ITALIAN LITERATURE 1 MOD I

The course is inserted among the basic disciplines of the degree course in Conservation of Cultural Heritage and Performing Arts Management and aims to provide an adequate critical knowledge of Italian literature from its origins to the sixteenth century and the fundamental tools for textual interpretation in their connection with the events of history. The teaching activity aims to start a historically and philologically aware analysis of the literary texts, founded on the mastery of the technical language.
Its main objectives are: 1) tracing the development of Italian literature, resorting to a historical and critical approach that combines theory with the analysis of meaningful texts, both in prose and in verse; 2) encouraging the development of critical thinking in the study of literary texts; 3) offering the basic methodology that should be employed in the analysis of literary texts.

1) Knowledge and comprehension
Students should be able to trace the history of Italian literature from its origins to the sixteenth century; they should know the main authors of the period and their works; they should know and understand both the language and the contents of literary texts of the period, written in prose and in verse.

2) Employment of knowledge and comprehension skills
Students should be able to employ their knowledge in the study of Italian literature; they should be able to use in a proper way the specific vocabulary of the discipline; they should be able to analyse literary texts both in prose and in verse.

3) Judgment
Students should be able to analyse in a personal and critical way literary texts and issues.

4) Communication skills
Students should be able to express their knowledge and ideas resorting to a proper vocabulary.

5) Learning skills
Students should be able to critically consult the assigned texts as well as the bibliography.

A good knowledge of Italian language; standard abilities to understand texts written in Italian; basic knowledge of Italian literature.

This class will be devoted to the development of Italian literature, from its origins to the sixteenth century. Highlighting the connections between art and literary production, it will focus on the main authors of the period, analysing their poetics, works and connections with contemporary historical and cultural contexts. Meaningful literary texts, written both in prose and in verse, will be examined.
The following main topics will be analysed:
- the origins of Italian literature: the thirteenth century;
- the Trecento: Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca, Giovanni Boccaccio;
- the age of Humanism between latin and vernacular;
- the Renaissance: from Classicism to Mannerism.
A monographic module will be devoted to literary works written by renowned Renaissance artists, such as Michelangelo Buonarroti, Benvenuto Cellini e Giorgio Vasari.

For the history of Italian literature from its origins to the sixteenth century, see G. Alfano, P. Italia, E. Russo, F. Tomasi, “Profilo di letteratura italiana”, Milano, Mondadori, 2021 (from part 1 to part 6 included). Alternatively, other complete handbooks devoted to this period can be used.
A dossier containing all the texts, both in prose and in verse, that will be analysed in class will be uploaded to the Moodle at the beginning of the course. Students have to study them for the final exam together with their handbook.
The texts, which will be examined during the monographic module, will be uploaded to the Moodle too.

Oral exam, which aims at testing students’ knowledge of the syllabus. Students will be asked to demonstrate their knowledge of the themes and texts analysed in class, to detect connections between literature and contemporary historical and cultural contexts, and to analyse and comment literary texts in an accurate way. Students will be evaluated also according to their ability to employ a proper vocabulary.

Assessment criteria

A final mark between 18 and 22 will be given to students who will demonstrate a generic but acceptable knowledge of the contents of the course, a basic ability to understand and analyse literary texts, even if they make some mistakes, and basic but not always correct language skills.
A final mark between 23 and 26 will be obtained by students who will demonstrate a good knowledge of the contents of the course, an effective ability to understand and analyse literary texts, despite some slight inaccuracies, and suitable language skills, resorting adequately to the technical vocabulary of literary criticism.
A final mark between 27 and 30 cum laude will be awarded to students who will demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the contents of the course, an excellent ability to understand and analyse literary texts, and outstanding language skills, resorting to the technical vocabulary of literary criticism with proficiency.
Students will not pass the final exam if they show poor knowledge of the contents of the course, scarce ability to understand and analyse literary text, and inadequate language skills.

Lectures with active student participation. Discussion of historical-literary and theoretical issues and analysis of texts subject to study. Literary texts and other didactic material, which have to be studied for the final exam, will be made available on the e-learning platform (Moodle).

The Italian literature course is formed by two modules and will give one comprehensive mark. Students can take a single oral exam, that include the programme of both the first and second module, starting from the 2025 summer session.
They can also choose to take an intermediary oral exam, focused on the programme of the first module. This can be done after the end of the third period. In this case, the final mark will be recorded once students have also taken the exam devoted the second module, i.e. starting from the 2025 summer session.
Each student can choose either to take a single oral exam or to split the exam into two parts, which have not to be consecutive.

oral

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