30646 - French Literature 2 (2nd cycle)

Learning outcomes

Students are requested to enter critical debates on modern French literature, with particular attention to the relationship between texts and their contexts. They are requested to show ability in the close reading of the texts proposed; to be able to elaborate critical analyses in the dialogue between theories and literary writings; to develop critical thinking.

Course contents

We will concentrate on the poetics of realism during the inter-war period (First World War stories, "témoignages", "récits de métier", populist novels, proletarian literature, socialist realism), in relation to the realism of the XIXth century but also to the "new realism" represented by the Nouveau Roman. It will be an opportunity to revise and revisit the notion of realism in its relations with literature.

The course is built largely in class, through the interaction between teacher and students and between students. Students are invited to speak during the lessons and towards the end of the course they will present to the rest of the class a literary text (among those suggested by the teacher), analyzed with the critical tools studied up to that moment. This oral presentation is not mandatory, but for those who choose do it there will be no oral exam: it will only consist of a discussion about the paper that the student has to prepare on the same topic (see the section "Assessment methods").

The course will be held in the first semester.

Readings/Bibliography

Critical texts
- J. Kaempfer, Poétique du récit de guerre, Paris, Corti, 1998, p. 7-14 e 211-273 (disponibile in fotocopie)*
- Ph. Hamon, Puisque réalisme il y a, Paris, LaBaconnière, 2015, p. 5-51 (disponibile in fotocopie)*
- H. Mitterand, L'Illusion réaliste. De Balzac à Aragon, p. 1-9 e 183-201 (disponibile in fotocopie)*
- F. Bertoni, Realismo e letteratura. Una storia possibile, Torino, Einaudi, 2007, p. 17-36, 92-113, 226-229, 260-261 e 313-317 (disponibile in fotocopie)*
- J. Meizoz, L'Âge du roman parlant (1919-1939). Écrivains, critiques, linguistes et pédagogues en débat, 2e éd., Genève, Droz, 2015, p. 15-41, 211-229, 244-282, 323-391
- R. Barthes, "L'effet de réel", Communications, n. 11, 1968, p. 84-89, <http://www.persee.fr/doc/comm_0588-8018_1968_num_11_1_1158>
- Ph. Baudorre, « ‘Les gros mots' : Le Feu d'Henri Barbusse », in C. Grenouillet et É. Reverzy (dir.), Les Voix du peuple dans la littérature des XIXe et XXe siècles, Strasbourg, Presses Universitaires de Strasbourg, 2006, p. 167-180 (disponibile in fotocopie)*
- A.-M. Gaydier, « L'écriture de la parole dans les évocations de la Grande Guerre », in Écrire la guerre, études réunies par C. Milkovitch-Rioux et R. Pickering, Clermont-Ferrand, Presses universitaires Blais Pascal, 2000, p. 75-85 (disponibile in fotocopie)* 

Novels
- H. Barbusse, Le Feu;
- G. Chevallier, La Peur;
- J. Giono, Un de Baumugnes;
- H. Poulaille, Le Pain quotidien;
- J. Pallu, L'Usine;
- L.-F. Céline, Voyage au bout de la nuit;
- P. Nizan, Antoine Bloyé.

Bibliography can go through modifications; if you are in doubt, please contact the teacher.

Teaching methods

The course will be held partly in lecture form and then, in the second part of the course, students will presentate some texts on the basis of the critical essays analysed together.

Assessment methods

For students who attend the course, the exam consists on the presentation of a text in the classroom and in the delivery of a paper on the same topic, followed by a brief interview. Students who don't attend the course will present their paper and go through an oral exam on the whole course.

Teaching tools

Power-point projections, documents uploaded on line.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Chiara Gnocchi