ENGLISH LITERATURE 1

The course, as part of the LCSL degree course, introduces students to the knowledge of the literary and cultural heritage of English-speaking countries, and will provide the students with skills in the thematic and stylistic analysis of selected literary texts.

The course will introduce students to the main literary artistic and cultural movements in England of the last three centuries. Students will enhance their skills in cultural and literary analysis as well as reading and translation skills. They will be able to relate texts to their historical and cultural contexts and communicate their comments and critical reflections on them with appropriate language.

B2 level in The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Title: "From ALICE to HARRY POTTER: children's literature in the last three centuries"

The module will focus on the development of the history of children's literature (themes, genres, criticism) from the Middle-Ages to Postmodernism, with a focus on the last three centuries, and the genres of the literary fairy tale and fantasy. Part of the course will explore adaptations of Shakespeare's plays for children from the early Nineteenth century to contemporary YA novels.

All the books listed below are compulsory reading:

A) Primary Sources

Lewis Carroll, ALICE IN WONDERLAND and THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (suggested edition: Oxford University Press, 2009, ed. Peter Hunt);
Laura Tosi (ed.), DRAGHI E PRINCIPESSE. FIABE IMPERTINENTI DELL'800 INGLESE, Marsilio 2003;
William Shakespeare KING LEAR (any edition, in English or Italian)

B) Context and criticism

Laura Tosi e Alessandra Petrina (eds.) DALL'ABC a HARRY POTTER. STORIA DELLA LETTERATURA INGLESE PER L'INFANZIA E LA GIOVENTU, Bononia University Press, 2011 (except for chapter 15);
Laura Tosi, RACCONTARE SHAKESPEARE AI BAMBINI. ADATTAMENTI, RISCRITTURE, RIDUZIONI DALL'800 A OGGI, FrancoAngeli 2014.
Laura Tosi, LA FIABA LETTERARIA INGLESE, Marsilio,2007

Additional texts will be available in Moodle (http://moodle.unive.it ) - students will have to download them in advance and bring them to class.

Students will be tested with four questions on the issues discussed in assigned reading and lectures. As part of the exam, they will be asked to translate, analyze and evaluate an excerpt from one of the primary texts. In the exam they will have to prove that they have acquired a good knowledge of the cultural and historical contexts of children’s literature, and that they have developed a basic ability to analyze, evaluate, and form autonomous judgments on the texts discussed.

Class lectures, with power point presentations and materials on Moodle

Italian

Students unable to attend classes are required to contact Prof. Tosi in her office hours at least 2 months before the exam, in order to discuss an additional reading list.

written