Literary Studies Course - Power and Contemporary Francophone Theater 3304-1DZ1W-KL-42
This course explores the intricate relationship between political structures and dramatic expression by analyzing how power is problematized within the contemporary Francophone world. Rather than viewing the theatre merely as a stage for performance, the course approaches it as a critical site where the tensions of Europe, the revolutionary history of Haiti, and the sovereign voices of Indigenous Quebec converge. Students will be guided through a process of independent interpretation, learning to situate literary texts within their specific socio-political and cultural landscapes.
At the heart of the course is a deep focus into three pillar works that represent distinct intellectual currents and geocultural realities. The study begins with the European absurdist tradition through Eugène Ionesco’s Rhinoceros (1959), moves to the Caribbean with Jean Métellus’ Anacaona (1988), and concludes with the contemporary Indigenous perspective of Émilie Monnet’s Marguerite: le feu (2023). By examining these diverse expressions, the course highlights the historical conditions that shaped them, investigating the unique ways each playwright denounces the abuse of authority and utilizes the stage to reveal truths that are frequently suppressed or ignored by the state and History.
The pedagogical framework of the course is rooted in socio-critical and decolonial methodologies. This approach treats literature not as a passive artifact, but as an active tool for identity construction and social critique. By analyzing the dialogue between text and context, students will explore how theatre functions as a vital medium for reflection on the complex intersections of history, society, and politics.
With regard to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in classes, the rules set out in Resolution No. 42 of the Teaching Council for the Roman Philology degree programme, dated 15 April 2024, apply.
Resolution: https://romanistyka.wn.uw.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RD_uchwala_42_15-kwietnia-2024_wytyczne_SI_.pdf
Appendix: https://romanistyka.wn.uw.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RD_uchwala_42_15-kwietnia-2024_wytyczne_SI_ZALACZNIK_1.pdf
Course coordinators
Mode
Learning outcomes
The student has knowledge of the culture of France and French-speaking countries (K_W12); has a systematized knowledge of the basic processes taking place in the areas of language, literature and Francophone culture (K_W04); is able to use a variety of sources and methods, traditional and modern, to search, analyze, evaluate, select and use information necessary for participation in class (K_U01); is able to recognize different types of cultural products (language, literature, art) and to carry out their critical analysis and interpretation using typical methods (K_U05); is able to cooperate in a group, solve problems in discussion and initiate solutions appropriate to the situation (K_K02); is interested in contemporary processes and phenomena taking place in cultural life and literature of Francophone countries (K_K09).
Assessment criteria
- 2 tests (text analysis and test with open questions)
- attendance and activity in class
- 2 absences (more absences will result in the need to write an additional test)
Details of the various components will be determined at the first class of the course.
Bibliography
A detailed syllabus and reading list will be provided during the first class.