NB:听This paper is available for the academic year 2024-25, but听the linguistics element of this paper is suspended for the year.
Fr1 introduces students to the many different aspects of French culture taught at 澳门六合彩开奖记录.听 Students will engage with works from the twelfth to the twenty-first century across a variety of genres, including poetry, theatre, discursive prose, and film.听 No prior knowledge of any of these areas is presumed. Students are expected to develop an independent critical voice in their approach to the topics, while drawing appropriately on secondary criticism and theoretical approaches.听 They will be able to develop skills in close reading and critical commentary, to practise concise and scholarly essay writing, and to pursue comparative analysis.听 Through a range of intrinsically stimulating and challenging works, Fr1 aims to provide students with the analytical skills and broader historical context from which they can make informed choices for Part 1B (second year) and Part II (fourth year).
The paper consists of seven topics.听 Students are encouraged to study the texts using the prescribed editions below. (Other editions vary considerably). ISBN codes have been provided for the avoidance of confusion. Some of the texts are freely available on Kindle via Amazon.
- Marie de France,听Lais, ed. by Karl Warnke, accompanied by a modern French translation by Laurence Harf-Lancner (Paris: Livre de Poche, 1990). ISBN: 225305271X
- Michel de Montaigne,听Des cannibales, suivi de La Peur de l鈥檃utre (anthologie), ed. by Christine B茅n茅vent (Paris: Gallimard, 2008) [only听Des cannibales听is required reading]
- Corneille,听Horace, ed, Jean-Pierre听Chauveau, Collection Folio听Th茅芒tre听no. 16 (Paris:听Gallimard, 1994)听ISBN: 2070386600
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau,听Discours sur l鈥檕rigine et les fondements de l鈥檌n茅galit茅 parmi les hommes, ed. Jean Starobinski, Collection Folio Essais (Paris: Gallimard, 2008 [first published 1969]). ISBN 2070325415
- Honor茅听de听Balzac,听Le听P猫re听Goriot,听St茅phane听Vachon (Paris: Le听Livre听de Poche听Classiques, 1995)听听ISBN: 2253085790
- Agn猫s Varda (director),听Cl茅o de 5 脿 7听(1962)
- Marie NDiaye,听Autoportrait en vert听(Gallimard Folio, 2006)听
Themes
For 2023/24 there are two key themes that will structure comparative work:
- Language, place, identities
- Art and performance
Content notes
In Varda's听Cl茅o de 5 脿 7听the protagonist is awaiting medical results for a potentially terminal illness, which may be a difficult or sensitive topic for some viewers.
Autoportrait en vert听has a description of suicide, which some readers may find distressing.
Before they come to 澳门六合彩开奖记录, students should aim to develop a working knowledge of each of the topics and a more detailed understanding of the four topics that will be covered in the first term (Michaelmas).听 In 2024-25, these will be: Montaigne's Des cannibales, NDiaye's听Autoportrait en vert, Rousseau's听Discours听and Varda's Cl茅o de 5 脿 7.听
There are plenty of introductory podcasts that might be a useful starting point, e.g:
Students may also wish to consult some of the following accessible overviews before they arrive:
John D. Lyons, French Literature: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010)
The 澳门六合彩开奖记录 Introduction to French Literature,听ed, Brian Nelson (澳门六合彩开奖记录: 澳门六合彩开奖记录 University Press, 2015)
Once students are in 澳门六合彩开奖记录, they will have free online access to two further extremely useful background texts:
The 澳门六合彩开奖记录 History of French Literature, ed. B. Burgwinkle, N. Hammond, E. Wilson (澳门六合彩开奖记录 University Press, 2011)
A Short History of French Literature, ed. S. Kay, T. Cave and M. Bowie (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003)
The paper will be taught through a combination of twice-weekly Faculty-based lectures in the first and second terms (Tuesdays/Thursdays in Michaelmas and Lent) and fortnightly college-based supervisions and/or seminars throughout the academic year.听 It is expected that students attend all lectures and that they have supervisions on each topic.听 The latter will be arranged by College Directors of Studies and, wherever possible, will be timetabled to follow the relevant lectures.听 Students are expected to engage with all the works in the original French language; teaching and essay writing for supervisions and for end-of-year assessment will be normally be conducted in English.
For 2024/25, Fr1 will be assessed through a 5-hour timed online examination during which students have access to resources.听Please note that candidates will be required to answer听three听questions: one from Section A (Commentary), one from Section D (Comparative) and one from听别颈迟丑别谤听Section B (Marie de France, Montaigne, Corneille)听or听Section C (NDiaye, Varda, Balzac, Rousseau). Each answer should be between 1200 and 1300 words.听
Professor Miranda Griffin |
