FRCH 311 Survey of French Literature 17th-18th Centuries Spring 2013
Class Meetings: 4:10-5:00
Dr. Mladen Kozul
Office: LA 423
LA 334
3 credits
Phone: 243-4547
E-mail: mladen.kozul @mso.umt.edu
Office Hours: Tues,Thur 1:00-3:00 p.m., and by appointment
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Claude Puzin. Littérature du XVIIe siècle. Henri Mitterand éd. Paris : Nathan, 1987.
M. et J. Charpentier. Littérature du XVIIIe siècle. Henri Mitterand éd. Paris : Nathan, 1987.
Available at the UC bookstore.
Goals and outcomes: The goal of FREN 312L is to introduce students to the canonical French
authors and the major literary movements and trends of the French 18th and 19th centuries and the
historical, philosophical and political contexts that frame those movements. Additionally, a
major goal of this course is to develop critical approaches to the analysis of literature.
Secondarily, a goal of this course is also to improve students’ reading, speaking, and writing
abilities in French; therefore, all lectures and discussions will be conducted in French. Papers
will be written in French. Successful students should be able to analyze literature with respect to
internal structure and significance within French literary traditions, and to critically assess the
intellectual traditions reflected in a particular work in light of the historical, philosophical,
psychological, political, and social concerns of the period in which they are found. Additionally,
successful students should show marked progress in the French linguistic skills necessary for the
above analysis.
My responsibilities are to: 1) provide you with 45 hours of instruction that encourage the
learning of the French canon., literary analysis and linguistic skills, 2) make myself available to
you for consultation during my office hours, 3) grade everyone according to the same criteria 4)
provide you with sufficient, pertinent homework assignments to maximize your learning 5)
maintain a professional relationship with you at all times 6) provide you with the syllabus you
have before you and follow the schedule.
Your responsibilities. Learning a foreign literature requires daily revision, perseverance and
application. One learns to analyze literature by reading texts closely and by applying critical
approaches to those texts, and one learns a language by performing it in all of its modes:
listening, speaking, reading and writing. Given the complex nature of the texts we will be
studying and the special nature of language learning, your responsibilities are to: 1) attend all
classes, having read assigned texts closely, thought about them and prepared points of view for
discussion in French 2) carefully proofread and correct errors of written assignments, and turn
them in on or before the due date 3) in the event of a missed class or classes, to get the
assignments from a classmate and come to the next class having prepared the assigned lesson, 3)
prepare homework assignments in advance of class, 4) arrive to class on time, 5) turn off your
cell phone before entering class 6) use French as the working language of the classroom, 7) turn
in homework and writing assignments on time, 8) be courteous with your classmates, 9) wait
until after class for food and beverages (it is difficult to speak French with your mouths full).
Policies:
Attendance: Attendance will be taken daily. There are no excused absences (work schedules are
no excuse), so choose your illnesses wisely and make arrangements with your instructor ahead of
time to do equivalent alternative work to replace class if you must be away. Late arrival or lack
of preparation can be considered an absence. An excess of 3 absences can lower your grade, and
an excess of 6 absences can be grounds for an F.
Late Work: Only homework assignments turned in on time will be given a full grade. Any
written assignment not turned in on time will result in a lowering of the grade for that assignment
by 20% for every class day the assignment is late. Missed quizzes and exams normally cannot
be made up. Illness verified by a doctor's statement or death in the family might justify
exceptions to this policy.
Disruptive behavior: Systematically arriving late or leaving class early, speaking too much
English in class, eating and drinking during class and chewing gum all adversely affect the class
as well as your own performance. Participation grades will be lowered for such behavior.
Plagiarism: All students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code for a definition of
plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct. Paraphrasing or presenting others’ published
ideas without citing your sources also falls under the rubric of plagiarism. This includes material
taken
from
websites.
The
Code
is
available
for
review
online
at
http://ordway.umt.edu/SA/VPSA/index.cfm/name/StudentConductCode.
Grading: Your grade will be a function not only of your work in progress but also of how much
knowledge of French literature you retain. Also, accumulation and retention of language is
essential for further study. Please note: taking the course Credit/No Credit is not an option for
French majors and minors
Class participation ……………….…………………………………………... 20%
Essays 1-4 pgs. (4)…………………………………………………………… 40%
Midterm Exam …………..…….………………………………………….…15%
Final exam………………………..…………………………………………… 25%
Each essay will be graded according to the following elements:
Content………………………………………………………………………….50%
Language………………………………………………………………………...25%
Structure…………………………………………………………………………25%
NOTE: Class participation is mandatory. More than 3 absences will lower your final grade. No
late work will be accepted.
READINGS:
27 janvier Claude Puzin. Littérature du XVIIe siècle. Henri Mitterand éd. Paris : Nathan, 1987.
29 janvier Le temps des poètes, lecture analytique: Malherbe, Viau, pp. 16-20, 22-26.
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1 er février Lyrisme religieux, La poésie de la nature, pp. 29-38.
3 février Les précieux, Voiture, Mlle de Scudéry, pp. 51-54, 61-63.
5 février La poésie en liberté, Montgaillard, Saint-Amant, pp. 64-68.
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8 février Le romanesque sous Louis XIII, d’Urfé, Mlle de Scudéry, pp. 81-84, 89-93.
10 février Les « histoires comiques, » Sorel, Scarron, Cyrano, pp. 94-96, 98-99, 105-107.
12 février Le courant rationaliste : Descartes, pp. 115-119. Essai.
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15 février Presidents’ Day. Jour férié. Pas de cours.
17 février Le courant libertin : Gassendi, La Mothe Le Vayer, pp 123-127.
19 février Le renouveau chrétien, Pascal et le jansénisme, pp. 134-35, 138-39, 143-47, 155-56.
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22 février La dramaturgie classique, ‘inventeurs’ du théâtre français, pp. 173-74, 177, 183-184.
24 février Corneille et la comédie, Le « grand » Corneille, pp. 198-201, 205-206.
26 février Racine, La cruauté tragique, pp. 236-242, 269.
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1er mars Molière, Le renouveau de la farce, divertissements royaux, pp. 282-86, 291, 299-301.
3 mars
La comédie : un genre triomphant, Tartuffe, pp. 306, 323-327.
5 mars
Lesage, Turcaret, pp. 338-340.
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8 mars
L’art épistolaire : Mme de Sévigné, pp. 344-348, 353.
10 mars La maxime : La Rochefoucauld, La mémoire, cardl. de Retz, pp. 355-357, 360-62.
12 mars La Fontaine, la fable, Perrault, Contes, pp. 364-67, 377-80. Essai
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15 mars Le roman et la nouvelle classiques, La Princesse de Clèves, Mme de La Fayette, pp.
384-85, 400-414.
17 mars Querelle des Anciens et des Modernes, pp. 473-78.
19 mars Examen sur le XVIIe siècle.
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22 mars In Charpentier. Littérature du XVIIIe siècle. Le 18e siècle : Les Lumières,
introduction.
24 mars Montesquieu pp. 16-18; p. 46.
26 mars Le roman épistolaire; lecture analytique: Lettres persanes, p. 21; pp. 23-24
29 mars - 2 avril Vacances de printemps
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5 avril
Marivaux p. 48; roman-mémoires; lecture analytique: La Vie de Marianne, pp. 65-67
7 avril
Prévost et le roman de la 1e moitié du siècle pp. 74, 81, 86; lecture analytique:
Manon Lescaut, pp. 87-89.
9 avril
Voltaire, pp. 97-99, 126; lecture analytique: L'Ingénu, pp. 144-145.
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12 avril Voltaire, pp. 166-174; lecture analytique: Traité sur la tolérance, pp. 147-148;
Dictionnaire Philosophique portatif, pp. 154-155.
14 avril Diderot pp. 176-77; lecture analytique: Diderot et la politique, L’Encyclopédie, pp.
191-92.
16 avril De la superstition à la philosophie pp. 211-212; 225-227; lecture analytique: Articles
de l'Encyclopédie, "Prêtre" et "Christianisme", pp. 214-216. Essai.
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19 avril
La Pensée scientifique et philosophique pp. 232, 235, 246; Lecture analytique:
Condillac, pp. 233-234; Holbach, Système de la nature, p. 249.
21 avril Rousseau, pp. 255-257; lecture analytique: Du contrat social pp. 270-273.
23 avril Rousseau, roman et autobiographie, pp. 290-292; lecture analytique: La Nouvelle
Héloïse, pp. 292-302.
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26 avril Le roman de la 2e partie du 18e siècle (348); lecture analytique: Diderot, La
Religieuse (349); lecture analytique: p 350-351.
28 avril Le roman … : lecture analytique: Diderot, Jacques le fataliste, pp. 358-360
30 avril Le roman : Laclos, Les liaisons dangereuses, p. 369 ; lecture analytique: pp. 370-373
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3 mai
Le roman : Laclos, Les liaisons dangereuses; lecture analytique: pp. 374-378. Essai.
5 mai
Le roman : Sade, Les infortunes de la vertu, Juliette, pp. 380-382.
7 mai
Un nouveau genre dramatique pp. 386-387; 391; lecture analytique: Diderot
théoricien du théâtre, pp. 392-393; La Comédie, p. 404; lecture analytique:
Beaumarchais, Le Barbier de Séville, pp. 410-412.
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10 mai 15h20 – 17h20
Examen sur le XVIIIe siècle.