BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The main objective of the professor is to provide as broad an overview as possible of the main cultural phenomena that have defined the development of German literature in the 21st century, analysing two works that are representative of the poetics and cultural-political commitment of the two authors on the programme: Kathrin Röggla (b. 1971) and Valerie Fritsch (b. 1989). Students will thus acquire an in-depth knowledge of the historical-literary period investigated; they will be able to critically evaluate the dynamics concerning the positioning of the two austrian authors in the European context; they will be able to confront themselves with the reading, comprehension and translation from German of some salient passages of the texts in class. In the course, class discussion with the participants is encouraged in a seminar dimension.
The objectives are in line with those of the Master's degree course in ISLLI.
Course Prerequisites
To have taken the first-year examination of Deutschsprachige Literaturen Europas.
Teaching Methods
Teaching is conducted entirely in German, through lectures but also in a seminar dimension, involving students in reflection on the topics covered and in the classroom translation of selected passages from the texts on the syllabus. Power points will be used in some cases.
Assessment Methods
The examination will be taken by students exclusively in oral form. There will be three questions in German
concerning:
1) the framing of the cultural perspectives of the German-speaking literary landscape in the most recent contemporaneity, also in relation to the writers being analysed in the course: Kathrin Röggla and Valerie Fritsch and especially in relation to the critical scenarios of our contemporary reality, thematised in the works of the two authors.
2) the analysis of the main problematic junctions of the two works under examination: die alarmbereiten (2010) by Kathrin Röggla and Winters Garten by Valerie Fritsch (2016)
3) the interpretation and possible translation of a passage from the works examined.
To obtain a good grade, students should be able to functionally frame the critical material presented and should be familiar with the salient aspects of the bibliographical material.
To obtain a good grade, students will have to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the primary literature analysed during the course, commenting on it from a historical-critical point of view and correlating it with the general overview of the introductory part.
In order to obtain a very good grade, students will have to prove that they have a homogeneous view of the topics discussed, that they have a thorough grasp of the bibliographical material, that they are able to connect the topics with each other and that they have an excellent command of expression.
Contents
An overview of the most interesting strands of contemporary German-language literature (21st century) introduces the course.
The course intends to present two different interpretations of crisis scenarios in the contemporary world, which affect both individuals and collectivity. These are mediated by two works by Austrian authors born in 1971 and 1989 respectively: one is also concerned with dramaturgy and radio broadcasting, the other with photography.
die alarmbereiten (The ever-vigilant, 2010) by Kathrin Röggla focuses on the isolation syndrome and the alienation that grips those who prepare for exceptionally negative events, having become porous to news of major cataclysms or disasters that are broadcast daily in the news.
The approach to the problems of the crisis has above all a social character, in Röggla, who uses references to the pervasive, daily use of the media to deal with his themes (exploitation in the corporate world of work, acceleration of work rhythms, performance stress, etc.). To define his work, one speaks of Gespenstischer Realismus (Ghostly Realism).
As for Valerie Fritsch, her novel Winters Garten (2016) deals with an unspecified catastrophe that threatens the whole of humanity.The relationship between love and death is the hinge on which the novel is based, which invites us to think about values that can hold society together even in times of emergency.
Online Resources
More information
The course takes place over the first semester, between the End of Septermber and the End of November, for the autumn term, and in the third sub-period, between February and March, for the remaining lessons.
There is the possibility of invited lectures involving one or more external lecturers on the basis of Erasmus exchanges as visiting professors.
**** Students who have not attended the lectures related to the course can obtain support and supplementary materials by contacting the professor directly by e-mail.
FOR THE FINAL EXAMINATION: Students are required to come to the final examination with the texts (paper books or E-Books) and materials provided for in the syllabus (not only with course notes).