The course has a twofold objective: on the one hand, to introduce students to the most significant questions in literary theory; on the other, to expose them to methods of study and analysis that differ from the Italian historicist tradition, through the reading and discussion of both theoretical and literary texts.
On the level of individual learning, the course will enable students to acquire a critical understanding of the contexts of production and circulation of contemporary literary texts from a theoretical and comparative perspective; to develop tools for literary analysis in an interdisciplinary and transcultural framework; to foster critical awareness in approaching literature; to enhance communication skills and the ability to promote literary heritage; to acquire specific competencies in the teaching of literature (reading and textual commentary); and to promote health, well-being, gender equality, and inclusion.
Italian language
The course consists of 36 hours and will be conducted in a seminar format: sessions will be held once a week, for a total of 12 meetings, during which the assigned reading materials will be discussed collectively.
This structure requires students to complete the readings in advance, making a regular weekly rhythm both necessary and beneficial. It also entails active participation, as students are expected to engage in the discussion and critical analysis of the texts.
For these reasons, regular attendance is strongly recommended: the course is built around ongoing dialogue between the instructor and students, focused on theoretical and interpretive questions related to the study of literature.
The exam is oral, and the final grade—expressed on a scale of thirty—is intended to assess students’ mastery of the course content, their presentation skills, and their ability to engage critically through the reading and interpretation of literary texts.
For the exam, students will be required to read in full two theoretical texts discussed during the course. These texts must be agreed upon in advance with the instructor.
Students who are unable to attend the course are expected to contact the instructor as soon as possible to arrange the texts for the exam. Non-attending students will be required to read four texts in their entirety.
A note on the course structure: the teaching is divided into two modules, one in Literary Theory and Criticism(taught by the instructor), and one in Contemporary Italian Literature (taught by Prof. Nunzia Palmieri). Both parts of the exam must be taken during the same exam session; students are not allowed to take the two modules at different times.
The final grade will be the arithmetic average of the two module grade.
In this course, we will explore some of the key figures who shaped twentieth-century literary theory, reading either complete works or selected excerpts from their writings. Specifically, we will focus on stylistic theory (Auerbach), formalism (Bakhtin), Marxist theory (Lukács, Jameson, Moretti) and Neo-Marxism (Adorno, Benjamin), reception aesthetics (Jauss), the sociology of literature (Bourdieu), the hermeneutics of history (White) and philosophical hermeneutics (Ricœur), deconstruction (Derrida, De Man, Culler), narratology (Cohn), semiotics (Segre), cultural studies (Barthes, Foucault, Said), and feminist theory (Butler, Kristeva). Through discussion, oral presentations, and close reading, we will reflect on the plurality of literary theories, their critical applications, and the challenges posed by textuality.
All students who are unable to attend the course, as well as Erasmus students, are kindly asked to contact the instructor at alberto.comparini@unibg.it in order to arrange an alternative reading list consistent with their study plan.
All communications from the instructor will take place via the course’s e-learning platform. It is therefore essential that all students register promptly. Students are expected to check the platform regularly and download the required material
