Approaches to French Literature

Catalog description

This course offers an introduction to central works in French literature, while presenting students with a toolkit for literary analysis. Eschewing a strictly chronological approach, we will explore some of the key lines of thought animating French literary production from the Middle Ages through the twentieth century. Students will have the opportunity to refine their skills in reading and writing through in-class workshops devoted to techniques for close reading, developing a thesis from textual evidence, and identifying arguments in critical texts. Our objectives will be both to understand the diverse functions of literature as a cultural practice and to prepare students to take Discovery courses and other advanced seminars in literature.