Italian Modern and Contemporary Literature

A.Y. 2023/2024
9
Max ECTS
60
Overall hours
SSD
L-FIL-LET/11
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide an advanced overview of the modern literary system in Italy, in its historical development to the present day, according to different perspectives. One perspective is critical and methodological: it aims to strengthen the comprehension of the functional relationships among the main actors of literary communication (authors, readers, publishers, critics). The other perspectives focus on specific literary periods, training students to the critical analysis of the authors' choices of genre and style.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge: 1) Essential account of the raise and development of the modern bourgeois literary system: cultural trends, movements and conceptions of literature; genres and styles; analytical knowledge of significant works of Italian literary tradition from Unity to the present day. 2) Main issues related to the modern dynamics of literary experience: modes and forms of literary reading; the narrative pact; functions of publishing mediation.

Skills: 1) Ability to examine the reading list recognizing the authorship and audience features: reading pacts, role of paratexts, discursive regime, space-time narrative coordinates. 2) Ability to delineate the genre system and its main transformations; ability to place the individual works correctly; ability to describe and interpret the paratextual sections. 3) Ability to analyse the works comparing different critical interpretations, and to build up a streamlined bibliography.
Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Course syllabus and organization

A-H

Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Students taking the exam for 6 ECTS must study parts A and B
- Teaching part A (3 ECTS) is meant to highlight dynamics and phases of the modern literary system, focusing on authors, intellectuals, horizon of expectation-related changes and the functional relationships between the main actors of literary communication (authors, readers, publishers, critics).

Teaching part B: The tradition of the novel in Italy (3 ECTS)
- Development of the novel in Italy from the beginning of the 18th century to the end of the 20th century.

Teaching part C: Le meraviglie d'Italia (3 ECTS)
Odeporics from XVIII century and its development. Reading of Il viaggiatore meravigliato. Italiani a spasso per l'Italia (1700-2000) and at choice between these two books: P. Monelli, Il ghiottone errante or G. Piovene, Viaggio in Italia.

In addition to the lessons, the didactic part B offers the opportunity of an optional Critical Writing Workshop, consisting in further seven lessons held by a teacher assistant. For students who decide to take the workshop, attendance is mandatory. The maximum number of participants is 35: enrolment will be possible within the first three lessons of the course.
During the workshop, students will be guided to the composition and discussion of a critical essay of 4/5 pages, about a twentieth-century Italian narrative text agreed with the teacher assistant. The evaluation of the paper will contribute to the final assessment of the exam. For students who will attend the Critical Writing workshop, the exam interview will focus on only Il viaggiatore meravigliato. Italiani a spasso per l'Italia (12700-2000).
The positive evaluation of the workshop short essay favours the possibility of writing the Bachelor final paper in the discipline.
Prerequisites for admission
The students must have passed the exam in Italian contemporary literature.
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons with use of telematic tools, slides, audio-visual contents.
Dialogic teaching moments; explanation of the learning assessment methods and evaluation criteria.
If are difficult to find, the teaching materials will be available on ARIEL.
Attendance is optional, but strongly recommended.
Teaching Resources
Course syllabus for attending students
Teaching part A
M. Bachtin, Epos e romanzo, in Estetica e romanzo, a c. di C. Strada Janovic, Torino, Einaudi, 1979, pp. 445-482
G. Rosa, Il patto narrativo e Ai margini del sistema, in Il patto narrativo. La fondazione della civiltà romanzesca in Italia, Milano, il Saggiatore, FAAM, 2008, pp. 9-92
L. Clerici, Introduzione, in Scrittori italiani di viaggio 1861-2000, a cura di L. Clerici, Milano, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore ("Meridiani"), 2013, pp. IXC-XII

Teaching part B
Students must read one work among the following with critical essays:
C. Levi, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli, Torino, Einaudi, 2021 - V. Spinazzola, Carlo Levi, l'"esperienza intera", in V. Spinazzola, L'egemonia del romanzo, Milano, il Saggiatore - Fondazione Arnoldo e Alberto Mondadori, 2007, pp. 69-98 - F. Vitelli, Filologia per il "Cristo" di Levi, in F. Vitelli, Il Granchio e l'Aragosta. Studi ai confini della letteratura, Lecce, PensaMultimedia, 2003, pp. 121-156

Teaching part C
Il viaggiatore meravigliato, a cura di L. Clerici, Milano, Luni Editrice, 2023
Students must read one work among the following with critical essays:
P. Monelli, Il ghiottone errante. Viaggio gastronomi¬co attraverso l'Italia, Bra [Cn], Slow Food, 2016 - C. Petrini, Prefazione e L. Palesi Note biografiche, in P. Monelli, Il ghiottone errante. Viaggio gastronomico attraverso l'Italia, Bra [Cn], Slow Food Editore, 2016, pp. 7-20; A. Salarelli, Il viaggio gastronomico di Paolo Monelli, in "Ricer¬che di S/Confine", vol. IV, n. 1, 2013, pp. 24-42 - online: Il viaggio gastronomico di Paolo Monelli (unipr.it)
G. Piovene, Viaggio in Italia, Milano, Bompiani, 2019 (lettura del capitolo Roma e di quattro regioni a scelta) - I. Crotti, Piovene viaggiatore della scrittura: "Viaggio in Italia", in Guido Piovene tra idoli e ragione, Venezia, Marsilio, 1996, pp. 269-287; F. De Nicola, Il "Viaggio in Italia" di Guido Piovene: l'Italia negli anni Cinquanta, in Da "Ulysses" a "2001: Odissea nello spazio". Il viaggio come motivo artistico nel XX secolo, Atti del Convegno Internazionale (Imperia, 11-13 ottobre 2001), a cura di G. Revelli, Pisa, Edizioni ETS, 2002, p. 229-242

Course syllabus for non attending students
Teaching part A
V. Spinazzola, L'egemonia del romanzo, in L'egemonia del romanzo, Milano, il Saggiatore, 2007, pp. 7-69
Teaching part B
B. Falcetto, Neorealismo e scrittura documentaria, in Letteratura e Resistenza, a c. di A. Bianchini e F. Lolli, Bologna, CLUEB, 1997, pp. 43-58; G. Falaschi, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli, in Letteratura Italiana, Le Opere, dir. A. Asor Rosa, vol. IV, Il Novecento, tomo II, La ricerca letteraria, Torino, Einaudi, 1996, pp. 469-490
Teaching part C:
Il viaggiatore meravigliato, a cura di L. Clerici, Milano, Luni Editrice, 2023 (Introduzione, pp. 9-33 and Novecento, pp. 301-538)
For students who have chosen Monelli:
L. Clerici, L'Italia a tavola nei resoconti di viaggio, in Guadagnarsi il pane. Scrittori italiani e civiltà della tavola, Milano, Luni Editrice, 2021, pp. 175-220
For students who have chosen Piovene:
C. Martignoni, I cinquant'anni del "Viaggio in Italia" di Guido Piovene, in "La modernità letteraria", anno 2008, n. 1, pp. 175-187
Assessment methods and Criteria
The overall evaluation consists of an oral exam on the issues and the texts included in the syllabus.
Students are expected to understand and explain correctly the issues addressed, and to properly analyse the relevant literary texts.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Also students with disabilities (SLD) should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
The evaluation is expressed in 30 out of 30.
Unita' didattica A
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours

I-Z

Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Students who plan to take this exam for 6 cfu are required to study the Third part and to choose one between the First part or the Second part.

First part: The modern literary system
This part is meant to highlight dynamics and phases of the modern literary system, focusing on authors, intellectuals, horizon of expectation-related changes and the functional relationships between the main actors of literary communication (authors, readers, publishers, critics).

Second part: Written Neorealisms
A history of the development of various forms of realistic fiction from the end of the Twenties to the mid-Fifties.

Third part: Nature and City. Italo Calvino 1952-1963
In depth analysis of "La formica argentina", "La nuvola di smog", "La giornata d'uno scrutatore": genre features, voicing patterns, characters system, space and time structures, rhetorical and stylistic devices, macro-textual stuctures.

Critical Writing Workshop
In addition to the lessons, the didactic unit B offers the opportunity of an optional Critical Writing Workshop, consisting in further six lessons held by a teacher assistant. For students who decide to take the workshop, attendance is mandatory. The maximum number of participants is 35: enrolment will be possible within the first three lessons of the course.
During the workshop, students will be guided to the composition and discussion of a critical essay of 4/5 pages, about a twentieth-century Italian narrative text agreed with the teacher assistant. The evaluation of the paper will contribute to the final assessment of the exam. For students who will attend the Critical Writing workshop, the exam interview on Second part of the course will focus the exam interview will focus on only essays of Auerbach, Debenedetti and Falcetto. The positive evaluation of the workshop short essay favours the possibility of writing the Bachelor final paper in the discipline.
Prerequisites for admission
Students must have passed the exam in Italian contemporary literature.
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons with use of telematic tools, slides, audio-visual contents.
Dialogic teaching moments; explanation of the learning assessment methods and evaluation criteria.
Attendance is optional, but strongly recommended.
Teaching Resources
First part
- F. Brioschi, La letteratura e il suo doppio, in id., Critica della ragion poetica, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 2002, pp. 20-78
- M. Bachtin, Epos e romanzo, in Id., Estetica e romanzo, Torino, Einaudi, 2001, pp. 445-483
- G. Rosa, Il patto narrativo e Ai margini del sistema, in Il patto narrativo. La fondazione della civiltà romanzesca in Italia, Milano, il Saggiatore, FAAM, 2008, pp. 9-92

Second part
- V. Spinazzola, Il realismo dei lettori, in La democrazia letteraria. Saggi sul rapporto fra scrittore e lettori, Milano, Edizioni di Comunità, pp. 111-137
- B. Falcetto, Neorealismi scritti, in Neorealismo. La nuova immagine in Italia 1932-1960, a cura di Enrica Viganò, Milano, Admira, 2006, pp. 41-51
- E. Auerbach, Il calzerotto marrone, in Mimesis. Il realismo nella letteratura occidentale, Einaudi, pp. 305-338, e G. Debenedetti, Personaggi e destino, in G. Debenedetti, Saggi, progetto editoriale e saggio introduttivo di A. Berardinelli, Milano, I Meridiani Mondadori, 1999, pp. 900-921
----- Students are required to choose and study one of the following novels and relevant critical essay:
A. Moravia, Gli indifferenti, Milano, Bompiani, Tascabili (M. Mascia Galateria, Come leggere gli "Indifferenti" di Alberto Moravia, Milano, Mursia, 1975)
C. Alvaro, Gente in Aspromonte (G. Rando, Alvaro fra mito e "modernità". L'elaborazione di "Gente in Aspromonte", in La bussola del realismo. Verga, Alvaro, Moravia, Roma, Bulzoni, 1992, pp. 165202)
I. Silone, Fontamara, Milano, Mondadori Oscar (G. Baldi, "Fontamara": ottica dal basso, straniamento e comico antifrastico, in Id. Eroi intellettuali e classi popolari nella letteratura italiana del Novecento, Napoli, Liguori, 2005, pp. 255-276)
C. Bernari, Tre operai, Milano, Mondadori Oscar (F. Bernardini Napolitano, Introduzione, in Tre operai, op. cit., pp. V-XLII)
G. Piovene, Lettere di una novizia, Milano, Bompiani Tascabili (G. Barberi Squarotti, L'intrico delle finzioni: "Lettere di una novizia", in Guido Piovene tra idoli e ragione, a c. di S. Strazzabosco, Venezia, Marsilio, 1996, pp. 23-42)
V. Brancati, Don Giovanni in Sicilia, Bompiani (F. Spera, Le storie di malumore, in Vitaliano Brancati, Milano, Mursia, 1981, pp. 91-109)
E. Lussu, Un anno sull'altipiano, Torino, Einaudi (G. Falaschi, "Un anno sull'altipiano" di E. L., in Letteratura italiana. Le Opere, dir. A. Asor Rosa, vol. IV, Il Novecento, to. II, Torino, Einaudi, 1996, pp. 167-199)
E. Vittorini, Uomini e no, Milano, Mondadori Oscar (V. Spinazzola, "Uomini e no" ovvero amore e resistenza, in La modernità letteraria, Milano, il Saggiatore - FAAM, 2001, pp. 293-312)
I. Calvino, Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno, Mondadori Oscar (C. Milanini, Esistenzialismo e neorealismo: "Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno", in L'utopia discontinua. Saggio su Italo Calvino, Milano, Garzanti, 1990, pp. 13-37)
B. Fenoglio, La malora, Torino, Einaudi, 2006 (N. Palmieri, Avventure di un narratore. "La malora", in Beppe Fenoglio. La scrittura e il corpo, Firenze, Le Lettere, 2012, pp. 45-70).
V. Pratolini, Metello, Mondadori Oscar (B. Falcetto, Gli spazi di Metello, in Studi sulla letteratura italiana della modernità. Per Angelo Pupino, vol. 2, Dal secondo Novecento ai giorni nostri, a c. di Elena Candela, Liguori, Napoli 2009, pp. 185-195)

Third part
Primary literature: I. Calvino, La formica argentina, La nuvola di smog, La giornata d'uno scrutatore, Mondadori, Milano
Secondary Literature: C. Milanini, Il realismo speculativo: La speculazione edilizia, La nuvola di smog, La giornata d'uno scrutatore, in L'utopia discontinua. Saggi su Italo Calvino (nuova edizione rivista e accresciuta), Carocci, Roma 2022, pp. 75-88; N. Scaffai, Ecologia e modernità nel Novecento letterario italiano, in Letteratura e ecologia. Forme e temi di una relazione narrativa, Carocci, Roma 2017, pp. 167-21; F. Serra, La formica argentina, in Calvino, Salerno, Roma 2006, pp. 127-132.

NON ATTENDING STUDENTS are required to prepare additional readings:
First part
- U. Schulz-Buschhaus, Il sistema letterario nella civiltà borghese (capp. I-III), Milano, Unicopli, 1999
Second part
- B. Falcetto, Forme della narrativa d'invenzione, in Storia della narrativa neorealista, Milano, Mursia, 1992
Third part
- M. Barenghi, Calvino, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009, pp. 7-87.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The overall evaluation consists of an oral exam on the issues and the texts included in the syllabus.
Students are expected to understand and explain correctly the issues addressed, and to properly analyse the relevant literary texts.
The vote is expressed in 30/30 (18/30-30/30 cum laude).
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Also students with disabilities should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
Unita' didattica A
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-FIL-LET/11 - CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours