Module: German literature ii

Unit GERMAN LITERATURE II

Versione italiana

Course

Languages, comparative literatures and intercultural translation

Study-unit Code

A000167

Curriculum

Lingue e letterature

Teacher

Jelena Ulrike Reinhardt

Teachers

Jelena Ulrike Reinhardt

Hours

54 ore - Jelena Ulrike Reinhardt

CFU

Course Regulation

Coorte 2024

Offered

2025/26

Learning activities

Caratterizzante

Area

Lingue e letterature moderne

Sector

L-LIN/13

Type of study-unit

Opzionale (Optional)

Type of learning activities

Attività formativa monodisciplinare

Language of instruction

German

Contents

Word and Body: From Linguistic Skepticism to Ecocriticism

Reference texts

Required readings (handouts will also be available on Unistudium: https://www.unistudium.unipg.it/unistudium/login/index.php)

H. v. Hofmannsthal, Der Brief des Lord Chandos, Reclam,2019.
F. Kafka, In der Strafkolonie, Reclam, 2022.
Th. Mann, Tonio Kröger, Reclam 2025.
P. Handke, Wunschloses Unglück, Suhrkamp, 2001.
Christa Wolf, Störfall. Nachrichten eines Tages, Suhrkamp, 2009.
Marlen Haushofer, Die Wand, List, 2014.

Other Recommended Readings:
F. Nietzsche, Über Wahrheit und Lüge im außermoralischen Sinne, Reclam, 2025.
G. Anders, Die Antiquiertheit des Menschen, Bd. I: Über die Seele im Zeitalter
der zweiten industriellen Revolution, C.H.Beck, 2018
G. Anders, Die Antiquiertheit des Menschen, Bd. II: Über die Zerstörung des Lebens im Zeitalter der dritten industriellen Revolution, C.H.Beck, 2024.
M. Schroer, Soziologie des Körpers, Suhrkamp, 2005.
M. King: Sprachkrise, in: Handbuch Literatur und Philosophie, Metzler 2012, S. 159–177.
G. Dürbeck, U. Stobbe, Ecocriticism. Eine Einführung, Böhlau, 2015.

The suggested editions are for reference only and can be replaced according to personal preference.

Students with disabilities and/or with SLD who, having completed regular accreditation through SOL, have obtained access to University services, can apply for the compensatory tools ensured by law (e.g. textbooks in digital format; teaching materials in accessible formats: presentations, handouts, workbooks, provided if necessary in advance of the lessons), for which consult https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa.
For the request, students are invited to ask the teacher, who will put them in contact with the Disability and/or DSA Department Coordinator (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it).

Educational objectives

The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of the evolving relationship between language and the body in twentieth-century and contemporary German literature, from the crisis of language to emerging ecocritical perspectives (“Knowledge and understanding”). Students will learn to read and interpret complex literary texts, applying critical tools to linguistic, corporeal, and environmental issues (“Applied knowledge and understanding”). They will be encouraged to develop independent interpretations and personal reflections on the texts and cultural phenomena discussed (“Judgement and critical thinking”). The course also fosters the ability to clearly articulate analyses and arguments (“Communication”) and promotes autonomous and critical learning, including from an interdisciplinary perspective (“Learning skills”).

Prerequisites

Good knowledge of the literary and cultural history of German-speaking countries; good knowledge of the German language

Teaching methods

Lectures; seminar discussions; projection of audiovisual materials.
Students with disabilities and/or specific learning disorders (SLD), after consulting with the instructor, may request teaching materials in accessible formats (presentations, handouts, exercise books), which can be provided in advance if necessary, as well as the use of other assistive technologies to support their study process. For general information, please refer to the University services at the following page: https://lettere.unipg.it/home/disabilita-e-dsa and contact the Department Representative, Prof. Alessandra Di Pilla (alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it).

Other information

Students with disabilities and/or SLD: for any information on University services, consult the page https://lettere.unipg.it/home/disabilita-e-dsa and contact the Disability and/or DSA Department Coordinator (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it)

Learning verification modality

Oral examination
The exam, lasting approximately 30 minutes, will include questions on the topics covered in class and a discussion of the texts listed in the bibliography.
The following will be equally assessed and evaluated: knowledge of the writers’ main works, the ability to contextualize them, and the ability to organize, critically analyze, and appropriately present the content in German.
Students with disabilities and/or with SLD who, having completed regular accreditation through SOL, have obtained access to University services, can apply for compensatory tools, dispensatory measures and inclusive technologies ensured by law, to be requested and agreed with the teacher well in advance of tests and exams. For general information, consult the page https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa and contact the Disability and/or SLD Department Coordinator (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it).

Extended program

The course aims to explore the evolution of the relationship between language and the body in twentieth-century and contemporary German literature, from the crisis of language to the emergence of new ecocritical perspectives. Through the analysis of authors such as Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Franz Kafka, Thomas Mann, Peter Handke, Christa Wolf, and Marlen Haushofer, the course examines how literature has addressed the dissolution of the relationship between word and object, the rediscovery of corporeality, and the connection between the body and the natural environment. Special attention is given to women’s literature and its ability to redefine identity through writing and nature. The course intends to provide critical tools to understand how literary language can contribute to a new perception of the world and the relationships between the human and the non-human.

Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile