Modern humanities

Introduction to the study of the philology of Italian literature. We begin with the basics (manuscripts, prints, scripts, language) and move on to the modes of transmission of texts and the problems of critical edition. The characteristics and peculiarities of the texts of Italian literature and their tradition are highlighted (multiplicity of reworkings, proximity of specimens to the author's desk, etc.) and specific publishing problems are addressed through the study of exemplary cases, taken from the works of the protagonists of literature (Petrarch, Boccaccio, Ariosto, Manzoni, Calvino). The analysis of texts and discussion of problems is made more effective by the opportunity to study these issues on (reproductions of) manuscripts, incunabula and prints.

Knowledge of Italian and a basic knowledge of Latin is required. The course is aimed at those who are inexperienced in philological problems so that they may acquire notions, methods and tools that will enable them to critically approach texts of Italian literature

The preparation of the exam includes the study of a monographic part and an institutional part (general principles and fundamental aspects of the discipline). The student have to study handouts which contain the texts treated in class and the materials necessary for their analysis, their commentary and their translation. Reference bibliography is also included. To study the general principles and fundamental aspects of the discipline the student have to use a philology manual of the Italian literature, for example G. Inglese, Come si legge un’edizione critica, Roma, Carocci, 2016 (6a 2022) or P. Stoppelli, Filologia della letteratura italiana, Roma, Carocci, 2019 (5° 2022); or A. Stussi, Introduzione agli studi di filologia italiana, Bologna Il Mulino, 2015.

Attendance is recommended due to the work that takes place in the classroom with the collaboration of all students

The student will have to demonstrate to understand and examine the contents and formal choices, contextualize, and interpret some passages of the texts included in the program. The student must demonstrate knowledge of the concepts learned during the course and individual study and be able to explain them with sufficient clarity. The student must possess the elementary notions of philology and the knowledge of the methods and tools for reading a critical edition (also of the critical apparatus), especially the texts discussed in class. To pass the exam it is necessary to obtain a mark of not less than 18/30. To achieve a score of 30/30 laude, the student must instead demonstrate that he has acquired an excellent knowledge of all the topics covered during the course, being able to connect them in a logical and coherent way.

The lessons are about reading, analyzing, and commenting on texts and deepening case studies. The reading is also carried out on reproductions of manuscripts and incunabula to learn how read critically a text, to know the main issues of philology and to put into practice through direct experience methods and tools of philology, to acquire the skills and technical skills necessary to read and prepare the edition of texts. It starts with basic information on the materiality of the text (manuscripts, prints, scripts, but also language and metrics) and then deals with the transmission of the text, then the problems of edition. Specific issues related to the philology of copying, the philology of the original and the philology of printed texts are addressed

The course will focus on Sannazzaro's Eglogae. Specimina of the tradition of medieval and humanistic texts, up to the early Renaissance, will also be discussed and studied. The course pertains to the tradition of medieval and humanistic philology, and therefore consists for the most part in reading and commenting texts written in Latin. The texts covered by the lessons will be uploaded on the teacher's page on the institutional website. Students who do not want to deal with Latin texts will prepare the program for those not attending the course.

Knowledge of the Italian literary language; knowledge of Latin grammar.

The texts covered in the lessons will be uploaded on the teacher's page on the Sapienza website. The texts will be available before the start of the course; students who intend to attend the lessons are asked to bring the printed text booklet, or a suitable means to view them on a monitor. They will also prepare M. Berté - M. Petoletti, La filologia medievale e umanistica, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017, chapter I. Iacopo Sannazaro, Arcadia; the best edition available today is the one with the introduction and commentary by Carlo Vecce, Rome, Carocci, 2013. Non-attending students will study the entire Berté and Petoletti handbook and must be able to paraphrase and contextualize any passage from Sannazzaro's Arcadia. .

To attend all classes.

The exams will be held in written form. The student will be asked to translate and comment on one or more passages from the texts read and commented in the course, in light of what was said during the lessons; paraphrase and comment on a passage from Sannazzaro’s Arcadia will also be requested. Non-attending students will do a written exam in a classroom, answering one or two questions about the Berté-Petoletti handbook of medieval and humanistic philology, and paraphrasing and commenting on a passage from Sannazzaro’s Arcadia. The time available will be 60 minutes. The Latin texts of the handbook can be studied in the Italian translations.

Cf. supra.

Lectures in classroom.

The course is dedicated to the presentation of the historical and methodological foundations of Italian philology and to the analysis of the basic concepts and main tools of the discipline through the study of medieval, modern and contemporary texts. After an initial introductory part, the course will focus on the philological problems of Vittorio Sereni's poems.

Fundamental notions of the history of the Italian language and literature.

1) A handbook chosen from: a) Bruno Bentivogli, Francesca Florimbii, Paola Vecchi Galli, "Filologia Italiana. Seconda edizione", Milano, Pearson, 2021; b) Michelangelo Zaccarello, "L'edizione critica del testo letterario. Primo corso di filologia italiana", Firenze, Le Monnier Università, 2017. 2) Vittorio Sereni, "Gli strumenti umani", Introduzione di Chiara Fenoglio, Milano, il Saggiatore, 2018 (o altra edizione in commercio). 3) Christian Genetelli, "Sereni: 'Ancora sulla strada di Zenna'", Roma, Carocci, 2024.

Constant attendance at lessons is strongly recommended.

The oral exam will verify the knowledge of the historical and methodological foundations of Italian philology, of the basic concepts and of the main tools of the discipline and in particular of the philological problems of Vittorio Sereni's poems.

The teaching, mainly frontal, will focus on the historical and methodological foundations of Italian philology, on the basic concepts and on the main tools of the discipline and in particular on the philological problems of Giuseppe Ungaretti's poems.