Introduction to Contemporary Literature in Italy

The course aims to focus on the specific characteristics of contemporary Italian literature, starting from the Unification of Italy and with special attention to the period from World War II to the present day. A first module, of an institutional nature, will provide some fundamental categories for the formal investigation (rhetorical-linguistic and structural) of literary texts from this period and for identifying their relationships with the historical and cultural context. The other two modules will be dedicated to contextualization and in-depth interpretation of some important texts in contemporary Italian literature.

At the end of the course, the student should demonstrate the ability to master the basic tools of formal analysis and interpretation of texts, defining them theoretically and applying them appropriately and independently to the reading of texts. They should also be able to analyze the texts studied in the two monographic modules, pinpointing their specific formal characteristics and major themes.