Topics I: In Persepctive

We will study autobiographical fiction, memoirs, and self-representation in modern and contemporary French works. After a brief historical exploration of how the Self figures in classic texts by writers such as Montaigne and Rousseau, we will examine works by Friedo Kahlo, Claude Cahun, Rimbaud and Verlaine, and Marguérite Duras, considering self-representation in art, photography, poetry, and prose. Finally, we will move to contemporary issues such as LGBTQ identity, the question of mental health, and the #MeToo movement in France. We will pay particular attention to the legacy of the 1970s, as women writers share their achievements and disappointments in the years following May 68. Contemporary writers and filmmakers include Annie Ernaux (winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in literature), Vanessa Springora, Camille Kouchner, Edouard Louis, and Fatima Daas. Filmmakers and singer-songwriters include Xavier Dolan, Céline Sciamma, Stromae and Angèle. Assignments will vary between experimental memoir-writing and in-depth analysis of a favorite writer or artist. Prereq: Fr 307D.
Course Attributes: EN H; BU Eth; AS HUM; AS LCD; AS LS; FA HUM; AR HUM

Topics I: In Persepctive

FRENCH 321

Section 01