German Literature 1 Lm 2023/2024

W. v. Goethe: Faust. Der Tragödie erster Teil

The course will explore some of the most relevant formal and content-related aspects of the first part of the Faust. The author took the material for the work from popular legends that had spread throughout Europe since the 16th century. The module will at first illustrate some of the versions of the myth that predate Goethe's Faust, in particular Spiess's Faustbuch and Christopher Marlowe's The Tragicall History of Doctor Faustus, and then proceed to explore Faust. Der Tragödie erster Teil with particular reference to the songs and poems included in the text as well as to the theme of intertextuality. Furthermore, the module will hioghlight some similarities between the Faustian theme and the digital world. The lessons will be held in German. 

Texts:

W. v. Goethe, Faust. Der Tragödie erster Teil. Textausgabe mit Kommentar und Materialien, hg. von Wolf dieter Hellberg, Stuttgart, Reclam (Reclam XL - Text und Kontext, Reclam Nr 19152).

Critical essays:

Riccardo Federici, Il mito di Faust nell'era digitale, Roma. Lithos 2023.

Ian Watt, Miti dell'individualismo moderno. Faust, don Chisciotte, don Giovanni, Robinson Crusoe, trad. it. di M. Baiocchi e M. Gnoli, Milano, FeltrinelliW. v. Goethe: Faust. Der Tragödie erster Teil