The course is aimed at giving an overview of twentieth-century Italian culture through its various expressions, specifically through literature. Students a at the end of the course should have acquired the theoretical and methodological tools necessary to analyze a literary, narrative and poetic text, which they should also be able to adequately relate back to the cultural context of reference.

The program is divided into three parts:

a manualistic part will provide basic knowledge of the literary and cultural history of the Italian twentieth century 

a theoretical part will be necessary to analyze the text from a sociological and interdisciplinary perspective 

Students will complete their preparation by reading three novels of their choice among some of the most relevant of the Italian twentieth century

Knowledge and comprehension skills

Students will acquire adequate knowledge and critical tools for understanding and describing twentieth-century Italian culture and literature 

Applied knowledge and understanding skills

Students, through the analysis of specific case studies, will be able to understand and describe with ease the main literary and artistic manifestations of the 20th century, offering an adequate contextualization within the socio-cultural perimeter configured in the country.

Autonomy of judgment

Students, at the end of the course, will acquire the basic skills and tools to formulate a critically grounded judgment on the evolutions of culture, literature and society and the transformations of expressive languages that occurred in Italy in the 20th century.

Communication skills

Students will be able to return the course content with appropriate technical language, with particular reference to textual analysis and illustration of the socio-cultural phenomena that occurred in the century under consideration.

Ability to learn

Students will acquire a working methodology and a set of skills that, on the one hand, will enrich their cultural background and, on the other, will make them autonomous in their exploration of the narrative and poetic text of 20th-century Italian society.

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

Slides, audiovisual materials, contributions from journalism and literary, film and television criticism, possible specialized talks by experts.

Teaching

Lectures will be face-to-face, with use of audio-visual materials and possible talks by outside speakers with a seminar format. Discussion and direct involvement of students on the topics covered will be encouraged.

Attendance

Study of the texts under examination is required, additional materials will be uploaded to the Moodle platform from time to time. 

Course books

Handbook of Italian literature including literary history from Verismo to the 2000s. Recommended textbook: C. Giunta, M. Grimaldi, G. Simonetti, E. Torchio, Lo specchio e la porta. Mille anni di letteratura. voll. 3a e 3b, ed. rossa, Milano, Garzanti, 2021. Portions of the textbook to be studied will be indicated in class. 

G. Turchetta, Critica, letteratura e società, Roma, Carocci, 2003. (Again, the textbook portions to be studied will be indicated in class) 

Additional essays and insights useful for preparation will be uploaded to the platform.

Reading of two of these novels:

Calvino I., Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno / Le cosmicomiche

Eco U., Il nome della rosa

Fenoglio B., Una questione privata

Levi P., Se questo è un uomo

Morante E., Menzogna e sortilegio / L’isola di Arturo / La storia / Aracoeli

Moravia A., Gli indifferenti / Racconti romani / La noia

Ortese A., Il mare non bagna Napoli

Pasolini P., Il sogno di una cosa / Petrolio

Pirandello L., Uno, nessuno, centomila / Il fu Mattia Pascal

Prospero Gobetti A., Il diario partigiano

Romano L., Tetto murato

Sciascia L., Todo modo / Il giorno della civetta / A ciascuno il suo

Svevo I., La coscienza di Zeno

Assessment

Written exam. Open-ended questions. 

Assessment Criteria. The test is to be considered inadequate when the candidate demonstrates that he/she lacks the minimum knowledge of the course content, lacks the ability to rework it independently and understand literary texts. Also inadequate is the written exposition.

Sufficient evidence (18-23/30) is determined by acquisition of the minimum course content, minimal elaboration of the same and textual understanding, and uncertain command of the Italian language. Scores indicating a fair (24-25/30), good (26-27/30) and excellent (28-30/30) proof are assigned on these same parameters, while praise is awarded to proofs that achieve the highest rating in the above criteria and are distinguished by expressive ability, argumentative and linguistic sensitivity in textual analysis, reworking of content and the ability to make interdisciplinary connections.

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.

Teaching

Lectures will be face-to-face, with use of audio-visual materials and possible talks by outside speakers with a seminar format. Discussion and direct involvement of students on the topics covered will be encouraged.

Attendance

Study of the texts under examination is required, additional materials will be uploaded to the Moodle platform from time to time. 

Course books

Handbook of Italian literature including literary history from Verismo to the 2000s. Recommended textbook: C. Giunta, M. Grimaldi, G. Simonetti, E. Torchio, Lo specchio e la porta. Mille anni di letteratura. voll. 3a e 3b, ed. rossa, Milano, Garzanti, 2021. 

G. Turchetta, Critica, letteratura e società, Roma, Carocci, 2003. (in full).

Additional essays and insights useful for preparation will be uploaded to the platform during class.

Reading of four of these novels:

Calvino I., Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno / Le cosmicomiche

Eco U., Il nome della rosa

Fenoglio B., Una questione privata

Levi P., Se questo è un uomo

Morante E., Menzogna e sortilegio / L’isola di Arturo / La storia / Aracoeli

Moravia A., Gli indifferenti / Racconti romani / La noia

Ortese A., Il mare non bagna Napoli

Pasolini P., Il sogno di una cosa / Petrolio

Pirandello L., Uno, nessuno, centomila / Il fu Mattia Pascal

Prospero Gobetti A., Il diario partigiano

Romano L., Tetto murato

Sciascia L., Todo modo / Il giorno della civetta / A ciascuno il suo

Svevo I., La coscienza di Zeno

Assessment

Written exam. Open-ended questions. 

Assessment Criteria. The test is to be considered inadequate when the candidate demonstrates that he/she lacks the minimum knowledge of the course content, lacks the ability to rework it independently and understand literary texts. Also inadequate is the written exposition.

Sufficient evidence (18-23/30) is determined by acquisition of the minimum course content, minimal elaboration of the same and textual understanding, and uncertain command of the Italian language. Scores indicating a fair (24-25/30), good (26-27/30) and excellent (28-30/30) proof are assigned on these same parameters, while praise is awarded to proofs that achieve the highest rating in the above criteria and are distinguished by expressive ability, argumentative and linguistic sensitivity in textual analysis, reworking of content and the ability to make interdisciplinary connections.

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.

Written exam. Open-ended questions. 

Assessment Criteria. The test is to be considered inadequate when the candidate demonstrates that he/she lacks the minimum knowledge of the course content, lacks the ability to rework it independently and understand literary texts. Also inadequate is the written exposition.

Sufficient evidence (18-23/30) is determined by acquisition of the minimum course content, minimal elaboration of the same and textual understanding, and uncertain command of the Italian language. Scores indicating a fair (24-25/30), good (26-27/30) and excellent (28-30/30) proof are assigned on these same parameters, while praise is awarded to proofs that achieve the highest rating in the above criteria and are distinguished by expressive ability, argumentative and linguistic sensitivity in textual analysis, reworking of content and the ability to make interdisciplinary connections.