Literary Studies Course IIz/IIIz + p: Well-known and lesser-known works of the French Enlightenment 3304-1DZXW-KL-012

The aim of the course is to provide an in-depth analysis of selected eighteenth-century French Enlightenment texts, including both canonical works and lesser-known writings that offer a broader perspective on the culture and thought of the period. The course focuses on the major philosophical, social, and literary ideas of the Enlightenment: reason, progress, criticism of tradition, individual freedom, the relationship between nature and culture, as well as questions related to education, the status of women, happiness, and morality.

During the course, students will examine a variety of literary and philosophical genres characteristic of the eighteenth century, including the philosophical essay, tale, autobiography, encyclopedic text, epistolary novel, and moral treatise. Particular attention will be paid to the connections between literature and the intellectual and social transformations of the period, as well as to the ways Enlightenment authors challenged established cultural and political norms.

The syllabus includes works by major figures of the French Enlightenment such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, and Montesquieu, alongside texts by women writers and thinkers including Émilie du Châtelet, Louise Dupin, and Madame de Villeneuve. This combination allows students to explore both the central current of Enlightenment philosophy and literature and the less frequently studied voices participating in debates on individuality, gender, and alterity in eighteenth-century European culture.

The readings address such topics as the idea of Enlightenment and the role of reason (“Qu’est-ce que les Lumières?” by Kant), the “Encyclopédie” as a major intellectual enterprise of the period, the critique of European customs and colonial discourse (“Lettres persanes” and “Supplément au Voyage de Bougainville”), the autobiographical construction of the modern self (“Les Confessions”), as well as literary reinterpretations of fairy tales and reflections on gender, happiness, and women’s education.

The course is discussion-based and centered on close reading and analysis of primary texts. Students will engage in textual interpretation, discussions of the historical and philosophical context of the works, and analysis of selected passages in French. The course aims to develop students’ analytical and interpretative skills, deepen their knowledge of French Enlightenment literature and culture, and foster an understanding of the lasting influence of eighteenth-century ideas on modern European culture.

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