02609 - Italian Contemporary Literature

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has deepened his/her knowledge of Italian lit-erature between the nineteenth and twenty-first century, and is able to identify and analyze the main connections between historical events and literary and cul-tural movements in contemporary Italy. He/she has acquired the methodological and terminological knowledge necessary to analyse literary texts, and he/she is able to interpret them at both formal and thematic levels.

Course contents

In Multiple Voices, in Multiple Bodies.

Writings "at the margins" in Italian literature in the second twentieth century.

The course aims to examine some novels of Italian literature of the second half of the twentieth century, following two theoretical lines: that of 'minor literature' proposed by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari in their study of Kafka and that of 'margin' explored by bell hooks.

After a few lectures focused on explaining these two concepts, we will read and analyze four novels in Italian literature of the second half of the twentieth century that we can consider 'marginal' and 'minor' in relation to the canon (either because of their editorial and receiving difficulties, or because of how they present particular issues, such as the forbidden space of writing, the relationship between human beings and other species, prison, mental health). We will explore the topics, formal and linguistic solutions, and theoretical openings of these novels, to understand together whether and how they can be considered part of a "minor literature."

An interdisciplinary methodology capable of bringing literary criticism, philosophy and anthropology into dialogue will be favored.

Attending students will follow the analyses conducted by the teacher in class and prepare the texts indicated in the program.

Non-attending students will be required to read all the texts in program, with special attention in the study of the manual: Cent'anni di letteratura italiana, edited by M. A. Bazzocchi (Einaudi, 2021). Other critical texts will be indicated in class and included in the downloadable materials.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Readings:

- Alba de Céspedes, Quaderno proibito (1952), any edition

- Anna Maria Ortese, L’Iguana (1965), any edition

- Goliarda Sapienza, L’Università di Rebibbia (1983), any edition

- Fabrizia Ramondino, Passaggio a Trieste (2000)

Theoretical insights:

- Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, Kafka. Per una letteratura minore, Quodlibet 1996.

- bell hooks, Elogio del margine, Tamu 2020 (parts mentioned in class).

- Adriana Cavarero, A più voci. Filosofia dell’espressione vocale, Castelvecchi 2022 (parts mentioned in class).

Bibliography:

- Elisa Attanasio, Divenire drago: esplorazioni nell’opera di Ortese, Pendragon 2022 (parts mentioned in class).

- Marco Antonio Bazzocchi (a cura di), Cent’anni di letteratura italiana, Einaudi 2021 (parts mentioned in class).

- Maria Rizzarelli, Goliarda Sapienza. Gli spazi della libertà, il tempo della gioia, Carocci 2018 (parts mentioned in class).

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures devoted to explaining the main theoretical issues and reading and interpreting the texts in program.

Moreover, students will be encouraged to actively participate in communal discussions and reflections.

In addition to the texts given in the bibliography, other short essays will be provided.

Assessment methods

Assessment consists of a viva voce examination aiming to assess the knowledge and critical skills acquired by the candidate during the course.

1. First-class marks will be awarded to candidates who demonstrate an ability to analyse texts in depth and to produce an organic overview of the topics covered in the course. Overall mark between 27 and 30 cum laude (high linguistic ability is required).

2. A mostly mnemonic knowledge of the subject, analytical skills lacking depth, and correct but not always apposite expression will result in a modest mark. Overall mark between 23 and 26.

3. Elementary knowledge, superficial understanding, poor analytical skills, and inapposite expression will lead to a pass or only slightly higher mark. Overall mark between 18 and 22.

4. Gaps in the candidate’s knowledge, inapposite language, and inadequate engagement with the secondary literature offered in the course will result in a fail mark.

Registration for the assessment is on AlmaEsami (https://almaesami.unibo.it).

Office hours

See the website of Elisa Attanasio