French Literature 1
A.Y. 2026/2027
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, or Poetry as a Tool for Metaphysical Inquiry.
A: Charles Baudelaire's "Les Fleurs du Mal" and "Le Spleen de Paris": the formulation of a new anthropology and the foundations of Symbolism-Decadentism;
B: Baudelaire's legacy and the masters of Symbolism: the poetry of Stéphane Mallarmé;
C: Baudelaire's legacy and the masters of Symbolism: the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine.
A: Charles Baudelaire's "Les Fleurs du Mal" and "Le Spleen de Paris": the formulation of a new anthropology and the foundations of Symbolism-Decadentism;
B: Baudelaire's legacy and the masters of Symbolism: the poetry of Stéphane Mallarmé;
C: Baudelaire's legacy and the masters of Symbolism: the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine.
Prerequisites for admission
No specific prerequisites are required. The course is taught in Italian to assist students who are complete beginners in French, but all works will be read in their original French versions, and students must prepare and present them in the original for the exam. All students are encouraged to regularly attend the French Language 1 (Lingua francese 1 LT) course and its seminars (esercitazioni) to acquire the language skills necessary to engage with the works and critical texts.
Teaching methods
The course employs the following teaching methods: in-person lectures, reading, translation, and analysis (content-based and formal commentary) of the texts of the course program, viewing and discussion of images and short videos.
Teaching Resources
The following list includes the required reading (all texts not explicitly marked as "recommended") and recommended reading for the three course units, as well as the general critical bibliography. Students must also view all videos and/or other materials listed or uploaded to the MyAriel - Letteratura francese 1 (2026/27) website, which are an integral part of exam preparation.
SYLLABUS FOR REGULAR ATTENDING STUDENTS
Unless otherwise specified, the texts listed in the Bibliography are required reading for the exam.
- 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
- Antoine COMPAGNON, "La littérature, pour quoi faire?", Paris, Fayard, 2007
- M. MODENESI (a cura di), "Letteratura francese. L'Ottocento", Milano, Pearson, 2022
- M. MODENESI, "Il simbolismo francese. I grandi maestri", Milano, Carocci, 2025
- Emilio MANZOTTI, Luciano ZAMPESE, "Il testo poetico. Metodi strumenti, esempi d'analisi linguistica", Firenze, Vallecchi, 2026 (except for Chapter 7, which is for reference only)
- Sergio CIGADA (ed.), "Il simbolismo francese", Varese, SugarCo, 1996, pp.11-133 (recommended)
- Charles BAUDELAIRE, "I Fiori del Male", Milano, UE Feltrinelli, 2008 or any complete edition with the French original text in parallel or in a French-only edition. Texts containing only the Italian translation or other translations are not accepted.
- Ch. BAUDELAIRE, "Lo Spleen di Parigi", Milano, UE Feltrinelli, 2015 or any complete edition with the French original text in parallel or in a French-only edition. Texts containing only the Italian translation or other translations are not accepted.
- Stéphane MALLARMÉ, "Poesie", Milano, UE Feltrinelli, 2017 (recommended)
- Arthur RIMBAUD, "Opere", Venezia, Marsilio, 2019 (recommended)
- Paul VERLAINE, "Poesie", MIlano, BUR Rizzoli, 1986 (recommended)
SYLLABUS FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
Unless otherwise specified, the texts listed in the Bibliography are required reading for the exam.
- Antoine COMPAGNON, "La littérature, pour quoi faire?", Paris, Fayard, 2007
- Marco MODENESI (a cura di), "Letteratura francese. L'Ottocento", Milano, Pearson, 2022
- Sergio CIGADA (a cura di), "Il simbolismo francese", Varese, SugarCo, 1996, pp.11-133
- M. MODENESI, "Il simbolismo francese. I grandi maestri", Milano, Carocci, 2025
- Emilio MANZOTTI, Luciano ZAMPESE, "Il testo poetico. Metodi strumenti, esempi d'analisi linguistica", Firenze, Vallecchi, 2026 (except for Chapter 7, which is for reference only)
- M. 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, UE Feltrinelli, 2008 or any complete edition with the French original text in parallel or in a French-only edition. Texts containing only the Italian translation or other translations are not accepted.
- Ch. BAUDELAIRE, "Lo Spleen di Parigi", Milano, UE Feltrinelli, 2015 or any complete edition with the French original text in parallel or in a French-only edition. Texts containing only the Italian translation or other translations are not accepted.
- Stéphane MALLARMÉ, "Poesie", Milano, UE Feltrinelli, 2017 (recommended)
- Arthur RIMBAUD, "Opere", Venezia, Marsilio, 2019 (recommended)
- Paul VERLAINE, "Poesie", MIlano, BUR Rizzoli, 1986 (recommended)
- Gérard BONNEVILLE, "Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du Mal", Paris, 2019, coll."Profil"
- Pascal DURAND, "Poésies de Stéphane Mallarmé", Paris, Folio, 1998, coll. Foliothèque
- Sophie BOGAERT, "Poésie: Arthur Rimbaud", Paris, Bréal, 2022
- Joël DUBOSCLARD, "Fêtes galantes et autres recueils - Paul Verlaine", Paris, Hatier, 2005, coll. Profil.
SYLLABUS FOR REGULAR ATTENDING STUDENTS
Unless otherwise specified, the texts listed in the Bibliography are required reading for the exam.
- 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
- Antoine COMPAGNON, "La littérature, pour quoi faire?", Paris, Fayard, 2007
- M. MODENESI (a cura di), "Letteratura francese. L'Ottocento", Milano, Pearson, 2022
- M. MODENESI, "Il simbolismo francese. I grandi maestri", Milano, Carocci, 2025
- Emilio MANZOTTI, Luciano ZAMPESE, "Il testo poetico. Metodi strumenti, esempi d'analisi linguistica", Firenze, Vallecchi, 2026 (except for Chapter 7, which is for reference only)
- Sergio CIGADA (ed.), "Il simbolismo francese", Varese, SugarCo, 1996, pp.11-133 (recommended)
- Charles BAUDELAIRE, "I Fiori del Male", Milano, UE Feltrinelli, 2008 or any complete edition with the French original text in parallel or in a French-only edition. Texts containing only the Italian translation or other translations are not accepted.
- Ch. BAUDELAIRE, "Lo Spleen di Parigi", Milano, UE Feltrinelli, 2015 or any complete edition with the French original text in parallel or in a French-only edition. Texts containing only the Italian translation or other translations are not accepted.
- Stéphane MALLARMÉ, "Poesie", Milano, UE Feltrinelli, 2017 (recommended)
- Arthur RIMBAUD, "Opere", Venezia, Marsilio, 2019 (recommended)
- Paul VERLAINE, "Poesie", MIlano, BUR Rizzoli, 1986 (recommended)
SYLLABUS FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
Unless otherwise specified, the texts listed in the Bibliography are required reading for the exam.
- Antoine COMPAGNON, "La littérature, pour quoi faire?", Paris, Fayard, 2007
- Marco MODENESI (a cura di), "Letteratura francese. L'Ottocento", Milano, Pearson, 2022
- Sergio CIGADA (a cura di), "Il simbolismo francese", Varese, SugarCo, 1996, pp.11-133
- M. MODENESI, "Il simbolismo francese. I grandi maestri", Milano, Carocci, 2025
- Emilio MANZOTTI, Luciano ZAMPESE, "Il testo poetico. Metodi strumenti, esempi d'analisi linguistica", Firenze, Vallecchi, 2026 (except for Chapter 7, which is for reference only)
- M. 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, UE Feltrinelli, 2008 or any complete edition with the French original text in parallel or in a French-only edition. Texts containing only the Italian translation or other translations are not accepted.
- Ch. BAUDELAIRE, "Lo Spleen di Parigi", Milano, UE Feltrinelli, 2015 or any complete edition with the French original text in parallel or in a French-only edition. Texts containing only the Italian translation or other translations are not accepted.
- Stéphane MALLARMÉ, "Poesie", Milano, UE Feltrinelli, 2017 (recommended)
- Arthur RIMBAUD, "Opere", Venezia, Marsilio, 2019 (recommended)
- Paul VERLAINE, "Poesie", MIlano, BUR Rizzoli, 1986 (recommended)
- Gérard BONNEVILLE, "Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du Mal", Paris, 2019, coll."Profil"
- Pascal DURAND, "Poésies de Stéphane Mallarmé", Paris, Folio, 1998, coll. Foliothèque
- Sophie BOGAERT, "Poésie: Arthur Rimbaud", Paris, Bréal, 2022
- Joël DUBOSCLARD, "Fêtes galantes et autres recueils - Paul Verlaine", Paris, Hatier, 2005, coll. Profil.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an individual oral examination that begins with the reading, translation, and critical interpretation of a text chosen by the student in accordance with the guidelines provided during the course. The exam continues with questions from the instructor, interaction between the instructor and the student, and analysis and commentary on the selected text as well as other works and authors covered in the syllabus. The duration of the exam may vary, but on average it lasts about twenty minutes and is typically conducted in Italian. The exam may be taken in French at the student's discretion. The exam aims to assess the student's knowledge of the works and critical bibliography on the syllabus, the ability to contextualize authors and works, the quality of the presentation, precision in the use of language and specific terminology, as well as the student's capacity for critical and personal reflection in the literary field and the application of the textual analysis methodologies outlined in the syllabus. The final grade is expressed on a scale of 30, and the student has the right to refuse the evaluation (in which case, "withdrawn"/"ritirato" will be recorded). Exam procedures for students with disabilities and/or specific learning disabilities must be agreed upon with the instructor, by first contacting the relevant University office.
Modules or teaching units
Part A and B
FRAN-01/A - French Literature - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Modenesi Marco
Part C
FRAN-01/A - French Literature - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor:
Modenesi Marco
Professor(s)
Reception:
After classes end, I will meet with students according to the following SCHEDULE: Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, June 3, 2026, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Thursday, June 11, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Friday, June 19, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Addi
Department of Foreing languages,literatures, cultures and mediations; 1, S. Alessandro Square, Milan