Naples and Sicily in the memories of European travelers

general courses

(in Polish) .

Remote learning

The lecture will discuss the accounts of Polish and European travelers to Naples and Sicily over five centuries (16th-20th centuries), with particular emphasis on the cultural and cognitive aspect, political and economic interests of travelers, and their assessment of the social relations of the Kingdom of Naples. We will also discuss the issue of an individual's confrontation with a new, exotic reality and the form of presenting it. There will also be mention of the history of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, with particular emphasis on cultural and social aspects, and the phenomenon of organized crime.

Lectures in the first semester will be divided into three asymmetrical parts - a division dictated by chronology and the number of travel reports in the following epochs: 1. XVI-XVII cent.; 2nd century XVIII ) 3rd century XIX and XX.

Part 1: The Anonim's journal from 1595 will be discussed, the only one in Europe that is so detailed and full of funny anecdotes, a diary from a trip to Sicily, whose author was probably Jan Niegoszewski, a friend of Jan Kochanowski

Part 2: Lectures dedicated to the Polish (M. Borch, J.Ch Kamsetzer, J.U. Niemcewicz, St. Poniatowski, Anonim, Fr. Bielinski) and foregin )Goethe, Brydone and others)- writers, politicians, artists. Polish travelers of the XVIII c. have a huge contribution in describing Sicily, its natural resources, ancient and modern monuments. The texts written by three of them in French will be discussed.

Part 3: Lectures discussing romantic travels to Naples and Sicily (Mickiewicz, Krasiński, Jan Potocki, Michał Wiszniewski) and typically positivistic by Adolf Smorczewski and Jan Lityński. Differences in the way the Sicilian realities are portrayed by both groups of travelers will be shown, as well as differences in the structure and linguistic layer of the texts. The last lecture of the first semester summarizes the whole material and will end with the final test.

The lecture topics in the second semester include:

- general information about Sicily, presentation of the phenomenon of Sicilianita’ on the example of myths and legends, and the symbol of Trynakria

- the history of Sicily from the ancient Greeks and Romans, the birth of Christianity, the rule of the East Roman Empire, Arabs, Normans, Angevins, the Aragonian dynasty, the Savoy dynasty, the Bourbons, the Habsburgs, up to the Risorgimento period and the unification of Italy

- presentation of phenomena that have become the source of mafia behavior; stages of development of Sicilian mafia; etymology of the term mafia and Cosa Nostra

Anonima diariusz peregrynacji Wloskiej, hiszpańskiej, portugalskiej (1595) . Czubek, Krakow, Duk. U.J, 1925 Z. Krasinski, Z sycylijskiej podróży kart kilka [Alcune pagine del viaggio in Sicilia], Gdańsk, Wyd. Morskie, 1983 M. Lityński, Sycylia. Szkice z podróży [Abbozzi dal viaggio], Lwów, Druk. Gubrynowicza, 1896 A. Mickiewicz, Pan Tadeusz, pieśńV, fragm, Warszawa, Czytelnik, 1982 J. U. Niemcewicz, Pamiętniki czasów moich, [Memorie dei miei tempi], a cura di Jan Dihm, Warszawa, P.I.W., 1957 Opisanie jedney niedawnej podróży do Sycylii [La descrizione di un recente viaggio in Sicilia], “Pamiętnik historyczno-politycznoekonomiczny”, Warszawa, 1788-1799 S. Poniatowski, Pamiętnik polityczny i podróżny [Diario politico ed odeporico], manoscr., Varsavia, Archivi di Stato, Coll. Popielow, manoscr. n. cat. 427 J. Potocki, Rękopis znaleziony w Saragossie, Warszawa, Czytelnik, 1956 A. Smorczewski, Włochy tegoczesne (Rzym, Neapol, Sycylia) Druk. J. Sikorskiego, Warszawa, 1895 M. Wiszniewski, Podróż do Włoch, Sy cylii i Malty [Il viaggio in Italia, in Sicilia e a Malta], opatrzył objaśnieniami i posłowiem Henryk Barycz, Warszawa, P. I. W., 1982

- Dickie, John. Cosa Nostra: a History of the Sicilian Mafia. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004

- Falcone, Giovanni. Cose di Cosa Nostra. Milano: BUR, 2005

- Gierowski, Józef. Historia Włoch. Zakład narodowy im. Ossolińskich. 1999

- Lupo, Salvatore. Storia della mafia. Roma: Donzelli, 2004

- Pitrè, Giuseppe. Biblioteca delle tradizioni popolari siciliane. Palermo: Luigi Pedone Lauriel, 1875

- Pitrè, Giuseppe. Usi e costume, credenze e pregiudizi del popolo siciliano. Palermo: Libreru L. Pedone Lauriel, 1889

Knowledge - the student is expected to

- have structured, in-depth general knowledge, including terminology, theories and methodology in the field of literature and culture studies ( K_W03)

- have structured, in-depth, detailed and leading to specialization knowledge in the field of literary and culture studies ( K_W04)

- know and understand advanced methods of analysis, interpretation, valuation and problematization of various products of culture relevant to selected approaches, theories or research schools, in the field of literary and culture studies ( K_W07)

Skills - the student is expected to

- able to search, analyze, evaluate, select and integrate information from various sources and formulate on this basis critical judgments in the field of literary and culture studies (K_U01)

- able to apply critical analysis and interpretation of various types of cultural products using original approaches, taking into account new achievements in literary and culture studies; able to determine their meanings, social impact and place in historical and cultural processes (K_U05)

- able to formulate critical opinions about cultural products based on linguistic knowledge and experience; able to present critical studies in various formats and modes (K_U07)

Socio-cultural competency - the student is expected to

- can properly identify and resolve the dilemmas of interlingual communication caused by the asymmetry of language systems and cultural differences, occurred within literary and culture studies as well as other disciplines related to cultural realities and language peculiarities of different countries (K_K04)

Assessment objectives:

- participation in the classroom activities – U1, U2

- final exam

Assessment criteria:

The final grade comprises:

- active participation in the classes

- final exam

The overall result is established in accordance with the following scale:

• ponad 90% – 5

• 85%-89% – 4+

• 80%-84% – 4

• 70%-79% – 3+

• 60%-69% – 3

The students’ achievements are assessed in accordance with the University regulations. The students are to attend all course classes. Prepared participation in class discussions – based on completion of the assigned reading and supportive collaboration with classmates – is also required. Each class absence has to be excused in the first week after the lesson missed.