GERMAN LITERATURE DURING THE TIME OF GOETHE

The course aims at focussing on some relevant literary phenomena and innovations, which have taken palace during what is called “the time of Goethe” (approximately from 1750 until 1830).

Main targets are:

1. To gain competence about German literary history, literary genres, authors, and cultural contexts.

2. To display a conceptual understanding and a basic methodological competence about established techniques of research and their use by interpreting literary texts.

3. To display competence in research by applying an existing body of

knowledge in the critical analysis of given texts or of a specific problem or issue.

4. To display intellectual independence, exercise initiative, personal responsibility and decision-making.

5. Communicate ideas, issues, and conclusions clearly.

The course will particularly focus on themes and motifs of German Romantics, observing the innovation in thought and artistic production by analysing some important texts and works of art.

The course includes a series of lectures in which students will be asked to participate actively with short personal insights to be presented in an open seminar during the lessons.

A) History and Literature in the time of Goethe (3CFU)

The course will refer to the use of a basic book about the history of literature with a specific cultural approach and with a focus on some relevant motifs of the“Time of Goethe” (one book of those listed below in section A)

B) Main Motifs and Topics (3 CFU)

The course will point out some main topics and motifs relevant to the literary works of the time (one book of those listed below in section B).

C) Innovation and Tradition (3CFU)

Genres and style as vehicle of innovation and tradition in their formal aspects as well as in their plot and language will be discussed after reading some primary text (four out of those listed below in section C).

The use of other editions of the classical texts (section C) is allowed.

For the 6 CFU course: section A plus section C

A History and Literature in the time of Goethe (3 CFU)

(choose one of the following books):

• Cometa, Michele, L’età di Goethe, Carocci, Roma, 2006, pp. 208.
• Kindl, Ulrike, Storia della letteratura tedesca, Volume 2. Dal Settecento alla prima guerra mondiale, Laterza, Milano, 2007, pp. 3-252.

B Main Motifs and Topics (3 CFU)

(choose one of the following books)

• Cometa, Michele, L’età classico-romantica. La cultura letteraria in Germania tra Settecento e Ottocento, Laterza, Milano 2009.
• Rüdiger Safranski, Il romanticismo, Longanesi, 2011, pp. 396

C Innovation and Tradition (3 CFU)

(choose at least four of the following works in any edition):

• Goethe J, W., Faust (Part I), BUR, Milano, 2005, pp. 5-357.
• Goethe J. W., Ifigenia in Tauride, Marsilio, Venezia, 2011, 256pp.
• Kleist H., Pentesilea, Marsilio, Venezia, 2008, 301pp.
• Lessing G. E., Nathan il Saggio, Garzanti, Milano 2003, 375pp.
• Chamisso Adelbert von, Storia straordinaria di Peter Schlemihl e altri scritti sul “doppio” e sul “male”, Garzanti, Milano, 2008, 146pp.
• Goethe J.W., I dolori del Giovane Werther, Garzanti, Milano 2008, 145pp.
• Hoffmann E.T.A., L'uomo della sabbia e altri racconti, Bur, Milano 1982, 174pp. (one novel).
• Hölderlin, Iperione, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2013, 192pp.
• Novalis, Enrico di Ofterdingen, Adelphi, Milano, 1997, 205pp.
• Tieck Ludwig, Fiabe Romantiche, Garzanti, Milano, 2009, 179pp. (one novel)
• Schiller Friedrich, Intrigo e amore, BUR, Milano, 1994, 192pp.
• Goethe, Le affinità elettive, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2013, 336pp.

A brief reader of text in German language will be put at disposition on STUDIUM.

Please remember that in compliance with art 171 L22.04.1941, n. 633 and its amendments, it is illegal to copy entire books or journals, only 15% of their content can be copied.

For further information on sanctions and regulations concerning photocopying please refer to the regulations on copyright (Linee Guida sulla Gestione dei Diritti d’Autore) provided by AIDRO - Associazione Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle opere dell’ingegno (the Italian Association on Copyright).

All the books listed in the programs can be consulted in the Library.