B005286 - FRENCH LITERATURE 1 (6 CFU)

italian

Graphic, video and sound hybridizations: French literature in comics, cartoons and videogames

- Charles Perrault, Contes, Paris, Le livre de Poche, 2006 (trad. it. Fiabe, Venezia, Marsilio, 2002)
- Voltaire, Micromégas, Zadig, Candide, Paris, Flammarion, 2014 (trad.it. Candido, Zadig, Micromega, l’Ingenuo, Milano, Garzanti, 2004)
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Les confessions, Paris, Flammarion, 2011 (vol.1) (trad. it. Le Confessioni, Milano, Mondadori, 2022)
- Victor Hugo, L’homme qui rit, Paris, Gallimard, 2002 (trad.it. L’uomo che ride, Milano, Mondadori, 2011)
- Jules Verne, Vingt-mille lieues sous les mers, Paris, Flammarion, 2015 (trad. it. Ventimila leghe sotto i mari, Firenze, Feltrinelli, 2022)
- Saint-Exupéry, Le Petit Prince, Paris, Gallimard, 2017 (trad. it Il Piccolo Principe, Milano, Mondadori, 2015)

The course (72 hours) aims to:
a. to introduce students to different literary genres and to the various form of rewriting;
b. to familiarize students with the critical instruments required for the analysis of literary texts;
c. to enable students to develop a critical consciousness and an awareness of critical theory and culture theory through detailed analyses of some the most representative texts of French literature from the XVII century to the XX century.

1. Knowledge and understanding: Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding in historical and cultural contexts and will acquire the critical tools to cope with the formal and substantive components of the literary texts analyzed during the lessons.
2. Applying knowledge and understanding: Students will learn how to apply processes, models, questions, and theories that result in enhanced clarity in the comprehension of literary texts included in the program, which will be appreciated in both their formal and their contextual features.
3. Making judgements: Students will develop the ability to discuss the literary questions considered during the course, proposing critical perspectives and well-grounded judgements on the texts included in the program.
4. Communication skills: Students will develop the ability to can communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions, with particular reference to themes and questions considered during the lessons.
5. Learning skills: Students will acquire the methodological tools needed to read, analyze and understand literary texts in their generic structures.

the prerequisites are those outlined the course of study

The lectures will be accompanied by seminar meetings that will require active participation by the students. Students will be introduced to the techniques of literary rewriting also through short activities useful for acquiring knowledge and methods of creative reworking.
The course includes a series of meetings with teachers, cartoonists, critics or experts and a series of complementary activities that will be communicated from time to time (visit to Lucca comics, etc.)

The course takes place in the first semester.
Further information:
barbara.innocenti@unifi.it

Oral exam. The exam will test students’ knowledge of:
1. The history of french literature and culture (with particulary regard to the authors in programme).
2. Specific issues (theory of rewriting);
3. The key texts and critical literature included in the reading list.

Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze and critically evaluate the key texts included in the reading list, and to place them within their historical and cultural contexts.
Successful candidates will be required to demonstrate adequate knowledge in all of the above points (1,2,3).
The exam aims to assess:
- The knowledge of key concepts in the history of iterature.
- The ability to describe and place literary phenomena within their contexts of production and reception;
- The ability of close reading and appreciation of all the texts included in the reading list as well as a thorough command of methodological and theoretical tools;
- The ability to use formal and critical terminology;

Students will demonstrate that they can discuss the subjects treated during the course, make appropriate connections between different authors and works, and express themselves clearly.
Grades are given on the basis of 30 points. Points are awarded if students are able to
1) describe form and contents of the texts studied,
2) understand, summarize and propose critical readings of those texts,
3) elaborate personal judgements that are solidly grounded on the text and/or secondary literature,
4) use appropriate terms.
Nos. 1 and 4 are essential in order to obtain the minimum passing grade (18/30); higher evaluations depend on to what extent’ students have developed their skills in all four points listed above.

Graphic, video and sound hybridizations: French literature in comics, animated cinema and videogames

"When I want to relax I read an essay by Engels, if I want to commit myself I read Corto Maltese", said Umberto Eco, author of numerous critical interventions on comics, a genre long relegated within the confines of "popular and consumer literature". and finally assumed at the level of the Ninth Art (C. Beylie, 1964). The course intends to investigate the profitable relationships that have been established over time between French literature, comics, animated films, video games. We will begin by considering the fairy tales of Charles Perrault (1628-1703) and their numerous rewritings (G. Genette, Palinsesti, transl. ita. Einaudi), we will then focus on authors such as Voltaire (1694-1778) and Jean- Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) to later deal with some contemporary creations inspired by some of their works or, more generally, by their era (the manga Heidi, Lady Oscar.). We will then continue with Victor Hugo (1802-1885), "L'homme qui rit" / "The man who laughs", at the basis of the creation of the famous DC Comics character, Joker, to continue with the science fiction novel by Jules Verne (1828-1905) , "Vingt-mille lieues sous les mer"s / "Twenty thousand leagues under the sea", at the origin of various semiotic adaptations. Finally, we will focus on the "modern fairy tale" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944) "Le Petit Prince" / "The Little Prince", placed in comparison with the numerous comics, cinematographic and videogame hybridizations of which it has been the object.

The source texts in the program will be analyzed with reference to the historical-literary context in which they were produced. The texts and videos of some of their rewrites will be made available on the moodle platform, together with indications relating to the critical bibliography.

Students will be introduced to the techniques of literary rewriting also through short activities useful for acquiring knowledge and methods of creative reworking of the subject matter with practice.

The course includes a series of meetings with teachers, cartoonists, critics or industry experts and a series of complementary activities that will be communicated from time to time (visit to Lucca comics, etc.)

Reference texts:

- Charles Perrault, Contes, Paris, Le livre de Poche, 2006 (trad. it. Fiabe, Venezia, Marsilio, 2002)
- Voltaire, Micromégas, Zadig, Candide, Paris, Flammarion, 2014 (trad.it. Candido, Zadig, Micromega, l’Ingenuo, Milano, Garzanti, 2004)
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Les confessions, Paris, Flammarion, 2011 (vol.1) (trad. it. Le Confessioni, Milano, Mondadori, 2022)
- Victor Hugo, L’homme qui rit, Paris, Gallimard, 2002 (trad.it. L’uomo che ride, Milano, Mondadori, 2011)
- Jules Verne, Vingt-mille lieues sous les mers, Paris, Flammarion, 2015 (trad. it. Ventimila leghe sotto i mari, Firenze, Feltrinelli, 2022)
- Saint-Exupéry, Le Petit Prince, Paris, Gallimard, 2017 (trad. it Il Piccolo Principe, Milano, Mondadori, 2015)



Non-attending students and those who will not reach the number of hours of presence required by the degree course regulations will have to supplement the reading of the source texts and the material inserted on the moodle page with the indicated parts of the following volumes:

- Michela Landi (a cura di), Letteratura francese. Dalle origini al Settecento, Milano, Mondadori, 2011 (chapters on the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with particular attention to the authors in the program);
- Michela Landi (a cura di), Letteratura francese. Dall’Ottocento al XXI secolo, Milano, Mondadori, 2011 (chapters onthe nineteenth century, with particular attention to the authors in the programme)
- Umberto Eco, Apocalittici e integrati, Milano, Bompiani, 2017 (Il mito di superman, pp. 219-261; Il mondo di Charlie Brown, pp. 263-272 and the introduction)
- Daniele Barbieri, Letteratura a fumetti? Le impreviste avventure del racconto, Comicout, 2019

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