Ateneo - UPO

The course focuses on Petrarch (1304-1374) and in particular attempts to sketch a small eulogy of self-mourning starting with a rereading of "I' vo pensando, et nel penser m’assale...", the thorny and multifaceted text which opens the second part of the Canzoniere. Through a fast survey of the history of criticism dealing with the theme of death and mourning, this course attempts to phenomenologically appraise Petrarch's approach to being "given to oneself" (Maurice Merleau-Ponty): an approach that not only envisages the "separation of lovers" and an anticipated and almost consequent "phenomenology of death" (Igor A. Caruso) but – more precisely – a small eulogy of self-mourning and a phenomenology of surviving similar to that which we still experience today. Why? To be able to take on again the sin of living without the guilt, without the immediate, inescapable death sentence we face in this life; that is, to accept here and now, without shirking away from it, the time and space of a life without those with whom we had formed friendships and lively passions.

For the institutional part: Guido Baldi, Roberto Favatà, Silvia Giusso, Mario Razetti, Giuseppe Zaccaria, Imparare dai classici a progettare il futuro. 1a. Dalle origini all’età comunale, Milano-Torino, Pearson-Paravia, 2021, pp. 416-521 o Giancarlo Alfano, Paola Italia, Emilio Russo, Franco Tomasi, Letteratura italiana. Manuale per studi universitari. 1. Dalle origini a metà Cinquecento, Milano, Mondadori, 2018, pp. 181-242; Francesco Petrarca, Canzoniere, a cura di Sabrina Stroppa, introduzione di Paolo Cherchi, e due saggi di Giosue Carducci, Presso la tomba di Francesco Petrarca, e di Gianfranco Contini, Preliminari sulla lingua del Petrarca, Torino, Einaudi, 2011 e 2016. For the monographic part: Luciano Curreri, «I’ vo pensando, et nel penser m’assale». Piccolo elogio del lutto di sé stessi: sopravvivere con Petrarca, Roma, Mauvais Livres, 2024.

To attempt to read and reread, choose and explain a great author of our literary tradition to try to appreciate what he can still tell us today, teaching us how to both live and survive in a world that absolutizes and sublimates death and mourning. It is not a matter of looking into the past searching for allegories and easy explanations of the present. On the contrary, the ability to read and analyse a literary text is grasped first and foremost (a) in its historical, material and imaginary identity, and (b) in its main expressive strategies (first level), as well as (c) in the lively critical reflection that has ensured its success (second level). This while remembering that "to define IN history is to define in OUR history" (Contini). It is also (d) about re-learning, by excerpta, the basic fundamental knowledge, the specific terminology (what is a «canzone», a «canzoniere»...).The student will be invited to participate in the lessons, bringing to them everything he or she knows and is. In this way, he or she will be pushed to confront a teacher who does not have all the answers but always keeps asking himself questions. This mode should foster the classic «willingness» to know more and gradually promote a greater autonomy of the student with respect to the teacher. (e) The ultimate goal is the sharing of a critical ability that is at the same time collective and personal.

Historical-literary, linguistic-stylistic and basic metrics knowledge.

Lectures followed by discussions; reading and commenting on text in the classroom, with questions; web-based teaching if necessary.

Students who plan not to attend classes are kindly requested to contact the teacher to get some general guidelines for the exam preparation and to arrange some supplementary readings.

The final test consists of an oral examination, which will focus on the following points: 1. Verification of knowledge of Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374) and of his work and of the Canzoniere in particular (institutional part) through a contextual question (of a historical- literary nature) on the texts adopted and indicated above and corresponding to 50% of the weight on the exam mark; 2. Verification of the skills to analyse and interpret the song under examination (with particular attention to the monographic part of the course) and at the same time of the communication skills and the potential to express a certain autonomous critical capacity (obviously, including paraphrasing , literary and linguistic analysis and commentary), starting from a question on the teacher's essay, corresponding to 50% of the exam mark. To pass the exam, it will be necessary to answer at least adequately each question.

1.Reading/rereading Petrarch (1304-1374). The story, the life, the works. 2. Brief journey through excerpta in Petrarchan criticism: the theme of death and mourning. 3. Reading of «I’ vo pensando, et nel penser m’assale». 4. Small praise of self-mourning. 5. A phenomenology of death. 6. Surviving with Petrarch.

In order to achieve the knowledge and skills corresponding to the level of basic competence, the student is asked to demonstrate: (KNOWLEDGE) to know, in general terms, the poetics, genres and texts practiced by Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374); (SKILLS) knowing how to analyze and interpret literary texts, linking historical elements to more strictly literary and linguistic ones; (TRANSVERSAL SKILLS) being able to clearly and effectively present knowledge, information and opinions relating to the texts and problems covered, using appropriate language and terminology. To achieve a more advanced level, the student must demonstrate: an independent vision of the topics covered in class, combined with a critical capacity for analysis and synthesis.