In-depth knowledge of the history of German literature between 1800 and 2000

History and theory of the novel in Germany (1500-1900)

Theory of the novel

Theory of novel genres (1800-1900)

Narratology

Skills in reading literary texts and discussing the literary text

Analysis of the literary text

Those who deal with the historical novel not only operate in the remote corner of a field of research that is becoming increasingly desolate as a genre theory with a previously specific ontological nourishing value, but also come directly to the fertile ground of poetry in general. The discussion of the historical novel raises fundamental questions about truth, realism and the autonomy of art; it touches on the conditions for the narration of systematic, collective and historical processes; reflects on literature from the point of view of its media suitability for propaganda, pedagogy and entertainment and measures its value between the desire for success and the power to refuse. It is therefore a question of truth, to the extent that poetry as a world of the possible, real and "philosophical" (Aristotle: Poetics, chapter 9) on the one hand submits to the narrow limits of the real and the actual, on the other it insists on the right to “freedom of speech” and in this tension also tries to reach higher values ​​of truth.

This is realism, to the extent that poetic reflection of historical reality in particular must prevail over scientific control and will therefore use extremely careful methods of representation. (See Aust). The historical novel in Germany has its predecessors in the Baroque period with authors such as Andreas Heinrich Bucholtz (1607–1671) and Daniel Casper von Lohenstein (1635–1683), on whom the writer Benedikte Naubert (1752–1819) can be based. Some of his historical novels were also translated into French and English, so that Walter Scott knew them and drew inspiration from them. In novels such as Ulrich Holzer, Walter von Montbarry and others, she already used the principle of making secondary historical characters the main characters of his novels, which was later adopted by Walter Scott. Today, unlike Walter Scott, Benedikte Naubert is largely unknown.

The course intends to provide the tools to independently and critically analyze novels representative of the two genres and recognize their intersections and nuances, through Gattungsanalyse, Genreanlayse, narratologische Analyze and historiographical-literary analysis and canon formation.

A part of the course will be dedicated to a contemporary development of the genre, the so-called historiographic Metafiction (a term coined by literary scholar Linda Hutcheon in 1988 to describe a new genre of postmodern historical novel that has enjoyed widespread popularity since the 1960s), which, in contrast to the classic historical novel, is characterized by the strong use of metanarrative devices. The possibility of historical knowledge is strongly questioned. This often happens by blurring the lines between fiction and historiography. By highlighting and problematizing its own fiction, historiographical metanarrative questions the possibility of a neutral historiography per se. Recent novels attributable to the fact-fiction genre will therefore also be analyzed and particular attention will be paid to the presence of historical keys in contemporary transcultural German literature.

Students will be able to understand and analyze artistic-literary texts of a narrative genre.

They will be able to practice critical reading.

They will be able to understand and evaluate the poetical and aesthetic qualities of a literary text in relation to the moment of its writing.

They will be able to argue and motivate their critical opinions regarding a text.

They will acquire analytical and critical skills sufficient to connect scenarios and imaginaries to everyday social situations in autonomous learning.

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

Frontal lessons

Seminars and group work.

Self-managed teaching moments

Innovative teaching methods

Attendance

To be considered "attending students", students will attend at least 60% of the lessons.

Course books

Reading and study of the critical texts listed in point A)

Reading and analysis of the obligatory novels listed in point B)

Reading and understanding the 4 novels chosen from those listed in point C)

In addition to the texts indicated for attending students, non-attending students will study independently: E. Spedicato, Letteratura tedesca. Manuale per l'università, Pisa, ETS, 2005. Instead of Zmegac's volume (history of literature) they will study entirely: U. Kindl, Storia della letteratura tedesca, Vol II, Il mulino.

Students will be able to acquire the necessary and essential skills in the history of literature through the manual V. Zmegac, History of German Literature.

The main critical and theoretical issues will be illustrated with the help of the following texts

U. Bavaj, Mythoscopia romantica, Castelvecchi (sarà utilizzato interamente)

M. Bachtin, Epos e romanzo 

G. Lukàcs, Il romanzo storico, Einaudi (parti scelte)

Short theoretical texts (Broch, Bakhtin and others) and short stories that integrate the concept of the historical novel will be indicated in class and later included in the moodle list.

All students will read:

Kleist, Michael Kohlhaas (Garzanti)

G. von Le Fort, L'ultima al patibolo e altre novelle (BUR)

Students will also read at least 4 of the following novels/short stories in their entirety:

B. Naubert, Walter von Montbarry (solo in tedesco, q. ed.)

G. Keller, Martin Salander (Dadò)

Bertha Von Suttner, Abbasso le armi (Prospero Editore)

J. Roth, La marcia di Radetzky, La cripta dei Cappuccini (Adelphi)

G. von Le Fort, Il papa del ghetto (Rizzoli)

R. Huch, L'ultima estate (Studio Tesi)

R. Huch, Von den Königen und der Krone (in tedesco, q. ed.)

R. Huch, Wallenstein (q.ed)

L. Frank, Novella tedesca (in Seduzione e ritorno, Del Vecchio Editore 2022)

Thomas Mann, Carlotta a Weimar (Mondadori)

H. Mann, La giovinezza di Enrico IV; La maturità di Enrico IV (q.ed)

A. Doeblin, Wallenstein (q.ed.)

Franz Werfel, Die vierzig Tage des Musa Dagh 

All attending students will have the opportunity to carry out a writing exercise with exemption value which will concern the theoretical-literary part (genre, characters, structure, time, space, authorial intentionality) and the critical-literary part.

Students will prepare a thesis following the style of literary commentary on a text chosen from the reading list and will present it to the teacher during the oral exam.

At the exam, students will now have to be prepared to present the novels they have read in a discursive way and analyze their historical, literary and narratological aspects.

Assessment

All attending students will have the opportunity to carry out a writing exercise with exemption value which will concern the theoretical-literary part (genre, characters, structure, time, space, authorial intentionality) and the critical-literary part.

Students will prepare an essay following the style of "literary commentary" (Kommentar) on a text chosen from the reading list and will present it to the teacher during the oral exam.

At the exam, students will have to be ready to present the novels they have read in a discursive way and analyze their historical, literary and narratological aspects.

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.

Attendance

Students will be considered non-attending if they attend less than 60% of the lessons.

Course books

Students will be able to acquire the necessary and essential skills in the history of literature through the manual V. Zmegac, History of German Literature.

The main critical and theoretical issues will be illustrated with the help of the following texts

U. Bavaj, Mythoscopia romantica, Castelvecchi (sarà utilizzato interamente)

M. Bachtin, Epos e romanzo 

G. Lukàcs, Il romanzo storico, Einaudi (

Short theoretical texts (Broch, Bakhtin and others) and short stories that integrate the concept of the historical novel will be indicated in class and later included in the moodle list.

All students will read:

Kleist, Michael Kohlhaas (Garzanti)

G. von Le Fort, L'ultima al patibolo e altre novelle (BUR)

Sibylle Lewitscharoff, Blumenberg (Del Vecchio Editore)

Students will also read at least 4 of the following novels/short stories in their entirety:

B. Naubert, Walter von Montbarry (solo in tedesco, q. ed.)

G. Keller, Martin Salander (Dadò)

Bertha Von Suttner, Abbasso le armi (Prospero Editore)

J. Roth, La marcia di Radetzky, La cripta dei Cappuccini (Adelphi)

G. von Le Fort, Il papa del ghetto (Rizzoli)

R. Huch, L'ultima estate (Studio Tesi)

R. Huch, Von den Königen und der Krone (in tedesco, q. ed.)

R. Huch, Wallenstein (q.ed)

L. Frank, Novella tedesca (in Seduzione e ritorno, Del Vecchio Editore 2022)

Thomas Mann, Carlotta a Weimar (Mondadori)

H. Mann, La giovinezza di Enrico IV; La maturità di Enrico IV (q.ed)

A. Doeblin, Wallenstein (q.ed.)

Franz Werfel, Die vierzig Tage des Musa Dagh 

D. Kehlmann, La misura del mondo 

A. Baar, Il colore della melagrana