Unit information: Early Italian Poetry: Love, Knowledge and Politics in 2011/12

Unit name	Early Italian Poetry: Love, Knowledge and Politics
Unit code	ITAL20027
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Lombardi
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Italian
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit explores the diversity of Italian culture in the medieval era by giving students an insight into one of the most fundamental and pervasive aspects of the culture of the time: the elaboration of a vernacular tradition of love poetry. In this process, several basic preoccupations of the time converge: the choice and refinement of an 'Italian' vernacular (in contrast to Latin), the reflection of history in poetry, and the shaping of a poetic 'I' and of an objectified and/or angelicized 'her', both of which have far reaching consequences for the Western lyric tradition. The course examines the early Italian lyric tradition through the conextualisation and close reading of texts by authors that include Guittone d'Arezzo, Cavalcanti, Dante.

Aims:

• To introduce students to a significant body of knowledge of a complexity appropriate to second year level. The content matter will normally include one or more of the following: literature; social, cultural or political history; linguistics; cultural studies; film, television or other media.

• To facilitate students’ engagement with a body of literature, including secondary literature, texts, including in non-print media, primary sources and ideas as a basis for their own analysis and development. Normally many or most of these sources will be in a language other than English and will enhance the development of their linguistic skills.

• To develop further skills of synthesis, analysis and independent research, building on the skills acquired in units at level C.

• Some options may prepare students for the experience of the Year Abroad.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Successful students will:

• be knowledgeable about a significant cultural, historical or linguistic subject related to the language they are studying;

• be skilled in the selection and synthesis of relevant material;

• be able to evaluate and analyse relevant material from a significant body of source materials, usually in a foreign language, at a high level;

• be able to respond to questions or problems by presenting their independent judgements in an appropriate style and at an high level of complexity;

• be able to transfer these skills to other working environments, including study at a foreign university and on work placements during the year abroad.

Teaching Information

Normally one lecture hour and one seminar hour per week across one teaching block (22 contact hours), often with student presentations. In units with a smaller number of students the lecture hour may be replaced by a second seminar or a workshop. Units involving film may require students to view films outside the timetabled contact hours.

Assessment Information

One of the following:

a) A written assignment of 2000 words and a two hour exam (50% each)

b) A written assignment of 2000 words (25%) and a three hour exam (75%)

c) Two written assignments of 2000 words (50% each)

d) One written assignment of 4000 words

e) One oral presentation (25%) and one written assignment of 2500 words (75%)

Reading and References

A course pack containing a selection of early Italian texts will be made available to students at the beginning of the course.