French Literature 1
A.Y. 2022/2023
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
Course syllabus
French Symbolism: poetry as a tool for metaphysical research.
The course is structured around three points that will be carried out in as many parts presented in sequence:
1.: Foundations and birth of symbolism-decadentism. Baudelairian anthropology. Reading and analysis of the "Fleurs du Mal"
2.: The poetry of Stéphane Mallarmé
3.: The poetry of Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine.
The publication of the "Fleurs du Mal" (1857) sealed the end of Romanticism and the birth of a new vision of Man, characterized by an existential anguish that spurred him toward a metaphysical quest. Poetry, in this sense, becomes the place and means of this quest. The revolution set by Baudelaire is picked up and continued by the great masters of the first Symbolist-decadent generation: Mallarmé, Rimbaud and Verlaine. Through the integral reading of the "Fleurs du Mal" and exemplary texts from the poetic production of the authors in the program, the course aims to define a fundamental moment in modern French literature, but also to introduce rigorous methods of poetic text analysis.
The course is intended only for students in the Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages and Literatures (students of any other LT are not admitted) and is conducted in Italian. All literary texts, however, will be read and analyzed in the original language (with classroom translation by the lecturer).
The exam is held in Italian Language or French Language, at the candidate's choice.
The course is structured around three points that will be carried out in as many parts presented in sequence:
1.: Foundations and birth of symbolism-decadentism. Baudelairian anthropology. Reading and analysis of the "Fleurs du Mal"
2.: The poetry of Stéphane Mallarmé
3.: The poetry of Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine.
The publication of the "Fleurs du Mal" (1857) sealed the end of Romanticism and the birth of a new vision of Man, characterized by an existential anguish that spurred him toward a metaphysical quest. Poetry, in this sense, becomes the place and means of this quest. The revolution set by Baudelaire is picked up and continued by the great masters of the first Symbolist-decadent generation: Mallarmé, Rimbaud and Verlaine. Through the integral reading of the "Fleurs du Mal" and exemplary texts from the poetic production of the authors in the program, the course aims to define a fundamental moment in modern French literature, but also to introduce rigorous methods of poetic text analysis.
The course is intended only for students in the Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages and Literatures (students of any other LT are not admitted) and is conducted in Italian. All literary texts, however, will be read and analyzed in the original language (with classroom translation by the lecturer).
The exam is held in Italian Language or French Language, at the candidate's choice.
Prerequisites for admission
None. The course is taught in Italian Language but all works will be read in the original French version. Students are, however, required to take the French Language 1 course in parallel with great commitment (especially in the case of beginners) because students must be able to read the texts in the original version.
Teaching methods
The course adopts the following teaching methods: frontal lessons; reading, translation and commentary of passages taken from the textes belonging to the program; viewing and commenting on images and short films.
Teaching Resources
The course has a site on the Ariel online platform for teaching ("French Literature 1"), to which reference is made for further details and other materials uploaded by the lecturer that are an integral part of the program.
Compulsory reading (all works that are not followed by the explicit indication " recommended text ") and recommended reading for the various teaching units and the critical reference bibliography are indicated below. The student should also view all videos indicated as part of the course on the Ariel website.
PROGRAM FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS
General bibliography
- Antoine COMPAGNON, "La littérature, pour quoi faire?", Paris, Fayard, 2007
- Marco MODENESI, "Letteratura francese. L'Ottocento," Milano, Pearson, 2022
- 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.
- Michèle AQUIEN, La versification appliquée aux textes, Paris, Colin, coll.128, 2005.
Part 1
- 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
- Charles BAUDELAIRE, "I Fiori del Male", Milano, Universale Economica Feltrinelli, 2008 or any unabridged edition with facing text or French-only edition. Texts with only Italian (or any other) translation are not allowed.
Part 2
- 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
- Stéphane MALLARMÉ, Poesie (traduzione e commento di Luciana Frezza), Milano, Feltrinelli, 2007 (recommended text)
Part 3
- 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
- Arthur RIMBAUD, Opere, Venezia, Marsilio, 2019 (recommended text)
- Paul VERLAINE, Poesie, Milano, Rizzoli BUR, ed. disp. (recommended text).
PROGRAM FOR NON ATTENDING
Bibliografia generale
- Antoine COMPAGNON, La littérature, pour quoi faire?, Paris, Fayard, 2007
- Marco MODENESI, "Letteratura francese. L'Ottocento", Milano, Pearson, 2022
- 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.
- Michèle AQUIEN, La versification appliquée aux textes, Paris, Colin, coll.128, 2005.
Part 1
- 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
- Charles BAUDELAIRE, I Fiori del Male, Milano, Universale Economica Feltrinelli, 2008 or any unabridged edition with facing text or French-only edition. Texts with only Italian (or any other) translation are not allowed.
- Marie-Gabrielle SLAMA, "Étude sur "Les Fleurs du Mal" de Baudelaire, Paris, Ellipses, 2018
Parte 2
- 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
- Stéphane MALLARMÉ, Poesie (traduzione e commento di Luciana Frezza), Milano, Feltrinelli, 2007 (recommended text)
- Bertrand MARCHAL, "Stéphane Mallarmé", Paris, ADPF-Publications, Formato Kindle, 1998
Parte 3
- 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
- Arthur RIMBAUD, Opere, Venezia, Marsilio, 2019 (recommended text)
- Paul VERLAINE, Poesie, Milano, Rizzoli BUR, ed. disp. (recommended text)
- Jean-Baptiste BARONIAN, "Rimbaud", Paris, Folio, 2009
- Arnaud BERNADET, "Fêtes galantes, Romances sans paroles précédé de Poèmes saturniens de Paul Verlaine", Paris, Folio, 2007
Compulsory reading (all works that are not followed by the explicit indication " recommended text ") and recommended reading for the various teaching units and the critical reference bibliography are indicated below. The student should also view all videos indicated as part of the course on the Ariel website.
PROGRAM FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS
General bibliography
- Antoine COMPAGNON, "La littérature, pour quoi faire?", Paris, Fayard, 2007
- Marco MODENESI, "Letteratura francese. L'Ottocento," Milano, Pearson, 2022
- 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.
- Michèle AQUIEN, La versification appliquée aux textes, Paris, Colin, coll.128, 2005.
Part 1
- 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
- Charles BAUDELAIRE, "I Fiori del Male", Milano, Universale Economica Feltrinelli, 2008 or any unabridged edition with facing text or French-only edition. Texts with only Italian (or any other) translation are not allowed.
Part 2
- 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
- Stéphane MALLARMÉ, Poesie (traduzione e commento di Luciana Frezza), Milano, Feltrinelli, 2007 (recommended text)
Part 3
- 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
- Arthur RIMBAUD, Opere, Venezia, Marsilio, 2019 (recommended text)
- Paul VERLAINE, Poesie, Milano, Rizzoli BUR, ed. disp. (recommended text).
PROGRAM FOR NON ATTENDING
Bibliografia generale
- Antoine COMPAGNON, La littérature, pour quoi faire?, Paris, Fayard, 2007
- Marco MODENESI, "Letteratura francese. L'Ottocento", Milano, Pearson, 2022
- 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.
- Michèle AQUIEN, La versification appliquée aux textes, Paris, Colin, coll.128, 2005.
Part 1
- 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
- Charles BAUDELAIRE, I Fiori del Male, Milano, Universale Economica Feltrinelli, 2008 or any unabridged edition with facing text or French-only edition. Texts with only Italian (or any other) translation are not allowed.
- Marie-Gabrielle SLAMA, "Étude sur "Les Fleurs du Mal" de Baudelaire, Paris, Ellipses, 2018
Parte 2
- 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
- Stéphane MALLARMÉ, Poesie (traduzione e commento di Luciana Frezza), Milano, Feltrinelli, 2007 (recommended text)
- Bertrand MARCHAL, "Stéphane Mallarmé", Paris, ADPF-Publications, Formato Kindle, 1998
Parte 3
- 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
- Arthur RIMBAUD, Opere, Venezia, Marsilio, 2019 (recommended text)
- Paul VERLAINE, Poesie, Milano, Rizzoli BUR, ed. disp. (recommended text)
- Jean-Baptiste BARONIAN, "Rimbaud", Paris, Folio, 2009
- Arnaud BERNADET, "Fêtes galantes, Romances sans paroles précédé de Poèmes saturniens de Paul Verlaine", Paris, Folio, 2007
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of individual questioning beginning with reading, translation and interpretation of a
text chosen by the student. The exam continues with questions from the lecturer, interaction between lecturer and student, and analysis and commentary on the same chosen work and other works on the syllabus. The length of the exam may vary, but it lasts an average of about 20 minutes and is usually taken in Italian. It may be taken in French at the student's free choice. The exam tends to test the student's knowledge of the works and critical bibliography in the program, ability to contextualize authors and works, quality of exposition, accuracy in the use of the language used and specific terminology as well as the student's capacity for critical and personal reflection. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths and the student has the right to refuse the assessment (in such a case, it will be verbalized " withdrawn ").
Examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or with DSA should be agreed with the teacher, in consultation with the appropriate office.
text chosen by the student. The exam continues with questions from the lecturer, interaction between lecturer and student, and analysis and commentary on the same chosen work and other works on the syllabus. The length of the exam may vary, but it lasts an average of about 20 minutes and is usually taken in Italian. It may be taken in French at the student's free choice. The exam tends to test the student's knowledge of the works and critical bibliography in the program, ability to contextualize authors and works, quality of exposition, accuracy in the use of the language used and specific terminology as well as the student's capacity for critical and personal reflection. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths and the student has the right to refuse the assessment (in such a case, it will be verbalized " withdrawn ").
Examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or with DSA should be agreed with the teacher, in consultation with the appropriate office.
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