BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the development of German theatre from the Enlightenment through Weimar Classicism to Romanticism by examining three landmark works of German-language drama: Emilia Galotti by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Iphigenie auf Tauris by Johann Wolfgang Goethe, and Penthesilea by Heinrich von Kleist.
Through close reading of the texts and their historical, literary, and aesthetic contextualization, the course traces the transition from the Enlightenment's confidence in reason and moral education to the humanistic ideals of Weimar Classicism, and finally to the Romantic crisis of subjectivity.
The course contributes to the degree programme's learning objectives by providing students with the theoretical and methodological tools necessary to understand the major transformations of German culture during the so-called Sattelzeit, with particular emphasis on the interplay between literature, philosophy, and anthropology.
In addition, the course seeks to strengthen students' skills in textual analysis, critical interpretation, and the translation of selected passages from the original German. Its seminar-based format encourages active student participation and direct engagement with the primary texts.
Course Prerequisites
The course is intended for students in the third year of the Bachelor’s Degree Program in “Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures”.
- Before taking the exam in “German-Language Literature III”, students must have fully passed the second-year German language exam (both written and oral).
- The course may be included in the study plan as an elective.
Teaching Methods
Teaching is conducted primarily in German through lectures complemented by seminar sessions devoted to the critical discussion of the assigned texts.
Classes will be supplemented by the analysis of additional materials, including excerpts from theatrical performances and audiovisual resources illustrating major modern stagings of the works on the syllabus.
Students will engage in the reading, translation, and commentary of selected passages in the original language, as well as in collective discussions of the principal theoretical issues addressed throughout the course.
PowerPoint presentations and other digital teaching resources may be used during the course.
Assessment Methods
Students will be asked to answer three questions covering the following areas:
1. the development of German theatre from the Enlightenment through Weimar Classicism to Romanticism within its historical and cultural context;
2. a critical analysis of one or more of the works studied during the course (Emilia Galotti, Iphigenie auf Tauris, Penthesilea);
3. the commentary and, where appropriate, the translation of a passage selected from the prescribed texts.
To achieve a passing grade, students must demonstrate knowledge of the principal historical and literary developments of German theatre between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, together with a sound command of the essential course bibliography.
To obtain a good grade, students are expected to show an in-depth knowledge of the works studied and the ability to contextualize them historically, philosophically, and critically.
To achieve an excellent grade, students must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the development of German theatre, the ability to establish connections between authors, literary movements, and historical-cultural contexts, as well as a thorough command of the critical bibliography.
The final mark will be based on the following assessment criteria (three questions worth 10 points each):
- Excellent (30 cum laude): outstanding knowledge of the course content; excellent critical analysis and historical contextualization; precise, accurate, and effective written expression.
- Very Good (30–27): very good knowledge of the course content; strong interpretative skills; fluent and generally error-free written expression.
- Good (26–24): good knowledge of the course content, although analysis remains predominantly descriptive; accurate written expression with only minor errors.
- Satisfactory/Pass (23–18): essential knowledge of the course content; limited but adequate interpretative ability; simple language with some linguistic inaccuracies.
- Fail (below 18): fragmentary and superficial knowledge; inadequate analysis; unclear argumentation and serious linguistic errors.
Contents
Module A is devoted to Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and Emilia Galotti (1772), a seminal work of the German Enlightenment (Aufklärung) and of bourgeois tragedy (bürgerliches Trauerspiel). The play will be examined in light of the aesthetic principles developed in the Hamburgische Dramaturgie and the broader Enlightenment project of moral and intellectual emancipation.
Module B focuses on Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Iphigenie auf Tauris (1787), a masterpiece of Weimar Classicism. The analysis will concentrate on Goethe's concept of Humanität, the revival of the classical tradition, the dialogue with ancient Greek culture, and the transformation of tragedy into a drama of reconciliation.
Module C is dedicated to Heinrich von Kleist and Penthesilea (1808), a work that marks the crisis of classical models and inaugurates a new conception of the tragic. Through an examination of the conflict between Penthesilea and Achilles, the module explores themes of violence, eros, identity, and modern subjectivity, highlighting Kleist's radical reconfiguration of the concepts of reason, freedom, and nature.
Following this trajectory, the course demonstrates how German theatre between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries became one of the principal laboratories of European modernity, where the relationships between the individual, society, politics, and morality were continuously redefined.
Students enrolled in a curriculum requiring a 9 ECTS examination will attend all three modules.
Students whose curriculum requires a 6 ECTS examination will attend Modules A and B only.
Online Resources
More information
The purchase of the texts in the edition indicated on Leganto (Suhrkamp BasisBibliothek) is strongly recommended. If students already own a different edition, it may still be used.
Erasmus students are kindly requested to contact the instructor before beginning exam preparation.