COMPARATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE

Knowledge (Contents)

Literary theory and criticism in the US (XX-XXI century).

Know-How (Skills)

The practice of literary theory and criticism. Case study: the confidence-man in the novel and film.

Module A (3 ECTS, 18 hrs) “Literary theory and criticism in the US, XX-XXI century”

Literary theory and criticism in the US (XX-XXI century)

Module B (3 ECTS, 18 hrs) “The confidence-(wo)man from page to screen”

The confidence-man/woman is investigated in the light of contemporary theories of textual criticism in Poe’s tales, where it appears before Melville’s eponymous novel, through Mamet’s dramas and Hollywood genre movies of the last fifty years.

Modulo A

►Ten (10) chapters from: P. Barry, Beginning Theory. An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory, Manchester and New York, Manchester University Press, 2009: “Introduction” (pp. 1-10); “Structuralism” (pp. 38-58); “Post-structuralism and deconstruction” (pp. 59-77); “Postmodernism” (pp. 78-91); “Psychoanalytic criticism (pp. 92-115); “Feminist Criticism” (pp. 116-133); “Lesbian/gay criticism” (pp. 134-149); “New Historicism and cultural materialism” (pp. 178-184); “Postcolonial criticism” (pp. 185-197); “Ecocriticism” (pp. 239-261).

►Six (6) essays from: J. Rivkin, M. Ryan, eds., Literary Theory: An Anthology, New York and London, Blackwell, 2004.

Modulo B

► Two (2) short stories and two (2) novels, chosen among: E.A. Poe, “William Wilson” (1839); id., “The Man of the Crowd” (1840); H. Melville, The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade (1857); Mark Twain, The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg (1899); D. Mamet, House of Games, (1987).

► One (1) article (mandatory) and one (1) book chosen among:

B.L. Knapp, “Poe’s William Wilson: Gambler? Wastrel? Reprobate?”, in Gambling, Game and Psyche, Albany, State University of New York Press, 2000, pp. 73-95; J.G. Blair, The Confidence Man in Modern Fiction: A Rogue’s Gallery with Six Portraits, London, Vision Press, 1979; G. Lindberg, The Confidence Man in American Literature, New York, Oxford University Press, 1982.

► Two (2) movies, by differente directors, chosen among: L. Milestone, Ocean’s Eleven (1960); G.R. Hill, The Sting (1973); D. Mamet, House of Games (1987); id., Heist (2001); S. Soderberg, Ocean’s Eleven (2001); id., Ocean’s Twelve (2004); id., Ocean’s Thirteen (2007); R. Scott, Matchstick Men (2005); R. Luketic, 21 (2008).

► Further readings: those who have litttle or no knowledge of the history of American Literature, will study E. A. Poe, H. Melville, Mark Twain and major XX century authors from G. Fink et alii, Storia della letteratura americana, Milano, Rizzoli, 2013, but only (1) movie, one (1) short-story and one (1) novel from Module B.