BERGAMO
Dati Generali
Periodo di attività
Syllabus
Obiettivi Formativi
Prerequisiti
There are no prerequisites. The course is taught in English and is offered in the second semester. For part of the course, students may be divided into two groups: beginners (those with no previous background in Germanic Philology or related disciplines at undergraduate level) and advanced students (those who already possess a basic grounding in philology)
Metodi didattici
Verifica Apprendimento
Students may also be asked to prepare a paper or a (personal or small group) project.
Throughout the course, students receive guidance on examination procedures together with regular discussion of content and exam strategies. The lecturer also provides a detailed assessment rubric outlining the evaluation criteria and examination format.
For a passing grade, students need to be able to talk about all the Medieval texts read in modern English translation and to read and translate into English (word by word) the texts analyzed in the original language during the course; they also need to be able to place the texts in their historical and cultural context;
For a more than satisfactory grade, students have to show an in-depth knowledge of the texts, commenting them from a linguistic and philological point of view;
For an excellent grade, students have to show an organic view of the topics discussed in class, to be able to use sources and bibliographical material, to link topics, and to master expressive skills.
Evaluation will be divided into 5 bands and will take into account both the knowledge of course contents:
(30 cum laude) – excellent; precise, correct, and appropriate.
(30-27) – very good; correct.
(26-24) – good; mostly correct.
(23-18) – acceptable; with some occasional mistakes.
(below 18) – partial and/or superficial; with numerous errors.
Contenuti
The module introduces the principal theories and methodologies of textual criticism, tracing the development of the discipline from the Lachmannian method through the critiques advanced by Joseph Bédier and Bernard Cerquiglini to the theoretical perspectives of the New Philology. Particular attention is devoted to textual transmission, stemmatics, manuscript variation, authorial intention, editorial practice, and selected approaches to authorial philology, enabling students to engage critically with both traditional and contemporary methods of editing medieval and modern texts. The module also examines major theories of literary translation, with particular emphasis on the ways in which medieval Germanic texts have been reinterpreted for contemporary audiences through translation, adaptation, and transmedial reworking across different media, including anime and manga, film and television, graphic novels, and video games. The module also explores a range of significant case studies, of which Beowulf, the Old English translation of the Historia Apollonii Regis Tyri, and The Dream of the Rood in conjunction with the Ruthwell Cross are only some examples.
BIBLIOGRAPHY (see Leganto)
Lecture notes and materials uploaded to Moodle do not replace the prescribed readings available through Leganto. Any items included in the bibliography below (and available through Leganto) that are not covered in class nevertheless form part of the students' independent study and may be examined in the final assessment:
Cocco, G. “Quid enim «tabula» cum «Historia Apollonii»?: Abridging and Translating a Lay Novel in Late Old English Christian Prose.” Spolia. Journal of Medieval Studies, Special Issue (2023): 101–128.
Haydock, N. and E. L. Risden (eds.), Beowulf on Film: Adaptations and Variations. McFarland, 2013. Introduction and Chapters 1, 3, 4, and 5.
Magennis, H. Translating Beowulf: Modern Versions in English Verse. Brewer, 2011. pp. 1–26.
Niles, J. “Rewriting Beowulf: The Task of Translation.” College English 55, no. 8 (1993), pp. 858–878.
Rippl, G. (ed.), Handbook of Intermediality: Literature – Image – Sound – Music. De Gruyter, 2015. Introduction: pp. 1–23.
Trovato, P. Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Lachmann’s Method. Libreriauniversitaria, 2014 (also available as an e-book). Introduction: pp. 39–45; Chapter 1, “Lachmann’s Method”: pp. 49–75.
Altre informazioni
Lecture notes and materials uploaded to Moodle do not replace the prescribed readings available through Leganto. Any items included in the bibliography (and available through Leganto) that are not covered in class nevertheless form part of the students' independent study and may be examined in the final assessment.
Students who do not attend classes must contact the reader to ensure that they are aware of the course materials and the examination format.