The history of the reception of King Richard III's figure in English culture is mainly based on Shakespeare's presentation of the king in the play Richard III. The playwright, nevertheless, grounded his ‘narration' on his contemporary historiography (Raphael Holinshed's) which, in its turn, had used previous chronicles and - mainly - Thomas More's Historia Ricardi Tertii and Polydor Vergil's Anglica Historia. The course aims at showing how Richard's character is seen though the lens of Tudor propaganda - something which was deeply biased against Richard, according to the Ricardians of the "Richard III Society" - and at following the transformation Richard has undergone from the Shakespearean text to three relevant cinematic versions of the play (which are part of the course).

The course will be held in English.

Students are required to read the play before the course starts

During classes, students will possibly be asked to partecipate in seminar activities.

Modalità didattiche

Lectures and seminars

Obblighi

Students are invited to attend lessons. They will also participate in seminar activities.

Testi di studio

A) All readings are part of the programme. Students may choose only two of the films.

Primary Texts

W. Shakespeare, Richard III, London, Routledge, the Arden Shakespeare ("Introduction" and "Appendixes" included)

Richard III, film, featuring Laurence Olivier, 1948 (at CLA)

Richard III, featuring Ian McKellen, 1996 (at CLA)

Looking for Richard, featuring Al Pacino, 1996 (at CLA).

Historiography (available at http://www.r3.org/bookcase/index.html)

Thomas More, The History of Richard III - also available at

http://thomasmorestudies.org/r3concordance/framconc.htm  (a selection)*

Polidoro Virgili, Anglica Historia, liber 25 (a selection)* [Polidoro Virgili, Riccardo III; trad. ital., a cura di Romano Ruggeri. Urbino, QuattroVenti, 2007]

Raphael Holinshed, Holinshed's Chronicles - England, Scotland, and Ireland. Portions of Vol. 6 (excerpts from the reign of Edward IV; the reigns of Edward V and Richard III, a selection)*

*Further details about the selections will be given during the course and posted on Professor Mullini's ‘Materiale didattico' page.

Secondary texts

- J. Jorgens, Shakespeare on Film, Lanham, University Press of America, 1991 (chapter 9) - or, as an alternative,

A. Davies, Filming Shakespeare's Plays, Cambridge CUP, 1988 (chapter 4)

- A. Leggatt, Shakespeare's Political Drama, London, Routledge, 1988 (Chapter 2)

- R. Mullini, "Tre Riccardi per Lady Anne", Memoria di Shakespeare, 2, 2001, pp.149-63.

B) Students are also asked to read the following texts*:

J. Austen, Pride and Prejudice

S. Beckett, Waiting for Godot OR Endgame

P. Bertinetti, English Literature. A Short History, Torino, Einaudi, 2010

D. Defoe, Robinson Crusoe OR Moll Flanders

C. Dickens, Hard Times

E.M. Forster, A Room with a View OR A Passage to India

J. Joyce, Dubliners

C. Marlowe, Doctor Faustus

 "Poetic Forms and Literary Terminology", in The Norton Anthology of English Literature (at the end of volume 1 OR of volume 2)

W. Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

A list with a selection of poems will be given later

* Students who acquired CFU for English Literature in their previous ‘triennale' course will read less than what is listed in B). They are asked to get in touch with Professor Mullini in order to define individual assignments.

Modalità di
accertamento

Oral exams (in English)

Class activities will also be evaluated

 

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Modalità didattiche

Lectures and seminars

Obblighi

Non attending students are warmly advised to get in touch with professor Mullini either by phone during the office hours, or by e-mail.

They are required to use their university e-mail address if they want to receive an asnwer.

Testi di studio

A) All readings and films are part of the programme

Primary Texts

W. Shakespeare, Richard III, London, Routledge, the Arden Shakespeare ("Introduction" and "Appendixes" included)

Richard III, film, featuring Laurence Olivier, 1948 (at CLA)

Richard III, featuring Ian McKellen, 1996 (at CLA)

Looking for Richard, featuring Al Pacino, 1996 (at CLA).

Historiography (available at http://www.r3.org/bookcase/index.html)

Thomas More, The History of Richard III - also available at

http://thomasmorestudies.org/r3concordance/framconc.htm  (a selection)*

Polidoro Virgili, Anglica Historia, liber 25 (a selection)* [Polidoro Virgili, Riccardo III; trad. ital., a cura di Romano Ruggeri. Urbino, QuattroVenti, 2007]

Raphael Holinshed, Holinshed's Chronicles - England, Scotland, and Ireland. Portions of Vol. 6 (excerpts from the reign of Edward IV; the reigns of Edward V and Richard III, a selection)*

*Further details about the selections will be given during the course and posted on Professor Mullini's ‘Materiale didattico' page.

Secondary texts

- J. Jorgens, Shakespeare on Film, Lanham, University Press of America, 1991 (chapter 9) - or, as an alternative,

A. Davies, Filming Shakespeare's Plays, Cambridge CUP, 1988 (chapter 4)

- A. Leggatt, Shakespeare's Political Drama, London, Routledge, 1988 (Chapter 2)

- R. Mullini, "Tre Riccardi per Lady Anne", Memoria di Shakespeare, 2, 2001, pp.149-63.

B) Students are also asked to read the following texts*:

J. Austen, Pride and Prejudice

S. Beckett, Waiting for Godot OR Endgame

P. Bertinetti, English Literature. A Short History, Torino, Einaudi, 2010

D. Defoe, Robinson Crusoe OR Moll Flanders

C. Dickens, Hard Times

E.M. Forster, A Room with a View OR A Passage to India

J. Joyce, Dubliners

C. Marlowe, Doctor Faustus

 “Poetic Forms and Literary Terminology”, in The Norton Anthology of English Literature (at the end of volume 1 OR of volume 2)

W. Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

A list with a selection of poems will be given later

* Students who acquired CFU for English Literature in their previous ‘triennale’ course will read less than what is listed in B). They are asked to get in touch with Professor Mullini in order to define individual assignments.

Modalità di
accertamento

Oral exams (in English)

 

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Possible changes and additional material will be inserted into professor Mullini's 'Materiale didattico' on the Faculty web site. Therefore students are invited to check that page, especially before starting studying for the exam.

When e-mailing prof. Mullini, all students are required to use their university e-mail address if they want to receive an answer.