Scandinavian Literature (MA)
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
This course aims at developing interpretive and analytic skills in the evaluation of a specific thematic strand in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish literary works from the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition, it will put the tools of text analysis to the test with a view to practice critical discussion and writing about relevant themes, texts and authors.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: students will approach Scandinavian 19th and 20th century literature by focusing on a chosen theme present in works by Danish, Norwegian and Swedish writers, they will acquire knowledge of the critical discussion and the tools of analysis regarding the chosen topic. Applying knowledge and understanding: students will learn how to examine a chosen theme by working knowledgeably with secondary literature, practice critical reading of texts written in all three Scandinavian languages, examine the primary literature with a critical eye.
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
HENRY PARLANDO: speaking of Henry Parland
Almost one hundred years after the untimely death of Henry Parland (1908-1930), prodigal son and enfant terrible of Swedish-language Modernism, this course (units B and C) is designed to familiarize with the author's first and last works: the poetry collection Idealrealisation (1929; "Ideals Clearance") and the short, unfinished novel Sönder ("To Pieces"), first published posthumously in 1932. Parland's fascination with the objects of modernity, expressed in his debut collection and declared in the manifesto Sakernas uppror (1928; "The Rebellion of Things"), will be studied in the light of the tradition of "tingdiktning" in twentieth-century Scandinavian poetry, in this course represented by authors such as Sonja Åkesson, Klaus Rifbjerg and Olav H. Hauge.
Unit A will examine the film adaptation of three short stories by Karen Blixen.
Unit A: Karen Blixen goes to the movies
Unit B: Idealrealisation and 'tingdikter' in 20th-century Scandinavian poetry
Unit C:. Sönder
Almost one hundred years after the untimely death of Henry Parland (1908-1930), prodigal son and enfant terrible of Swedish-language Modernism, this course (units B and C) is designed to familiarize with the author's first and last works: the poetry collection Idealrealisation (1929; "Ideals Clearance") and the short, unfinished novel Sönder ("To Pieces"), first published posthumously in 1932. Parland's fascination with the objects of modernity, expressed in his debut collection and declared in the manifesto Sakernas uppror (1928; "The Rebellion of Things"), will be studied in the light of the tradition of "tingdiktning" in twentieth-century Scandinavian poetry, in this course represented by authors such as Sonja Åkesson, Klaus Rifbjerg and Olav H. Hauge.
Unit A will examine the film adaptation of three short stories by Karen Blixen.
Unit A: Karen Blixen goes to the movies
Unit B: Idealrealisation and 'tingdikter' in 20th-century Scandinavian poetry
Unit C:. Sönder
Prerequisites for admission
The course is taught in the Scandinavian languages. The works on the reading list require a thorough knowledge of the Scandinavian languages.
Teaching methods
The teaching methodology combines lectures and class discussions (seminar-style). A schedule with indications of the topics planned for each class and the required readings will be distributed at the beginning of the course.
Teaching Resources
Unit A: Babette's Gæstebud (Gabril Axel, 1986); The Immortal Story (Orson Welles, 1968); Ehrengard (Emidio Greco, 1982).
In addition to the viewing of the three films listed, the reading of the three adapted texts: Babettes Gæstebud and Den udødelige Historie from Skæbne-Anekdoter (1958) and Ehrengard (1963; Ehrengard). Any unabridged edition, Danish, Italian, or English.
IN ADDITION: The following selection of pages from Engelstad, Arne: Fra bok til film - om adaptasjoner av litterære tekster, Cappelen, 2007, pp. 15-98.
Unit B: After the introductory part, aimed at providing tools for lyrical analysis and a terminology in Scandinavian languages, readings will be on from Idealrealisation and from an anthology of "tingdikter" provided by the instructor and uploaded in Ariel. A selection of pages from one of the following manuals (of your choice) is required:
Atle Kittang & Asbjørn Aarseth, Lyriske strukturer. Innføring i diktanalyse, Universitetsforlaget AS, 1998
or
Lars Elleström, Lyrikanalys, Studentlitteratur, 1999
or
Keld Gall Jørgensen, Litterær analyse. Prosa og lyrik, Munksgaard, 1994.
IN ADDITION:
Bill Brown, Thing Theory, Critical Inquiry 28: 1, 2001, pp. 1-22
Henry Parland, Idealrealisation (1929) available online: https://parland.sls.fi/
Sakernas uppror, i Id., Säginteannat. Samlad prosa II, red. O. Parland, Stockholm, 1970, pp. 55-55
Camilla Storskog, Dikter om ting och människor. Eller: (HT) + (TT) + (TH) + (HH), AION XX
Clas Zilliacus, Henry Parlands prosating, in P. Ahokas, O. Lappalainen et. al. (toim.), Arjen merkit: arki, taide ja tutkimus, Kirjastopalvelu, Helsinki 1991, pp. 105-114.
Unit C: Henry Parland, Sönder - Per Stam's critical edition, available online: https://parland.sls.fi/
Critical readings for this part will be indicated at the beginning of the course..
In addition to the viewing of the three films listed, the reading of the three adapted texts: Babettes Gæstebud and Den udødelige Historie from Skæbne-Anekdoter (1958) and Ehrengard (1963; Ehrengard). Any unabridged edition, Danish, Italian, or English.
IN ADDITION: The following selection of pages from Engelstad, Arne: Fra bok til film - om adaptasjoner av litterære tekster, Cappelen, 2007, pp. 15-98.
Unit B: After the introductory part, aimed at providing tools for lyrical analysis and a terminology in Scandinavian languages, readings will be on from Idealrealisation and from an anthology of "tingdikter" provided by the instructor and uploaded in Ariel. A selection of pages from one of the following manuals (of your choice) is required:
Atle Kittang & Asbjørn Aarseth, Lyriske strukturer. Innføring i diktanalyse, Universitetsforlaget AS, 1998
or
Lars Elleström, Lyrikanalys, Studentlitteratur, 1999
or
Keld Gall Jørgensen, Litterær analyse. Prosa og lyrik, Munksgaard, 1994.
IN ADDITION:
Bill Brown, Thing Theory, Critical Inquiry 28: 1, 2001, pp. 1-22
Henry Parland, Idealrealisation (1929) available online: https://parland.sls.fi/
Sakernas uppror, i Id., Säginteannat. Samlad prosa II, red. O. Parland, Stockholm, 1970, pp. 55-55
Camilla Storskog, Dikter om ting och människor. Eller: (HT) + (TT) + (TH) + (HH), AION XX
Clas Zilliacus, Henry Parlands prosating, in P. Ahokas, O. Lappalainen et. al. (toim.), Arjen merkit: arki, taide ja tutkimus, Kirjastopalvelu, Helsinki 1991, pp. 105-114.
Unit C: Henry Parland, Sönder - Per Stam's critical edition, available online: https://parland.sls.fi/
Critical readings for this part will be indicated at the beginning of the course..
Assessment methods and Criteria
For attending students (6cfu = units B and C):
· Come to class having read the assigned texts and be prepared to discuss them. Preparation and active participation in discussion make up for 20% of your final grade.
· Presentations in class (10%): during the course you will be asked to present texts from the syllabus, individually or in small groups.
· Final essay (25%) due 10 days before your oral exam
· Oral exam (50%): during an oral examination conducted by the instructor, students are expected to be able to defend their final essay and elaborate on questions raised in their text; answer questions concerning topics discussed in class; provide analyses and comments to passages from texts on the reading list; demonstrate a capacity to contextualize the literary works and analyze structural elements also with the help of the methodological tools provided by the theoretical texts in the syllabus.
Students unable to attend (6 cfu = units B and C):
· Essay (50%) due 10 days before oral exam
· Oral exam (50%): during the examination conducted by the instructor, students are expected to be able to defend their final essay and elaborate on questions raised in their text; provide analyses and comments to passages from texts on the reading list; demonstrate the capacity to contextualize the literary works and analyze structural elements also with the help of the methodological tools provided by the theoretical texts in the syllabus.
For attending students (9 cfu = units A, B and C):
· Come to class having read the assigned texts and be prepared to discuss them. Preparation and active participation in discussion make up for 20% of your final grade.
· Presentations in class (10%): during the course you will be asked to present texts from the syllabus, individually or in small groups.
· Final essay unit A (25%) due 10 days before your oral exam
- Essay unit B or C (25%) due 19 days before your oral exam
· Oral exam (25%): during an oral examination conducted by the instructor, students are expected to be able to defend their final essay and elaborate on questions raised in their text; answer questions concerning topics discussed in class; provide analyses and comments to passages from texts on the reading list; demonstrate a capacity to contextualize the literary works and analyze structural elements also with the help of the methodological tools provided by the theoretical texts in the syllabus.
Students unable to attend (9 cfu = units A, B and C):
· Essay on unit A (25%) due 10 days before oral exam
- Essay on unit B or C (25%) due 10 days before oral exam
· Oral exam (50%): during the examination conducted by the instructor, students are expected to be able to defend their final essay and elaborate on questions raised in their text; provide analyses and comments to passages from texts on the reading list; demonstrate the capacity to contextualize the literary works and analyze structural elements also with the help of the methodological tools provided by the theoretical texts in the syllabus.
Students unable to attend classes must study the critical and theoretical readings in depth..
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the instructor upon arrival..
Examination arrangements for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed with the instructor in consultation with the relevant office.
· Come to class having read the assigned texts and be prepared to discuss them. Preparation and active participation in discussion make up for 20% of your final grade.
· Presentations in class (10%): during the course you will be asked to present texts from the syllabus, individually or in small groups.
· Final essay (25%) due 10 days before your oral exam
· Oral exam (50%): during an oral examination conducted by the instructor, students are expected to be able to defend their final essay and elaborate on questions raised in their text; answer questions concerning topics discussed in class; provide analyses and comments to passages from texts on the reading list; demonstrate a capacity to contextualize the literary works and analyze structural elements also with the help of the methodological tools provided by the theoretical texts in the syllabus.
Students unable to attend (6 cfu = units B and C):
· Essay (50%) due 10 days before oral exam
· Oral exam (50%): during the examination conducted by the instructor, students are expected to be able to defend their final essay and elaborate on questions raised in their text; provide analyses and comments to passages from texts on the reading list; demonstrate the capacity to contextualize the literary works and analyze structural elements also with the help of the methodological tools provided by the theoretical texts in the syllabus.
For attending students (9 cfu = units A, B and C):
· Come to class having read the assigned texts and be prepared to discuss them. Preparation and active participation in discussion make up for 20% of your final grade.
· Presentations in class (10%): during the course you will be asked to present texts from the syllabus, individually or in small groups.
· Final essay unit A (25%) due 10 days before your oral exam
- Essay unit B or C (25%) due 19 days before your oral exam
· Oral exam (25%): during an oral examination conducted by the instructor, students are expected to be able to defend their final essay and elaborate on questions raised in their text; answer questions concerning topics discussed in class; provide analyses and comments to passages from texts on the reading list; demonstrate a capacity to contextualize the literary works and analyze structural elements also with the help of the methodological tools provided by the theoretical texts in the syllabus.
Students unable to attend (9 cfu = units A, B and C):
· Essay on unit A (25%) due 10 days before oral exam
- Essay on unit B or C (25%) due 10 days before oral exam
· Oral exam (50%): during the examination conducted by the instructor, students are expected to be able to defend their final essay and elaborate on questions raised in their text; provide analyses and comments to passages from texts on the reading list; demonstrate the capacity to contextualize the literary works and analyze structural elements also with the help of the methodological tools provided by the theoretical texts in the syllabus.
Students unable to attend classes must study the critical and theoretical readings in depth..
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the instructor upon arrival..
Examination arrangements for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed with the instructor in consultation with the relevant office.
Modules or teaching units
Unita' didattica A
L-LIN/15 - NORDIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B+C
L-LIN/15 - NORDIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor(s)