CATALAN LITERATURE 1

The course is characterizing for students who choose Catalan language (as Language A or Language B) in the degree in "Languages, Civilizations and Language Sciences" in the three pathways offered (Cultural Literary, Linguistic-Philological-Linguistic, Political-International). It can also be included in the curriculum as "related/integrative" or "student's choice" educational activities. In line with the educational objectives of the degree program in "Languages, Civilizations and Language Sciences," the course enables students to: deepen their knowledge of Catalan cultural heritage; develop skills in thematic and formal analysis of films and literary texts; and understand the ways in which they respond to the fundamental questions of their time.

Attendance and active participation in the training activities offered by the course (lectures, discussions and possible in-depth thematic seminars, and individual study will enable students to: learn about the history of Barcelona and Catalonia from the second half of the 19th century to the Civil War; become familiar with some of the most relevant periods and authors in Catalan literature; and develop independent judgment in the interpretation of literary texts.

No prerequisites are required. Classes will be conducted in Italian.

The course will focus on the following topics:

1. The birth of a metropolis: Barcelona between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
---1.1 The Pla Cerdà: utopia vs. reality
---1.2 The Universal Expositions
2. From decadence to rebirth: Catalonia rose up.
---2.1 La Renaixença and the Jocs Florals: the resurgence of Catalan culture
3. From Modernisme to Noucentisme (1892-1923).
---3.1 Modernisme and its protagonists
---3.2 Gaudí and other masterpieces of modernist architecture
---3.3 Picasso in Barcelona: a genius and "four cats"
---3.4 The Noucentisme
4. Soccer, identity and politics: Barça, "més que un club"
5. The wounded city: Barcelona during the Civil War (1936-1939)
---5.1 The Civil War and the "brief summer of anarchy" as told by writers and filmmakers
---5.2 The exile
---5.3 Catalan republicans in Nazi concentration camps.

We will analyze and discuss particularly significant passages from the following authors in class: Oller, Aribau, Maragall, Rusiñol, Ors, Soldevila, Rodoreda, Benguerel, Calders, Amat-Piniella. The passages will be presented in Italian translation and will be made available to students in the course Noodle.

Gli studenti frequentanti (e non) dovranno studiare gli appunti presi a lezione e le slide che verranno messe a disposizione nel Noodle del corso. Le slide comprenderanno anche i brani (in traduzione italiana) tratti dalle opere letterarie elencate al punto a) che analizzeremo a lezione.
a) Testi letterari
Narcís Oller, La febre d’or (1892)
Eugeni d’Ors, «Urbanitat»
Santiago Rusiñol, L’auca del senyor Esteve (1907)
Mercè Rodoreda, La plaça del Diamant (1962)
George Orwell, Omaggio alla Catalogna (1938),
Pere Calders, «Pàgines de l’exili. Prats de Molló» (1939)
Joaquim Amat-Piniella, K.L. Reich (1963)
Xavier Benguerel, Els vençuts (1969)

b) Bibliography (mandatory for attending (and non-attending) students.

Enric Bou & Jaume Subirana, The Barcelona Reader: Cultural Readings of a City. Liverpool University Press, 2017

Verification of learning will be through a 2-hour written test in Italian. The test will assess:

- the consistency of the answers with the questions posed by the lecturer;
- the candidate's ability to expound the course content clearly and effectively, using scientifically appropriate vocabulary;
- the candidate's ability to make connections on the various topics covered.

Active participation in the lectures and cultural activities proposed by the lecturer (only for attending students) will also be taken into account in the evaluation.

Frontal lectures during which active student participation is required. Extensive use will be made of multimedia materials.

Italian

While not compulsory, class attendance is strongly recommended. Classes are a valuable opportunity to explore topics and content in depth, relate and engage with the lecturer and fellow students, and to broaden one's cultural horizons and social life, thereby making the course of study richer, more effective and stimulating.

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Cities, infrastructure and social capital" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development