French Language and Literature
S = Objectives
Concentrating in a foreign literature opens the mind, the imagination, the sensibility to the fullness of life's possibilities. It furthers the potential for wider linguistic expression and teaches us to recognize, respect, and appreciate the value of diversity. It is useful for graduate school, diplomacy, journalism, business opportunities, and the enjoyment of the myriad forms of cultural expression. We can thereby learn to express ourselves more cogently, expand our horizons, and pursue a variety of professions by majoring in one of the richest of the world's traditions: French.
S = How to Become a Concentrator
Students considering a French concentration should complete the language requirement as soon as possible, preferably by the end of their freshman year at Brandeis. They are then normally advised to take FREN 104a or FREN 105a, 106b, and 110a before beginning the sequence of advanced courses (120 and beyond). Please note: many French concentrators and minors choose to study in France for all or part of their junior year. Students interested in learning more about the concentration or minor are encouraged to speak with the undergraduate advising head in French.
S = Faculty
See Romance and Comparative Literature
S = Requirements for Concentration
The concentration consists
of nine semester courses:
A. FREN
106b (Advanced French Composition).
B.
Three of the following early period courses: FREN 120a, 122b,
130a, 132b.
C.
Four additional French courses numbered above 106, however ECS
100a, the Proseminar, may be one of those electives.
D.
Either FREN 97a or b (Senior Essay), or FREN 99d (Senior Thesis--a
full-year course). Candidates for departmental honors must have
a 3.50 GPA in French courses previous to the senior year and must
enroll in FREN 99d. Honors are awarded on the basis of cumulative
excellence in all courses taken in the concentration, including
the senior thesis.
E.
Junior and senior concentrators may apply for admission into graduate
seminars of the Interdisciplinary Program in Literary Studies
by permission of the instructor and the undergraduate advising
head in French.
Students may petition the advising head for changes in the above program. Students wishing credit toward the French concentration for French courses crosslisted under European Cultural Studies will be required to do all the reading and writing assignments in French. (The abbreviation FECS denotes French and European Cultural Studies courses.)
S = Requirements for Minor in French
A.
FREN 106b (Advanced French Composition).
B.
FREN 110a (Introduction to French Literature).
C. Three additional courses in French numbered above 100. One of these may be a course conducted in English, provided that all the reading and writing assignments are completed in French.
All students pursuing a French minor will be assigned an advisor in the department. Enrollment in the French minor must be completed by the end of the fall semester of the senior year. Students interested in French may wish to enroll in Clusters 3 (ìColonialism and Neo-Colonialismî), 9 (ìThe Enlightenmentî), 23 (ìModern French Cultureî), 26 (ìModernismî), 30 (ìThe Renaissanceî), 39 (ìThe Birth of Europeî), or 43 (ìRomanticismî).
S = Courses of Instruction
All courses are conducted in French unless otherwise noted.
S = (1-99) Primarily for Undergraduate Students
FREN 10a Beginning French
Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
For students who have had no previous study of French. A systematic presentation of the basic grammar and vocabulary of the language within the context of French and Francophone culture, with focus on all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Several sections will be offered. Usually offered every year in the fall.
Staff
FREN 20b Continuing French
Prerequisite: FREN 10a or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
For students with some previous study of French. Continuing presentation of the basic grammar and vocabulary of the language within the context of French and Francophone culture, and practice of the four language skills. Special attention to reading and writing skills, as well as guided conversation. Several sections will be offered. Offered every semester.
Staff
FREN 31a Intermediate French: Composition and Grammar
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: FREN 20b or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
This course focuses on the development of writing and grammatical skills in the context of the continuing development of linguistic competence in French. Usually offered every year.
Staff
FREN 32a Intermediate French: Conversation
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: FREN 20b or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
This course focuses on the development of oral expression and conversational skills in the context of continuing development of linguistic competence in French. Usually offered every year.
Staff
FREN 33a Intermediate French: Reading
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: FREN 20b or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
This course focuses on the development of reading skills in the context of the continuing development of linguistic competence in French. Usually offered every year.
Staff
FREN 34a Intermediate French: Topics in French Culture
[ fl ]
Prerequisite: FREN 20b or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18 per section.
Topics or themes from French-speaking cultures are the context for continuing development of linguistic competence in French. Usually offered every year.
Staff
FREN 40b Intermediate French
[ hum ]
Enrollment limited to 18.
An intensive four-skills course, focusing on enriching studentsí linguistic and cultural knowledge using contemporary texts, video, and audio materials. The course is strongly recommended for students who wish to strengthen their linguistic skills before beginning the major or minor sequence.
Staff
FREN 97a Senior Essay
Signatures of the instructor and the advising head of French required. Students should first consult the area head of the concentration.
Both FREN 97a and 97b offer students an opportunity to produce a senior essay under the direction of an individual instructor. Normally, students will enroll in FREN 97a in the fall. Only under exceptional circumstances will a student enroll in FREN 97b in the spring. Offered every fall.
Staff
FREN 97b Senior Essay
Signatures of the instructor and the advising head of French required. Students should first consult the area head of the concentration.
See FREN 97a for course description. Offered as needed.
Staff
FREN 98a Independent Study
May be taken only with the written permission of the advising head of the concentration and the chair of the department. Signatures of the instructor and the chair of the department required.
Reading and reports under faculty supervision. Offered as needed.
Staff
FREN 98b Independent Study
May be taken only with the written permission of the advising head of the concentration and the chair of the department. Signatures of the instructor and the chair of the department required.
Reading and reports under faculty supervision. Offered as needed.
Staff
FREN 99d Senior Thesis
Signatures of the instructor and the advising head of French required. Students should first consult the area head of the concentration.
Usually offered every year.
Staff
G = (100-199) For Both Undergraduate and Graduate Students
The abbreviation FECS denotes
French and European Cultural Studies courses.
FREN 104a Advanced Language Skills
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: 30-level French course or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 15. May be repeated for credit with special permission.
Provides additional language practice at the advanced level through courses that focus on linguistic skills. Skills courses may include such offerings as French Pronunciation, Stylistics, or Advanced Grammar. Given the considerable language background of students at this level, these courses provide more systematic generalizations, as well as tackle some of the more complex linguistic topics. These courses provide essential preparation for students wishing to advance to the major or minor. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Siskin
FREN 104b Advanced Language Skills Through Culture
[ wi hum ]
Prerequisite: 30-level French course or the equivalent. Enrollment limited to 15. May be repeated for credit with special permission.
Provides additional language practice at the advanced level through courses that focus on content. Content courses at this level may include such offerings as French History Through Film, or French Impressionism. These courses explore topics in greater depth, practicing language in a more rigorous intellectual framework. These courses provide essential preparation for students wishing to advance to the major or minor. The topic for 1997-98 is French History Through Film. Usually offered every year. Will be offered in the spring of 1998.
Ms. Ratner
FREN 105a French Conversation and Grammar
(Formerly FREN 103a)
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or the permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 18. This course may not be repeated for credit by students who have taken FREN 103a in previous years.
A study of oral and written communication in French through class discussions, oral and written exercises, presentations, literary and cultural readings, films, and explorations of the media. Emphasizes grammar, vocabulary, and oral and written fluency. Usually offered every semester.
Staff
FREN 106b Advanced French Composition
[ wi hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 18.
An intense study of written French. A wide range of texts--newspaper and magazine articles, movie scripts, modern and classical prose--will serve as a basis for developing and improving writing skills. Usually offered every semester.
Staff
FREN 110a Introduction to French Literature
[ wi hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 18.
An introduction to French literature from the 16th century to the present. Some Francophone texts included. Usually offered every year.
Staff
FREN 120a The French Middle Ages
[ cl39 hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
The Middle Ages was a time of contrast, obsessed with love of God and the carnal functions of the body. This course will investigate the dual character of medieval literature, looking at both the powers of ìle rireî and of ìle sérieux.î Literary forms studied will include plays, fabliaux, lais, chansons, ballades, and romances. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Randall
FREN 122b The Renaissance
[ cl30 wi hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
The literature of the 16th century was erotic, tragic, and comic. This class will read the love poetry of writers such as Louise Labé and Joachim Du Bellay, the darkly comic novels of François Rabelais, the essays of Montaigne, and the baroque and polemical works of Agrippa d'Aubigné. It will also analyze issues of basic interest in the Renaissance such as Neoplatonism, the Reformation, and the ìQuerelle des femmes.î Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Randall
FREN 130a The Seventeenth Century
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
The Age of Louis XIV: writers and artists of the city and the court; women and salons; women and the novel; the comedy of Molière; formalism and tragedy; religious fervor and the dawn of scientific reason. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the spring of 1993.
Ms. Harth
FREN 132b The French Enlightenment
[ cl9 hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
The origins of Romanticism and Realism; modern notions of tolerance, the pursuit of happiness, feminism; conflicts between primitivism and progress, rationalism and experience, secular humanism and religious morality. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Gendzier
FREN 135a The Nineteenth Century
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
Romanticism in poetry, theatre, and utopian, realistic, and naturalistic fiction. Major authors: Lamartine, Hugo, Desbordes-Valmore, Musset, Balzac, Sand, Stendhal, Flaubert, and Zola. Topics include: social intrigue and political power, religion and secularization, love, ambition, personal identity, and the liberation of women. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Kaplan
FREN 137a The Twentieth Century
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
Major prose and drama of the 20th century. Topics may include: the breakdown of genres; language and its limits; the absurd; questions of personal, national, and ethnic identity; rewriting the classics. Usually offered in even years.
Ms. Hale
FREN 145a Topics in French Fiction
[ wi hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Signature of the instructor required. May be repeated for credit with special permission.
Major novels of the 19th and 20th centuries by Balzac, Stendhal, Flaubert, George Sand, Zola, and Proust reflect Franceís social upheavals. Topics include: psychological analysis, political intrigue and revolution, power and money, male and female identities, ambition and love, good and evil. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Kaplan
FREN 150b Topics in French Poetry
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, FREN 110a, or permission of the instructor. Signature of the instructor required. May be repeated for credit with special permission.
Introduces 19th and 20th century poetry beginning with Baudelaireís rebellion against Romanticism. Selected (verse and prose) by Baudelaire, Verlaine, Rimbaud, Mallarmé, Apollinaire, Eluard, Ponge, Jabès, and Bonnefoy. No previous experience with poetry is necessary. Topics include: Symbolism, Surrealism, poetry and ethics. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the fall of 1995.
Mr. Kaplan
FREN 155b Topics in French Drama
[ hum ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Signature of the instructor required. May be repeated for credit with special permission.
Topics may include: Greek myth in French drama; theater of the revolution; comedy and tragedy; Romantic drama; melodrama; farce; the theater of the absurd; African and Caribbean drama; French classical theater. Usually offered in even years.
Ms. Hale
FECS 157a Topics in French Film
(Formerly FECS 184a)
[ cl13 cl26 hum ]
Open to all students. Conducted in English with readings in English translation. Signature of the instructor required. May be repeated for credit with special permission.
Topics may include: Méliès, the Lumière brothers, and the early years; politics in the cinema; films of the Occupation and the Resistance; women directors; the Cahiers du Cinéma group; the Nouvelle Vague; France and (versus?) Hollywood. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the spring of 1996.
Ms. Harth
FREN 165b Topics in Francophone Literatures
(Formerly FREN 180b)
[ cl3 nw hum NW ]
Prerequisite: A 30-level French course or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Signature of the instructor is required. May be repeated for credit with special permission.
An introductory survey of the poetry, prose, and drama of Francophone writers of Africa or the Caribbean (in alternating sequence). Topics include Négritude, French and African languages, tradition and change, oral and written literature, Islam, the influence of film, the role of women Francophone writers. Usually offered in even years.
Ms. Hale
FECS 170b History of French Culture
[ hum ]
Open to all students. Conducted in English with readings in English translation.
We shall illuminate the relationship between the moralist tradition and the daily lives of four representative authors. We shall locate the writers in their periods, outline their cultural and social frameworks, and try to understand their views of life and death, passion and reason, pleasure and pain. Usually offered in odd years.
Mr. Gendzier
FECS 174b Contemporary French Civilization
[ cl23 hum ]
Open to all students. Conducted in English with readings in English translation.
Organized around the notion of La Vie Quotidienne in France. We shall study the world of ideas, letters, movies, theater, and painting, the current status of political and literary theory, architectural innovations, and feminist criticism. Usually offered in even years.
Mr. Gendzier
FECS 182b French Literature and Painting
[ cl23 cl26 hum ]
Open to all students. Conducted in English with readings in English translation.
Explores the interrelations between French painting and literature through selected texts and corresponding visual images of the 19th and 20th centuries. Topics include Romanticism, Realism, Symbolism, Surrealism, Cubism. Usually offered every third year. Last offered in the fall of 1993.
Ms. Hale
FREN 186b French Literature and Politics
[ hum ]
A historical analysis of the development of political theory and literature. We analyze how a literary work relates to the political culture in which it was produced. Special attention is paid to how ìholisticî forms of government develop into more ìindividualisticî ones. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Randall
FREN 190b Advanced Seminar
[ hum ]
Signature of the instructor required. May be repeated for credit with special permission.
An undergraduate seminar, open to concentrators and minors, that will analyze writers, movements, and the cultural and social background of various periods. Topics will vary from year to year. Qualified nonconcentrators admitted with the permission of the instructor. Usually offered in even years.
Staff
S = Cross-Listed Courses
ECS 100a
European Cultural Studies:
The Proseminar