The course provides knowledge of literary, cultural, historical, political and artistic topics of the German-speaking areas. At the end of the course, students must not only be able to autonomously and consciously develop a coherent discourse on the topics covered in class, but also demonstrate that they have developed critical and methodological skills useful for the use of texts of various types.
Course Prerequisites
To have a good basic literary culture (from secondary school). Understanding literary, poetic, dramaturgical texts as well as historical-literary and cultural and artistic topics in a broad sense.
Teaching Methods
Lectures, with frequent use of multimedia equipment, in particular PowerPoint slides (with images and texts specially prepared for the course).
Assessment Methods
Traditional oral exam. First the preparation will be verified with precise questions on the monographic course done in class. At the end of the course, students receive a detailed program. This detailed program must serve both as a check-list to check if all the topics of the course are known, and therefore if you are in possession of the notes and materials of all the lessons, and as a basis for the oral exam, containing a list reasoned about all the topics developed in class. After checking the preparation of the monographic course, the preparation of the general "contour" part of the monographic course will be verified. This part must be prepared on the basis of a list of readings distributed to students at the end of the course.
Texts
Detailed bibliographical references will be given during the lessons. The poetic-literary texts will be read and commented on translations into Italian with the original German text opposite. All materials useful for the lessons will be uploaded to Kiro, except for any entire reference volumes.
Contents
Course: The Metaphorical and Real Journey in German Romanticism (Early 19th Century): 1) Journey into the German Middle Ages; 2) Journey of the Wanderer and into Nature; 3) Journey into the “nocturnal” aspects of the individual and the world.
1) Journey into the German Middle Ages: The Romantics viewed their own era as a time of crisis and metaphorically traveled into the past of the German people in search of their roots. They recovered and reinterpreted all kinds of evidence from the past, written, literary, artistic, etc. 2) Journey of the Wanderer and into Nature: A journey toward remote lands and into nature (wild, nocturnal, mysterious, “romantic”): this journey appears in countless literary and poetic works, but was also often undertaken in real life by Romantic intellectuals. 3) Journey into the “nocturnal” aspects of the individual and the world: A departure from the bright everyday world and traditional reality in search of the darker, unknown aspects of human beings and nature. This includes an interest in new scientific disciplines, with a renewed focus on the psyche, dreams, and the so-called “nocturnal” aspects of the natural sciences: sleepwalking, telepathy, magnetism, madness, etc. All of this had a profound impact on the literature of Romantic writers.
Course Language
Italian
More information
Students authorized to benefit from inclusive/innovative teaching must contact the teacher in order to arrange extraordinary receptions and any activities dedicated to them. The course will be held in the third quarter (February-April 2026).
