ITALIAN LITERATURE - FORMS, METRICS AND STYLE

This class, among the modules in the bachelor’s degree in Humanities, curriculum in Science of the Literary Text and Communication, is meant to furnish students with the primary methodological tools in the field of metrics, rhetoric, and stylistics.
The class thus aims to offer basic knowledge that is indispensable in the analysis of poetic and prose texts of the Italian literary tradition, and to render students capable of thoughtful and autonomous reflection on the specifics of a literary text. Particular attention is devoted to the technical aspects of metrical and rhetorical analysis, and to the tools that are available to scholars of this discipline.
The accomplishment of these aims equips the student for future advancement in the philologico-literary study of the Italian tradition.

Knowledge and comprehension: Students should be able to trace the history of Italian metrical forms (especially the most-used forms); to know in theory and recognize in practice the principal rhetorical devices; to recognize and comprehend the metrical, rhetorical, stylistic forms of literary texts.
Ability to use said knowledge: Students should be able to employ their technical and critical knowledge in the metrical, rhetorical, and stylistic analysis of literary texts; to use correctly the specific terminology of the discipline, especially with respect to meter and rhetoric; to analyse a literary text in its various aspects; to employ the acquired theoretico-methodological tools in concrete, specific cases.
Judgment: Students should be able to formulate and argue simple hypotheses, as well as critically evaluate alternative hypotheses.
Communication skills: Students should be able to express the specifics of their thoughts on a text, with adequate terminology.
Learning skills: Students should be able to critically consult the assigned texts as well as the bibliography therein.

A good knowledge of the Italian language; standard reading abilities with texts in Italian. The knowledge of Italian literary history acquired in the module Italian Literature 1 should be a helpful preface to the material studied in this class.

Elements of meter, rhetoric, and stylistics.
The class combines three didactic modes: theoretical lessons on the discipline at hand, practical lessons wherein the teacher gives significant and complex examples of textual analysis, and interactive lessons that call on students to produce, individually and/or in groups, technical analyses of literary texts in prose or verse (made available by the teacher either in person or on the school e-learning platform).

Texts analysed in class (uploaded on the platform Moodle at the start of the module).
P. G. Beltrami, "Gli strumenti della poesia", Bologna, il Mulino, 2012;
G. Lavezzi, Breve dizionario di retorica e stilistica, Roma, Carocci, 2022


Students who do not attend class must add the following text:
B. Mortara Garavelli, "Manuale di retorica", Milano, Bompiani, 2014 (or later reprints)

Written exam. The exam comprises a series of open questions, both theoretical (such as the definition of specific metrical and rhetorical forms) and analytical (recognition and analysis of specific forms). Students will be judged by their technical competence, assimilation of concepts, and ability to employ acquired skills in autonomous and personal analyses of literary texts.

Lessons combine lectures with active student participation. Didactic materials available on the school e-learning platform moodle.unive.it. These textual and critical materials offer cues for further study, with respect to the reference texts listed above. On the e-learning platform, the teacher will upload the literary texts to be studied. Said texts should be read by all students, including those who do not attend class.

Italian

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development