Learning objectives
The course of medieval Latin literature and humanities provides specific knowledge of both language and literature of the Middle Ages and of Renaissance humanism, allowing students to acquire advanced skills as well as substantial and methodological critical understanding of literary texts in Latin. Knowledge and skills will be developed through classes homework and reports on specific topics. Students must be able to work on selected authors applying methodological tools provided during lessons to other contexts and literary texts. They must also be able to examine and critically interpret texts and philological, linguistic and literary issues so to be able to express personal hypotheses on both content and socio-cultural context issues. Students must be able to present trough proper scientific language, the results of their research to fellow students. The study of Medieval and humanistic literature and language provides methodological, analytical and critical skills necessary in the final stages of the students' carrer (creation of repotrs etc.) and possibly helpful in the transition towards their futur jobs (i. e. as teachers).
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The course is divided as follows: a) classification of medieval Latin literature and humanities, b) Gervase of Tilbury and his work Otia imperialia c) reading and analysis of some stages of the work with stylistic and rhetorical comment .
Full programme
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Bibliography
1)Leonardi Claudio, Letteratura latina medievale: un manuale,Sismel Edizioni del Galluzzo, 2003 (o edizioni successive) oppure Edoardo D'Angelo, La letteratura latina medievale: una storia per generi, Roma 2009.
2)La letteratura italiana del Trecento e del Quattrocento: conoscenza della letteratura italiana da Dante al Bembo. Per la parte generale relativa alla storia della letteratura italiana, si consiglia: Storia della letteratura italiana. Il Trecento, a cura di E. Malato, Roma, Salerno 1995 (cap. X Francesco Petrarca); Il Quattrocento, a cura di E. Malato, Roma, Salerno 1996 (capitoli: II parr. 1- 13, e 23-24; III (par. 1, 2); IV (parr. 1-10); V (parr. 1-3); VII (tutto).
3)Gervasio di Tilbury, Il libro delle meraviglie, a c. di Elisabetta Bartoli, Pacini Editore Pisa 2010
4)Gervasio di Tilbury, Otia imperialia. Carocci Roma 2010.
Teaching methods
Classes: historical overview of Medieval and Humanistic literature, with particular focus on the concept of 'miraculous' and 'wonderful' during Medieval times (selected readings from the Otia imperialia of Gervase of Tilbury). A selection of most important and attractive passages wil be read and commented; the text linguistic and stylistic analysis will then follw, and particular focus will be on the analysis of the hypotexts present in the work. The course will also feature students' papers.
Assessment methods and criteria
The student's work will be evaluated on the basis of:
-Papers presented during classes,
-Papers presented at the final exam, where general knowledge of medieval and humanistic literature wil be evaluated, so as the comprehension of the latin text (context, content and meanin) wil be tested.
Students will be assessed on:
written and oral proficiency; correct use of language; personal reinterpretation of contents; ability to make inter-disciplinary connections; proper use of specialist language; ability to give proper answers to given questions.
Students will have to score a minimum of 60 percent or better of the given question to get a pass grade.
The final score will be calculated by the arithmetic mean of the partial scores of the two courses.
Other information
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