Originating in the 1960s from the United States, the concept of postmodernism is linked to the society of generalized communication and mass media. According to Gianni Vattimo, modernity ends when it is no longer possible to speak of history as a unitary process, since this would imply the existence of a center. Postmodernism arises precisely from the crisis of this center around which to order events. The course aims to analyze late twentieth-century fiction, considering works with a hybrid status, and in particular the subgenre of the "metaphysical detective story," researching its historical origins and highlighting its links with the fantastic element and postmodern themes. The metaphysical detective story emerged from Argentina in the 1940s as a parodic and subversive reworking - in an existential, literate and amused key - of the "classic" detective story. The course will especially try to highlight the great influence of cinema and mass culture (detective fiction, horror, telenovela, etc.) on some of the great devotees of the genre, from Borges to Dürrenmatt, Eco, Sciascia, Denevi to Paul Auster.

Metaphysical detective Fiction from Poe to Postmodernism.

1. Postmodernism: chronology and characteristics.

2. Definition of "metaphysical detective story" and its precursors: Edgar Allan Poe.

3. Historical overview of detective fiction and its evolution from Poe to postmodernism.

4. The detective-mathematical and labyrinth-world in Poe, Borges, Eco and Auster.

5. Metaphysical mystery, chaos and the limits of knowledge in Dürrenmatt, Sciascia, Frayn and Denevi.

-Knowledge and understanding (knowledge and understanding) of content and problems characteristic of the discipline (interdisciplinarity, comparative comparison between literatures of various countries, authors and issues concerning the mystery genre, etc.).
-Applied knowledge and understanding (applying knowledge and understanding). Textual analysis activities will take into account the specifics related to the teaching of the subject.
-Autonomy of judgment (making judgements), fostering autonomy in choices and organization of study, in formulating hypotheses in the development of critical arguments and autonomous judgments.
-Communication skills (communication skills) in clearly conveying knowledge, ideas, problems and solutions to expert and non-expert interlocutors, with the use of appropriate language register.
-Learning skills (learning skills) honing previous study skills independently, with appropriate critical maturity.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Lectures.

Course books

‑ Auster, Paul, La trilogia di New York, Torino, Einaudi 2014 (ed. orig. The New York Trilogy (1987), London, Faber and Faber 1999).

‑ Bischi, Gian Italo, Darconza, Giovanni, Lo specchio, il labirinto e la farfalla. Il postmoderno in letteratura e matematica, Brescia, Editrice Morcelliana 2018.

- Bischi, Gian Italo e Darconza, Giovanni (a cura di), La Pizia, la civetta e il cavaliere. Investigando Sciascia e Dürrenmatt, Teramo, Galaad Edizioni 2022.

‑ Borges, Jorge Luis, Finzioni, Torino, Einaudi 2014 (ed. orig. Ficciones, Madrid, Alianza 1990).

‑ Darconza, Giovanni, Il detective, il lettore e lo scrittore. L’evoluzione del giallo metafisico in Poe, Borges, Auster, Fano, Aras 2013.

‑ Denevi, Marco, Rosaura alle dieci (1955), Palermo, Sellerio 2022 (ed. orig. Rosaura a las diez, Madrid, Alianza 1993).

‑ Dürrenmatt, Friedrich, La promessa. Requiem per il romanzo giallo, Milano, Feltrinelli 1997 (ed. orig. Das Verprechen, München, dtv, 2001).

‑ Eco, Umberto (1980), Il nome della rosa, Milano, Bompiani 1986.

‑ Frayn, Michael, Copenhagen, Milano, Sironi 2014 (ed. orig. Copenhagen, New York, Anchor Books 2000).

‑ Poe, Edgar Allan, “William Wilson” (1839), “The Man of the Crowd” (1840), “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” (1841) e “The Purloined Letter” (1844), (PDF disponibile).

‑ Sciascia, Leonardo, Il contesto. Una parodia, Torino, Einaudi 1971.

A detailed list of critical readings will be provided during the course.

Assessment

Oral examination.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Course books

Non-attending students should also read:

‑ Benjamin, Walter (1955), L’opera d’arte nell’epoca della sua riproducibilità tecnica, Torino, Einaudi 2000.

‑ Ceserani, Remo, Raccontare il postmoderno, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri 1997.

‑ Vattimo, Gianni, La società trasparente (1989), Milano, Garzanti 2011.

A detailed list of critical readings will be provided during the course.

Assessment

Oral examination.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.