GERMAN LITERATURE 2 MOD. 1

Module 1 of German Literature 2 continues and deepens the course of German Literature 1. The first module of the second year aims to introduce knowledge and understanding of the main literary, cultural and historical phenomena at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, with a particular focus on Vienna.

The objectives of the course are 1) a solid knowledge of some of the main texts of German-language literature of the period between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries (for a more detailed description of the programme, see the "contents" section); 2) the ability to understand the specific historical and cultural context to which the works analysed refer 3) the ability to acquire and apply adequate critical tools in the analysis of the narrative texts indicated, on a thematic and stylistic-formal level; 4) the ability to develop the critical tools acquired in the autonomous study of German-language narrative texts of the fin de siècle and the early twentieth century; 5) the ability to read, understand and translate a short passage in the original language (for a more detailed description see "reference texts").

Students must have attended German Literature 1 and German Language 1.

Wiener Moderne. Literature, Arts and History in Vienna between the fin de siècle and the First World War

At the turn of the 19th and 20th century, from a literary and cultural point of view Vienna became one of the most important centres of the German-speaking world. The Symbolist poetry of the young Hugo von Hofmannsthal, the narrative experiments of Arthur Schnitzler, the artistic secessions, the transition from 'états de choses' to 'états d'âme' (Paul Bourget / Hermann Bahr) and the proclamation of the 'overcoming of Naturalism' are only the main aesthetic 'achievements' of this era. The module will focus on some of the key concepts of these years such as Nervenkunst, linguistic scepticism, the disintegration of the ego, impressionism, aestheticism, amateurism and décadence, examining the works of two of the most representative writers of the Wiener Moderne: Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Arthur Schnitzler. The lectures, aided by two seminars in collaboration with two lecturers from Bielefeld University in which related topics such as George's poetry and Kafka's short prose will be discussed (see "teaching methods"), aim to highlight how these authors not only constituted an aesthetic-literary avant-garde, but also embraced new scientific and critical-cultural trends, reworking them in their works. The reception of French Symbolism, Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy and critique of culture, as well as Sigmund Freud's studies on sexuality and dreams are indeed decisive for the understanding of their texts. After highlighting these aspects, the module, by means of examples, aims to illustrate how these themes develop in the works of the authors treated at the outbreak of the First World War.

Literary texts:
Friedrich Nietzsche, Verità e menzogna, a cura di Sossio Giametta. Milano (BUR) 2006, ed. originale: Über Wahrheit und Lüge im außermoralischen Sinne, In: Friedrich Nietzsche, DIGITALE KRITISCHE GESAMTAUSGABE (eKGWB), consultabile online al link: http://www.nietzschesource.org/#eKGWB/WL ;

Sigmund Freud, Introduzione alla psicoanalisi, Bollati Boringhieri, Torino 2012 (parts);

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*Stefan George: [Mein garten bedarf nicht luft und nicht wärme] (online: http://www.zeno.org/Literatur/M/George,+Stefan/Gesamtausgabe+der+Werke/Hymnen,+Pilgerfahrten,+Algabal/Algabal/Im+Unterreich/%5BMein+garten+bedarf+nicht+luft+und+nicht+w%C3%A4rme%5D );

*Hugo von Hofmannsthal: Mein Garten, in: Gesammelte Werke in zehn Einzelbänden (Gedichte. Dramen I 1891-1898), Frankfurt a.M. 1979, S. 122;

Hugo von Hofmannsthal: Poesie und Leben, in: Hugo von Hofmannsthal: Gesammelte Werke in zehn Einzelbänden. Reden und Aufsätze 1–3. Band 1, Frankfurt a.M. 1979, S. 13-19, 185-186), consultabile online al link: http://www.zeno.org/Literatur/M/Hofmannsthal,+Hugo+von/Essays,+Reden,+Vortr%C3%A4ge/Poesie+und+Leben ;

Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Lettera di Lord Chandos e altri scritti, a cura e con un'introduzione di Marco Rispoli, Marsilio, Venezia 2017 (with original text);

Hugo von Hofmannsthal, L'uomo difficile. Commedia in tre atti / Der Schwierige. Lustspiel in drei Akten, a cura di Elena Raponi, Quodlibet, Macerata 2007 (with original text);

Franz Kafka: Zerstreutes Hinausschaun; Die Bäume; Wunsch, Indianer zu werden; Die Vorüberlaufenden; Das Gassenfenster (materials provided by the lecturer);

Arthur Schnitzler, Leutnant Gustl. In: Arthur Schnitzler, Novelle, a cura di Cesare De Marchi, Feltrinelli, Milano 2006;

Arthur Schnitzler, Fink und Fliederbusch, a cura di Fabrizio Cambi, Edizioni Analogon, Asti 2016;

Historical backgrund:
Gustavo Corni, Storia della Germania. Da Bismarck a Merkel, Il Saggiatore, Milano 2017 (pp. 45-112, cap. 2 e 3).

Literary background:
La letteratura tedesca. epoche, generi, intersezioni, a cura di Chiara Buglioni, Marco Castellari, Alessandra Goggio e Moira Paleari, Mondadori, Milano 2019, vol. 1: parte terza: cap. 10 e 11 (“Naturalismo” and “Fin de siècle”).

The following texts are also suggested:
Wunberg, Gotthart (Hg.): Die Wiener Moderne. Literatur, Kunst und Musik zwischen 1890 und 1910. Stuttgart 1984 (pars).
Irsigler, Ingo und Dominik Orth: Einführung in die Literatur der Wiener Moderne. Darmstadt 2015 (Einführungen Germanistik).

In the test, the student must demonstrate, by answering specific questions, that he/she 1) knows the main texts of German-language fiction of the period studied (see "contents"); 2) knows how to argue starting from the specific historical and cultural context of the German-speaking countries to which the works analysed refer; 3) knowing how to apply the tools of textual analysis, giving appropriate importance to both content and formal aspects, in order to articulate competent and autonomous judgements; 4) knowing how to use the critical tools acquired in the autonomous study of the narrative text of the period studied; 5) knowing how to translate into Italian a passage taken from a narrative text in German (see "reference texts"). The ability to recognise the grammatical structures of the text to be translated will be tested with two specific questions.

The examination (2 hours) will be written and will consist in detail of the following parts:

- three questions on History and History of Literature (in Italian);
- a part of translation from the texts to be read in German with two grammar questions;
- three questions, in Italian, on the primary works of literature in the programme.
For the translation part, the use of the monolingual paper dictionary is allowed.

Lectures in Italian and invitation to discussion.
There will also be a dedicated moodle platform, which will be used to upload insights and materials and to communicate with the students.
Support lectures by a specialist tutor will be dedicated to the preparation of the readings in German.
Two seminars by two lecturers from Bielefeld University as part of the Erasmus exchange with Bielefeld University (Dr. Jan Andres, 13.11.2023 on Hofmannsthal and George's poetry in the context of Symbolism and Dr. Lutz Graner, 4.12.2023 on Kafka's short prose) are part of the programme.

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