Ateneo - UPO

Love and Death in Italian Medieval Literature.

1) Institutional part: Giancarlo Alfano, Paola Italia, Emilio Russo, Franco Tomasi, Letteratura italiana. Dalle Origini a metà Cinquecento. Manuale per studi universitari, Mondadori Università, 2018, pp. 1-328 (epoche 1 e 2). 2) Monographic part: the teacher will prepare a booklet with the texts that will be commented on in class, and which will be deposited in the copy shop Lisa (Vercelli, via Galileo Ferraris 76) before the start of the lessons. Students will be notified when the booklet is available. 3) Recommended but not mandatory readings: Luciano Rossi, Il cuore, mistico pasto d’amore: dal Lai Guirun al Decameron, in «Studi provenzali e francesi», 1982, pp. 27-128; Roberto Fedi, Il regno di Filostrato. Natura e struttura della Giornata IV del Decameron, in «MLN», 1, 1987, pp. 39-54; Mariella Di Maio, Il cuore mangiato: storia di un tema letterario dal Medioevo all’Ottocento, Milano, Guerini e Associati, 1996; Federico Sanguineti, Quarta giornata, in «Heliotropia», 4, 2007, pp. 1-19; Manuele Gragnolati, Inferno V, in Lectura Dantis Bononiensis, a cura di Emilio Pasquini e Carlo Galli, vol. II, Bologna, Bononia University Press, 2012, pp. 7-22; René Girard, Geometrie del desiderio, Milano, Raffaello Cortina, 2012; Elena Maiolini, Introduzione, in Gabriele d’Annunzio, Francesca da Rimini, edizione critica a cura di Elena Maiolini, Gardone, Il Vittoriale degli Italiani, 2021, pp. I-CLXXXV.

Knowledge and understanding: knowledge of the poetics, genres, texts and authors of Italian literature of the Middle Ages and in-depth knowledge of some works of primary importance, examined through the theme of the connection Love-Death (basic level); understanding of the texts of medieval Italian literature, through a correct paraphrase (basic level) and attention to their linguistic and stylistic dimension (advanced level). Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: ability to analyze texts by placing them within genres and linking ideological and literary elements (basic level); ability to analyze texts from an intertextual perspective and discuss interpretative problems (advanced level). Communication skills: ability to present in an orderly and clear way the concepts and data learned, using an appropriate language (basic level); ability to present the results of the study with argumentative effectiveness and critical autonomy (advanced level). Study skills: ability to read and analyze a literary text, recognizing its historical belonging and the main expressive strategies (basic level). Expression of judgments: ability to identify data and tools useful for formulating motivated evaluations on texts and problems addressed and ability to express such evaluations with argumentative effectiveness (advanced level).

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

Frontal lessons with discussion; reading and commenting on the texts in the classroom, with questions and discussion; online teaching (DIR).

The teacher will make teaching materials available to students through the university IT service (DIR), to which students are invited to register before the start of lessons. Non-attending students are asked to contact the teacher (cecilia.gibellini@uniupo.it) to get some general indications for the preparation of the exam and to arrange some supplementary readings. Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services- students-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The final exam consists of a written exam, which will focus on the following points: 1. Verification of the ability to interpret texts (with particular attention to the course topic), and together with the communication skills and the ability to express judgments: a question on an issue, theme or problem among those addressed in the study of Ossi di seppia, in order to verify both the knowledge and the degree of in-depth analysis and critical reworking of the texts – 50% of the weight on the exam grade; 2. Verification of the ability to examine and interpret texts, to express judgments, and to apply oneself to the analysis of literary texts: a question consisting of the analysis and commentary of a text of Ossi di seppia, or of one among those anthologized in the file prepared by the teacher – 50% of the weight on the exam grade. To pass the exam, it will be necessary to answer each of the questions at least sufficiently. The evaluation is based on the level of knowledge and understanding of the texts in the program, on the ability to apply the knowledge to the text or to the proposed interpretative problem, and on the level of expressive and communicative ability.

1. Dante and Beatrice's death in Vita Nuova and Commedia. 2. Petrarca and Laura's death in Rerum vulgarium fragmenta and Triumphi. 3. Love and Death in Decameron IV. 4. Francesca da Rimini.

In order to achieve the knowledge and skills corresponding to the sufficiency level, the student is asked to demonstrate: (KNOWLEDGE) to know, in the main junctions, the poetics, genres, texts and authors of the Italian literature of the Middle Ages, and, in greater depth, some works of primary importance, examined through the theme of the connection Love-Death; (SKILLS) knowing how to analyze and interpret medieval literary texts, linking ideological elements to more strictly literary ones; (TRANSVERSAL SKILLS) knowing how to present in a clear and effective way knowledge, information and opinions relating to the texts and problems dealt with, using appropriate language and terminology. For the achievement of an advanced level, the student must demonstrate: an organic vision of the topics addressed in class, combined with articulated skills of analysis and synthesis; the ability to critically and independently elaborate the topics covered, even beyond the indications provided in class and in the exam program; excellent expressive mastery.