FRENCH LITERATURE 2

The teaching of French Literature 2 module 1 is part of the French course of Lingue e letterature europee, americane e postcoloniali (including the Master en études françaises et francophones). It allows students to acquire an advanced knowledge of the history and some aspects of French literature as well as a mastery of theoretical-critical methodologies, in line with the aims of the course of study and the learning area.
Given the change in French Literature 2 , the individual objectives refer to both years of the course, but in progress; the fullness of their achievement is therefore expected at the end of the second year.

1. Knowledge and understanding:
a. knowledge of notions of literature theory and narratology, as well as some instruments of stylistic and rhetorical investigation;
b. knowledge of the historical-literary field : literary genres of the French Renaissance and the Baroque period, with particular regard to the poetics of the novella and novel and the different interactions between French literary production and Italian models;
c. basic knowledge of book history and publishing processes in the Renaissance and Baroque periods;
d. basic knowledge of the criteria for a critical edition of literary texts;
e.ability to understand a literary text in moyen français/classical French.

2. Applied knowledge and understanding:
a. ability to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired to the works and texts dealt with during the course ;
b. ability to analyse and compare texts and to elaborate conceptual summaries;
c. ability to place a text and a literary phenomenon in their production and reception context;
c. ability to consult bibliographic directories and set up a bibliographic search.

3. Autonomy of judgement:
a. ability to exercise critical judgement;
b. capacity to formulate hypotheses and autonomous judgements argued in a coherent and effective manner.

4. Communication skills
a. developing the ability to understand literary texts (including ancient ones) and critical essays in the French language;
b. development of communication skills for coherent, clear, terminologically accurate and effective communication, both in oral class interaction on course topics and in academic written discourse (the elaboration of a "tesina").

5. Ability to learn: ability to infer, relate data, synthesize, organise coherent and autonomous analysis of a text and/or literary process.

Knowledge of the general lines of the history of French literature of the 16th century. Since the course is given in French, and also in view of the exam, a C1 level of French language (written and oral) is required.

Imitation and invention from the Renaissance to the dawn of the Enlightenment.

After a review of the notions of imitation and re-production in their history (from antiquity onwards) and in their relationship with the notion of invention, the course will raise the question of the theory of imitation and reference to models as it developed in the literary field during the Renaissance and the classical age. The work of creative elaboration that imitation entails leads to the activation of intertextuality phenomena and leads to different attitudes towards the model as well as to diversified compositional practices and stylistic choices. From quotation to commentary, from translation to rewriting, from adaptation to parody, the reflection of the model in a new text activates processes of transformation and multiplication of literary forms and genres. We will follow the thread of these metamorphoses through particularly significant case studies concerning narrative production. The question of auctoriality will also be addressed.

Literary history and cultural frame of reference :
- J. Cerquiglini-Toulet, F. Lestringant, G. Forestier, E. Bury, La littérature française: dynamique & histoire, t. I, Gallimard, "Folio essais", 2007 or L. Sozzi, Storia europea della letteratura francese, vol. I, Torino, Einaudi, "PBE", 2013.
- Claude-Gilbert Dubois, Imitation et création au XVIe siècle, in La langue française : des rencontres en partages: Quatrièmes Lyriades de la langue française [online], Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2010, <http://books.openedition.org/pur/32817> ;

More specific bibliographical references will be provided at the beginning of the course.

The examination interview, held in French, will focus on the topics dealt with during the course and will aim to verify the acquired knowledge (contents of the module, notions of literary theory and narration, knowledge and contextualization of the works read), the ability to understand and analyze the texts studied drawing inspiration for an independent critical reflection and validly argued, the communicative skills.
In order to favour the autonomy in the individual examination and to start the written production in view of the thesis, it will be required the writing of a paper of about 15 pages, in French, to be delivered at least 8 days before the examination. In agreement with the teacher, students may choose a subject relating to the course programme. The teacher will introduce the students to the bibliographic research and to the setting up of a work plan; the paper will be evaluated on the basis of the coherence in the articulation of the work and the discourse, of the relevance of the observations, of the correctness in the exposition, of the capacity of application of the acquired critical instruments, of the capacity of expressing a judgment based on valid elements.
The final evaluation will be based on the outcome of the oral test, the evaluation of the paper and the participation in the interactive online forum.

The course consists of lectures and seminars, in French, partly with the participation of invited specialists The participation of students will be encouraged.
All didactic materials (texts and in-depth studies) uploaded during the course on the Moodle platform will constitute a subject of study and their knowledge will be verified during the examination.

If you are unable to attend the entire course, please contact the teacher before the start of the lessons.

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