Learning objectives
Through the course, students will obtain the ability to collocate the texts analysed in the literary, religious and philosophical context of the reign of Louis XIV. Students will also be encouraged to think about the role antique mythology has played in the literature of the classical period; on the relationship between fictional works and contemporary texts produced by moralists and philosophers; on the moral aim of theatre as experienced in Racine's and Molière's works.During the course, the student will also learn how to understand and analyze literary and dramatic
texts both from the formal point of view and that of content;
- to put them in relation to the author’s poetic output;
- to investigate in depth some of the topics covered in an independent and original way;
- to formulate, communicate and discuss (in Italian) contents, analyses and opinions concerning the
texts under examination.
Prerequisites
- - -
Course unit content
The course offers an introduction to 17th century French Literature, focussing in particular on classical theatre. During the first few lessons we shall analyse the transition from baroque aesthetics to classicist one. Following this, we shall examine the poetics of classical theatre, that will be illustrated via Racine's Phèdre and Molière's Tartuffe.
Full programme
- - -
Bibliography
Molière, Il borghese gentiluomo, BUR; Racine, Phèdre, Garzanti or Marsilio; Bertini et alii, Beaubourg, vol. I, Einaudi Scuola.
Teaching methods
Traditional.The course consists of lectures, during which the presentation of historical and literary contents will be
supplemented by commentary and analysis of extracts from texts in the original language. The LEA
platform will be used in order to make available critical materials and offer bibliographical suggestions
to enable students to carry out personal investigations of the course content.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination. The exam aims at assessing the student's ability to present in an orderly and exhaustive fashion the contents of the works analysed (collocating them in the general historical period)While commenting upon specific extracts of the text, students should be able to connect them to the fundamental notions approached during the lessons; should demonstrated to have assimilated the fundamentals of Racine's and Molièreìs poetics, emphasising their relationship with their philosophical and religious ideas.The knowledge acquired during the course will be assessed through an oral exam in Italian. Specialist
students of French will be asked to read and translate passages in the texts studied in the original
language. The following knowledge and skills will be assessed:
- knowledge about the authors and works covered in the course and their accurate insertion into
historical and cultural contexts;
- the ability to express content in correct Italian, using the appropriate terminology of literary studies;
- an adequate level in the ability to analyze and rework the basic contents in an autonomous way.
A fail is determined by the absence, demonstrated by the student during the oral examination, of the
ability to understand the basic contents of the course, the lack of autonomous preparation and the
inability to solve problems related to information retrieval and the decoding of complex texts, as well
as the formulation of independent judgments.
A pass (18-23/30) is determined by the ability, demonstrated by the student, to have acquired the
basic content of the course, a sufficient level of autonomous preparation, an acceptable ability to solve
problems related to information retrieval and the decoding of texts, as well as the formulation of
independent judgment. Middle-range marks (24-27/30) are assigned to those student who produce
evidence of more than sufficient (24-25/30) or good (26-27/30) levels in the evaluation indicators
listed above. Upper-end marks (from 28/30 to 30/30 cum laude) are awarded on the basis of the
demonstration of a very good to an excellent level in the evaluation indicators listed above.
Other information
- - -
