Ateneo - UPO

General Introduction: Paths of Literary Theory, Literary Methodology, and Literary Comparative Studies Focus seminar: Writings of the Self as Picaro

General Introduction: STEFANIA SINI, FRANCA SINOPOLI (a cura di), Percorsi di teoria e comparatistica letteraria, Milano, Pearson, 2021. Focus seminar: 1. - Lazarillo de Tormes. 2. Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders or Mark Twain, Adventure of Huckleberry Finn. 3. Bogumil Hrabal, Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále. 4. Viktor Erofeev, Moskva Petuški. Film: 1. Mario Monicelli, L’armata Brancaleone (1966) or Stanley Kubrick, Barry Lindon (1975). 2. Joel Cohen & Ethan Coen, O Brother, Where are Thou? (2000) or Terry Gilliam, The Man Who Killed Don Quiqote (2018). Supplements for Students not attending classes: 1. Antonio Gargano (a cura di), Le maschere del picaro. Storia di un personaggio e di un genere romanzesco, Pisa, Pacini, 2020; 2. Sara Sullam, Moll Flanders. Matrici, Milano, Mimesis, 2018. For further insights: J. Ardila (Ed.), The Picaresque Novel in Western Literature: from the Sexteenth to the Neopicaresque, Cambridge University Press, 2015. Studens who cannot attend the lessons are kindly requested to contact the Porfessor for any doubt about the programme.

The general introduction of the course proposes to offer the fundamental theoretical and methodological tools for a critical and updated knowledge of literary studies in their historical vitality and transdisciplinary latitude. The main issues of literature theory and comparative literature and the main analysis tools of the literary work will be presented, with particular attention to the narrative text. The focus seminar proposes to examine and compare some examples of literary and film narratives belonging to the picaresque genre of different historical and cultural contexts, identifying their characteristic techniques and the specific link between first-person narration and hero's self-construction.

Basic knowledge of history of italian, european and extra-european
literature

Frontal lessons, text readings, projections of films, discussions. During the course, Students who wish, singularly or in group, can present to the class a text or a film or a part of the programme. DIR website will be used, uploading materials that will constitute a mandatory part of the preparation of the exam by the attending Students.

A classroom suitable to the number of Students is required. Pc and video projector aree required. 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 didactic aspects.

Students can choose between the written and oral forms of examination. Both in oral and written form, the exam will consist in: 1) One question or more questions about the theory of literature, literary comparative studies, and literary methodology (general introduction); 2) Reading and narratological and stylistic analysis of an excerpt from literary texts, and of movies and tv series; their commentary and interpretation in the light of the issues addressed in the focus seminar. To pass the exam, it will be necessary to answer at least sufficiently to the questions relating to both parts. The Student is thus required to demonstrate: 1. (KNOWLEDGE) Knowledge of the fundamentals of literary theory, comparative literature, and the tools for analyzing literary texts, particularly narrative texts (general introduction). Knowledge of some literary and filmic examples in the history of the picaresque genre. Knowledge of the multiple plot characteristics of these works and the role of the first-person narrative in the construction of the hero's self. (focus seminar) 2. (SKILLS) Knowing how to analyze a literary work in light of different critical and theoretical approaches. Knowing how to compare works from different literary traditions, contextualizing them historically and culturally, and identifying their stylistic and genre specificities (general introduction). Knowing how to analyze picaresque tales from different eras, identifying their characteristic techniques and the specific connection between first-person narration and the construction of the self (focus seminar). 3. (TRANSVERSAL SKILLS) - Ability to clearly and effectively present knowledge, information, and opinions related to the topics covered, using appropriate language and terminology. Specifically, the following weighting will be given to assessing the achievement of the learning objectives: 1. 40%; 2. 40%; 3. 20%. N.B. The written exam will include grammatical accuracy (spelling, morphology, syntax).

First week: presentation of the Course (General Introduction and Focus Seminar). The experience of literature. Imagination and reading. The ceremonial frame. The picaresque literature. Lazarillo. Introduction, reading, commentary analysis. Second week: Theories of reception and the act of reading. Lazarillo. Reading, commentary analysis. Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders, Introduction, reading, commentary analysis. Third week: Narrative and narratology. Temporality, narrator, point of view. Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders, reading, commentary analysis. Fourth week: Narrative and narratology. Mediacy. Narrative situations. Character Theories. aniel Defoe, Moll Flanders, reading, commentary analysis. Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Introduction, reading, commentary analysis. Fifth week: Rhetoric and argumentation. Spaces of literature. Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, reading, commentary analysis. Sixth week: The comparative history of literature and world literature. Translation and transmediality. Bogumil Hrabal, Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále, introduction, reading, commentary analysis. Seventh week. Intersectionality and literary criticism. Women and gender studies. Bogumil Hrabal, Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále, reading, commentary analysis. Eighth week. Venedikt Erofeev, Moskva Petuški, introduction, reading, commentary analysis. Conclusion of the course.

In order to achieve the knowledge and skills corresponding to the minimum level of sufficiency, the student is asked to demonstrate: 1. (KNOWLEDGE) Knowledge of the fundamentals of literature theory, comparative literature, and of the tools of analysis of literary work, with particular attention to the narrative text (general course) Knowledge of some literary and filmic examples in the history of the picaresque genre. Knowledge of the multiple plot characteristics of these works and of the role of the first-person story in the creation of the hero's self (Focus seminar). 2. (SKILLS) Acquisition of analysis tools for literary work, with particular attention to narrative text. Reading and analyzing a literary work, recognizing its historical context, expressive strategies, and devices and techniques. Acquisition of the ability to compare works of different literary traditions, identifying their contextual and historical contexts and their stylistic and genre specificities (general course). Ability to analyze picaresque narratives of different historical periods by identifying their characteristic techniques and the specific link between first-person narration and self-construction (focus seminar). 3. (EXPRESSION OF JUDGMENTS) Evaluation of the work as a stratified aesthetic object to be considered in its original context, its main structural and compositional elements, and in its historical and multicultural vitality. 4. (TRANSVERSAL SKILLS)) Ability to present information and opinions clearly and convincingly, using the appropriate language and terminology. To achieve an advanced level, the student must demonstrate: a global and unitary understanding of the path of the course, with the acquired complementarity between theoretical-methodological skills and interpretative skills. The ability to autonomously re-elaborate the contents of the course and to apply the tools and knowledge acquired to texts and materials, including other ones than those in the program. The active and confident competence in critical and theoretical terminology combined with excellent appropriate expression.