The course aims to provide the fundamental historical-critical and methodological tools for the analysis of literary texts both in prose and verse, in order to allow the student to acquire appropriate knowledge and specific skills regarding peculiar aspects of the discipline, such as metrics, rhetoric, stylistics, linguistic analysis and identification of literary sources.

The course will deal with lyric and narrative poetry by analyzing texts from Francesco Petrarca's Rerum vulgarium fragments (Canzoniere) and Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando furioso. A brief overview will be dedicated to the biography and works of the authors, and then the course will provide basic tools for the correct analysis of the poetic text in all its formal aspects (prosody, metric, stylistic, and rhetoric) and content (paraphrase, linguistic analysis), as well as the identification of the literary sources. To support the textual analysis, in addition to the traditional bibliography, the most recent and updated online resources related to digital humanities will be used.

No

Students will acquire fundamental knowledge of some authors and texts of Italian literature selected by the teacher. They will be able to understand, analyze and interpret a text; they will also develop argumentative skills, study methodology as well as ability to formulate their own judgments.

At the end of the course, students are expected to have acquired:

Knowledge and understanding

- knowledge of the main formal aspects of the literary text, both in poetry and prose, with particular reference to both the main authors and the different genres, and, finally, to the main classical and vernacular models;

- ability to orient themselves critically in the study of literature from synchronic and diachronic point of view.

Applied knowledge and understanding

- knowledge and understanding of the specific characteristics of major works and issues relating to both prose and poetry;

- ability to understand texts through in-depth and detailed textual analysis (paraphrase, linguistic commentary, stylistic and metric).

Autonomy of judgment

- ability to acquire skills in textual analysis that enable the development of independent judgments.

Communication skills

- ability to communicate clearly and comprehensively the skills acquired in the field of Italian literature;

- ability to argue issues and problems in this specific discipline by using appropriate language.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Didactic tutoring and support for exam preparation (optional): This consists of 12 hours of lectures, both traditional and interactive, during which some of the texts included in the exam syllabus will be analyzed. The aim is to assist students in exam preparation through direct interaction with the instructor and the class.

Teaching

Lectures (occasionally also held by guest lecturers), participation in seminars or conferences.

Students may be required to complete readings during the course in order to attend certain lectures with the necessary preparation. Handouts, slides, videos, and other teaching materials will be made available by the instructor on the Moodle platform at the end of the lectures.

Attendance

Compulsory attendance for the 80% of the classes hours amount (29 hours over 36).

A basic knowledge of Latin language and literature is desirable, though not mandatory.

Course books

In addition to the materials used during the classes, students are required to study:

• Two sonnets (or ballads) and one canzone from Rerum vulgarium fragmenta by Petrarca chosen from: 1, 2, 3, 23, 29, 34, 35, 36, 40, 50, 55, 61, 70, 81, 90, 126, 128, 129, 134, 136, 137, 138, 145, 159, 176, 189, 197, 221, 226, 234, 263, 267, 268, 272, 299, 300, 302, 310, 322, 332, 333, 365, 366. Suggested edition: F. Petrarca, Canzoniere, edizione commentata a cura di Marco Santagata, Milano, Mondadori, 1996.
• One canto from the Orlando furioso by Ariosto chosen from: II, IV, VI, IX, XII, XIII, XVIII-XIX, XXIII, XXVI, XXIX, XXX, XXXV, XXXVI, XLII. Suggested edition: L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso, introduzione e commento di Emilio Bigi, a cura di Cristina Zampese, Milano, BUR Rizzoli, 2022.
• Main rhetorical and stylistic features found in the aforementioned literary texts. Recommended textbook: G. LAVEZZI, Breve dizionario di retorica e stilistica, Roma, Carocci, 2004.
• Main rules of Italian prosody and the following metrical forms: sonnet, canzone, ballad, sestina, ottava. Suggested reading: G. LAVEZZI, I numeri della poesia. Guida alla metrica italiana, Roma, Carocci, 2016.
• N. TONELLI, Leggere il 'Canzoniere', Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017, chapter 2.
• S. ZATTI, Leggere l’‘Orlando furioso’, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016, chapter 9.

Further readings (not compulsory):

P. CHIESA, Troppa grazia. Cercare le fonti oggi, in ID., Venticinque lezioni di filologia mediolatina, Firenze, Sismel-Edizioni del Galluzzo, 2016, pp. 14-26.

L. CHINES-C. VAROTTI, Che cos’è un testo letterario. Nuova edizione, Roma Carocci, 2023.

M. SANTAGATA, Per moderne carte. La biblioteca volgare di Petrarca, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1990.

M. SANTAGATA, I frammenti dell’anima. Storia e racconto nel ‘Canzoniere’ di Petrarca, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1992.

N. TONELLI, «Per queste orme», Studi sul ‘Canzoniere’ di Petrarca, Pisa, Pacini, 2016.

Lessico critico dell’‘Orlando furioso’, a cura di A. Izzo, Roma, Carocci, 2016.

Lettura dell'«Orlando furioso», a cura di Gabriele Bucchi e Franco Tomasi, Firenze, Sismel, 2016.

L’‘Orlando furioso’ oltre i cinquecento anni. Nuove prospettive di lettura, a cura di Ch. Rivoletti, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2022.

Assessment

Oral Examination.
This choice has been made in order to strengthen students’ oral argumentative skills in relation to a rather technical subject that requires mastery of a specific vocabulary.

The evaluation criteria are as follows:

• relevance and effectiveness of answers in relation to the program content;

• the level of articulation of the response;

• adequacy of the disciplinary language used.

Each criterion is assessed using a four-level rating scale, as specified below. The final grade is expressed on a scale of thirty.

Grades of "excellent" (28–30/30) will be awarded to those examinations that demonstrate the student’s possession of strong critical and analytical skills; the ability to navigate confidently within the main topics covered during lectures, including, where appropriate, the ability to make connections; and the accurate and confident use of the subject-specific vocabulary.

Grades of "good" (24–27/30) will be awarded to those examinations that demonstrate the student’s memorized knowledge of the content; a basic level of critical thinking and the ability to make connections between the main topics of the texts analyzed, with use of the appropriate disciplinary vocabulary.

Grades of "sufficient" (18–23/30) will be awarded to those examinations that demonstrate the student has acquired a minimum level of knowledge regarding the analyzed texts, despite some learning gaps, and shows a use of language that is not fully appropriate.

Examinations will be graded negatively if they show the student’s difficulty in navigating the topics discussed in the exam texts, serious gaps in understanding both the substantive and formal content of the analyzed texts, and the failure to use, or improper use of, the subject-specific vocabulary.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Students must prepare the syllabus below in the 'Study Texts' section through individual study.

Attendance

A basic knowledge of Latin language and literature is desirable, though not mandatory.

Course books

• Eight sonnets (or ballads) and one canzone from Rerum vulgarium fragmenta by Petrarca chosen from: 1, 2, 3, 23, 29, 34, 35, 36, 40, 50, 55, 61, 70, 81, 90, 126, 128, 129, 134, 136, 137, 138, 142, 145, 159, 176, 187, 189, 197, 221, 226, 234, 263, 264, 267, 268, 272, 299, 300, 302, 310, 333, 365, 366. Suggested edition: F. Petrarca, Canzoniere, edizione commentata a cura di Marco Santagata, Milano, Mondadori, 1996.
• One canto from the Orlando furioso by Ariosto chosen from: I, II, IV, VI, IX, XII, XIII, XVIII-XIX, XXIII, XXVI, XXIX, XXX, XXXIV, XXXV, XXXVI, XLII. Suggested edition: L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso, introduzione e commento di Emilio Bigi, a cura di Cristina Zampese, Milano, BUR Rizzoli, 2022.
• Knowledge of the main rhetorical and stylistic features in the aforementioned literary texts. Recommended textbook: G. LAVEZZI, Breve dizionario di retorica e stilistica, Roma, Carocci, 2004.
• Knowledge of the main rules of Italian prosody and the following metrical forms: sonnet, canzone, ballad, sestina, ottava. Suggested reading: G. LAVEZZI, I numeri della poesia. Guida alla metrica italiana, Roma, Carocci, 2016.
• N. TONELLI, Leggere il 'Canzoniere', Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017, chapters 2, 6 and 7.  
• S. ZATTI, Leggere l’Orlando furioso, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016, chapters 3, 5, and 9.

The above texts refer to the content of the syllabus taught in class to compensate for self-study and promote complete understanding by non-attending students.

Further readings (not compulsory):

P. CHIESA, Troppa grazia. Cercare le fonti oggi, in ID., Venticinque lezioni di filologia mediolatina, Firenze, Sismel-Edizioni del Galluzzo, 2016, pp. 14-26.

L. CHINES-C. VAROTTI, Che cos’è un testo letterario. Nuova edizione, Roma Carocci, 2023.

M. SANTAGATA, Per moderne carte. La biblioteca volgare di Petrarca, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1990.

M. SANTAGATA, I frammenti dell’anima. Storia e racconto nel ‘Canzoniere’ di Petrarca, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1992.

N. TONELLI, «Per queste orme», Studi sul ‘Canzoniere’ di Petrarca, Pisa, Pacini, 2016.

Lessico critico dell’‘Orlando furioso’, a cura di A. Izzo, Roma, Carocci, 2016.

Lettura dell'«Orlando furioso», a cura di Gabriele Bucchi e Franco Tomasi, Firenze, Sismel, 2016.

L’‘Orlando furioso’ oltre i cinquecento anni. Nuove prospettive di lettura, a cura di Ch. Rivoletti, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2022.

Assessment

Oral Examination.
This choice has been made in order to strengthen students’ oral argumentative skills in relation to a rather technical subject that requires mastery of a specific vocabulary.

The evaluation criteria are as follows:

• relevance and effectiveness of answers in relation to the program content;

• the level of articulation of the response;

• adequacy of the disciplinary language used.

Each criterion is assessed using a four-level rating scale, as specified below. The final grade is expressed on a scale of thirty.

Grades of "excellent" (28–30/30) will be awarded to those examinations that demonstrate the student’s possession of strong critical and analytical skills; the ability to navigate confidently within the main topics covered during lectures, including, where appropriate, the ability to make connections; and the accurate and confident use of the subject-specific vocabulary.

Grades of "good" (24–27/30) will be awarded to those examinations that demonstrate the student’s memorized knowledge of the content; a basic level of critical thinking and the ability to make connections between the main topics of the texts analyzed, with use of the appropriate disciplinary vocabulary.

Grades of "sufficient" (18–23/30) will be awarded to those examinations that demonstrate the student has acquired a minimum level of knowledge regarding the analyzed texts, despite some learning gaps, and shows a use of language that is not fully appropriate.

Examinations will be graded negatively if they show the student’s difficulty in navigating the topics discussed in the exam texts, serious gaps in understanding both the substantive and formal content of the analyzed texts, and the failure to use, or improper use of, the subject-specific vocabulary.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.