DANTE, LIFE, WORKS AND FORTUNE (FOCUSING ON THE DIVINE COMEDY)

Students will be able to consolidate and deepen their competence in Dante Studies, acquired during the three-year degree, by focusing on extended critical and philological discussion of Dante's texts.

Knowledge & understanding: Students should demonstrate advanced capabilities in the practice of critical analysis in relation to the texts and poetic forms addressed in the course, and competence in consultation of the appropriate bibliography;
Application of knowledge and understanding: capacity to apply the above skills to Italian literary texts;
Evaluation: development of interpretive and analytical skills in reading texts and in developing the ability to formulate and develop critical arguments independently;
Communicative skills: ability to communicate effectively the knowledge acquired on the course, and to discuss problems and possible solutions in interpretation, in a manner that could also be accessible to non-specialist audiences;
Learning: competence in addressing and applying at an advanced level the tools appropriate to advanced critical analysis of literary texts.

A knowledge of thirteenth- and fourteenth-century Italian literature.

The course focuses on critical analysis of Dante's texts, concentrating especially on the evolution of the Vita nuova towards the form - or forms - of the modern edited text. The course will provide opportunities for critical discussion of the poetry-prose relationship in the 'libello', focusing primarily on the Vita nuova as a complete text but paying attention also to the fortunes of the work's lyric poems both within and beyond the libello.

Dante Alighieri, Vita nuova; le Rime della Vita nuova e altre rime del tempo della Vita nuova, a cura di Donato Pirovano e Marco Grimaldi (Roma, Salerno, 2015: Nuova edizione commentata delle opere di Dante, 1.1)

[The Vita nuova and the Rime may be consulted for convenience in any modern study edition rather than in the large-size Salerno edition. For the Vita nuova it is strongly recommended to select a copy that follows the chapter numbering of Barbi (42 chapters in total), which will be followed in the course programme, rather than the Gorni numbering (31 chapters).]

R. Rea, Dante, guida alla ‘Vita nuova’, Carocci, 2021
R. Rea & J. Steinberg (eds), Dante, Carocci, 2020: capitoli 1 (Rime, di Marco Grimaldi) e 2 (Vita nuova, di Donato Pirovano)

Additional bibliography will be referenced and supplied within the classes.

Evaluation of students’ learning progress will take place through oral discussion (c. 30 mins) of issues discussed during classes, and via an exercise in reading and commenting on a textual extract.

oral

Assessment criteria:
From 27 to 30 e lode
- good or excellent knowledge of the key themes and questions addressed on the course
- demonstration of good or excellent capabilities in analysis and exposition of the texts studied and demonstration of independent critical judgement
- good or excellent command of appropriate critical terminology
From 23 to 26:
- fair or good knowledge of the key themes and questions addressed on the course
- demonstration of fair or good capabilities in analysis and exposition of the texts studied, though perhaps with some weakness in approach and/or content
- fair to good command of appropriate critical terminology, perhaps with some limitations in constructing argument or employing appropriate critical terminology
From 18-22:
- adequate but perhaps superficial or limited knowledge of the key themes and questions addressed on the course
- demonstration of somewhat limited capabilities in analysis and exposition of the texts studied
- limited command of appropriate critical terminology

Formal lectures which will provide students with opportunities to participate actively in the discussion of the topics addressed in the classes. There will be the opportunity for students to undertake their own seminar presentations during the laters parts of the course, either as individuals or as collaborative work in groups of 2-3 students.