German Culture and Literature I

Knowledge and understanding:

Organization of basic knowledge of the civilization, culture, and

literary works of German-speaking countries as factors aimed at

identifying interdisciplinary intersections; learning methods of

philological, linguistic, and critical-literary research, with particular regard to

the ability to critically analyze literary texts.

 Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:

Development of critical thinking skills in relation to literary texts

and other forms of cultural expression; ability to connect and

compare elements of one's own culture with those of other cultures;

ability to navigate bibliographies through the use of

libraries and search engines; ability to relate to literary texts

in German in different contexts of everyday and

professional life, with flexibility and a critical spirit; ability to combine

knowledge in an interdisciplinary way, and to interpret and relate

different cultural areas to each other.

 Autonomy of judgment:

Development of critical analysis skills that enable students to combine the

literary and philological knowledge acquired in an interdisciplinary manner and to

interpret different sociolinguistic and cultural contexts, relating them to each other, from a diachronic and synchronic perspective. 

Communication skills:

Acquisition of the ability to express one's studies in an articulate and complex manner; ability to convey literary and cultural content effectively and independently.

Learning skills:

Development of independent learning and self-management skills

in the study of literary and cultural materials during the course in order to

relate and interact with different interlocutors and in different professional and cultural contexts.

Readings

I. Kant, What is Enlightenment?;

G. E. Lessing, Nathan the Wise;

W. J. v. Goethe, The Sorrows of Young Werther; Poems: Prometheus, Ganymed, An den Mond, Das Veilchen, Eislebens Lied

F. Schiller, On the Sublime, Mary Stuart,

H. v. Kleist, The Marquise of O...

(Any edition, preferably with German text alongside).

Critical literature:

L. Mittner, History of German Literature. From Pietism to Romanticism, Einaudi, Turin 1982.

Dai primordi pagani all’età barocca: Preghiera di Wessobrunn, Canto di Ildebrando, courtly romance, Nibelungenlied, Walther von der Vogelweide, Lutero, Volksbücher, Opitz, Grummelshausen (c. 100  pp.)

Dal pietismo al romanticismo (1700-1820), I-III:.§§ 63-64, § 67, §§ 82-105, §§ 139-141, §§ 146-149, §§153-171, §§ 177-185, §§ 188-194, §§ 209-225, §§ 230-249, §§ 254-258, §§ 261-267, §§ 272-276, §§ 280-292, § 336, §§ 338-343, §§ 368-369, §§ 375-377, § 415, §§ 417-421, § 426, § 430, § 432 (c. 400 pp.)