Italian Contemporary Literature
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide a first overview of contemporary Italian literature, according to three perspectives. The first one is critical and methodological: it is designed to ensure the knowledge of the contemporary literary institutions. The second one is historical: it offers an overview of the changing relationships between writers and readers during the Twentieth century. The third one provides a training in close reading of a selection of literary works and exemplary authors.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge: 1) Essential historical overview of Italian literature from Unity to the present day (major works and authors, main genres and trends, time frames). 2) Understanding roles and functions of the literary system: author, audience, critical and publishing mediation. 3) Textual analysis techniques (narrative structures; stylistic, rhetorical and metric devices); awareness of the multiple research perspectives on literary works. 4) Criteria for bibliographical tagging.
Skills: 1) Ability to identify main textual features (structural, thematic, stylistic) and to interpret them. Ability to describe textual choices as a result of the author-readers interaction. 2) Ability of setting appropriate chronological sequences and to correctly attribute individual works to a genre. Ability to illustrate the essential data of a historical framework. 3) Ability to sort through literary functional relationships that define the modern literary system and shape the texts. Ability to use bibliographical references for close reading. Ability to handle a basic critical glossary 4) Ability to connect the reading list to its bibliographical reference; ability to identify bibliographical data in order to describe, interpret and evaluate texts and their reliability.
Skills: 1) Ability to identify main textual features (structural, thematic, stylistic) and to interpret them. Ability to describe textual choices as a result of the author-readers interaction. 2) Ability of setting appropriate chronological sequences and to correctly attribute individual works to a genre. Ability to illustrate the essential data of a historical framework. 3) Ability to sort through literary functional relationships that define the modern literary system and shape the texts. Ability to use bibliographical references for close reading. Ability to handle a basic critical glossary 4) Ability to connect the reading list to its bibliographical reference; ability to identify bibliographical data in order to describe, interpret and evaluate texts and their reliability.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
blended learning
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
This course explores the structure and evolution of the Italian literary system from the 19th to the 20th century, with a focus on key authors, genres, and publishing dynamics. Students will develop analytical tools for interpreting narrative and poetic texts and gain familiarity with bibliographic identification methods. The course also includes in-depth readings of two contemporary family novels.
Part A - Literary System and Textual Analysis (3 ECTS)
Specific features of the 19th-20th century literary system
Relationships between authors, readers, and publishers
Genre dynamics and literary hierarchies
Tools for analyzing narrative and poetic texts
Bibliographic identification criteria
Part B - 20th-Century Italian Literature (3 ECTS)
Key figures and moments in 20th-century literary history
Developmental trends in 20th-century Italian literature through the analysis of selected texts
Part C - Close reading (3 ECTS)
S. Aleramo, "Una donna"
A. de Céspedes, "Quaderno proibito"
Part A - Literary System and Textual Analysis (3 ECTS)
Specific features of the 19th-20th century literary system
Relationships between authors, readers, and publishers
Genre dynamics and literary hierarchies
Tools for analyzing narrative and poetic texts
Bibliographic identification criteria
Part B - 20th-Century Italian Literature (3 ECTS)
Key figures and moments in 20th-century literary history
Developmental trends in 20th-century Italian literature through the analysis of selected texts
Part C - Close reading (3 ECTS)
S. Aleramo, "Una donna"
A. de Céspedes, "Quaderno proibito"
Prerequisites for admission
Basic knowledge of Italian history and literature from the Unification to the 20th century
Basic reading skills of literary texts and critical literature.
Basic reading skills of literary texts and critical literature.
Teaching methods
Teaching will be delivered through the following formats:
synchronous streamed lectures, normally twice a week;
asynchronous lectures, normally once a week.
Additional teaching activities will also be carried out on the MyAriel platform.
During the first lecture of the course, the syllabus, schedule, assessment methods and evaluation criteria will be explained in detail.
synchronous streamed lectures, normally twice a week;
asynchronous lectures, normally once a week.
Additional teaching activities will also be carried out on the MyAriel platform.
During the first lecture of the course, the syllabus, schedule, assessment methods and evaluation criteria will be explained in detail.
Teaching Resources
Part A
- V. Spinazzola, "L'esperienza della lettura", Unicopli 2010 or goWare 2018 (limited to chapters: "Le istituzioni della modernità", pp. 61-83; "Le coordinate del sistema letterario", pp. 84-98; "La valorizzazione del testo", pp. 137-170);
- L. Chines - C. Varotti, "Che cos'è un testo letterario", Carocci 2001, limited to chapter 3. "La narrazione", pp. 73-119.
- P. Giovannetti, "Modi della poesia italiana contemporanea", Carocci 2005, limited to chapter 4, "Le metriche", pp. 105-144.
Part B
- B. Manetti e M. Tortora (eds), "Letteratura italiana contemporanea. Narrativa e poesia dal Novecento a oggi", Carocci 2022, limited to chapters 1, 4-7, 9, 13-18 (pp. 21- 41; pp. 73-149; pp. 165-186; pp. 253-384)
- Texts uploaded on the course's MyAriel website
Part C
Texts:
S. Aleramo, "Una donna" [1906], Feltrinelli 2026, engl trans. "A Woman at Bay", Legare Street Press, 2023
A. de Céspedes, "Quaderno proibito" [1949], Mondadori 2022, engl trans. "Forbidden Notebook. A Novel", Astra House, 2023
Critical readings:
E. Gambaro, "Sibilla Aleramo e la fondazione di una nuova autorialità femminile", in "Diventare autrice", Unicopli 2018, pp. 15-65
- E Gambaro, "Interno borghese anni Cinquanta. Quaderno proibito di Alba de Céspedes al crocevia di generi romanzeschi", in "Enthymema", 15, 2015, OA https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/enthymema/article/view/6704, or in "Diventare autrice", Unicopli 2018, pp. 95-114.
- V. Spinazzola, "L'esperienza della lettura", Unicopli 2010 or goWare 2018 (limited to chapters: "Le istituzioni della modernità", pp. 61-83; "Le coordinate del sistema letterario", pp. 84-98; "La valorizzazione del testo", pp. 137-170);
- L. Chines - C. Varotti, "Che cos'è un testo letterario", Carocci 2001, limited to chapter 3. "La narrazione", pp. 73-119.
- P. Giovannetti, "Modi della poesia italiana contemporanea", Carocci 2005, limited to chapter 4, "Le metriche", pp. 105-144.
Part B
- B. Manetti e M. Tortora (eds), "Letteratura italiana contemporanea. Narrativa e poesia dal Novecento a oggi", Carocci 2022, limited to chapters 1, 4-7, 9, 13-18 (pp. 21- 41; pp. 73-149; pp. 165-186; pp. 253-384)
- Texts uploaded on the course's MyAriel website
Part C
Texts:
S. Aleramo, "Una donna" [1906], Feltrinelli 2026, engl trans. "A Woman at Bay", Legare Street Press, 2023
A. de Céspedes, "Quaderno proibito" [1949], Mondadori 2022, engl trans. "Forbidden Notebook. A Novel", Astra House, 2023
Critical readings:
E. Gambaro, "Sibilla Aleramo e la fondazione di una nuova autorialità femminile", in "Diventare autrice", Unicopli 2018, pp. 15-65
- E Gambaro, "Interno borghese anni Cinquanta. Quaderno proibito di Alba de Céspedes al crocevia di generi romanzeschi", in "Enthymema", 15, 2015, OA https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/enthymema/article/view/6704, or in "Diventare autrice", Unicopli 2018, pp. 95-114.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written test
Bboth attending and non-attending students taking the exam for 9 ECTS must complete a computer-based test.
The test consists of closed questions and focuses on parts A and B. It assesses knowledge and skills related to the following topics:
- The twentieth-century Italian literary system;
- Text analysis tools;
- Bibliographical identification skills;
- Essential knowledge of periods, authors, genres, and trends of Twentieth-century Italian literature
The test assessment, expressed through a 30-point grade scale, is worth 50% of the final grade.
The test results will appear on the Ariel teaching platform.
A sample test will be available on the same platform.
Oral exam
Students who pass the computer-based test will take the oral exam: it consists of an interview focusing on the texts presented in class during part B (available on Ariel) and on the entire program of part C.
Students who take the exam for 6 ECTS and Erasmus incoming students access directly the oral exam.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher. SLD students should contact the teacher to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office
Bboth attending and non-attending students taking the exam for 9 ECTS must complete a computer-based test.
The test consists of closed questions and focuses on parts A and B. It assesses knowledge and skills related to the following topics:
- The twentieth-century Italian literary system;
- Text analysis tools;
- Bibliographical identification skills;
- Essential knowledge of periods, authors, genres, and trends of Twentieth-century Italian literature
The test assessment, expressed through a 30-point grade scale, is worth 50% of the final grade.
The test results will appear on the Ariel teaching platform.
A sample test will be available on the same platform.
Oral exam
Students who pass the computer-based test will take the oral exam: it consists of an interview focusing on the texts presented in class during part B (available on Ariel) and on the entire program of part C.
Students who take the exam for 6 ECTS and Erasmus incoming students access directly the oral exam.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher. SLD students should contact the teacher to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office
LICO-01/A - Contemporary Italian Literature - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Gambaro Elisa Ludovica
Surname A-H
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The syllabus is shared with the following courses:
- [CAB-116](https://www.unimi.it/en/ugov/of/af2027000cab-116)
- [CAB-116](https://www.unimi.it/en/ugov/of/af2027000cab-116)
LICO-01/A - Contemporary Italian Literature - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Ghidinelli Stefano
Surname I-Z
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The syllabus is shared with the following courses:
- [CAB-116](https://www.unimi.it/en/ugov/of/af2027000cab-116)
- [CAB-116](https://www.unimi.it/en/ugov/of/af2027000cab-116)
LICO-01/A - Contemporary Italian Literature - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Pischedda Bruno
Professor(s)
Reception:
Mondays, 11:00AM - 2:00 PM. Please contact me to schedule an appointment.