13326 - French Literature III

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to read a literary text in French, both in textual and intertextual mode, with the necessary references to the history of French literature in relation to European literature. They will sharpen, as much as possible, their stylistic competences within their linguistic competences. They will use French as a language of communication.

Course contents

The course, which will focus on 18^th century French literary production, will be organized in two modules: the first, held by Prof. Bruna Conconi, will provide a perspective on the most important movements and the most significant figures of the century; the second, held by Prof. Michele Morselli, will analyze in particular Manon Lescaut by Prévost, Le Paysan parvenu by Marivaux, Les Liaisons dangereuses by Laclos and La Religieuse by Diderot.

Readings/Bibliography

Literary History

Lionello SOZZI (ed.), Storia europea della letteratura francese. II. Dal Settecento all’età contemporanea, Torino, Einaudi, 2013 (only 18th century).

or

Jean-Yves TADIÉ (ed.), La littérature française: dynamique et histoire, Paris, Gallimard, 2007 (only 18th century).

Readings:

Prévost, Manon Lescaut

Marivaux, Le Paysan parvenu

Laclos, Les Liaisons dangereuses

Diderot, La Religieuse

Texts analized during classes (uploaded to the VIRTUALE platform) and the following articles/chapters of books:

Erich Auerbach, Le souper interrompu, in Mimésis. La représentation du réel dans la littérature occidentale, Paris, Gallimard, 1984, pp. 395-428.

Arnold Hauser, Il nuovo pubblico della letteratura, in Storia sociale dell'arte, Torino, Einaudi, 1982, vol. II, pp. 52-95.

Colas Duflos, Les aventures de Sophie. La philosophie dans le roman au XVIII^e siècle, Paris, CNRS Editions, 2013, pp. 9-41 (chap. I, Voyages merveilleux de Sophie dans la Romancie e chap. II, Récit romanesque et discours philosophique).

Paul Hazard, La crise de la conscience européenne 1680-1715, Paris, Fayard, 1978, pp. 3-25, 48-71, 299-311 (chap. De la stabilité au mouvement, Du midi au nord, Vers un nouveau modèle d’humanité).

Carlo Ginzburg, Tolleranza e commercio. Auerbach legge Voltaire, in Id., Il filo e le tracce. Vero falso finto, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2006, pp. 112-137.

Michel Delon, P.-A. Choderlos de Laclos, Les liaisons dangereuses, Paris, PUF, 1986, pp. 78-93.

Grahame Jones, Manon Lescaut: la structure du roman et le rôle du chevalier Des Grieux, in «Revue d’histoire littéraire de la France», vol. 71, n. 3, 1971, pp. 425-438.

Marie-Hélène Huet, Le Paysan et le Parvenu, in Le Héros et son double. Essai sur le roman d’ascension sociale au XVIII^e siècle, Paris, José Corti, 1975, pp. 31-52.

Dominique Jullien, Locus hystericus: l’image du couvent dans La Religieuse de Diderot, in «French Forum», vol. 15, n. 2, 1990, pp. 133-148.

D) Non-attending students will prepare the final exam following the previous bibliography with the support of this additional reading:

Antologia cronologica della letteratura francese. Il Settecento, Milano, LED, 1997:

Dialogues di Lahontan

Histoire de Gil Blas di Lesage

Les Mille et une Nuits tradotte da Galland

Lettres persanes di Montesquieu

Manon Lescaut di Prévost

Le Philosophe anglais di Prévost

La vie de Marianne di Marivaux

Lettres philosophiques di Voltaire

Le Sopha di Crébillon fils

Lettres d’une Péruvienne di Madame de Graffigny

Lettres anglaises, ou Histoire de Clarissa Harlove tradotta da Prévost

Discours sur l’origine de l’inégalité di Rousseau

voce « Genève » dell’Encyclopédie

Candide di Voltaire

La Nouvelle Héloïse di Rousseau

Les Confessions di Rousseau

Paradoxe sur le comédien di Diderot

Le Barbier de Séville de Beaumarchais

Jacques le Fataliste di Diderot

Tableau de Paris di Mercier

Les liaisons dangereuses di Laclos

Les 120 journées de Sodome di Sade

Voyage en Syrie et en Égypte di Volney

Paul et Virginie di Bernardin de Saint Pierre

L’Émigré di Sénac de Meilhan

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures; participation is nevertheless highly encouraged.

Assessment methods

The exam consists in an oral interview during which the methodological and critical skills acquired by the student will be evaluated . The student will be invited to discuss the texts covered during the course and to move within the sources and bibliographical material in order to be able to identify in them the useful information. The achievement of an organic vision of the issues addressed during the classes and their critical use, which demonstrate ownership of a mastery of expression and specific language, will be assessed with marks of excellence (28-30). Mechanical and / or mnemonic knowledge of matter, synthesis and analysis of non-articulating and / or correct language but not always appropriate will lead to discrete assessments (23-27); training gaps and / or inappropriate language - although in a context of minimal knowledge of the material - will lead to votes that will not exceed the sufficiency (18-22). Training gaps, inappropriate language, lack of guidance within the reference materials offered during the course will lead to failed assessments.

Teaching tools

At the end of the course texts analized during classes will be uploaded on VIRTUALE.

Office hours

See the website of Bruna Conconi

See the website of Michele Morselli