116-019 French Theatre from Corneille to Beckett

Note

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

116-007 French I: Cultural Perspectives and 116-008 French I: Language in Context II or 116-015 Post-beginners French IIB or equivalent.

Semester

Subject Description

In this subject students will encounter a selection of plays from the 17th to the 20th centuries. Tragedy in its varying forms is explored through works by Corneille, Hugo and Anouilh and comedy through works by Molière, Marivaux and Beckett. Each play is studied in its socio-historical context from both a textual and dramaturgical (performance) standpoint, using videotaped productions (where available) by the Comédie Française. A particular focus of the subject is the theatre as a social and artistic institution: theatre design, traditions of mise-en-scène, the changing status of actors and playwrights, audience profiles and behaviours, relations between the theatre and political power.