American Literature 1
A.Y. 2022/2023
Learning objectives
The course is a first formative step in the curriculum specializing in American Literature, which is organized by literary genres. The first year will be a survey of US poetic production and is addressed to 1st-year students. The course will provide the historical and cultural contextualization for the literary period considered - which extends from the colonial Puritan origins to Modernism - focusing on the genre of poetry. It will offer the tools necessary for a critical analysis of the poetic text, both in its contents and aesthetic forms. The course is divided into three didactic units, which will treat three specific literary periods: "The Puritans," "The Romantics," and "The Modernists."
Expected learning outcomes
Required knowledge: at the end of the course, students should be able to situate the primary texts included in the reading list in their historical, cultural and literary context. They should also be able to contextualize each author within the or literary period to which they belong. They should demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of all the literary works included in the reading list. Required linguistic skills: at the end of the course, students should demonstrate the ability to read the original versions of the literary works included in the reading list, and to translate them into Italian (or to paraphrase them in English, in the case of international students). Required literary skills: at the end of the course, students should be able to perform a critical and formal text analysis of the literary works included in the reading list, and an ability to make connections between the various authors and works they have been studying.
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
Single session
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course is titled American Poetry and consists of the following parts:
A: The Puritans
B: The Romantics
C: The Moderns
Students from Lingue must attend the whole course, which provides 9 credits. Therefore, they are required to complete the whole course syllabus.
The course is an introduction to US poetry, which follows its development through the main phases of its production, from colonial, Puritan New England through the literary flourishing of the American Renaissance, to the inventive fervor of the Modernist era.
The course syllabus is valid until September 2024.
A: The Puritans
B: The Romantics
C: The Moderns
Students from Lingue must attend the whole course, which provides 9 credits. Therefore, they are required to complete the whole course syllabus.
The course is an introduction to US poetry, which follows its development through the main phases of its production, from colonial, Puritan New England through the literary flourishing of the American Renaissance, to the inventive fervor of the Modernist era.
The course syllabus is valid until September 2024.
Prerequisites for admission
Students from Lingue must have taken and passed the English language test administered by the degree course.
The course is completely delivered in English. Lectures, materials and bibliography require a sound knowledge of the English language.
International students and Erasmus students are welcome as long as they own the required linguistic skills.
The course is completely delivered in English. Lectures, materials and bibliography require a sound knowledge of the English language.
International students and Erasmus students are welcome as long as they own the required linguistic skills.
Teaching methods
The course is mainly delivered as lectures, a large part of which will consist of the reading, analysis and interpretation of the poems listed in the syllabus.
Teaching Resources
Handbook
· Mary Oliver, A Poetry Handbook: A Prose Guide to Understanding and Writing Poetry, Harcourt, 1994
Part A
· from The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 9th edition (Vol. A):
BEGINNINGS TO 1820, Introduction, pp. 3-17
Anne Bradstreet, p. 217
Anne Bradstreet, "To My Dear and Loving Husband", p. 237; "In Memory of my Dear Grandchild Elizabeth Bradstreet", p. 241; "For Deliverance from a Fever", p. 243
Edward Taylor, p. 301
Edward Taylor, "Huswifery", p. 308
· Luca Briasco, "Introduzione storica", La letteratura americana dell'età coloniale, a cura di Paola Cabibbo, Roma, NIS, 1993, pp. 15-25 (Dispensa Letteratura angloamericana 1, su ARIEL)
· Alan Simpson, Puritanism in Old and New England, Chicago and London, The University of Chicago Press, 1955, cap.1 (Dispensa Letteratura angloamericana 1, su ARIEL)
Part B
· from The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 9th edition (Vol. B):
AMERICAN LITERATURE 1820-1865, Introduction, pp. 3-21
Ralph Waldo Emerson, p. 178
Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Poetry" (ch. 3) and "Language" (ch. 4), Nature, pp. 186-194
Edgar Allan Poe, p. 604
Edgar Allan Poe, "The Raven", p. 612; Edgar Allan Poe, "The Philosophy of Composition", pp. 701-709
Walt Whitman, p. 1294
Walt Whitman, from Song of Myself, sections 1, 2, 5-8, 10, 11, 13, 15-17, 21, 24, 33 (lines 838-870), 38, 48-52, pp. 1312-56
Emily Dickinson, p. 1654
Emily Dickinson, the poems included in the PPT slides
· Cristina Iuli, Paola Loreto, La Letteratura degli Stati Uniti dal Rinascimento americano ai nostri giorni, Carocci, 2017 (cap. 2)
· Paola Loreto, La contemplazione dell'emblema: la poesia eretica di Emily Dickinson, Milano, Unicopli, 1999
Part C
· from The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 9th edition (Vol. D):
AMERICAN LITERATURE BETWEEN THE WARS, Introduction, pp. 3-21
Gertrude Stein, p. 184
Gertrude Stein, from The Making of Americans: Introduction, pp. 187-190; from Tender Buttons, "A Box", p. 191; from "Patriarchal Poetry" (on ARIEL)
Robert Frost, p. 218
Robert Frost, "Home Burial," p. 225; "Stopping by Woods", p. 233; "Spring Pools" (on ARIEL)
William Carlos Williams, p. 281
William Carlos Williams, "The Red Wheelbarrow", p. 288; "The Young Housewife", p. 283; "A Sort of a Song", p. 290; "This is Just to Say", p. 289; "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus", p. 292
Ezra Pound, "In a Station of the Metro", p. 297
· Cristina Iuli, Paola Loreto, La Letteratura degli Stati Uniti dal Rinascimento americano ai nostri giorni, Carocci, 2017 (cap. 7)
NB: The students who specialize in American Literature and have enrolled for a 3-year curriculum in American Literature are required to read, during the summer, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Norton Anthology), and The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Fitzgerald in order to prepare for their treatment in class during their second year.
Notice for non-attending students
The course syllabus is the same for attending and non-attending students. However, non-attending students are strongly encouraged to facilitate their study by reading the relevant materials included in the Dispensa in the Materiali folder on Ariel.
· Mary Oliver, A Poetry Handbook: A Prose Guide to Understanding and Writing Poetry, Harcourt, 1994
Part A
· from The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 9th edition (Vol. A):
BEGINNINGS TO 1820, Introduction, pp. 3-17
Anne Bradstreet, p. 217
Anne Bradstreet, "To My Dear and Loving Husband", p. 237; "In Memory of my Dear Grandchild Elizabeth Bradstreet", p. 241; "For Deliverance from a Fever", p. 243
Edward Taylor, p. 301
Edward Taylor, "Huswifery", p. 308
· Luca Briasco, "Introduzione storica", La letteratura americana dell'età coloniale, a cura di Paola Cabibbo, Roma, NIS, 1993, pp. 15-25 (Dispensa Letteratura angloamericana 1, su ARIEL)
· Alan Simpson, Puritanism in Old and New England, Chicago and London, The University of Chicago Press, 1955, cap.1 (Dispensa Letteratura angloamericana 1, su ARIEL)
Part B
· from The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 9th edition (Vol. B):
AMERICAN LITERATURE 1820-1865, Introduction, pp. 3-21
Ralph Waldo Emerson, p. 178
Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Poetry" (ch. 3) and "Language" (ch. 4), Nature, pp. 186-194
Edgar Allan Poe, p. 604
Edgar Allan Poe, "The Raven", p. 612; Edgar Allan Poe, "The Philosophy of Composition", pp. 701-709
Walt Whitman, p. 1294
Walt Whitman, from Song of Myself, sections 1, 2, 5-8, 10, 11, 13, 15-17, 21, 24, 33 (lines 838-870), 38, 48-52, pp. 1312-56
Emily Dickinson, p. 1654
Emily Dickinson, the poems included in the PPT slides
· Cristina Iuli, Paola Loreto, La Letteratura degli Stati Uniti dal Rinascimento americano ai nostri giorni, Carocci, 2017 (cap. 2)
· Paola Loreto, La contemplazione dell'emblema: la poesia eretica di Emily Dickinson, Milano, Unicopli, 1999
Part C
· from The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 9th edition (Vol. D):
AMERICAN LITERATURE BETWEEN THE WARS, Introduction, pp. 3-21
Gertrude Stein, p. 184
Gertrude Stein, from The Making of Americans: Introduction, pp. 187-190; from Tender Buttons, "A Box", p. 191; from "Patriarchal Poetry" (on ARIEL)
Robert Frost, p. 218
Robert Frost, "Home Burial," p. 225; "Stopping by Woods", p. 233; "Spring Pools" (on ARIEL)
William Carlos Williams, p. 281
William Carlos Williams, "The Red Wheelbarrow", p. 288; "The Young Housewife", p. 283; "A Sort of a Song", p. 290; "This is Just to Say", p. 289; "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus", p. 292
Ezra Pound, "In a Station of the Metro", p. 297
· Cristina Iuli, Paola Loreto, La Letteratura degli Stati Uniti dal Rinascimento americano ai nostri giorni, Carocci, 2017 (cap. 7)
NB: The students who specialize in American Literature and have enrolled for a 3-year curriculum in American Literature are required to read, during the summer, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Norton Anthology), and The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Fitzgerald in order to prepare for their treatment in class during their second year.
Notice for non-attending students
The course syllabus is the same for attending and non-attending students. However, non-attending students are strongly encouraged to facilitate their study by reading the relevant materials included in the Dispensa in the Materiali folder on Ariel.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral: the exam is an interview, during which students will demonstrate their capacity to read and translate the literary texts listed in the course syllabus (non-Italian students will be asked to paraphrase the same in English); their knowledge of the historical, cultural, and literary context of both the texts and writers proposed; their knowledge of the literary works proposed; their critical abilities (i.e., their capacity to analyze the literary works, and to connect different authors, texts and literary trends).
Students from Lingue are encouraged to take their exam in English, but can choose between the English or the Italian language. They should be aware that the quality of their exposition will be part of the exam assessment.
The final score is expressed in thirtieths, 18/30 being the pass score. Students may accept or reject the result (in which case the record will be "ritirato," and they will have to take the whole exam again in a future session).
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher. Also students with any disabilities should contact the teacher in order to agree on alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent office.
It is mandatory to bring along an academic edition of all the literary texts listed in the syllabus.
Students from Lingue are encouraged to take their exam in English, but can choose between the English or the Italian language. They should be aware that the quality of their exposition will be part of the exam assessment.
The final score is expressed in thirtieths, 18/30 being the pass score. Students may accept or reject the result (in which case the record will be "ritirato," and they will have to take the whole exam again in a future session).
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher. Also students with any disabilities should contact the teacher in order to agree on alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent office.
It is mandatory to bring along an academic edition of all the literary texts listed in the syllabus.
L-LIN/11 - ANGLO - AMERICAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Binasco Camilla