116-020 Poetics and Poetry

116-133 French I: Cultural Perspectives and 116-134 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.

French poetry is a highly dynamic field - the site of major cultural innovation. The major part of this subject will be concerned with the understanding of poems by some outstanding figures in French poetry from the 16th century to the 20th century, such as Louise Labé, Ronsard, Nerval, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Apollinaire, Eluard. The work of women poets and their challenge to the canon will also be discussed. The examination of theoretical concepts will always be related to and illustrated by the study of poetic texts. At the end of the subject, students should be able to examine the different ways of reading a poem; analyse how texts function; demonstrate a knowledge of the general evolution of poetry in French literature and its place in the cultural context.