Le fantastique

Catalog description

Ghosts, spirits and specters populate the French "fantastique". Starting with the precursors of the genre in the 18th century (Jacques Cazotte’s Le Diable amoureux), we will read major works of "littérature fantastique" of the 19th century, including Balzac’s La Peau de chagrin (1831), Contes cruels by Villiers de l’Isle-Adam (1883) and Maupassant’s Le Horla (1886). Select readings from critical theory and philosophy will accompany the readings (Todorov, Bergson, Derrida). We will also consider examples of the fantastic in 20th century cinema (Epstein’s La Chute de la Maison Usher (1928) and Franju’s Les Yeux sans visage (1960). Taught in French. Prerequisite: a course at the 600- or 700-level or equivalent proficiency. Contact the instructor to verify your proficiency if you have not taken French at Brown.