The French Novel: 19th Century to Today
The Parisian Novels (The Yellow Books) by Vincent Van Gogh
The novel does not exist—or more specifically, there is no universal, applicable model. This is a bastardized literary genre that has survived many cultural, historical and political upheavals. From the French 19th century to today, the novel’s reincarnations are plentiful as they challenge aesthetic and ideological expectations. Topics covered in our advanced literature course include: engagement, narratology (realism, Nouveau Roman, autofiction, etc.), cultural critique, the collective imaginary, the seepage between life and arts, third-wave feminism, and so forth.
Required readings:
- Hugo. Le dernier jour d’un condamné (1829)
- Zola. Thérèse Raquin (1873)
- M Proust. Du côté de chez Swann – Combray (1913)
- Robbe-Grillet. La Jalousie (1957)
- Laurens. Celle que vous croyez (2016)
Prerequisites: One of FREN 321, FREN 328, FREN 329 and one of FREN 402, FREN 225.
Language of instruction: French