Reception will take place telematically by appointment: for reservations please write an e-mail to: beatrice.barbiellini@unimi.it
A (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Reading and interpretation of the Roman de la Rose by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun.
B (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Observations of Textual Philology.
C (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Linguistics Considerations.
The course is addressed to students of the Degree Course in Humanities, whose surname starts from A to H that have already taken the first year course of this subject. The students who intend to take the exam for 9 ECTS will attend all the three Parts; students who intend to take the exam for 6 ECTS will attend Part A and Part B.
The advanced course further explores the insight into Romance Philology provided in the first year course according to a strategy that maintains a comparative view of Romance Language and Literature, and studies more in detail the linguistic problems and deals with the principles of textual criticism, and the philological dimension of the texts. This year's programme will mainly look into the Roman de la Rose by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun (A). This year's monographic course will be dedicated to the reading of composite Roman de la rose, traditionally attributed to the court poet Guillaume the Lorris and to the scholastic author Jean de Meun, an allegorical love poem of the XIIIth century, that was the most admired, influential and controversial literary work of the French Middle Ages. Together with the love quest of the plot, the Rose contains a remarkably wide range of themes and styles, and especially Jean de Meun makes space for a variety of discourses and perspectives, moral and philosophical issues, in a work of art especially engaging but captivating. The text will be interpreted against the background of inter-textual connections, considering the literary genre, interpretive and philological issues. The Part A will present the theme of the monographic course. Part B introduces the students to the guiding principles of textual criticism and its application in relation to Romance medieval texts and their manuscript tradition. Part C will focus on the Linguistic features of the text proposed in the course.
Other Information for the students
1. Non-attending students are invited to see the Professor at the office hour for any information regarding their exam.
International students or Erasmus incoming are invited to contact the Professor of the course.
The examination mode for SLD students and/or students with other disabilities will be agreed upon with the Professor in accordance with the competent Office.
2. Students of Degree Courses other than Humanities can substitute Teaching unit C (Linguistics) with other studies agreed with the Professor.
3. The students interested in a Thesis in Romance Philology (Three-year degree or Master Programme) are advised to contact the Professor in time in order to define the subject of the Thesis.
Please Note: Until further notice, in the current situation student's Reception will take place telematically by appointment: for reservations please write an e-mail to: beatrice.barbiellini@unimi.it
Prerequisites for admission
The advanced course is aimed at students who have already taken the first year course of this subject.
Teaching methods
The course is offered in lecture format; attendance is strongly recommended. The teaching makes use of bibliographical materials such as critical editions, manuals, monographs, essays that will be partly uploaded on the Ariel on-line platform.
Teaching Resources
Bibliographical information and exam programme for attending students:
A
- For the exam, students are expected to read, and be prepared to translate and to comment upon the Old French text of Roman de la Rose. They will study the lecture notes of the course, and some texts and essays.
Texts: - Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, Il Romanzo della Rosa, ed. by Roberta Manetti and Silvio Melani, Alessandria, Edizioni dell'Orso, 2015.
Please Note: At the end of the course a detailed list of verses and passages to be studied for the exam (reading, translation and commentary) as well as some other texts and studies will be provided and eventually uploaded on "Ariel" on-line platform.
B
- Attending students will study in detail the notes of the course and the handbook: A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, Milano, CUEM, 2006. Theoretical parts and definitions (book's examples are subsidiary and complementary to the understanding of textual philology's topics).
C
- Attending students will study in detail the notes of the course, and the textbook: Aurelio Roncaglia, La lingua d'oïl, Roma, Edizioni dell'Ateneo, 1971.
Bibliographical information and exam programme for non-attending students:
A
- For the exam, students should read, and be prepared to translate and to comment upon the Old French text of Roman de la Rose. They will study some texts and essays.
Text: - Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, Il Romanzo della Rosa, ed. by Roberta Manetti and Silvio Melani, Alessandria, Edizioni dell'Orso, 2015.
Please Note: At the end of the course a detailed list of verses and passages to be studied for the exam (reading, translation and commentary) as well as some other texts and studies will be provided and eventually uploaded on "Ariel" on-line platform.
B
- A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, Seconda edizione corretta e accresciuta, Milano, CUEM, 2006.
- Giovanni Orlandi, Latino e volgari nell'Occidente medievale, in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo. 2 . Il Medioevo volgare. vol. II, La circolazione del testo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2002, pp. 267-303. (Uploaded on the Ariel on-line platform).
- Alberto Vàrvaro, Il testo letterario, in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo. 2 . Il Medioevo volgare. vol. I, La produzione del testo, t. I, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1999, pp. 387-422. (Uploaded on the Ariel on-line platform).
C
- Aurelio Roncaglia, La lingua d'oïl, Roma, Edizioni dell'Ateneo, 1971.
- Aurelio Roncaglia, La lingua d'oïl, Roma, Edizioni dell'Ateneo, 1971.
A
- For the exam, students are expected to read, and be prepared to translate and to comment upon the Old French text of Roman de la Rose. They will study the lecture notes of the course, and some texts and essays.
Texts: - Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, Il Romanzo della Rosa, ed. by Roberta Manetti and Silvio Melani, Alessandria, Edizioni dell'Orso, 2015.
Please Note: At the end of the course a detailed list of verses and passages to be studied for the exam (reading, translation and commentary) as well as some other texts and studies will be provided and eventually uploaded on "Ariel" on-line platform.
B
- Attending students will study in detail the notes of the course and the handbook: A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, Milano, CUEM, 2006. Theoretical parts and definitions (book's examples are subsidiary and complementary to the understanding of textual philology's topics).
C
- Attending students will study in detail the notes of the course, and the textbook: Aurelio Roncaglia, La lingua d'oïl, Roma, Edizioni dell'Ateneo, 1971.
Bibliographical information and exam programme for non-attending students:
A
- For the exam, students should read, and be prepared to translate and to comment upon the Old French text of Roman de la Rose. They will study some texts and essays.
Text: - Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, Il Romanzo della Rosa, ed. by Roberta Manetti and Silvio Melani, Alessandria, Edizioni dell'Orso, 2015.
Please Note: At the end of the course a detailed list of verses and passages to be studied for the exam (reading, translation and commentary) as well as some other texts and studies will be provided and eventually uploaded on "Ariel" on-line platform.
B
- A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, Seconda edizione corretta e accresciuta, Milano, CUEM, 2006.
- Giovanni Orlandi, Latino e volgari nell'Occidente medievale, in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo. 2 . Il Medioevo volgare. vol. II, La circolazione del testo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2002, pp. 267-303. (Uploaded on the Ariel on-line platform).
- Alberto Vàrvaro, Il testo letterario, in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo. 2 . Il Medioevo volgare. vol. I, La produzione del testo, t. I, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1999, pp. 387-422. (Uploaded on the Ariel on-line platform).
C
- Aurelio Roncaglia, La lingua d'oïl, Roma, Edizioni dell'Ateneo, 1971.
- Aurelio Roncaglia, La lingua d'oïl, Roma, Edizioni dell'Ateneo, 1971.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The assessment method consists in an oral exam in which students will present in detail what they have learnt during the course, regarding the Romance literature of the Middle Ages, the principles of textual criticism and the tradition of Romance languages' texts written in the Middle Ages and the language of the texts proposed in the course. Students' evaluation will be based on their ability in translating the Old French text of Roman de la Rose, commenting on, and expanding upon the texts and the specific topics covered in the course and their skills in interpreting the formal aspects of the work, in using the secondary literature, several methodological perspectives and Romance Philology's lexicon. Marks are out of 30.
Unita' didattica A
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
I-Z
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
The first lecture of each unit will be held on Microsoft Teams; the following lectures will be registered and uploaded on the Ariel 2.0 website for this course. Each week, meetings of 30 minutes on Microsoft Teams will be held in order to discuss questions from the students; it will be possible to ask questions directly to the teacher, or to send them to the teacher by e-mail or through the Forum section of the Ariel 2.0 website.
Since lectures will be registered and made available online, there will no difference between the reference material for attending and non attending students.
Exams may be held on Microsoft Teams for safety reasons; in this case, all the information will be provided on the Ariel 2.0 website by the teacher.
Since lectures will be registered and made available online, there will no difference between the reference material for attending and non attending students.
Exams may be held on Microsoft Teams for safety reasons; in this case, all the information will be provided on the Ariel 2.0 website by the teacher.
Course syllabus
Part A (20 hours, 3 cfu): The Prose Lancelot: the invention of the prose romance
This unit will discuss the innovations introduced by the Prose Lancelot in narrative structure, the features of cyclic narrative in the Lancelot-Graal and the features of the variant redaction of the text.
Part B (20 hours, 3 cfu): Elements of textual philology; the Prose Lancelot from manuscripts to editions.
This unit will present the methods for the study of the manuscript tradition and for the preparation of the critical edition of Medieval texts in the Romance vernaculars. The problems of editing the Prose Lancelot and the editorial strategies of the existing edition will be discussed.
Part C (20 hours, 3 cfu): Writing the romance languages; Old French grammar
This unit will present aspects of Old French phonology, morphology and syntax with examples from the texts studied in Unit A.
This unit will discuss the innovations introduced by the Prose Lancelot in narrative structure, the features of cyclic narrative in the Lancelot-Graal and the features of the variant redaction of the text.
Part B (20 hours, 3 cfu): Elements of textual philology; the Prose Lancelot from manuscripts to editions.
This unit will present the methods for the study of the manuscript tradition and for the preparation of the critical edition of Medieval texts in the Romance vernaculars. The problems of editing the Prose Lancelot and the editorial strategies of the existing edition will be discussed.
Part C (20 hours, 3 cfu): Writing the romance languages; Old French grammar
This unit will present aspects of Old French phonology, morphology and syntax with examples from the texts studied in Unit A.
Prerequisites for admission
This course is addressed to students who have already attended the introductory Romance Philology course and passed the exam.
Teaching methods
The course consists of 30 lectures of 2 hours each. Lectures rely on e-learning material (images of manuscripts, maps, addresses of online dictionaries and databases) uploaded on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course. A pdf of the Power Point presentation used during the course is made available only at the end of each part. The lectures offer an integrated presentation of all the topics described above, which is not just an explanation of the bibliography; attendance is strongly recommended.
Teaching Resources
Part A:
- An anthology of the texts to be read and translated will be made available on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course, along with the bibliography for Unit A;
- M. L. Meneghetti, Il romanzo nel Medioevo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2011, pp. 17-88, 95-99, 110-111, 117-119; it is highly recommended to read the entire book for a general knowledge of the development of the genre, and to focus on the passages indicated above for the exam.
- C. Lagomarsini, Il Graal e i cavalieri della Tavola Rotonda. Guida ai romanzi francesi in prosa del Duecento, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2020, pp. 11-75; the summaries in the second part of the book (pp. 79-118) should be read to have a general understanding of the story.
Part B:
- A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, seconda edizione corretta e accresciuta, Milano, CUEM, 2006.
Part C:
- Au. Roncaglia, La lingua d'oïl: avviamento allo studio del francese antico, Roma, Accademia, 1971; reprinted Roma, Fabrizio Serra, 2010: it is requested to read carefully the entire book and to study pp. 13-17, 26-55, 58-59, 61-66, 62-79, 83-161, 173-177.
All the documents uploaded on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course are part of the course's bibliography.
Students who are not able to attend the course need to contact the teacher in order to discuss their preparation for the exam and the topics they may find more difficult, but also to test their pronunciation of Medieval texts. They are strongly recommended to get a good set of notes from the students who have attended the course, in order to prepare a philological and linguistic commentary on the texts.
- An anthology of the texts to be read and translated will be made available on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course, along with the bibliography for Unit A;
- M. L. Meneghetti, Il romanzo nel Medioevo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2011, pp. 17-88, 95-99, 110-111, 117-119; it is highly recommended to read the entire book for a general knowledge of the development of the genre, and to focus on the passages indicated above for the exam.
- C. Lagomarsini, Il Graal e i cavalieri della Tavola Rotonda. Guida ai romanzi francesi in prosa del Duecento, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2020, pp. 11-75; the summaries in the second part of the book (pp. 79-118) should be read to have a general understanding of the story.
Part B:
- A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, seconda edizione corretta e accresciuta, Milano, CUEM, 2006.
Part C:
- Au. Roncaglia, La lingua d'oïl: avviamento allo studio del francese antico, Roma, Accademia, 1971; reprinted Roma, Fabrizio Serra, 2010: it is requested to read carefully the entire book and to study pp. 13-17, 26-55, 58-59, 61-66, 62-79, 83-161, 173-177.
All the documents uploaded on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course are part of the course's bibliography.
Students who are not able to attend the course need to contact the teacher in order to discuss their preparation for the exam and the topics they may find more difficult, but also to test their pronunciation of Medieval texts. They are strongly recommended to get a good set of notes from the students who have attended the course, in order to prepare a philological and linguistic commentary on the texts.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The oral exam will be a survey of the topics discussed during the course. It is aimed at assessing a student's knowledge of literary history, textual philology and linguistics. The exam always begins with the translation of one of the passages analysed during the course; it is necessary for any student to be able to provide a sensible translation in order to pass the exam.
Students taking Unit C can choose to submit a short paper consisting of a linguistic analysis of a short passage in Old French, based on the handbook listed above and on the notes from the lectures.
Marks are out of 30.
National and international students or incoming Erasmus are invited to promptly contact the teacher of the course.
The exam mode for SLD students and/or for students with other disabilities will have to be agreed with the teacher in accordance with the Office in charge.
Students taking Unit C can choose to submit a short paper consisting of a linguistic analysis of a short passage in Old French, based on the handbook listed above and on the notes from the lectures.
Marks are out of 30.
National and international students or incoming Erasmus are invited to promptly contact the teacher of the course.
The exam mode for SLD students and/or for students with other disabilities will have to be agreed with the teacher in accordance with the Office in charge.
Unita' didattica A
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)