116-018 Classical and Contemporary Novel

116-007 French I: Cultural Perspectives and 116-008 French I: Language in Context II or equivalent. European studies students wishing to enrol in this subject would normally have completed first year European studies, see Prerequisites.

In this subject 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. The subject will be taught in French.

A class paper totalling 1600 words, and an essay totalling 2400 words in French.

Four of the following works will be selected each year:

• Madame 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, 1976.
• Gide, Les Faux-Monnayeurs. Gallimard, 1975.
• Proust, Du côté de chez Swann. Gallimard, 1988.
• Butor, Passage de Milan. Editions de Minuit, 1980.
• Duras, Moderato Cantabile. Gallimard, 1987.
• Salvayre, La Puissance des Mouches. Éditions du Seuil, 1997.