Advanced knowledge of British culture and language (European Level C1). General linguistic, rhetorical and analytical background.

AIMS. Starting from a theoretical introduction to epic poetry as narrative poetry (narrative discourse, time, mood, voice, space, characters, action and the syntagmatics of the literary text), the course proposes a macro-textual and micro-textual analysis of Milton’s “Paradise Lost” as an English epic between the late Renaissance and the Restoration. Close sequential readings of selected segments of the work will focus on the following aspects: the construction and staging of the main and secondary characters in relation to their roles and the development of the action; the rhetoric of discourse between tradition and innovation (proems and invectives, soliloquies and prayers, dialogues and monologues, tales within tales); similar and different literary forms and kinds (from the Satanic heroic mode through the tragic genres); intertextuality and sources; political, historical, and ideo-theo-logical conflations and expansions in the context of English Protestantism.

LEARNING OUTCOMES. Acquisition of advanced theoretical and methodological knowledge relating to the modern epic, as well as to poetic, religious, political and historical kinds. Advanced reading comprehension (including interlingual translation) of literary works of highly stylistic, formal, cultural and conceptual complexity. Proficiency in textual, intertextual and contextual analysis. Skill in performing guided close reading and competence in one’s individual re-elaboration aimed at communicating advanced critical contents.

John Milton and “Paradise Lost”; modern epic poetry in England during the late Renaissance and Restoration periods; poetry and doctrine, history and politics, ideology and theology in the context of English Protestantism.

(A)

John Milton, Paradise Lost, Milton reading Room online https://milton.host.dartmouth.edu/reading_room/pl/book_1/text.shtml ) or any English edition or bilingual (English/Italian) edition.

Barbara K. Lewalski, Milton: The Muses, the Prophets, the Spirit, and Prophetic Poetry, «Milton Studies», 54, 2013, pp. 59-78

Barbara K. Lewalski, Paradise Lost and the Rhetoric of Literary Forms, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1985 (Chapter 3 “Argument Heroic Deem’d”: The Genres of the Satanic Heroic Mode, pp- 55-78 ? Chapter 5 “Other Excellence”: Generic Multiplicity and Milton’s Literary God. pp. 110-139)

Mandy Green, The Virgin in the Garden: Milton’s Ovidian Eve, «The Modern Language Review», 100.4, 2005, pp. 903-922

David V. Urban, The Falls of Satan, Eve, and Adam in John Milton’s Paradise Lost : A Study in Insincerity, «Christianity & Literature», 67.1, 2017, pp. 89-112

Giuseppe Nori, The Dialectics of Reappropriation and Totality: Paradise Lost, Books XI-XII, «Language and Style», 23.3, 1990, pp. 251-272

(C)

Peter Weston, John Milton, Paradise Lost, London, Penguin, 1987

The course is offered 100% in English. However, since literary reading comprehension includes interlingual literary translation, Italian is necessarily involved as the target language of translation practice.

• Lectures. In class-discussion and analytical sessions run by the teacher and, alternately, by students. Possible in class-presentations and structured focus groups on critical reading and interpretation within the field of the digital humanities.

• The exam consists of an oral interview (in English, approximately 30 minutes) which includes: reading specific passages from “Paradise Lost” and other texts discussed in class; reading comprehension and interlingual translation from English to Italian; critical analysis with specific in-depth probing of the texts under examination; theoretical-methodological, historical-literary and cultural dimensions of the study program as a whole.

  The following will be evaluated: correctness of the preliminary reading in English and the relative Italian translation of the passages (25%); general preparation, terminological accuracy in both the exposition and the articulation of critical discourse as well as the ability to respond to unconventional questions (25%); the conceptual depth and level of abstraction (25%); ability to practically apply theoretical notions to textual analysis in relation to broader literary and cultural contexts (25%)

Italian

English