54
German Literature
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI "L'ORIENTALE"
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course aims to develop the basic skills for the study of German-language literature. In particular, it aims to teach methods and approaches for analysing and contextualising literary texts, along with the theoretical and critical tools necessary for interdisciplinary reflection. In fact, the literary motifs addressed throughout the course will be supplemented during the lectures with parallel discussions of ethical and socio-cultural issues: this approach will help students engage with key thematic concerns, while also broadening their interpretive perspective.
By the end of the course, students are expected to have acquired:
- a solid knowledge and understanding of the historical, cultural and literary contexts related to the authors and texts covered in the syllabus;
- the analytical tools to examine different textual typologies and to identify key aesthetic categories;
- the ability to discuss in a clear, precise and effective manner the contents learned during lectures and through independent study;
- the capacity for critical thinking on literary issues, including their intersections with other disciplinary fields.
Course Prerequisites
A high proficiency level in Italian language and a basic knowledge of German phonetics are required to follow the course.
Teaching Methods
The course is delivered through lectures in Italian. During class, supplementary study materials will be read out in digital format and will subsequently be made available to all participants. In addition, excerpts from films will be screened in the classroom. While adequately reconstructing the historical, cultural and literary contexts in which the authors and their works are situated, the course does not adopt a textbook-based approach. Instead, it follows thematic criteria and is grounded in reasoned analysis and critical understanding of the texts under study. Regular attendance is therefore strongly recommended, along with active participation through questions and observations, both to allow for real-time feedback on the learning process and to encourage engagement in literary debate, which serves as valuable preparation for the final examination.
Assessment Methods
The final examination consists of an oral test in Italian and will take place after the conclusion of the course. Starting from the analysis and interpretation of literary texts, questions may focus as much on theoretical, historical and comparative issues as on specific aspects relating to the life, work and poetics of each author. In summary, the students must be able to present the knowledge they have acquired in a clear and exhaustive manner, in accordance with the course objectives.
Texts
1. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: "Iphigenie auf Tauris" (1787), it. "Ifigenia in Tauride", tr. R. Fertonani, Garzanti.
2. Heinrich von Kleist: "Die Marquise von O..." (1808), it. "La marchesa di O...", tr. R. Rossanda, Marsilio.
3. Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann: "Der Sandmann" (1816), it. "L'uomo della sabbia", in "L'uomo della sabbia e altri racconti", tr. E. Pocar, BUR.
4. Frank Wedekind: "Erdgeist" (1895), it. "Lo spirito della terra", in "Lulu", tr. E. Castellani, Adelphi.
5. Arthur Schnitzler: "Fräulein Else" (1924), it. "La signorina Else", tr. R. Colorni, Adelphi.
6. Bertolt Brecht: "Die Dreigroschenoper" (1928), it. "L’opera da tre soldi", tr. E. Castellani, Einaudi.
Contents
Course title
Representations of women in German-language male literature from the 18th to the 20th century
Topics:
1. The idealized concept of woman in 18th-century German poetry
2. Woman as a conservative symbol of the patriarchal world
3. Femininity as an image of innocence and purity
4. The moral ideal of self-renunciation and spiritual elevation: the beautiful soul
5. Woman as daughter and mother: bourgeois conventions and power hierarchies
6. The uncanny and alienating effect of female otherness
7. De-subjectification of woman under the masculine gaze
8. Eros as a desire for possession and as an exercise of control and domination
9. Capitalism and the commodification of the female body: possible reversals.
The study of the authors and works included in the syllabus is supplemented by comparisons with other thematically related works from German-language literature between the 18th and 20th centuries, as well as by historical-critical essays on literature, and writings (mostly written by women) in the fields of literature, cultural studies, and gender studies. Relevant scenes from films related to the course topics will also be shown.
Course Language
Italian
More information
Class attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended for effective learning and exam preparation. It is advisable to contact the course holder to ask about suitable study methods and tools.