History of French literature - 18th century 3304-3HLF40K
French literature of the eighteenth century.
Chronology, the crisis of faith and ideas, trends in modern philosophy (empiricism, sensualism, rationalism) and religious trends (theism, deism); new perceptions of a philosopher’s and writer’s role and of literature itself. New aesthetic tendencies and new genres in prose and drama. A selection of writers (Voltaire, Rousseau, Montesquieu, Diderot), the nature of their writings. Innovations by Marivaux, Diderot and Xavier de Maistre. The success of the epistolary novel (Montesquieu, Rousseau, Laclos). English, Italian and German cultural influences.
Type of course
obligatory courses
Mode
Blended learning
Learning outcomes
Upon completing the whole course, students should: 1. Know the chronology of the period and key dates, 2. Know the concepts and texts discussed, 3. Be able to link different literary phenomena, 4. Be able to draw a parallel between authors and texts, 5. Be able to carry out an independent analysis of a literary text.
Assessment criteria
Requirements for passing (classes): a mini-presentation (10 min.) on issues given in advance in the outline of text analysis, two tests (each lasting about 15 mins.) and a term paper (topic, outline and bibliography to be established prior to commencing the editing work).
Bibliography
Marivaux, Le Jeu de l'amour et du hasard, Rousseau, Emile ou de l'Education (extraits), Voltaire, Candide, Diderot, Le Neveu de Rameau, Laclos, Les Liaisons dangereuses, Xavier de Maistre, Voyage autour de ma chambre ; monografie (m. in.) Bénichou (Le Sacre de l'écrivain 1750-1830. Essai sur l'avenement d'un pouvoir spirituel laique dans la France moderne, Paris, José Corti, 1973), Cassirera (La philosophie des Lumieres, Paris, Fayard, 1970), Erharda (L'idée de nature en France dans la premiere moitié du XVIIIe siecle, Paris, A. Michel, 1994 [1963]), Guysdorfa (Les sciences humaines et la pensée occidentale, Paris, Payot, 1966-1984, 11 vol. dont t. 4-8 sur les Lumieres), Hartmanna (Le contrat et la séduction. Essai sur la subjectivité amoureuse dans le roman des lumieres, Paris, Champion, 1998), Pomeau (La religion de Voltaire. Nouvelle édition revue et mise a jour, Paris, Nizet, 1974), Prousta (Diderot et l'Encyclopédie, Paris, A. Michel, 1995 [1965]), Sgarda (Le Roman francais a l'age classique, Paris, LGF, 2000), Trotta (Théâtre du 18e siecle : jeux, écritures, regards. Essai sur les spectacles en France de 1700 a 1790, Montpellier, Editions Espaces 34, 2000).