COMPARATIVE THEORY AND HISTORY OF LITERATURE

The course “Theory and Comparative History of Literature” is part of the related/integrative educational activities of the BA program in Philosophy. Its aims are: (1) the study of literary theory and literary history, and (2) the development of the ability to situate a literary work both within a theoretical framework and in its historical context.

Knowledge and understanding
(1) Knowledge and understanding of the main issues in literary theory and literary history
(2) Knowledge and understanding of the historical and cultural context to which a literary work belongs

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
(1) Ability to situate a literary work within a theoretical framework and to place it in its historical and cultural context
(2) Ability to understand and comment on a literary text using appropriate terminology
(3) Ability to undertake further study independently

Independent judgement
(1) Ability to develop independent judgement with regard to the topics covered in the course

Communication skills
(1) Ability to communicate acquired knowledge effectively in spoken form, using appropriate terminology
(2) Ability to interact respectfully with peers and the instructor, both in person and online

Learning skills
(1) Ability to work critically with the texts on the syllabus and with the relevant bibliography

No prior knowledge is required.

Tragedy and the Tragic: From Ancient Greece to the Twentieth Century
This course examines tragedy as a theatrical genre, while also exploring the tragic as a philosophical category that exceeds the boundaries of drama. From "Antigone" to "Macbeth" and "Woyzeck", and on to "The Sound and the Fury", the course investigates the transformations of the tragic vision from ancient Greece to modernity.

Sofocle, Antigone (442 a.C.), a cura di Davide Susanetti, Roma, Carocci, 2012.
William Shakespeare, Macbeth (1606-7), trad. it. Agostino Lombardo, in Id., Teatro completo di William Shakespeare, a cura di Giorgio Melchiori, vol. 4: Le tragedie, I Meridiani, Milano, Mondadori, 1976.
Georg Büchner, Woyzeck (1837), a cura di Giuliano Corti, Milano, Garzanti, 2007.
William Faulkner, L’urlo e il furore (1929), trad. it. Vincenzo Mantovani, Torino, Einaudi, 2014.
Franco Moretti, Bandiera nera. Forma tragica e guerra civile, Torino, Einaudi, 2026.

Students who are unable to attend classes are required to prepare one of the following texts:
George Steiner, La morte della tragedia, trad. it. Giuliana Scudder, Milano, Garzanti, 2021.
Carlo Gentili e Gianluca Garelli, Il tragico, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010.

Assessment will consist of an oral examination lasting approximately twenty minutes. The examination will be divided into two parts: the first will assess knowledge of the literary texts discussed in class, while the second will be devoted to assessing knowledge of the theoretical texts.

oral

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

Evaluation criteria:
28-30 cum laude: Students demonstrate an excellent command of the topics covered in the course and of the assigned readings. They are able to organize and prioritize information effectively and to use appropriate terminology with confidence.
26-27: Students demonstrate a good command of the topics covered in the course and of the assigned readings. They are generally able to organize and prioritize information effectively and to use appropriate terminology correctly.
24-25: Students demonstrate a fair command of the topics covered in the course and of the assigned readings. Their oral presentation is clear overall, although they do not always express concepts with precision or use appropriate terminology consistently.
22-23: Students demonstrate a limited and partly superficial command of the topics covered in the course and of the assigned readings. Their oral presentation is not always clear and shows an imprecise use of disciplinary terminology.
18-21: Students demonstrate a superficial command of the topics covered in the course and of the assigned readings. Their oral presentation is often unclear and does not make effective use of disciplinary terminology.

(1) Lectures
(2) In-class and online discussion