116-451 Themes in Contemporary Literature

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

A major in French (Post-VCE French stream), or equivalent.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

With an emphasis on psychocriticism and mythography, this subject will develop a global understanding of certain major transformations in 20th century culture. Literary texts by Nerval, Tournier and Duras will be used to illustrate the functions of myths in literature. Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis will also be applied in the interpretation of culture through literary texts of Michaux, Mallarmé, Artaud, Breton. At the end of the subject, students should be able to: synthesise an approach to a general problem in contemporary culture through the use of a variety of materials in literature, psychoanalysis, history, mythography; develop the ability to write articles and to build personal research projects.

Assessment

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

Prescribed Texts

• Breton, Nadja. Gallimard 1964.
• Duras, L'Amant. Minuit 1984.
• Michaux, La Vie dans les plis. Gallimard 1980.
• Nerval, Aurélia. Garnier 1970.
• Tournier, Les Roi des Aulnes. Gallimard 1982.