116-220 Classical and Contemporary Novel

Note

Available as 116-320 at 3rd-year level.

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

116-115 or 116-202, or equivalent.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

Students will study a selection of novels from the 17th to the 20th Centuries, analysing their narrative structures, and developing an awareness of their social and political contexts. Various theories of narrative will be used to facilitate an understanding of the evolution of the French novel. At the end of this subject, students should be able to: analyse the narrative structure of various novels; show a knowledge of the evolution of prose narration in French literature; demonstrate critical awareness of the social, political and ideological context of each novel.

Assessment

One class paper (2000 words) (40%); one essay (3000 words) in French (60%).

Prescribed Texts

Only part of these works will be selected each year.

• Mme de la Fayette, La Princesse de Clèves. Gallimard 1955.
• Diderot, Le Neveu de Rameau. Gallimard 1971.
• Balzac, Le Lys dans la Vallée. Gallimard 1951.
• Stendhal, Le Rouge et le Noir. Gallimard 1955.
• Flaubert, Madame Bovary. Gallimard.
• Gide, Les Faux-Monnayeurs. Gallimard 1975.
• Butor, Passage de Milan. Gallimard 1984.
• Vian, L'Ecume des Jours. Editions de Minuit 1980.
• Duras, Moderato cantabile. Gallimard 1987.