Scandinavian Literature 2
A.Y. 2021/2022
Learning objectives
This course aims at developing interpretive and analytic skills in the evaluation of a specific thematic strand in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish literary works from the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition, it furnishes an overview of the history of Scandinavian literature in the 20th century, and intends to equip students with the capacity to read and analyze poems, short stories and a small selection of novels.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: students will approach Scandinavian 19th and 20th century literature by focusing on a chosen theme present in works by Danish, Norwegian and Swedish writers, as well as acquire knowledge of the history of 20th century Scandinavian literature, its main authors, currents and oeuvres. Applying knowledge and understanding: students will learn how to examine a chosen theme by working knowledgeably with secondary literature, practice critical reading of texts written in all three Scandinavian languages, understand how to situate authors, movements and works in their context, and examine literary works representative of the Scandinavian 20th century with a critical eye.
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
More detailed information on the modes of teaching in the academic year 2021/22 will be provided in the coming months in line with the development of the public health situation.
Course syllabus
PARODIES, PASTICHES, REVERSALS. This course (9 cfu) focuses on the study of the parody by drawing on central theoretical concerns and by analyzing forms and narrative techniques in a selection of parodic texts. Unit A looks at the genre of travel literature through the lens of parodies mainly from the 19th century. Unit B investigates works from the 20th century imitating genres such as Gothic literature, the coming-of-age novel, autobiography. Unit C offers an insight into the history of Scandinavian literature in the 20th century.
Unit A: H.C. Andersen, A. Strindberg, K. Hamsun
Unit B: K. Blixen, T. Jansson, E. Loe
Unit C: Scandinavian literature in the 20th century, a historical overview
Each unit has a weekly appointment.
This course syllabus is valid until December 2023.
Unit A: H.C. Andersen, A. Strindberg, K. Hamsun
Unit B: K. Blixen, T. Jansson, E. Loe
Unit C: Scandinavian literature in the 20th century, a historical overview
Each unit has a weekly appointment.
This course syllabus is valid until December 2023.
Prerequisites for admission
Students are required to have passed Scandinavian languages 1 and Scandinavian literature 1 to be admitted. Although the teaching is done in Italian and the literary works avaliable in Italian translation, texts written in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish will be used in class. The reading list, which will be discussed during the lessons, includes critical works written both in the Scandinavian languages and in English.
Teaching methods
The teaching methodology combines lectures and class discussions of poetry and prose excerpts selected from the texts on the reading list.
Teaching Resources
General: D. Sangsue, La parodia, Armando editore, 2006.
Unit A:
H.C. Andersen: Fodreise fra Holmens Kanal til Østpynten af Amager i Aarene 1828-29 (1829; Passeggiata nella notte di Capodanno, It. transl. by. A. Cambieri, Lubrina, 1987);
A. Strindberg: Rom på en dag (1885; Roma in un giorno) and Mitt Venedig (1889; La mia Venezia) Swedsih original in Samlade verk 18, Norsteds, 2007, or online: https://litteraturbanken.se/forfattare/StrindbergA/titlar/Kvarstadsresan/sida/172/etext AND
https://litteraturbanken.se/forfattare/StrindbergA/titlar/Kvarstadsresan/sida/296/etext /, It. transl. by B. Berni, Dall'Italia, Biblioteca del Vascello, 1993;
K. Hamsun: I Æventyrland (1903; Terra favolosa, trad. it. di C. Giannini in K. Hamsun, I capolavori, Casini, 1953).
Saggi critici: H. van der Liet: On Your Feet! H. C. Andersen's Maiden Trip into Literary Space, in Aktualitet - Litteratur, Kultur Og Medier 13 (2). https://tidsskrift.dk/aktualitet/article/view/114472;
C. Storskog: Resa, snabbt och långsamt. August Strindberg och parodins praktik, Strindbergiana 34, 2019, pp. 38-56;
E. Oxfeldt, The Ironic Traveler: Danger and Identity in Knut Hamsun's Oriental Travelogues, in Journeys from Scandinavia, University of Minnesota Press, 2010, pp. 58-77.
Unit B:
K. Blixen: Gengældelsens Veje (1944; I vendicatori angelici) any unabridged edition in Danish or Italian;
T. Jansson: Muminpappans memoarer (1968; Le memorie di papà Mumin, It. transl. by A. Palme Larussa Sanavio, Salani, 2007;
E. Loe: Naiv. Super (1996; Naif. Super, It. transl. by G. Paterniti, Iperborea, 2002).
Saggi critici:
K. Kastbjerg: "Dressed up in the body of an old woman": Gothic Conventions in Ingemann, Andersen, Blixen and Høeg, Scandinavian-Canadian Studies Journal / Études scandinaves au Canada 18, 2007-2009, pp. 24-42;
B. Westin: Det parodiska. Muminpappans bravader, in Familjen i dalen. Tove Janssons muminvärld, Bonniers, 1988, pp. 191-217;
E. Tjønneland; Naiviteten i Erlend Loes Naiv. Super: regresjon eller estetisk utopi?, Edda 1, 2001, pp. 85-94.
Unit C: AA.VV.: Storia delle letterature scandinave, Milano, Iperborea, 2019, the following pages: 385-404, 408-417, 422-489, 533-552, 558-564, 572-574 (T. Tranströmer), 594-598, 621-685; an anthology of poems and prose available for download in Ariel. Two of the following three reads: P. Lagerkvist, Il nano, Iperborea, 1991 [1944]; K. Blixen, Il pranzo di Babette, preferably in the trilingual edition Einaudi, 1997 [1950]; T. Vesaas, Gli uccelli, Iperborea, 1990 [1957].
Second year students may choose between reading the literary works in the original language or in Italian as long as the editions are unabridged. If present, the critical apparatus (introductions, forewords, afterwords, notes) is to be considered part of the reading.
Unit A:
H.C. Andersen: Fodreise fra Holmens Kanal til Østpynten af Amager i Aarene 1828-29 (1829; Passeggiata nella notte di Capodanno, It. transl. by. A. Cambieri, Lubrina, 1987);
A. Strindberg: Rom på en dag (1885; Roma in un giorno) and Mitt Venedig (1889; La mia Venezia) Swedsih original in Samlade verk 18, Norsteds, 2007, or online: https://litteraturbanken.se/forfattare/StrindbergA/titlar/Kvarstadsresan/sida/172/etext AND
https://litteraturbanken.se/forfattare/StrindbergA/titlar/Kvarstadsresan/sida/296/etext /, It. transl. by B. Berni, Dall'Italia, Biblioteca del Vascello, 1993;
K. Hamsun: I Æventyrland (1903; Terra favolosa, trad. it. di C. Giannini in K. Hamsun, I capolavori, Casini, 1953).
Saggi critici: H. van der Liet: On Your Feet! H. C. Andersen's Maiden Trip into Literary Space, in Aktualitet - Litteratur, Kultur Og Medier 13 (2). https://tidsskrift.dk/aktualitet/article/view/114472;
C. Storskog: Resa, snabbt och långsamt. August Strindberg och parodins praktik, Strindbergiana 34, 2019, pp. 38-56;
E. Oxfeldt, The Ironic Traveler: Danger and Identity in Knut Hamsun's Oriental Travelogues, in Journeys from Scandinavia, University of Minnesota Press, 2010, pp. 58-77.
Unit B:
K. Blixen: Gengældelsens Veje (1944; I vendicatori angelici) any unabridged edition in Danish or Italian;
T. Jansson: Muminpappans memoarer (1968; Le memorie di papà Mumin, It. transl. by A. Palme Larussa Sanavio, Salani, 2007;
E. Loe: Naiv. Super (1996; Naif. Super, It. transl. by G. Paterniti, Iperborea, 2002).
Saggi critici:
K. Kastbjerg: "Dressed up in the body of an old woman": Gothic Conventions in Ingemann, Andersen, Blixen and Høeg, Scandinavian-Canadian Studies Journal / Études scandinaves au Canada 18, 2007-2009, pp. 24-42;
B. Westin: Det parodiska. Muminpappans bravader, in Familjen i dalen. Tove Janssons muminvärld, Bonniers, 1988, pp. 191-217;
E. Tjønneland; Naiviteten i Erlend Loes Naiv. Super: regresjon eller estetisk utopi?, Edda 1, 2001, pp. 85-94.
Unit C: AA.VV.: Storia delle letterature scandinave, Milano, Iperborea, 2019, the following pages: 385-404, 408-417, 422-489, 533-552, 558-564, 572-574 (T. Tranströmer), 594-598, 621-685; an anthology of poems and prose available for download in Ariel. Two of the following three reads: P. Lagerkvist, Il nano, Iperborea, 1991 [1944]; K. Blixen, Il pranzo di Babette, preferably in the trilingual edition Einaudi, 1997 [1950]; T. Vesaas, Gli uccelli, Iperborea, 1990 [1957].
Second year students may choose between reading the literary works in the original language or in Italian as long as the editions are unabridged. If present, the critical apparatus (introductions, forewords, afterwords, notes) is to be considered part of the reading.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Students will be assessed through an oral examination conducted by the instructor. Students are expected to be able to to answer questions concerning topics discussed in class; to provide analyses and comments to passages from texts on the reading list; to demonstrate the capacity to contextualize the literary works and analyze structural elements also with the help of the methodological tools provided in the theoretical texts present in the course syllabus.
Second year students can choose whether to take the exam in Italian or in Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish. Grades are on a scale of 30, with a minimum of 18 (pass) and a maximum of 30+lode. Students have the right to reject the mark.
International and Erasmus students are requested to contact the instructor upon arrival if they intend to take this course.
Le modalità d'esame per studenti con disabilità e/o con DSA dovranno essere concordate col docente, in accordo con l'Ufficio competente.
Second year students can choose whether to take the exam in Italian or in Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish. Grades are on a scale of 30, with a minimum of 18 (pass) and a maximum of 30+lode. Students have the right to reject the mark.
International and Erasmus students are requested to contact the instructor upon arrival if they intend to take this course.
Le modalità d'esame per studenti con disabilità e/o con DSA dovranno essere concordate col docente, in accordo con l'Ufficio competente.
Unita' didattica A
L-LIN/15 - NORDIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-LIN/15 - NORDIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-LIN/15 - NORDIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)