Otherness, marginality, exclusion in French medieval and contemporary literature 3304-2D1W-SM-021
Literature has always devoted a great deal of space to characters who fall outside the norm in various ways. Hence, otherness, marginality, exclusion are important themes in literary studies, occupying an increasing place in research recently.
These three concepts show the gradable relationship between the I (representing the norm) and the other: he or she can be accepted in his or her otherness, located on the margins of society or cast outside its framework. At the same time, the otherness of a given character may be marked in various aspects of life: it may result from religious, ethnic, sexual differences, caused by illness, age, social situation, specific lifestyle. Therefore, the characters who represent otherness are very diverse: the madman, the prostitute, the leper, the mystic, the homosexual, the emigrant are just some of the myriad forms it can take. A separate, though not so distant, type of otherness from those already mentioned is that resulting from belonging to the human species. As we shall see, literature eagerly looks at human-non-human encounters and tries to find out how they shape our identity.
The seminar will focus on the analysis of literary texts that provide insights into the cultural, social, psychological and philosophical aspects of otherness, marginality and exclusion. These will include both texts that show the point of view of different kinds of queer people, or are even the work of authors who represent some kind of otherness, and those that are a tool of exclusion or marginalisation. For literature can both participate in the establishment of the norm and stigmatise those who do not fit within it, and become a terrain where the Other finds its place. We will consider how discourse creates otherness and how the presence of the Other modifies the text. Finally, we will have the opportunity to see how attitudes to otherness have changed from the Middle Ages to the present day and whether any fundamental characteristics of the Other have remained constant.
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
After completing the seminar, the student
- has an in-depth knowledge of general and specific terminology in the field of general and French literary studies, with a special focus on the theme of otherness, marginality and exclusion in medieval and modern literature K_W02
- knows basic and complex issues in the field of general and French literary studies, with a special focus on the theme of otherness, marginality and exclusion in medieval and modern literature K_W06
- knows detailed principles of analysis and interpretation of texts belonging to medieval and modern French literature K_W09
- knows in-depth selected detailed facts, processes and phenomena in the history and culture of the countries of the French-speaking cultural area concerning the phenomenon of otherness K_W10
- knows how to use complex theoretical concepts, typical of literary studies, especially French, when planning research, specifically considering the theme of otherness in literature K_U01
- knows how to use complex research skills in research, including analysis of research problems, formulating hypotheses, selecting research methods and techniques, specifically serving to explore the theme of otherness in literature, and developing and presenting the results while preparing his own work in the field literary studies K_U02
- is able to recognize, analyze and interpret various types of cultural products (language, literature), especially concerning the phenomenon of otherness, using adequate and complex terminology as well as appropriate research methods and techniques K_U05
- is able to prepare a written work in French, referring to complex theoretical approaches appropriate for literary studies, allowing to understand the phenomenon of othernessK_U07
- knows how to apply in-depth knowledge of literary studies K_U12
- is prepared to actively participate in French and francophone culture, making extensive use of various forms and media K_K06
- is prepared to comply with the principles of intellectual property protection and copyright law K_K07
Assessment criteria
- attendance; A student who misses classes more than 2 times will be asked to come to teacher's duty hours (or online) in order to discuss the content of the classes during which s/he was absent;
- active participation in classes and preparation for classes (reading texts, exposé)
- written work
- 1 test (factography + reading knowledge)
Detailed conditions for passing the course will be presented by the teacher during the first class or sent by the USOS.
Bibliography
Benedyktowicz Z., Portrety „obcego”, Kraków, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, 2000.
Figures du marginal dans la littérature française et francophone, dir. Arlette Bouloumié, Angers, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, 2016.
Inny, Inna, Inne. O inności w kulturze, red. Maria Janion, Claudia Snochowska-Gonzalez i Kazimiera Szczuka, Warszawa, Wydawnictwo Instytutu Badań Literackich PAN, 2004.
Kristeva J., Étrangers à nous-mêmes, Paris, Fayard, 1988.
Martin N., Croire aux fauves, Paris, Gallimard, 2019.
Mayer H., Odmieńcy, tłum. Anna Kryczyńska, Warszawa, Warszawskie Wydawnictwo Literackie Muza, 2005.
Odmieńcy, wybór, opracowanie i redakcja Maria Janion i Zbigniew Majchrowski, Gdańsk, Wydawnictwo Morskie, 1982;
Particularités physiques et marginalité dans la littérature, dir. Arlette Bouloumié, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, 2005.
Pozaludzkie/arcyludzkie. Teksty drugie, nr 1-2/2013.
Środa M., Obcy Inny, wykluczony, Gdańsk, Słowo/obraz Terytoria, 2020.
Zoepolis. Budując wspólnotę ludzko-nieludzką, red. M. Gurowska, M. Rosińska, A. Szydłowska, Warszawa, Fundacja Bęc Zmiana, 2020
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: