Corso di laurea in Culture e letterature
del mondo moderno

According to the specific educational goals of this degree course, students of Comparative Literature should develop good knowledge at least in two different literary and cultural areas, studying and approaching the hermeneutic perspectives of the intertextual dialogue at diachronic and synchronic levels, and focusing both on thematic issues, and on the rhetoric and stylistic forms. The 2023-2024 course specifically concerns the forms of the poetry and, in particular, of the Sonnet in Europe (Petrarca, Ronsard, Michelangelo, Shakespeare). The educational goals of the course also involve the development of the following knowledges and skills:

Acquired knowledge

At the end of the course, students should have a thorough knowledge of the primary texts, critical texts and the manual, as well as the historical contextualization and genesis of each primary text. They will also have to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the main periods and critical problems discussed in class.

Ability to apply knowledge and independent judgement

The course will provide students with a deeper understanding of the literary themes and topics discussed in class, which they will be able to analyse independently. Students will be able to answer critical questions about cultural texts and frameworks and they will develop critical awareness and intellectual autonomy of the main topics of the course.

Communicative abilities

Students must show that they have acquired an adequate capacity for understanding literary themes, critical reading of sources and intertextual relations and hermeneutical issues, as well as autonomy of judgment and originality of thought.

Learning abilities

Students will have to independently develop notions, themes and methodologies of comparative studies and literary criticism, in synergy with related disciplines. They will have to learn the use of bibliographical tools in paper and electronic format.

According to the specific educational goals of this degree course, students of Comparative Literature should develop good knowledge at least in two different literary and cultural areas, studying and approaching the hermeneutic perspectives of the intertextual dialogue at both the diachronic and synchronic levels, and focusing on thematic issues, and on the rhetoric and stylistic forms. The 2024-2025 course specifically concerns Shakespeare and the Italian culture, focusing on the genre of novella and the comedy. The educational goals of the course also involve the development of the following knowledges and skills:

Acquired knowledge

At the end of the course, students should have a thorough knowledge of the primary texts, critical texts and the manual, as well as the historical contextualization and genesis of each primary text. They will also have to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the main periods and critical problems discussed in class.

Ability to apply knowledge and autonomy of judgment

The course will provide students with a deeper understanding of the literary themes and topics discussed in class, which they will be able to analyse independently. Students will be able to answer critical questions about cultural texts and frameworks and they will develop critical awareness and intellectual autonomy of the main topics of the course.

Communicative abilities

Students must show that they have acquired an adequate capacity for understanding literary themes, critical reading of sources and intertextual relations and hermeneutical issues, as well as autonomy of judgment and originality of thought.

Learning abilities

Students will have to independently develop notions, themes and methodologies of comparative studies and literary criticism, in synergy with related disciplines. They will have to learn the use of bibliographical tools in paper and electronic format.

Shakespeare and the Italian Culture

The course introduces to the study of Shakespeare's work by focusing on two plays with an Italian setting, connected to Italy (and the classical world) as concerns the sources too: The Taming of the Shrew, whose plot stems from the Latin and Renaissance theater (Plautus and Ariosto); Romeo and Juliet, developed on a dense intertextual dialogue between Greek tragedy, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Italian and French short stories (Masuccio Salernitano, Da Porto, Bandello, Boisteau).

36 hours traditional lessons (6cfu), conferences, exercises in itinere, such as rewritings, genre transformations, and readings. It is recommended to consult this web page for any updates.

The objectives of the course will be tested through:

1) class exercitations and seminar activities (with a final writing exercise implying a choice between: a - an original rewriting of 1.500-2.000 words accompanied by a short bibliography with the indication of some primary and critical source; b - an essay on a critical problem of 1.500-2.000 words accompanied by a short bibliography; c- the participation to the rewriting group work; d- 1.500-2.000 words written report of a cultural evento, or a newspaper review);

2) a final literary analysis written essay;

3) the final oral exam involving translations and critical commentary of the original texts. Skills in interpretative analysis of the texts will be tested through the oral translation and analysis of 5 pages in the original language.

These exercises are aimed at verifying the progressive acquisition of knowledge and skills, based on the autonomous and critical use of the theoretical notions in reading texts and in inter-textual comparisons, both in Italian and in the foreign language chosen by the student.

The final literary analysis written essay can replace the oral, in case of positive evaluation. The oral can be used to improve the grade. For those who bring 12 cfu, there will be the possibility of giving one module written and another module orally (or both written exercises, or both orally).

Primary texts:

1) William Shakespeare, La bisbetica domata, tr. it. di Rossella Ciocca, in Tutte le opere di William Shakespeare, Vol. II. "Le commedie". a cura di Franco Marenco, Milano, Bompiani, 2015.

2) William Shakespeare, Romeo e Giulietta, tr. it. di Franco Marenco, in Tutte le opere di William Shakespeare, Vol. I, "Le tragedie", Milano, Bompiani, 2014. 

3) Una scelta di testi tratti da Plauto, Ariosto, Masuccio Salernitano, Da Porto, Bandello, Boisteau NELLA CARTELLA "MATERIALE DIDATTICO"

Critical texts (Students have to choose one of the following texts:):

Franco Marenco, La parola in scena, Torino, Utet, 2004.

Arturo Cattaneo, Shakespeare e l'amore, Torino, Einaudi, 2019.

Roberto Alonge, Nuovo manuale di storia del teatro: Quell'oscuro oggetto del desiderio, Torino, Utet, 2008.

Literary Theory:

Students have to choose one of the following texts:

Francesco de Cristofaro (a cura di), Letterature comparate, Roma, Carocci; i capitoli I-VI (nuova edizione).

Francesco Muzzioli, Le teorie della critica letteraria, Roma, Carocci, 2019

S. Brugnolo-S. Zatti -A. Colussi, La scrittura e il mondo. Teorie letterarie del Novecento, Roma, Carocci, 2016.?

R. Gilodi, Origini della critica letteraria. Herder, Moritz, Fr. Schlegel e Schleiermacher, Mimesis.

The course will begin on September, 18th; Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 to 12 a.m.

Students are supposed to officially enroll in the course, to check all the updates on this course in the section "Avvisi" and to check their personal email regularly.

Non-attending students are invited to contact the lecturer.

Information about the services for students with SLD offered by the University of Turin is available on https://en.unito.it/services/students-special-needs/students-specific-learning-disability-sld