Duration
30h Th
Number of credits
| Bachelor in modern languages and literatures : general | 5 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
Italian language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The fantastic in twentieth-century Italian short stories
After defining the notion of the Italian 'fantastic', this course will trace and analyse the history of the Italian fantastic tale in the 20th century, focusing on its second half. An Italian surrealist line began to emerge at the beginning of the 20th century (L. Pirandello, M. Bontempelli). However, it was from the 1940s and 1950s onwards (T. Landolfi, D. Buzzati, etc.) that the fantastic tale enjoyed a certain success, although realistic fiction remained dominant. From the second half of the 1960s onwards, the fantastic tale conquered a significant part of the literary scene, following three models that S. Lazzarini has described as : 1) 'iperfantastici' (tales with ironic, nostalgic overtones and characterised by thematic, rhetorical and narrative excess), 2) 'metafantastici' (metaliterary tales that dismantle the mechanism of the fantastic), 3) 'neofantastici' (short stories where nothing happens but where that nothing proves disturbing). The various typologies will be reviewed through exemplary texts (A. Moravia, T. Landolfi, D. Buzzati, A. Tabucchi, etc.). Particular attention will be paid to the female fantasy of E. Morante and A. M. Ortese.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
At the end of the course, students will be able to identify the themes, topoi and rhetorical and narrative structures of the Italian fantastic short story. They will also be able to apply them to short stories similar to those seen in class.
The practical knowledge gained from analysing a literary text, combined with theoretical knowledge of the literary landscape, will provide students with the basis for a more in-depth study of a certain type of literary writing.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
A basic knowledge of the Italian language is a preferred condition.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Various tasks (reading, oral expression exercises) aimed at the overall and detailed comprehension of texts in Italian. Students are expected to read and prepare in advance the material that will be covered in the course.
Participation in the course will be required and encouraged.
Optional practical work (TP) may be organised by student monitors with the aim of encouraging fluency of expression.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Primary corpus
Reading of short stories to be analysed in class
Reading and analysis of a short story chosen from a list provided by the teacher at the beginning of the course
Bibliography
S. Zangrandi, Cose dell'atro mondo. Percorsi nella letteratura fantastica italiana del Novecento, archetipo Libri, 2011 (chapitres : « Premessa », « aspetti della letteratura fantastica », « Alcune città del fantastico » (seulement les parties concernant E. Morante et D. Buzzati), « Alcune narratrici fantastiche » (seulement les parties concernant A. M. Ortese et E. Morante), « Il fantastico tra satira e denuncia sociale e ambentale » (seulement les parties concernant Battaglia nottura alla Biennale di Venezia de D. Buzzati, Il quadro d'A. Moravia)
S. Lazzarin, « Tre modelli di fantastico per il secondo Novecento », Allegoria n. 69-70, 2014, pp. 41-60, en ligne
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
oral exam
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
The langue of the course is Italian.
Contacts
Thea Rimini
thea.rimini@uliege.be