This module is designed for ab initio French students who have taken FREN0069: French Literature in Translation in their first year and FREN0070: French...

This module is designed for ab initio French students who have taken FREN0069: French Literature in Translation in their first year and FREN0070: French Literature for Beginners 2 in their second year. It will cover different aspects of French and Francophone literature, deepening knowledge and understanding of various genres and modes of writing (narrative, poetry, theatre, novels, life writing/autofiction among others), different periods and themes. It will build on the analytical skills acquired in year one and year two to study literary texts and to reflect critically on the question of reading in translation. Students will be expected to engage with the original text in French so that they evaluate the translations and also advance their reading skills in French. The teaching will focus on specific texts representative of literary periods, movements or genres and deploy literary and translation theory to read them. Possible blocks include: Medieval and Renaissance Literature; 17th-century Theatre; The Enlightenment; the 19th-Century Novel; Avant-garde Poetry; Post-colonial Literatures; Experimental Writing in 20th/21st century

Module Content and Indicative Topics 

As a follow-up to the first-year module FREN0069 (‘French Literature 1’) this module aims to introduce...

Module Content and Indicative Topics

This module aims to introduce first-year students who are taking French for beginners to aspects of French and...

Module Content and Indicative Topics

This module aims to introduce first-year students who are taking French for beginners to aspects of French and Francophone literature by considering various genres of writing (narrative, poetry, theatre), different periods and themes. It also will equip them with the analytical skills they will need in subsequent years to study literary texts in greater depth and get them to reflect critically on the question of reading in translation. The teaching will be organised around two five-week blocks (20 hours in total) which will focus on specific texts representative of literary periods, movements or genres. Possible blocks include: Medieval and Renaissance Literature; 17th-century Theatre; The Enlightenment; the 19th-Century Novel; Avant-garde Poetry; Post-colonial Literatures; Experimental Writing in 20th/21st century.

Teaching Delivery

The module will be taught through two-hour weekly seminars across one term. Students will be expected to read the primary texts and to prepare notes on questions and points for discussion available on the module’s Moodle site for each seminar. Seminars may involve group work and/or student presentations.

This is a compulsory module for first-year students studying for the BA in Comparative Literature with ab initio French as their chosen language. Post-A-level French students should take FREN0006 Reading French Texts instead; this module is for students with either beginners or GCSE-level French.

 