Literary Studies Seminar - Men and Beasts in French Medieval and Renaissance Literature 3304-1DPXW-KL-6-OG

Classes will be devoted to the relationship between man and animal presented in the literary texts of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. These texts will interest us both as a component of a certain mentality and in their strictly literary layer. We will try, above all, to bring out continuity and change in relation to animals from Saint Francis to Montaigne. To do so, we will look in the texts for the elements of traditional knowledge about zoology and concepts associated with them; for signs indicating the place of animals in the world of people (in everyday life and in the system of religious beliefs, both orthodox Christian and marked by remains of paganism); for traces of reflections on the boundary between man and animal and the possibility of crossing or eradicating it. On the other hand, the presence of fauna in literature from the medieval bestiaries to Agrippa d'Aubigné enables us to see animals as a source of poetic metaphors and allegories, as a satire tool or a way to characterize the characters they accompany.

Type of course

general courses
elective courses

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student:
- has a systematic knowledge of the basic processes taking place in the field of French medieval and renaissance literature,
- has elementary knowledge of the methodology of research on medieval and renaissance literature,
- is able to analyze and interpret literary texts,
- can express himself in an organized manner on topics related to the subject matter of classes,
- knows how to use various sources and methods, including modern information technologies, to search, analyze, evaluate, select and use information necessary to participate in classes.

Assessment criteria

- Activity in the classroom:
- Written tests
- Essay
- oral test

Bibliography

Brunetto Latini, Skarbiec wiedzy, przeł. M. Frankowska-Terlecka, T. Giermak-Zielińska, Warszawa, PIW, 1992.
Powieść o Lisie, przeł. M. Frankowska-Terlecka, T. Giermak-Zielińska, W Krzywym zwierciadle, Kraków, Universitas, 2005.
Jakub de Voragine, Złota legenda, Przeł. Leopold Staff, Wrocław, TAU, 1994.
Maurice Scève, Delia, przeł. M. Jastrun i in., Antologia poezji francuskiej, red. Jerzy Lisowski, t. I, Warszawa, Czytelnik, 1966.
Pierre de Ronsard, Sonety, przeł. M. Wroncka, ibid.
Michel de Montaigne, Próby, przeł. T. Boy-Żeleński, Warszawa, PIW, 1985.
Michel Pastoureau, Średniowieczna gra symboli, tłum. H. Igalson-Tygielska, Warszawa, Oficyna naukowa, 2006.
Mondes Animaliers au Moyen Age et à la Renaissance, dir. D. Buschonger, Centre d’Etudes Médiévales de Picardie, Amiens, 2016.

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3304-1DPXW-KL-6-OG in USOSweb