Corsi di Studio del Dipartimento di Lingue e Letterature straniere e Culture moderne

The teaching of Serbian and Croatian Literature falls within the field of literary studies offered in the curriculum, and is aimed at acquiring literary and historical-cultural knowledge of the periods covered, as well as at understanding the specific features of South Slavic literatures, their similarities, and their differences in both the local and European context. Furthermore, through the analysis of original and translated literary texts, the course will foster the development of translation skills, with particular attention to the profile of the linguistic-cultural mediator, as well as that of the graduate in Foreign Literatures and Modern Cultures (bachelor’s level).

At the end of the course, the student should acquire general knowledge concerning Serbian and Croatian literature and culture. It is expect from the student to be able to read, analyse and interpret the most significant texts in an appropriate way and to identify the specific elements of the authors, of the epochs and of the currents dealt with.

Furthermore, the course provides the acquisition of skills necessary in the field of literary translation; basic knowledge and/or abilities useful for the professional activity of a translator; the acquisition of knowledge useful for teaching Serbian and Croatian Literature; and tools relevant to the profession of the linguistic-cultural mediator.

In line with the expected Learning Outcomes, the programme will be structured into three parts, as follows:

MODULE A (36h):  

From Realism to Modernism: The Great Literary Turning Point between the 19th and 20th Centuries

Module A will focus on a general overview of Serbian and Croatian literature, corresponding to the rise of the literary currents of Realism and Modernism in the historical period spanning from the second half of the 19th century to the first decades of the 20th century. Historical events that influenced the development of specific features of these currents will also be contextualized, and the most important voices will be presented through the reading of selected passages and the analysis of texts and periods covered.

Regarding Realism, the writers Janko Leskovar, Laza Lazarević and Simo Matavulj will be examined (in Italian translation). The overview will continue with the playwright Branislav Nušić (in Italian translation) and his bourgeois satire, together with an analysis of the dramatic works of Ivo Vojnović, situated at the crossroads between the realist tradition and emerging new sensibilities.

Finally, the formal and stylistic experiments typical of Modernism will be explored through the reading and analysis of poems by Antun Gustav Matoš, Aleksa Šantić, Vladimir Nazor, and Jovan Dučić.

MODULE B (6 h):  

Ivo Andrić: From Early Poems to the Epic Voice of the Nobel Laureate

This module will present the most characteristic features of the works of the Yugoslav Nobel laureate (1961) and analyze his importance within the literary, cultural, and historical context of the former Yugoslavia and the individual national states today. The analysis will begin with Andrić’s early poems, published in the anthology Hrvatska mlada lirika (1914), and will then follow the development of his epic narrative and the central themes that marked his literary production.

Andrić’s poems will be translated during the lessons together with the students, as practice in literary translation.

MODULE C (12 h):  

Family Constellations in Contemporary Serbian and Croatian Literature

Human relationships are never simple, and family ties are perhaps the most complex of all, serving as a focus for sociological, anthropological, psychological, and literary studies. This module will focus on the relationship between the narrative self and parental figure of father – in order to explore in depth the human psyche and the social fabric of Serbian and Croatian societies post-transition and post-Yugoslav, navigating memory, identity, and family conflicts.

Frontal lessons, use of slides (Power Point), films, lectures by mobile and/or Erasmus lecturers, participation in conferences, events relevant to the teaching topics.

The exam is oral and focuses on the topics and authors covered during the course.

For attending students, the exam also includes a discussion of a short written report and/or a PowerPoint presentation on a topic of the student’s choice, to be agreed upon with the instructor.

Non-attending students are required to agree on the syllabus with the instructor for integration before registering for the exam.

At the exam, all students are required to present a list of the readings they have completed and the materials used for their preparation.

The reading of the poetic and prose texts listed in the Bibliography is recommended.

Graduates in Modern Languages and Literatures may pursue professional activities in various fields: education; publishing; literary translation; and international relations within public and private institutions. The skills of graduates in Modern Languages and Literatures revolve around knowledge of European literatures and cultures. Graduates may work for newspapers and journals in the fields of theatre, literature, history, and culture; at centres that organise cultural events, conferences, seminars, and debates; and in institutions supporting educational activities (homework assistance, remedial programmes).

With regard to all professions related to Linguistic Mediation Sciences, the course provides basic knowledge for the following roles/occupations:

• Linguistic and cultural mediation in literary, social, and economic contexts (with particular reference to publishing—both print and multimedia—news and advertising agencies, text and document reproduction services, and translation);

• Recruitment and personnel selection services;

• Public administration activities related to foreign affairs or the regulation of social activities;

• Activities within associations, libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions.

For students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) or disabilities, please review the support procedures and accommodations provided by the University, particularly the necessary procedures for exam support.

Students with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties are required to inform the lecturer at the beginning of the course so that, if necessary, an individual study programme tailored to their needs can be arranged, in addition to appropriate compensation and dispensation measures for examinations.

In line with the expected Learning Outcomes and the expected graduate profile, the bibliography, divided into three parts, aims to provide the knowledge and/or skills necessary for the bachelor graduate in Foreign Literatures and Modern Cultures, in addition to the tools specific to Linguistic Mediation Sciences.

MODULE A

Information on the literary movements covered can be found:

• in the course handouts and/or PowerPoint presentations (Moodle);

• in literary history textbooks (only for the sections covered and if necessary),
  chosen by the student from the following:

1. A. Cronia, Storia della letteratura serbo-croata, Nuova Accademia: Milan, 1956 (selected sections).

2. D. Jelčić, Storia della letteratura croata, edited by R. Cattaneo, Guépard Noir: Milan, 2005 (selected sections).

3. B. Meriggi, Le letterature della Jugoslavia, Florence: Sansoni; Milan: Accademia, 1970 (selected sections).

4. B., M. Mitrović, Storia della cultura e della letteratura serba, Argo: Lecce, 2015 (selected sections).

Information on the authors covered can be found:

• in the course handouts and/or PowerPoint presentations (Moodle);

• in anthologies, collections, and critical studies (only for the sections covered and if necessary),
  chosen by the student from the following:

1. A. Cronia, Le più belle pagine della letteratura serbo-croata, Nuova Accademia: Milan, 1963.

2. M. Holton & V. D. Mihailovich, Serbian poetry from the beginnings to the present, New Haven: Yale center for international and area studies, 1988. 

3. F. Trogrančić, Narratori croati moderni e contemporanei, Rome: M. Bulzoni, 1969.

4. U. Urbani, Scrittori jugoslavi, preface by Pavle Popović, Parnaso: Trieste, 1927.

All materials (poets, authors, texts discussed during the lessons, and the PDFs/PowerPoint slides) will be provided to students during class and will be available/accessible on Moodle.

MODULE B

Reading one novel and three short stories by Ivo Andrić is mandatory for all students, chosen by the student:

• Ivo Andrić, Il ponte sulla Drina, translation by D. Badnjević, Milan: Mondadori, 2016.

• Romanzi e racconti, editorial project and introductory essay by P. Matvejević, translations, chronology, and notes by D. Badnjević, Milan: A. Mondadori, 2001.

• La signorina, translation by D. Badnjević and M. Orazi, Rome: Livello Quattro, 2008.

• Racconti di Bosnia, edited by D. Badnjević, Rome: Biblioteca Economica Newton, 1995.

• La cronaca di Travnik: il tempo dei consoli, translation by D. Badnjević, Milan: Mondadori, 2007.

• I tempi di Anika, translation by L. Costantini, Milan: Oscar Mondadori, 2005.

• La donna sulla pietra, translation by A. Parmeggiani, Rovereto: Zandonai, 2010.

• La storia maledetta. Racconti triestini, edited by Marija Mitrovic, translation by A. Parmeggiani, Milan: Mondadori, 2007.

• Racconti francescani, edited by Luca Vaglio, Rome: Castelvecchi, 2017.

• Il caso di Stevan Karajan, translation by A. Parmeggiani, edited by Božidar Stanišić, Udine: Bottega Errante Edizioni, 2024.

MODULE C

Readings (two novels of the student’s choice):

• Nina Bunjevac, Fatherland. Educazione di un terrorista, Milan: Rizzoli Lizard, 2016.

• Miljenko Jergović, Il padre, translation by Elisa Copetti, Udine: Bottega Errante Edizioni, 2020.

• Dino Pešut, Figlio di papà, translation by Sara Latorre, Udine: Bottega Errante Edizioni, 2024.

• Darko Tuševljaković, La frattura, edited by Manuela Orazi, translation by Anita Vuco, Rome: Voland, 2019.

The course begins in the first semester, on Thursday, 2 October 2025.

Regular attendance is strongly recommended.

For students who have already attended courses in Serbian and Croatian Literature, Module A (Institutional Course, History of Literature) may be modified, and the topics will be agreed upon individually.

For Erasmus students, it will be possible to arrange a syllabus adapted to their specific needs.

The exam may be taken in Italian, Serbian, Croatian, or English.