Romance Philology (advanced)
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
This course aims to further students' knowledge of the historical-comparative study of Romance languages and literatures and to introduce them to the guiding principles of textual criticism, its application to medieval texts in the Romance vernaculars and their manuscript tradition.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge: At the end of the course, students will have a detailed knowledge of the Romance literature of the Middle Ages, set against their literary and historical background. Students will learn the principles of textual criticism, with a focus on the manuscript traditions of the texts written in the Romance languages of the Middle Ages. Students will also learn the historical grammar of the texts studied in the course. They will achieve a wider awareness of the importance of the philological study of the texts and of the tools of textual criticism.
Skills: Students will become skilled in the interpretation of the literary works in their formal aspects, content and broader historical and cultural context. Students will be able to paraphrase Old Italian texts or to translate texts in other Romance languages. They will be able to understand and use secondary literature and the different methodological perspectives it implies. Students will be able to comment on and expand upon the texts and the specific topics covered in the course, using Romance Philology's technical terms.
Skills: Students will become skilled in the interpretation of the literary works in their formal aspects, content and broader historical and cultural context. Students will be able to paraphrase Old Italian texts or to translate texts in other Romance languages. They will be able to understand and use secondary literature and the different methodological perspectives it implies. Students will be able to comment on and expand upon the texts and the specific topics covered in the course, using Romance Philology's technical terms.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
"The story of Tristan and Iseult in the various literary genres of the vernacular Middle Ages: romance, lyric poetry, short narrative"
The tragic love story of Tristan and Iseult is one of the most successful literary tales of the Middle Ages. Precisely because of its immense popularity, this narrative thread - initially developed within the context of the Old French verse romance - was later alluded to, taken up, and reformulated in many of the other literary genres of the time, each adapting it to its own specific ideological, expressive, and formal needs. Through the analysis and comparison of significant excerpts from exemplary works, the course aims not only to reconstruct the textual trajectories followed by the Tristan-theme in its European dissemination, but also to use the corpus under study to deepen the characteristics of the literary genres involved. It is divided into two sections, developed sequentially:
Section A (40 hours, 6 ECTS): In this part of the course, an initial set of excerpts from narrative texts will be analyzed. These texts, each developing certain episodes from the Tristan-theme in its own distinctive way, will allow for a closer examination of the ideological and formal characteristics of the individual works - while also considering the particular features of the literary genres to which they belong. In addition to covering this first portion of the monographic topic, Section A will also focus - also from a historical perspective - on the distinctive aspects of textual philology as applied to vernacular Neo-Latin Medieval works, as well as on the contribution that Romance Medieval textual philology has made to the broader discussion on critical editing methods.
Section B (20 ore, 3 ECTS): This segment of the course will focus on a second set of texts, mostly belonging to the lyric genre, in which the Tristan-theme is alluded to or referenced - sometimes with polemical overtones - due to its implications regarding the ideology of love. A more narrowly defined part of Section B will also be devoted to examining the linguistic characteristics of Anglo-Norman, the variety of Old French that is, in various ways, interconnected with the earliest surviving Tristan romances, with particular attention to the distinctive features observable in the texts analyzed in class.
The course is aimed at all the students who are interested in the subject "Romance Philology (advanced)", whatever the first letter of their surname is. Students that will take a 9 ECTS exam will attend sections A and B; students that will take a 6 ECTS exam will attend only section A.
The tragic love story of Tristan and Iseult is one of the most successful literary tales of the Middle Ages. Precisely because of its immense popularity, this narrative thread - initially developed within the context of the Old French verse romance - was later alluded to, taken up, and reformulated in many of the other literary genres of the time, each adapting it to its own specific ideological, expressive, and formal needs. Through the analysis and comparison of significant excerpts from exemplary works, the course aims not only to reconstruct the textual trajectories followed by the Tristan-theme in its European dissemination, but also to use the corpus under study to deepen the characteristics of the literary genres involved. It is divided into two sections, developed sequentially:
Section A (40 hours, 6 ECTS): In this part of the course, an initial set of excerpts from narrative texts will be analyzed. These texts, each developing certain episodes from the Tristan-theme in its own distinctive way, will allow for a closer examination of the ideological and formal characteristics of the individual works - while also considering the particular features of the literary genres to which they belong. In addition to covering this first portion of the monographic topic, Section A will also focus - also from a historical perspective - on the distinctive aspects of textual philology as applied to vernacular Neo-Latin Medieval works, as well as on the contribution that Romance Medieval textual philology has made to the broader discussion on critical editing methods.
Section B (20 ore, 3 ECTS): This segment of the course will focus on a second set of texts, mostly belonging to the lyric genre, in which the Tristan-theme is alluded to or referenced - sometimes with polemical overtones - due to its implications regarding the ideology of love. A more narrowly defined part of Section B will also be devoted to examining the linguistic characteristics of Anglo-Norman, the variety of Old French that is, in various ways, interconnected with the earliest surviving Tristan romances, with particular attention to the distinctive features observable in the texts analyzed in class.
The course is aimed at all the students who are interested in the subject "Romance Philology (advanced)", whatever the first letter of their surname is. Students that will take a 9 ECTS exam will attend sections A and B; students that will take a 6 ECTS exam will attend only section A.
Prerequisites for admission
The course is intended for students who have already taken the exam in "Romance Philology"; having passed the exam in the basic course is a prerequisite for taking the exam in "Romance Philology (advanced)".
Teaching methods
The course consists of 30 lectures of 2 hours each. Lectures rely also on e-learning material (texts, images of manuscripts, maps, addresses of online dictionaries and databases) uploaded on the MyAriel website of the course. The lectures offer an integrated presentation of all the topics described above: for this reason, attendance is strongly recommended. Active participation of female and male students in the discussion of topics presented in class is welcome and encouraged.
Teaching Resources
Section A:
1) Personal class notes.
2) Before classes start, the teacher will publish on the MyAriel site of the course two booklets containing respectively:
- the texts that will be read, translated and commented during the lessons;
- some excerpts from critical editions of Medieval Romance texts that are relevant for historic and/or methodological reasons.
3) Lino Leonardi, "Filologia romanza". "1. Critica del testo", Firenze, Le Monnier Università, 2022.
4) A reading list of essays that will be published during the lessons in the MyAriel site.
Reference should be made to the detailed and definitive programme that will be published in the MyAriel site of the course at the end of the lessons of Section A.
Section B:
1) Personal class notes.
2) The booklet published in the MyAriel site will also include the texts that will be read, translated and commented during the lessons of this section.
3) Alberto Vàrvaro, "Avviamento alla filologia francese medievale", Roma, Carocci Editore, 2021, pp. 13-84 (vanno bene anche le edizioni precedenti); when self-studying, students can make use of the glossary printed at the end of this book..
4) A reading list of essays that will be published during the lessons in the MyAriel site.
Si raccomanda di fare riferimento al programma definitivo e dettagliato di questa Sezione, che sarà pubblicato sul sito MyAriel del corso non appena finite le lezioni relative.
Reference should be made to the detailed and definitive programme that will be published in the MyAriel site of the course at the end of the lessons of Section A.
Non-attending students will find a specific bibliography that will replace the personal class notes in the definitive programmes that will be published in the MyAriel site of the course at the end of the lessons of each section. Anyway, students who are not able to attend the course are invited to contact the teacher to receive further information.
Erasmus incoming students with linguistic difficulties with the Italian language may contact the teacher to establish a specific study plan.
1) Personal class notes.
2) Before classes start, the teacher will publish on the MyAriel site of the course two booklets containing respectively:
- the texts that will be read, translated and commented during the lessons;
- some excerpts from critical editions of Medieval Romance texts that are relevant for historic and/or methodological reasons.
3) Lino Leonardi, "Filologia romanza". "1. Critica del testo", Firenze, Le Monnier Università, 2022.
4) A reading list of essays that will be published during the lessons in the MyAriel site.
Reference should be made to the detailed and definitive programme that will be published in the MyAriel site of the course at the end of the lessons of Section A.
Section B:
1) Personal class notes.
2) The booklet published in the MyAriel site will also include the texts that will be read, translated and commented during the lessons of this section.
3) Alberto Vàrvaro, "Avviamento alla filologia francese medievale", Roma, Carocci Editore, 2021, pp. 13-84 (vanno bene anche le edizioni precedenti); when self-studying, students can make use of the glossary printed at the end of this book..
4) A reading list of essays that will be published during the lessons in the MyAriel site.
Si raccomanda di fare riferimento al programma definitivo e dettagliato di questa Sezione, che sarà pubblicato sul sito MyAriel del corso non appena finite le lezioni relative.
Reference should be made to the detailed and definitive programme that will be published in the MyAriel site of the course at the end of the lessons of Section A.
Non-attending students will find a specific bibliography that will replace the personal class notes in the definitive programmes that will be published in the MyAriel site of the course at the end of the lessons of each section. Anyway, students who are not able to attend the course are invited to contact the teacher to receive further information.
Erasmus incoming students with linguistic difficulties with the Italian language may contact the teacher to establish a specific study plan.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The oral exam consists of an interview on the topics covered in the syllabus, aimed at assessing the skills and knowledge acquired. It begins with the translation or paraphrase of one of the passages analyzed in class, as the ability to translate, analyze, and comment on the texts included in the program is one of the essential requirements for passing the exam. Furthermore, the following will be evaluated: the ability to organize knowledge in a clear and coherent manner, demonstrating awareness of different interpretive perspectives and using the specialized vocabulary of the discipline; the capacity for critical reasoning regarding the material studied, including the ability to offer personal interpretations and readings of the themes and texts addressed in the course.
Marks are out of 30. The minimum grade in order to pass the exam is 18/30.
The exam mode for SLD students and/or for students with other disabilities will have to be agreed with the teacher in accordance with the Office in charge.
Marks are out of 30. The minimum grade in order to pass the exam is 18/30.
The exam mode for SLD students and/or for students with other disabilities will have to be agreed with the teacher in accordance with the Office in charge.
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Resconi Stefano
Professor(s)
Reception:
Monday, h. 10.00-13.00; please, anticipate your presence by e-mail
Professor's office: Via Festa del Perdono 7, Sezione di Modernistica (right side of the courtyard after accessing from the main entrance, entrance B), 1st floor, room 1062