FRENCH 420 is designed for students who intend to major in French or to graduate in Education with French as a teaching subject. This course is also vital to those who intend to pursue translation as a profession and those aspiring towards a higher degree (MA) in French Studies. It serves as an introduction to 19th-century French poetry and theatre, through the study of (1) a substantial selection of the work of some traditionally well-known male poets; (2) the work of the hitherto little-known female poets; (3) a play chosen from the Romantic period, On ne badine pas avec l’amour, which remains popular in contemporary France to this day; and (4) Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du Mal. Baudelaire will be given prominence as a central figure in the evolution of 19th-century French literary aesthetics, and as a precursor of French symbolist literature.
What is particularly innovative about this course is the inclusion of female poets, most of whom have so far been excluded from courses in 19th-century French literature. These women were both contemporaries and close associates of some of the literary giants of 19th-century France. The one play included in the course suffices to demonstrate the close relationship between poetry and drama in the Romantic period.
Outline
FRENCH 420 is comprised of 17 lessons which are divided into 4 Modules:
Module I: Introduction au Romantisme (leçons 1–5)
Module II: Les femmes poètes (leçons 6–9)
Module III: Le théâtre romantique (leçons 10–13)
Module IV: Charles Baudelaire (leçons 14–17)
Appendice
Evaluation
To receive credit for FREN 420, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least a D (50 percent). You must achieve a minimum grade of 50 percent the Final examination. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:
Activity
Weight
Devoir No 1
10%
Devoir No 2
10%
Devoir No 3
15%
Devoir No 4
15%
Online Final Exam
50%
Total
100%
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
On ne badine pas avec l’amour by Alfred de Musset. (Print)
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.