17th Century Literature (335-0-20)
Topic
Renouncing Love: Gender and Desire
Instructors
Matthieu Dupas
847/491-2772
1860 S. Campus Drive, Crowe Hall #2-139
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 3-410: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM
Overview of class
Love is a privileged theme in 17th-century French literature, particularly in the genres that were in vogue at the time: the comedy, the tragedy and the novel. The course focuses on the recurring pattern of the renunciation of love in the writings of Molière, Corneille, Racine and Mme de La Fayette, all prominent authors of the classical canon. In each case, a character is morally obliged to renounce the love to which he or she still aspires. We will read these texts from the perspective of the history of gender, sexuality and affect in order to understand how 17th-century French literature has shaped our erotic and emotional modernity.
Class Materials (Required)
• Molière, Les Précieuses Ridicules, Paris : Gallimard, coll. « Folio Théatre », 1998
• Corneille, Le Cid, Paris : Gallimard, coll. « Folio Classiques », 1993
• Jean Racine, Bérénice, Paris : Gallimard, coll. « Folio Théâtre », 1994
• Madame de La Fayette, La Princesse de Clèves, Paris : Garnier-Flammarion, 2009
Class Attributes
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisite: Students must have completed FRENCH 271-0, FRENCH 272-0, or FRENCH 273-0. Other students may register with instructor permission.