00562 - Italian Literature (M-Z)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has a decent knowledge of Italian literary tradition, a fair capacity for critical analysis and sufficient writing skills.

Course contents

Autobiography and autobiographism between the Middle Ages and Modernity

As Andrea Battistini clarified, "autobiography is a real literary genre with its constants, its conventions, its horizons of expectation, its historical genesis" not to be confused with "a generic autobiographism which consists in the indeterminate presence of the subject in one's literary work". While the autobiography fully flourished only in the eighteenth century, in an earlier age writers wrote about themselves mostly in an indirect form, making more use of autobiographism (or autobiographies in the broadest sense) than autobiography proper. The course aims to analyze some stages of this interweaving of literary genres between the late Middle Ages and Modernity. The starting point and the point of arrival will be the only two texts that will be read in their entirety: the Vita nova, i.e. the portrait that Dante makes of his own youth (an autobiography with precise limits, which is also the hagiography of the woman he loves); and the Vita of Alfieri, which is one of the most paradigmatic and still compelling autobiographies of the second half of the eighteenth century. The other texts analyzed in class will be read and commented on in the classroom in an anthological form and will allow us to measure the incidence of autobiography in other genres and periods (sacred poem, letter, lyric, dialogue, enterprise, chivalric novel, aphorism, etc.).

Beginning of the course: September 18th.

Readings/Bibliography

The course includes the following:

A- a monographic section

B- a general section

 

A- MONOGRAPHIC SECTION:

A. 1 Bibliography for attending students:

Students attending, in addition to the notes and anthological readings addressed in the course, will have to prepare in-depth two reading: Dante's Vita nova and Alfieri's autobigraphy. 

More exactly:

1. Dante Alighieri, Vita nova (nuova). Recommended editions (among the many available): Vita nuova – Rime, a cura di A. Battistini; nuova ed. riveduta a cura di L. Giglio, Roma, Salerno, 2022; Vita nova, a cura di S. Carrai, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2009; Vita nova, a cura di L. C. Rossi, Milano, Mondadori, 2016. NB The use of editions "translaltes" in modern Italian is not allowed. For those who wont to compare the two most important critical texts of the operetta (the one prepared by Michele Barbi and that of Guglielmo Gorni) we recommend consulting the site of Società Dantesca Italiana: https://www.danteonline.it/opere/index.php

2. Vittorio Alfieri, Vita. Recommended editions: a cura di G. Dossena, Torino, Einaudi, 1967; a cura di G. Cattaneo, Milano, Garzanti, 1977; a cura di M. Cerruti, Milano, Mondadori, 1987; a cura di Carla Forno, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2020.

3. The teaching materials and readings covered in class that will be posted on the VIRTUAL platform [https://virtuale.unibo.it].

A. 2 Bibliography for not-attending students:

1. Dante Alighieri, Vita nova (for recommended editions see above)

2. Vittorio Alfieri, Vita (for the recommended editions see above);

3. In place of the lessons and anthological readings covered within the course, it is necessary to study the following manual: Itinerari nella letteratura italiana: da Dante al web, a cura di N. Bonazzi, A. Campana, F. Giunta e N. Maldina, coordinamento di G. M. Anselmi, Roma, Carocci, 2018 (o precedenti edizioni).

B- GENERAL SECTION:

There are no differences here between attending and not-attending students:

The student must choose one reading from the B serie, at his discretion. The preparation includes the study of the biography of the author with its historical-cultural framework, the content of all his works, poetics and themes. About the chosen reading, the student will have to know the history of the composition, sources, structure, themes, language, style and fortune.

The student must present himself / herself with the list of the readings he / she has performed for the general section, specifying, where the work is not integral, which songs, which poems or which prose has chosen.

B)

- Dante, 12 cantos at choice from one part of the Commedia, Inferno or Purgatorio or Paradiso (recommended editions: Sapegno, Firenze, La Nuova Italia, 1955, Bosco-Reggio, Firenze, Le Monnier, 1979; Pasquini-Quaglio, Milano, Garzanti, 1982-86; Chiavacci-Leonardi, Milano, Mondadori, 1991-97; recommended critical readings: E. Pasquini, Vita di Dante. I giorni e le opere, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2006; G. Ledda, Leggere la «Commedia», Bologna, il Mulino, 2016). 

- F. Petrarca, Canzoniere, 30 poems of your choice (recommended editions: Santagata, Milano, Mondadori, II ed. 2004, Stroppa, Torino, Einaudi, 2011, Vecchi Galli, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2012; recommended critical readings: M. Ariani, Petrarca, Roma-Napoli, Salerno Editrice, 2002; E. Fenzi, Petrarca, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008; L. Chines, Petrarca, Bologna, Pàtron, 2017).

- G. Boccaccio, Decameron, three days of your choice, i.d. NOT A PERSONAL SELECTION OF 30 NOVELLAS (recommended editions: V. Branca, Torino, Einaudi, 1980, A. Quondam- M. Fiorilla- G. Alfano, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2013; recommended critical readings: L. Battaglia Ricci, Boccaccio, Roma-Napoli, Salerno Editrice, 2000; L. Surdich, Boccaccio, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008; F. Bausi, Leggere il «Decameron», Bologna, il Mulino, 2016), M. Veglia, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2020.

- N. Machiavelli, Il Principe and La Mandragola or Discorsi sopra la prima Deca di Tito Livio (recommended editions for Il Principe: Anselmi-Varotti, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1992; Inglese, Torino, Einaudi, 2005; Ruggiero, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2008; for La mandragola: Gibellini-Piras, Garzanti, 2014; Davico Bonino, Einaudi, 2015; Stoppelli, Mondadori, 2016; for the Discorsi: Sasso-Inglese, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2000; Vivanti, Torino, Einaudi, 2000; Bausi, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2001; Rinaldi, Torino, UTET, 2006; recommended critical readings: F. Bausi, Machiavelli, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2005; R. Bruscagli, Machiavelli, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008; G.M. Anselmi, Leggere Machiavelli, Bologna, Pàtron, 2014).

- F. Guicciardini, Ricordi (recommended editions: Pasquini, Milano, Garzanti, 1975; De Caprio, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1990; Varotti, Roma, Carocci, 2013; recommended critical readings: E. Cutinelli Rendina, Guicciardini, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2009; C. Varotti, Francesco Guicciardini, Napoli, Liguori, 2010).

- L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso, 5 selected cantos, of your choice (recommended edition by C. Zampese, with comm. by E. Bigi, Milano, Bur, 2012; recommended critical readings: G. Ferroni, Ariosto, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2008; S. Jossa, Ariosto, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; S. Zatti, Leggere l’«Orlando Furioso», Bologna, il Mulino, 2016).

- T. Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata, 5 selected cantos, of your choice (recommended edition: F. Tomasi, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2009; otherwise: L. Caretti, Torino, Einaudi, 1971 or Milano, Mondadori, 1979, M. Guglielminetti, Milano, Garzanti, 1982; Artico-Gigante, Milano, Mondadori, 2022; recommended critical readings: M. Residori, Tasso, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; G. Alfano, Torquato Tasso, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2010; F. Ferretti, Narratore notturno: aspetti del racconto nella «Gerusalemme liberata», Pisa, Pacini, 2010);  E. Russo, Guida alla lettura della “Gerusalemme liberata” di Tasso, Bari, Laterza, 2014.

- G. Galilei, Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo, two giornate of your choice (recommended editions: Flora, Milano, Mondadori, 1996; Atzori, Firenze, Sansoni, 2001; Sosio, Torino, Einaudi, 2002; Beltrán Marí, Milano, Bur, 2008; or Il Saggiatore (raccomanded edition Guaragnella-Lavopa, Milano, Bur, 2023. Recommended critical readings: M.L. Altieri Biagi, Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi, in Letteratura Italiana diretta da A. Asor Rosa. Le Opere, II, Torino, Einaudi, 1993, pp. 894-971; A. Battistini, Galileo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011).

- G.B. Marino, Adone, 5 cantos of your choice (recommended editions: Russo, Milano, Bur, 2013; Pozzi, Milano, Adelphi, 1988; recommended critical readings: E. Russo, Marino, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2008).

- C. Goldoni, three comedies to choose among the following: I rusteghi, Il servitore di due padroni, La bottega del caffè, La locandiera, Le baruffe chiozzotte, Una delle ultime sere di Carnovale (any complete edition; recommended critical readings: F. Fido, Nuova guida a Goldoni. Teatro e società nel Settecento, Torino, Einaudi, 2000; C. Alberti, Goldoni, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2004).

- G. Parini, Le odi or Il giorno (recommended editions: Nicoletti, Milano, Bur, 2011; Bonora, Milano, Mursia, 1999; Ebani, Milano, Guanda, 2010; recommended critical readings: G. Nicoletti, Parini, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2016).

- V. Alfieri, Saul and Mirra (any complete edition; recommended critical readings: G. Fenocchio, Alfieri, Bologna, il Mulino, 2012; A. Di Benedetto, V. Perdichizzi, Alfieri, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2014).

- U. Foscolo, Ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis, Poesie and Dei Sepolcri (recommended editions for Ortis: Binni-Felici, Milano, Garzanti, 2007; Terzoli, Roma, Carocci, 2012; for Poesie and Dei Sepolcri: Martinelli, Milano, Mondadori, 1987; Palumbo, Milano, Bur, 2010; recommended critical readings: A. Campana, Ugo Foscolo. Letteratura e politica, Napoli, Liguori, 2010; M. Palumbo, Foscolo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010).

- G. Leopardi, Canti, 10 poems of your choice, and Operette morali, 10 texts of your choice (recommended editions: Campana, Roma, Carocci, 2014; Melosi, Milano, Bur, 2008, or subsequent reprints; recommended critical readings: G. Tellini, Leopardi, Roma, Salerno ed., 2001, M.A. Bazzocchi, Leopardi, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008.

- A. Manzoni, I Promessi Sposi (recommended editions: Raimondi-Bottoni, Milano, Principato, 1987; Nigro, Milano, Mondadori, 2006; de Cristofaro, Milano, Bur-Rizzoli, 2014; recommended critical readings: A. Cottignoli, Guida ai «Promessi sposi», Roma, Carocci, 2002; F. De Cristofaro, Manzoni, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; G. Raboni, Come lavorava Manzoni, Roma, Carocci, 2017).

- G. Verga, I Malavoglia or Mastro-don Gesualdo or Vita dei campi e Novelle rusticane (complete editions; recommended critical readings: N. Borsellino, Storia di Verga, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1982; R. Luperini, Verga moderno, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005; P. Pellini, Verga, Bologna, il Mulino, 2012; G. Alfieri, Verga, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2016).

- G. d’Annunzio, Alcyone (recommended editions: P. Gibellnii, Milano, Garzanti, 2006; F. Roncoroni, Milano, Mondadori, 2020; d’Annunzio, Versi d'amore e di gloria, ed. diretta da Luciano Anceschi, a cura di A. Andreoli e N. Lorenzini, Milano, Mondadori, 1982-84, II; recommended critical readings: G. Bàrberi Squarotti, Invito alla lettura di Gabriele D’Annunzio, Milano, Mursia, 1990; N. Lorenzini, D’Annunzio, Palermo, Palumbo, 1993; S. Costa, D’Annunzio, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2012).

- G. Pascoli, Myricae or Canti di Castelvecchio; recommended editions (for Myricae) by G. Lavezzi, Milano, Bur, 2015; G. Nava, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1991; (for Canti): G. Nava, Rizzoli, Bur, 2011; recommended critical readings: M. Pazzaglia, Pascoli, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2002; G. Capecchi, Giovanni Pascoli, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2011; M. Castoldi, Pascoli, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011; C. Chiummo, Guida alla lettura di «Myricae», Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2014).

- L. Pirandello, Uno, nessuno e centomila and Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore (complete editions); recommended critical readings: C.S. Nobili, Luigi Pirandello: guida al «Fu Mattia Pascal», Roma, Carocci, 2004; M. Guglielminetti, Pirandello, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2006; M. Polacco, Pirandello, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010; A.R. Pupino, Pirandello poetiche e pratiche di umorismo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2014).

- I. Svevo, La coscienza di Zeno (any complete edition; recommended critical readings: A. Cavaglion, Italo Svevo, Milano, Mondadori, 2000; B. Stasi, Svevo, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; G. Tellini, Svevo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2013).

- U. Saba, Il Canzoniere, one at your choice of the three Volumi [I.1900-1920; II.1921-1932; III.1933-1954] (recommended editions: Lavagetto-Stara, Mondadori, 1988: recommended critical readings: S. Carrai, Saba, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2017; U. Saba, Storia e cronistoria del Canzoniere, introduzione di S. Carrai, Milano, Mondadori, 2023).

- G. Ungaretti, L’allegria (recommended editions: Piccioni, Milano, Mondadori, 1969 e successive; Ossola, Milano, Mondadori, 2016; recommended critical readings: D. Baroncini, Ungaretti, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010; Niva Lorenzini, Stefano Colangelo, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Milano, Le Monnier Università, 2012; A. Saccone, Ungaretti, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2012).

- E. Montale, Ossi di seppia or Le occasioni (recommended editions: Cataldi-D’Amely, Milano, Mondadori, 2016; De Rogatis, Milano, Mondadori, 2011; recommended critical readings: M. Villoresi, Come leggere “Ossi di seppia” di Eugenio Montale, Milano, Mursia, 1997; G. Marcenaro, Eugenio Montale, Milano, Mondadori, 1999; T. Arvigo, Guida alla lettura di Montale: «Ossi di seppia», Roma, Carocci, 2001; G. Ioli, Montale, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2002; R. Luperini, Storia di Montale, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005; A. Casadei, Montale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2008).

- C.E. Gadda, La cognizione del dolore or Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana (complete editions; recommended critical readings: A. Pecoraro, Gadda, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 1998; R. Rinaldi, Gadda, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010; M. Bersani, Gadda, Torino, Einaudi, 2012; G. Patrizi, Gadda, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2014; P. Italia, Come lavorava Gadda, Roma, Carocci, 2017).

- I. Calvino, Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno and Il barone rampante and Se una notte d'inverno un viaggiatore (complete editions; recommended critical readings: F. Serra, Calvino, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2006; M. Barenghi, Calvino, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009; S. Perrella, Calvino, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2010).

Other editions or reprints of the texts in list B are also accepted, provided they are agreed with the teacher before the exam.

The student will also have to know in-depth the period of Italian literary history (contexts, authors, works, movements, poetic orientations, themes and critical problems) to which the author chosen belongs.

The prescribed readings (even for not-attending students who will have prepared a "lighter" literary history such as Itinerari nella literature italiana) are the manuals by G. Alfano, P. Italia, E. Russo, F. Tomasi, Profilo di letteratura italiana. Dalle origini a fine Ottocento, Milano, Mondadori, 2021 and A. Casadei, Il Novecento, seconda ed., Bologna, il Mulino, 2005. More exactly: if you choose Dante or Petrarch or Boccaccio, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 3-156; - if you choose Machiavelli or Guicciardini or Ariosto or Tasso, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 159-386; - if you choose Galileo or Marino, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 363-456; - if you choose Goldoni or Parini or Alfieri, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 443-531; - if you choose Foscolo or Manzoni or Leopardi or Verga or d'Annunzio or Pascoli, Profilo di letteratura italiana, pp. 519-702; - if you choose Pirandello or Svevo or Ungaretti or Montale or Gadda or Calvino, Il Novecento by Casadei.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Teaching methods

30 (two hours) traditional lessons.

Assessment methods

Oral exam. The interview (approx. 40 minutes) serves to probe the knowledge of the texts in question together with the problems related to their interpretation and the historical-literary context.

Students will be required to discuss their readings and the contents of the course. Markers will assess: standard of expression; ability to provide clear and accurate interpretations of the texts; ability to discuss the contents of the course; ability to use the specialist language of literary criticism; quality of critical reflection. The study of the institutional section and the monographic section will be tested in a single oral exam.

Assessment Criteria. To be awarded a final mark between 27 and 30 cum laude students are expected to: show the ability to analyse in depth literary texts following the methodology introduced by the lecturer and/or in the set critical readings; possess and be able to present both verbally and in writing a thorough and organic knowledge of the topics discussed in class and/or in the set readings; show an excellent standard of expression; show the ability to use properly the technical language of philology and literary criticism. A mark between 23 and 26 will be awarded to students who will show: a good knowledge of the course contents; the ability to provide an accurate analysis of literary texts (although there might be some minor imperfections); a good standard of expression (with occasional minor flaws in the presentation and/or in the use of technical language). Students obtaining a mark between 18 and 22 will typically show: an adequate but superficial knowledge of the contents; a basic understanding of the texts and a limited ability to analyse them, an acceptable standard of expression with a fairly competent (although not always accurate) use of technical language. Poor knowledge of the set texts and course topics, inadequate ability to analyse literary texts; inaccurate and inappropriate expression with major problems in the use of technical language will result in a fail.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Exam sessions are scheduled for the following months of the academic year: January, March, May, July, September, November (2025), January (2026); for students in debt of exam/for all students.

Teaching tools

The teaching material presented in class (texts, images, videos) will be projected on the classroom multimedia board and made available on IOL (Word or Pdf format). We will often use the most important database of Italian literary texts: "Biblioteca Italiana", BiBit, http://www.bibliotecaitaliana.it/

Students who require specific services and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD), must first contact the appropriate office:https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students.

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Ferretti