French
Subject to change so please refer to InsideND for the most up-to-date, accurate information.
Updated 3/29/12
Fall 2012 Courses - Spring 2012 Courses
FALL 2012
ROFR 20300-01/02 CONVERSATIONAL FRENCH MWF 11:45-12:35/1:55-2:45
M.C. Escoda-Risto
This is a one semester course intended for students who have had a significant exposure to the basic principles of the French language, and who are interested in acquiring greater proficiency in their oral expression. It will not provide a comprehensive review of grammar, but will instead assume this knowledge. In addition to the exercises set forth in the syllabus, students will be asked to participate in the creation of a video. Prerequisite: ROFR 20202 or 20215.
ROFR 20680 CREOLE TR 3:30-4:45
K. Richman
This course introduces students to the vivid, sonorous language of Kreyòl, or Creole, and to the fascinating culture of its speakers. This intensive, beginning-level course is intended for students with no knowledge of Creole. In small-group teaching sessions, students will be prepared for conversational fluency with basic reading and writing skills, emphasizing communicative competence as well as grammatical and phonetic techniques. Our study of Kreyòl is closely linked to our anthropological exploration of how the language is tied to Caribbean society and culture. The course takes a holistic, anthropological approach to the history, political economy, and religion of Haiti. In addition to class work, audio tapes, music and film enhance the study of the Haitian language and culture. Crosslisted with ILS 30102/AFAM/ANTH 30012.
ROFR 27500 APPROACHES TO FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE CULTURE: COMPANIONS ON THE ROAD: CONSTRUCTIONS OF BRETON CULTURE
P. Martin TR 9:30-10:45
This seminar will offer students a chance to explore Breton cultural identity as a form of dynamic engagement with the region’s natural and social context. We will begin by thinking about the role of story-telling in communicating a sense of relationship with the natural world, and in situating our human adventure within the cosmic geography of a sacred space in which land meets water, and the temporal order yields to the eternal. We will then consider the importance of family in Breton culture, the organization of domestic space, the rites performed around the hearth, and the bonds of continuity that attach one generation to another. We will conclude the semester by examining the Christian appropriation of indigenous religious forms and the representation of belief in regional architecture and popular devotions. Of particular interest, will be the calvaires and enclos paroissiaux that are characteristic of the Breton region, as well as the Tro Breiz, the circular pilgrimage practice that commemorates the Seven Saints of Brittany. Students will have the opportunity to develop their French language communication skills as we engage with a broad range of cultural materials including memoirs and folktales, music, photography and film.
ROFR 27500 APPROACHES TO FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE CULTURE: CULTURE AND COMMODITY: EXAMINING “FRENCH EXCEPTIONS” MW 11:45-1:00
A. Rice
This content-driven course is intended for students who want to broaden their knowledge of the French language and related cultures, as well as improve both their understanding of the French and Francophone world and their communication skills in the French Language. The course topic, “Culture and Commodity,” will inspire our readings and writings, as we analyze the interplay between “cultural” activities (in a broad sense of the word) and economic necessities in the specific context of France. Art, music, film, photography, theatre, and food, in their various forms and settings, are a part of a world in which “commodities count,” in which money and marketing determine much of what is seen and much of what takes place.
ROFR 30310 THE ART OF INTERPRETATION TR 11:00-12:15
L. MacKenzie
The aim of this course is to familiarize the student with interpreting literary texts of various genres and from different periods. Special attention is given to the French technique of explication de textes, a very close reading and analysis of a short text. Accordingly, students will learn to do both oral and written interpretations or explications; hence, increasing facility in correct written and spoken French will be a significant component of this course. As an ancillary to the art of interpretation, the student will be introduced to the tools of rhetoric and poetic versification as well as to some modern theories of literary analysis. Thus students should expect to acquire a certain technical mastery, in terms of building the vocabulary required for the discussion of literary texts at an advanced level, as the course progresses. Requirements: All students must do three or four oral interpretations of a text (depending on class size); all students are expected to participate actively in the class discussion that ensues from these presentations. In addition to the oral explications in class, there will be two short written analyses (3-5 pp.) done in two drafts each, a series of quizzes in lieu of a midterm, and a final exam. Additional work includes daily written preparation questions concerning vocabulary or allusions pertinent to the assigned text of the day. Occasional pop-quizzes may also be given at the discretion of the instructor.
ROFR 30320 ADVANCED GRAMMAR & COMPOSITION: THE ART OF WRITING
V.Askildson MW 11:45-1:00
Advanced-level course given in French for students who want to refine their writing expression. Through practice of various forms of writing, and with an approach to a multiphased writing process (generating ideas, planning, translating ideas with words, revising, and editing), students will deepen their understanding, reflection, and analysis of the French language.
ROFR 30710-01 OVERVIEW OF FRENCH LITERATURE AND CULTURE I: FROM PERCEVAL TO PUSS IN BOOTS: OLD REGIME FRENCH LITERATURE IN CULTURAL CONTEXT (OURS AND THEIRS) TR 12:30-1:45
J.Douthwaite This introductory course will cover works of French authors such as Chrétien de Troyes (Perceval), Marie de France (Lais), Montaigne (Essais), Rabelais (Gargantua), Racine (Phèdre), Lafayette (La Princesse de Clèves), and Perrault (Contes). A method of “contrapuntal” readings allows students to shuttle back and forth between the Old Regime and the 21st century in France, and to learn about timely issues such as the politics of the patrimoine (Lafayette) and postcolonial rewritings of the canon (Perrault). Our goal is to understand literary history from the 12th to the 17th century, and to examine how literature represents the intersection of politics, gender, and explosive cultural issues in different periods. The course will be conducted in French, with a performative method that requires active oral participation on a daily basis. A series of weekly mini-essays posted on the class blog, a term paper, and a final exam are required. Crosslisted with the Medieval Institute, MI 3053.
ROFR 30720 OVERVIEW OF FRENCH LITERATURE AND CULTURE II TR 3:30-4:45
C. Perry
This course is designed as an introduction to French and Francophone literatures from the 18th century to the present. It covers works of representative authors (such as Montesquieu, Graffigny, Voltaire, Sand, Zola, Colette, Le Clézio, Makine, Nothomb, Schmitt, Barbery), focusing this semester on the theme of the "other" in literature. The juxtaposition of works by male and female authors who wrote on similar themes will also enable us to examine how literature represents the intersection of gender and sexuality with ethnicity, class, and nationality across several centuries and cultures. The course will be conducted in French. A series of mini-essays, a term paper, and a final exam will be required, as will active and assiduous participation in class discussions. Prerequisite: Two semesters of French beyond ROFR 20201, or placement by exam, or by permission. Crosslisted with GS 30578.
ROFR 37500 FILM AND LITERATURE MW 3:00-4:15
A. Toumayan
This course will serve as an introduction to the principal writers, works, and movements which have marked the evolution of theater and film in France from the beginning of the twentieth century through the nineteen seventies. The course will trace the parallel and related evolutions of cinema and theater as well as the manner in which the two genres have expressed or informed the dominant aesthetic movements and ideologies which characterize the twentieth century. Works by Claudel, Giraudoux, Artaud, Sartre, Camus, and Beckett. Films or excerpts of films by Vigo, Clair, Renoir, Carné, Truffaut, Resnais, and Godard.
ROFR 40633 MASTERS OF NINETEENTH CENTURY FRENCH FICTION
MW 11:45-1:00
A. Toumayan
An analysis of major works of French fiction by some of the most prominent writers of the 19th-century including Balzac, Stendhal, Flaubert, and Zola. Some common themes that will be considered comprise: the individual's struggle against society, the education of the hero, the role of history, and the struggle for justice. The aesthetic schools of Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism will be examined in relation to specific representative novels.
ROFR 40851 ISLAM IN CONTEMPORARY FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE FICTION
C. Perry TR 2:00-3:15
Through recent novels and films by Francophone artists of Muslim origins, this course will offer us an opportunity to understand and reflect critically upon contemporary issues affecting relations between Muslim and Western cultures. We will read writers such as Tahar Ben Jelloun from Morocco (Partir, 2006), Yasmina Khadra from Algeria (Les Sirènes de Bagdad, 2006), Salim Bachi from Algeria (Le Silence de Mahomet, 2008), and Chahdortt Djavann from Iran (La Muette, 2008). We will also view films such as Le Grand Voyage by Ismaël Ferroukhi (2004), Bab Aziz, le Prince qui contemplait son âme by Nacer Khemir (2005), and one or two others from the North African film festival that will take place at Notre Dame in the fall. Apart from their aesthetic merits that call for examination and appreciation, these works raise key issues in our world today, including exile, immigration, post colonialism, the Iraq war, Islamic extremism, gender and social disparities, and various forms of violence. They also demonstrate intriguing attempts to engage Western audiences. Class taught in French. Students are expected to participate fully in class discussions and will be responsible for two essays (one with the opportunity to revise and rewrite) as well as one oral presentation (done in a group). Crosslist with IIPS 40729.
ROFR 41590 FRENCH THEATER PRODUCTION MW 4:30-5:45
P. McDowell
In 1991, twelve students registered to take what was then a new course, and began a tradition of French theatre performance that has since seen over 200 more students follow in their footsteps. Those footsteps lead from fall semester rehearsals in the classroom to three January performances of a French play (always a comedy!) on the stage.
If you’ve read this far, you may be thinking, “Perform a play? In French? Not for me.” But let me tell you why it should be for you. Of those 200 + students, only two have been theatre majors. Well over 99% of past students had never acted in English or in French, and while their motivations for taking the course were varied, their reflections on the course confirm the sense of accomplishment that they share: “my best ND experience . . . an incredible collaborative success that I’m so glad I took on . . . I can’t believe I acted in French, but I did. And I was really good.”
I take a low-pressure approach to staging the French play. Learning lines and rehearsing the blocking of the play takes place over the course of the fall semester, so students do have ample time to become comfortable with acting. I have no expectations of theatre background among my students, and I gently guide you into the exhilaration of performing not just a play, mais une pièce en français! Enrollment is limited to the number of roles in the selected play.
ROFR 47500 TIMELESSNESS AND MODERNITY: TRANSNATIONAL FRANCOPHONE CINEMA: SEEING BETWEEN THE LINES MW 1:30-2:45
A. Rice
This advanced content-driven course is intended for students who want to broaden their knowledge of the French language and related cultures, as well as improve both their understanding of the French and Francophone cultures. This new course focuses on French-language films that transcend national boundaries, depicting movements—and individuals—that go beyond borders and allow us to understand how current cinematic creations are not limited to “Franco-French” actors and productions, but extend around the globe. We will learn to “read” these films with a critical eye, taking into account the subtle factors that contribute to making meaning that may elude many spectators.
C-SEM 23102-02/ LAC ROFR 22300-01 THE FRENCH WOMAN:
ICONS AND ISSUES TR 11-12:15
Prof. Julia Douthwaite
LAC: One-credit option: one-hour weekly discussion session with Prof. Douthwaite for students enrolled in C-SEM, “The French Woman: Icons and Issues.”
ROFR 20215 INTENSIVE INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II
MWF 10:40-11:30/TR 11:00-12:25
K. Werner
This course will meet the needs of three different audiences: 1) students at the 20201 level who are looking for the challenges and rewards of daily exposure to French language and culture, 2) students at the 20201 level who are considering studying in Angers, France, and 3) students who wish to progress through the intermediate level language curriculum in just one semester. By meeting daily, not only will we be able to accomplish a systematic review of French grammar, but we will also have sufficient time to devote to a wide variety of cultural activities designed to cultivate your speaking, writing, reading, and comprehension skills. For example, we will be surfing French web-sites, viewing and reviewing several French movies, reading and discussing a number of literary passages (culminating in a novel towards the end of the semester), and viewing a selection of art works by French artists in the University’s own Snite Museum—tout en français! Prerequisite: ROFR 10102 or 10115.
ROFR 20300-01/02 CONVERSATIONAL FRENCH MWF 10:40-11:30/11:45-12:35
M.C. Escoda-Risto
This is a one semester course intended for students who have had a significant exposure to the basic principles of the French language, and who are interested in acquiring greater proficiency in their oral expression. It will not provide a comprehensive review of grammar, but will instead assume this knowledge. In addition to the exercises set forth in the syllabus, students will be asked to participate in the creation of a video. Prerequisite: ROFR 20202 or 20215.
ROFR 20680 CREOLE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE T 3:15-4:15
K. Richman
This intermediate level course is intended for students who have taken Beginning level Creole. In small-group teaching sessions, students will be prepared for conversational fluency with basic reading and writing skills, emphasizing communicative competence as well as grammatical and phonetic techniques. Our study of Kreyòl is closely linked to our exploration of how the language is tied to Caribbean society and culture. Evaluation of student achievement and proficiency will be conducted both informally and formally during and at the conclusion of the course. Those looking to develop or improve their language skills are welcome to the class. The program is designed to meet the needs of those who plan to conduct research in Haiti or in the Haitian diaspora, or who intend to work in a volunteer or professional capacity either in Haiti or with Haitians abroad.
ROFR 20305 FRENCH THROUGH ACTING
P. McDowell
A nontraditional approach to conversational French that asks students to create scenes for a weekly soap opera centered on a large cast of student-created characters who live together in an apartment building in France. Scenes are performed in class for workshop on phonetics, gestures, and choice of idioms. Not intended for international study returnees.
ROFR 21205 ANGERS: ATELIER PRÉPARATOIRE TR 7:00-8:15
O. Morel
A 1.0 credits preparation for studies at Notre Dame's international study Program in Angers, France. A course packet with a variety of cultural readings will form the core of the course. Student centered discussions, combined with ample opportunity for Q&A, will prepare students for most of what awaits them in France. Enrollment will take place after students have been selected for the program. Course will begin meeting one week after Spring break.
ROFR 27500 CONSTRUCTIONS OF BRETON CULTURE MW 01:30-02:45
P. Martin
This seminar will offer students a chance to explore Breton cultural identity as a form of dynamic engagement with the region’s natural and social context. We will begin by giving particular attention to popular representations of the natural world, to the cosmic geography of this sacred space in which land meets water, and the temporal order yields to the eternal. We will think as well about the notion of family, about the organization of domestic space, the rites performed around the hearth, and the bonds of continuity that attach one generation to another. We will spend the final part of the semester studying the Christian appropriation of indigenous religious forms and the realization of popular belief in architecture and liturgy. Students will have the opportunity to develop their French language communication skills as we work together on a broad range of cultural materials including stories of origin, memoirs and folktales, newsreel footage, film and photography.
ROFR 30310 ANALYZE THIS! TEXTUAL ANALYSIS TR 9:30-10:45
M. Boulton
The aim of this course is to familiarize the student with interpreting literary texts of various genres and from different periods. Special attention is given to the French technique of explication de textes, a very close reading and analysis of a short text. Accordingly, students will learn to do both oral and written interpretations or explications; hence, increasing facility in correct written and spoken French will be a significant component of this course. As an ancillary to the art of interpretation, the student will be introduced to the tools of rhetoric and poetic versification as well as to some modern theories of literary analysis. Thus students should expect to acquire a certain technical mastery, in terms of building the vocabulary required for the discussion of literary texts at an advanced level, as the course progresses.
Requirements: All students must do three or four oral interpretations of a text (depending on class size); all students are expected to participate actively in the class discussion that ensues from these presentations. In addition to the oral explications in class, there will be two short written analyses (3-5 pp.) done in two drafts each, a series of quizzes in lieu of a midterm, and a final exam. Additional work includes daily written preparation questions concerning vocabulary or allusions pertinent to the assigned text of the day. Occasional pop-quizzes may also be given at the discretion of the instructor.
ROFR 30320 ADVANCED GRAMMAR & COMPOSITION MW 3:00-4:15
M. C. Escoda-Risto
Advanced-level course given in French. We will discuss the themes, style, and rhetorical structures of a varied group of texts (literary, political, cultural, and critical). The emphasis lies in the development of advanced writing skills focusing on clarity and correctness of the language through various weekly writing assignments and written explications de textes.
ROFR 30710-01 SURVEY OF FRENCH LITERATURE I TR 11:00-12:15
M. Boulton
Reading of selections and complete works of outstanding French authors from major genres from the Middle Ages through the 17th century. All "Language and Literature" majors are required to take this sequence, or equivalent advanced courses. "Language and Culture" majors are required to take one literature survey. Students are expected to have already taken ROFR 30310 or ROFR 30320 or to take one of them concurrently with a survey class. Cross-listed with MI 30530.
ROFR 30720 SURVEY OF FRENCH LITERATURE II TR 3:30-4:45
C. Perry
This course is designed as an introduction to French and Francophone literatures from the 18th century to the present. It will cover works of representative authors (such as Graffigny, Voltaire, Sand, Zola, Le Clézio, and Nothomb), focusing on the theme of the “other” in literature. The juxtaposition of works by male and female authors who wrote on similar themes will also enable us to examine how literature represents the intersection of gender and sexuality with ethnicity, class, and nationality across several centuries and cultures. The course will be conducted in French. A series of mini-essays, a term paper, and a final exam will be required, as will active and assiduous participation in class discussions. Crosslisted with Gender Studies.
ROFR 37500 CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: AUTOBIOGRAPHY AFTER ROUSSEAU MW 1:30-2:45
A. Rice
This course will focus on contemporary French-language autobiographical texts, including novels and films, and we will see how they are indebted to and influenced by Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s founding text, The Confessions.
ROFR 40635 19th CENTURY SHORT STORY PHANTASMES ET FANTASTIQUE
TR 12:30-1:45
A. Toumayan
This course will focus on the development of the genre of short narrative during the nineteenth century in France. Representative works of Balzac, Nerval, Baudelaire, Barbey d'Aurevilly, Flaubert, Gautier, Mérimée, Maupassant, and Villiers de l'Isle Adam will be considered. The themes of obsession, trauma and madness will compose common motifs in the corpus of texts that we will examine. We will also study the distinctive features of the aesthetics of Romanticism, Realism and Symbolism as well as generic considerations relating to the conte fantastique. Course requirements include one oral presentation, two papers of moderate length and a final exam.
ROFR 47500 TIMELESSNESS AND MODERNITY: CROSSING CULTURES IN CONTEMPORARY FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE FILM TR 2:00-3:15
C. Perry
This course is designed to familiarize students with contemporary French and Francophone films that dramatize the possibilities of intercultural and transnational communication. The selection of films will give us an opportunity to reflect upon issues such as exile and immigration in a globalized world as well as the dynamics of Muslim cultures within, and in relation to, “Western” cultures. All films will be screened in original version with English subtitles. To help us appreciate the differences between text and image we will read a novel and a graphic novel that were adapted to film. We will also read a recent novel about immigration, in addition to critical articles that will develop our understanding of contemporary French and Francophone cinema and the topics represented in the films.
Students will be responsible for carefully reading the texts and viewing the movies outside of class (available in streaming video and in DVD format at the Hesburgh Library). Their responsibilities will also include participating actively in class discussions, giving an oral presentation with two or three classmates, writing two short papers (with rewrites) and a longer term paper at the end of the semester.
By the end of the semester, students will be able to discuss:
- issues of cultural identity, race, ethnicity, class, gender, and religious difference;
- dialogue among transnational communities;
- cinematic representations of these issues and themes with the use of a vocabulary appropriate to film;
- the aesthetic, cultural, social, and political contexts of the works under study;
- relations between the formal aspects of a film and the themes it represents.
Texts will include Stupeur et tremblements by Amélie Nothomb (1999), Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (2002), and Ulysse from Bagdad by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt. Films will include eight from among the following: the documentary Crossing Borders (Morocco-USA) by German director Arnd Wächter (2009), Inch’Allah Dimanche by Yamina Benguigui (2001), Chaos by Coline Serreau (2001), Daughter of Keltoum by Mehdi Sharef (2001), Fear and Trembling by Alain Corneau (2003), Monsieur Ibrahim by François Dupeyron (2003), Exiles by Tony Gatlif (2004), Le Grand Voyage by Ismaël Ferroukhi (2004), Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud (2007), Welcome by Philippe Lioret (2009), Of Gods and Men by Xavier Beauvois (2010).
ROFR 53000 SENIOR SEMINAR : LA PENSÉE ET LA FICTION HUMANITAIRES, DE ROUSSEAU À NOS JOURS. HUMANITARIAN THOUGT AND FICTION IN FRANCE, FROM ROUSSEAU TO THE PRESENT. MW 11:45-1:00
J. Douthwaite
A literary-historical study of the origins and vicissitudes of humanitarian action in France from the 18th to the 21st century. Authors and activists to be studied include: Voltaire (“L’affaire Calas”), Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Discours sur l’origine de l’inégalité ; excerpts from Le Contrat social), Olympe de Gouges (« Déclaration des droits de la femme »), Charles Baudelaire « Les petits pauvres »), Victor Hugo (Les Misérables), Émile Zola (excerpts from Le Ventre de Paris), Simone Weil (articles), Jeanne Benameur (Les Insurrections singulières), and Susan Sontag (Regarding the Pain of Others). Students will be actively involved in the DIGNITY exhibit (Amnesty International France) which will make its US début at Notre Dame in January-March 2012. Students will meet and discuss with two of the DIGNITY photographers during their stay on campus and attend the “Rousseau 2012” lecture series. Goals include superior levels of expression in French (speaking, writing, and analysis), as well as a heightened appreciation for politically engaged art and writing. Open to non-seniors by permission.
ROFR 20201 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I Various Times MWF
P. Martin
A third-semester college language course. Includes review and expansion of basic grammatical structures. Extensive practice in speaking and writing. Readings and discussions of a variety of literary and nonliterary texts of appropriate difficulty.
ROFR 20202 Intermediate French II Various Times MWF
P. McDowell
A one-semester course designed to provide a transition between the lower-level language courses and the more challenging literature courses. It concentrates on a thorough grammar review and a genre-based writing program which provides a variety of effective strategies for more meaningful oral and written expression.
ROFR 20300-01 Conversational French 10:40-11:30 MWF
M.C. Escoda-Risto
This course is designed primarily as an elective for non-majors and for students unable to study in a French speaking country who wish to enhance their conversational skills in French. It will not provide a comprehensive review of grammar but will instead assume this knowledge. On most days, the class will be divided into small discussion groups to grapple with a dilemma suggested by our textbook. Other class days will be spent on debates or individual oral presentations. There will be no written assignments or exams for this course. Grades will be based on frequent vocabulary quizzes, oral assignments, and an oral examination. Students must be willing to attend class every day and to participate actively and exclusively in the French language. Serves as a cognate towards the major.
ROFR 27500 APPROACHES TO FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE CULTURE
This content-driven course is intended for students who want to broaden their knowledge of the French language and related cultures, as well as improve both their understanding of the French and Francophone world and their communication skills in the French Language. Recent topics taught are Deciphering France on the Front Page; Tour de France; France in Search of Herself; France's Pop Culture
ROFR 27500-01 L’ETAT DE LA FRANCE AUJOURD’HUI –STATE OF FRANCE TODAY M.C. Escoda-Risto 01:30-02:45 MW
This course aims to decipher “la culture française” as expressed today. By analyzing factual elements, focusing on life’s conditions as seen through the economic, political, and cultural situation, students will have the opportunity to deepen and expand their insights into French culture. Three short papers based on the current written media, one oral presentation, one instance of facilitating class discussion, one mid-semester and one final exam.
ROFR 27500-02 FRENCH REPRESENTATIONS OF THE “IMMIGRANT” (II)
O.Morel 12:30-01:45 TR In this course, we will learn how to read, listen and view contemporary France through theproductions of its popular culture: through the media and the daily news, through its popular music, its cinema, its contemporary literature. We will focus on the influence of France’s migrants, their ancestors, their children. This perspective will allow us to emphasize the impact of “other” cultures (or cultures viewed as “other”) on France’s traditional values in this highly sensitive time of the country’s history: in 2012 France will elect its President. To what extent is France becoming a highly cosmopolitan country? How are the politicians verbalizing those changes? Why France’s relationship to its colonies and ex-colonies is affecting the debates, the political discourse and the State’s strategies (cf. the changing configuration of the civil societies and states in around the Mediterranean Sea)? The purpose of this course is to try to answer these questions while focusing on three types of products: the news, literature and film. Two short essays and a final paper will be required, as will active participation in class discussions.
ROFR 30310-01 ANALYIZE THIS! 01:30-02:45 MW
A. Rice
Students of “Analyze This!” will learn how products of French culture from a variety of epochs combine timeless traditions with the utmost modernity. Focus is on skills of close textual analysis for study of poetry, prose, theater, film, journalism, advertising and allied works of popular culture.
ROFR 30320-01 ADVANCED GRAMMAR & WRITING 03:00-04:15 MW
MC Escoda - Risto Advanced-level course given in French. We will discuss the themes, style, and rhetorical structures of a varied group of texts(literary, political, cultural, and critical). The emphasis lies in the development of advanced writing skills focusing on clarity and correctness of the language through various weekly writing assignments and written explications de texts.
ROFR 30710 : From Perceval to Puss-in-Boots :
Old Regime French Literature in Cultural Context
[alias “Survey I”]
J.Douthwaite 12:30-01:45 TR
Why is President Sarkozy so angry about La Princesse de Clèves (1678)? What can Galland’s 1001 Nuits (1704) teach us about modern Arab-French relations? This course is designed as an introduction to French literatures of the medieval and early modern periods. The method of “contrapuntal” readings will allow us to shuttle back and forth between the Old Regime and the 21st century in France, and to examine how literature represents the intersection of politics, gender, and explosive cultural issues across several centuries. (Fulfills ROFR req.)
ROFR 30720-01 SURVEY OF FRENCH LITERATURE II 09:30-10:45 TR
A. Toumayan
This course is designed as an introduction to French and Francophone literatures from the 18th century to the late 20th century. It will cover works of representative authors (such as Montesquieu, Graffigny, Voltaire, Sand Zola, Le Clézio, and Djavann), focusing this semester on the theme of the “other” in literature. The juxtaposition of works by male and female authors who wrote on similar themes will also enable us to examine how literature represents the intersection of gender and sexuality with ethnicity, class, and nationality across several centuries and cultures. The course will be conducted in French. A series of mini-essays, a term paper, and a final exam will be required, as will active and assiduous participation in class discussions. Cross list GS.
ROFR 37500 FILM AND LITERATURE: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, PAST AND PRESENT
This advanced content-driven course is intended for students who want to broaden their knowledge of the French language and related cultures, as well as improve both their understanding of the French and Francophone cultures at the advanced level. Topics include Literature, Film and Revolutions.
ROFR 37500-01 "WARRIOR WRITERS AND OTHER FIGHTERS"
O. Morel (Extreme Writings, IV) 09:30-10:45 TR
"Warrior Writers and other Fighters" is a new course developed in 2011 (the first part was taught in the Spring). It focuses on two faces of the rich relationship between writing and violence in general:
of course, it addresses the classical relationship between war and writing is an important topic, but from a very different perspective, it also envisions the type of "fight," of struggle and engagement,
that a writing process engages: as a process of creation, in oppressive conditions (war, dictatorship...) or within a more peaceful democratic regime in which the writer perceives herself or himself as a
rebel, as a opponent, as a resistant. From a broad point of view, this is a class about literature and power (understood as a field of forces at both political and polemical levels). It has been designed as the third “chapter” of a research and an ongoing production of films and photographs, conducted by the professor, about “extreme writings.” Active participation, oral presentations and two research
papers will be requested for this class. Writing and violence, Literature and power, Fiction and Creation and resistance oppression
ROFR 40100 INTRODUCTION TO OLD FRENCH 09:30-10:45 TR
M. Boulton
The course is designed to be an introduction to the language of medieval literature. We will read selections from several texts of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries in the original, as well as others in translation. Among the works included will be Marie de France’s Lai de Fresne, Aucassin et Nicolette, Chrétien de Troyes’ Perceval, the prose romances of Tristan and Lancelot, and poetry of the trouvères. The dialect of French used in England after the Conquest will receive particular attention. The course will be taught in English, but requires a good reading knowledge of modern French. May satisfy the second language requirement for the M.A. in French. Requirements: In-class translations; 3 short papers; final examination. Cross List MI 60531/MI 40531
ROFR 40411 A REVOLUTION IN FICTION 11:45-01:00 MW
J. Douthwaite
This course will allow undergraduates with advanced proficiency in French (and graduate students with permission) to delve into literary study of key works that all turn around the French Revolution: the cataclysmic period from 1789-1803 when Europe watched in horror (or glee) as an ancient feudal monarchy that was slowly crumbling under the weight of its own intellectual ambitions suddenly morphed into a nation with radically egalitarian aspirations. The striking personalities that marked this epoch—of thick-witted Louis XVI and his frivolous wife Marie-Antoinette, the gargantuan orators Danton and Mirabeau, the sly and eloquent Robespierre—coupled with the dramatic sequence of events that led from the storming of the Bastille to the bloody days of the Terror, provide a fascinating toile de fond for a variety of literary experiments. Coupled with our literary study will be an inquiry into the political forces that abruptly brought down the monarchy and by fits and starts throughout the 19th century led to the establishment of modern democracy. Students will receive training in scholarly writing in French, techniques for in-depth analysis of literary texts, and a greater familiarity with revolutionary history, as well as background on the literary trends and movements that gave birth to the works to be studied (littérature engagée, romanticism, feminism) and genres featured (allegory, memoirs, historical novel, detective story and “frenetic” tale). Requirements include: assiduous reading and contribution to daily discussions, three short essays (2 pp.) in response to the readings, and a 12-15 page research paper. Students will also work in small teams to prepare a 2-page article report and oral presentation for the class. The research project will evolve gradually: over the course of the semester, students will present a précis explaining their research idea, then an annotated bibliography, and a first draft, before submitting a revised final version at the end of the semester. Novels to be studied include: J.-J. Regnault-Warin, Le Cimetière de la Madeleine (1800); Honoré de Balzac, Les Chouans (1829); Chantal Thomas, Les Adieux à la Reine (2002) We will also study pamphlet literature from the revolutionary era such as Anon., Histoire véritable de Gingigolo, roi de Mano-Emugi (1789), and short stories by writers such as Alfred de Vigny, Alexandre Dumas, and Charles Nodier.
ROFR 40830 FRANCOPHONE PICARESQUE 03:00-04:15 MW
A. Rice
This course will focus on Francophone novels that depict movement, particularly in the form of travel. We will read in chronological order works by writers from the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Maghreb in an examination of the ways in which movement to and from (as well as within) the country of origin is addressed over time. A recurring theme will be the "return" to the country of origin after a stay in the French metropole.
ROFR 41590 FRENCH THEATR PRODUCTION 04:30-05:45 TR
P. McDowell
This is an incredible opportunity to know a great piece of literature inside out, and in the process, form remarkable bonds with your classmates. In this unique undertaking, students will collaborate on the production of a French play, and even those who have never acted before will discover their hidden talents. There is absolutely no acting experience required; through the years, the vast majority of actors in the French play had never set foot on a stage before their French theatrical debut. Auditions will likely be held the first Tuesday and Thursday of the fall semester. Crosslist FTT 41000
Spring 2011
ROFR 20201 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I Various Times MWF
P. Martin, V. Askildson
A third-semester college language course. Includes review and expansion of basic grammatical structures. Extensive practice in speaking and writing. Readings and discussions of a variety of literary and nonliterary texts of appropriate difficulty.
ROFR 20202 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II Various Times MWF
O. Menyard
A one-semester course designed to provide a transition between the lower-level language courses and the upper-division literature courses. It concentrates on a thorough grammar review and a genre-based writing program which provides a variety of effective strategies for more meaningful oral and written expression. We will also read Marcel Pagnol’s Manon des sources, and view the movie of the same name. Prerequisite: ROFR 20201.
ROFR 20215 INTENSIVE INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II 01:55-02:45 MWF,
K. Werner 11:00-12:15 TR
This course will meet the needs of three different audiences: 1) students at the 20201 level who are looking for the challenges and rewards of daily exposure to French language and culture, 2) students at the 20201 level who are considering studying in Angers, France, and 3) students who wish to progress through the intermediate level language curriculum in just one semester. By meeting daily, not only will we be able to accomplish a systematic review of French grammar, but we will also have sufficient time to devote to a wide variety of cultural activities designed to cultivate your speaking, writing, reading, and comprehension skills. For example, we will be surfing French web-sites, viewing and reviewing several French movies, reading and discussing a number of literary passages (culminating in a novel towards the end of the semester), and viewing a selection of art works by French artists in the University’s own Snite Museum—tout en français! As a result of numerous interactive classroom activities, you will get to know each other exceptionally well, and form bonds that will endure well beyond the final exam.
ROFR 20300-01, 02 CONVERSATIONAL FRENCH 10:40-11:30, 11:45-12:35 MWF
M.C. Escoda-Risto
This is a one semester course intended for students who have had a significant exposure to the basic principles of the French language, and who are interested in acquiring greater proficiency in their oral expression. It will not provide a comprehensive review of grammar, but will instead assume this knowledge. In addition to the exercises set forth in the syllabus, students will be asked to participate in the creation of a video. Prerequisite: ROFR 20202 or 20215
ROFR 20680 CREOLE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE 01:30-02:45 M
K. Richman
1.5 credit course. This course introduces students to the vivid, sonorous language of Kreyòl, or Haitian Creole and to the fascinating culture of its speakers. This intensive, beginning-level course is intended for students with no knowledge of Haitian Creole. In small-group teaching sessions, students will be prepared for conversational fluency with basic reading and writing skills, emphasizing communicative competence as well as grammatical and phonetic techniques. Our study of Kreyòl is closely linked to our antrhopological exploration of how the language is tied to Caribbean society and culture. The course takes a holistic, anthropological approach to the history, political economy and religion of Haiti. In addition to class work, audio tapes, music and film enhance the study of the Haitian language and culture. Cross List ILS 30103
ROFR 21205 ANGERS: ATELIER PRÉPARATOIRE 07:00-08:15 TR
O.Morel
A 1.0 credits preparation for studies at Notre Dame's international study Program in Angers, France. A course packet with a variety of cultural readings will form the core of the course. Student centered discussions, combined with ample opportunity for Q&A, will prepare students for most of what awaits them in France. Enrollment will take place after students have been selected for the program. Course will begin meeting one week after Spring break.
ROFR 27500-01: APPROACHES TO FRENCH & FRANCO CULTURES: EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF NATIONAL IDENTITY THROUGH THE “LIEUX DE MÉMOIRE”
O. Menyard 01:30-02:45 MW
In this course, we will study the concept of “francité” through the [re]visiting of what Pierre Nora named “lieux de mémoire,” from “the most material and concrete object, sometimes geographically located, to the most abstract and intellectually constructed one.” We will question these “lieux de mémoire” — such as monuments, art works, texts, symbols, institutions, events, places and people — that weave the collective memory, to decipher the myths and observe their manipulations by religious and/or political entities through time. Our study will lead us to an analysis of the current political discourse, and in parallel to an individual reflection on the notion of an “American identity.”
ROFR 27500-02: APPROACHES TO FRENCH & FRANCO CULTURES: TAHITI AND OTHER FRENCH SPEAKING ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC
J. Fisher-McPeak 12:30-01:45 TR
This is an intermediate level course designed to build French language skills in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, while simultaneously learning about the people, cultures, history and geography of French Polynesia. Readings will be taken from cultural texts about history and life in the islands, as well as from literature, such as short stories, early legends, and excerpts from Paul Gauguin's Tahitian diary entitled “Noa Noa.” Music and arts of the region will also be explored. Video interviews with native inhabitants will be viewed and discussed. In summary, students will gain cultural and literary insights while developing the language skills in French expected at this level.
ROFR 30310-01 ANALYZE THIS! THE ART OF INTERPRETATION
J.F. Fournier 02:00-03:15 TR
The aim of this course is to familiarize students with the French technique of “explication de texte” (i. e. a very close reading and analysis of a short text) and other methods of literary analysis. Poetry, prose passages, and excerpts of plays from a range of literary periods will be examined. This course is required of all first and second majors. Prerequisite: Two semesters of French beyond ROFR 20201, or placement by exam.
ROFR 30320-01 ADVANCED GRAMMAR & WRITING 03:00-04:15 MW
M.C. Escoda-Risto
Advanced-level course given in French. We will discuss the themes, style, and rhetorical structures of a varied group of texts (literary, political, cultural, and critical). The emphasis lies in the development of advanced writing skills focusing on clarity and correctness of the language through various weekly writing assignments and written explications texts.
ROFR 30710-01 SURVEY OF FRENCH LITERATURE I 11:45-01:00 MW
L. MacKenzie
The course is designed to serve as an introduction to French literature of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Seventeenth Century. We will read a selection of representative works from authors of each period, including Marie de France, Chrétien de Troyes, Marguerite de Navarre, Ronsard, DuBellay, Labé, Montaigne, Pascal, Molière and Racine. In addition to acquiring a basic familiarity with early French literature, students will be introduced to the vocabulary of literary criticism. Close readings, some oral presentations (or explications), and active participation in classroom discussions are expected. All discussions and written work will be in French. Prerequisite: Two semesters of French beyond ROFR 20201, or placement by exam, or by permission. Cross List MI 30530
ROFR 30720-01 SURVEY OF FRENCH LITERATURE II 03:30-04:45 TR
C. Perry
This course is designed as an introduction to French and Francophone literatures from the 18th century to the present. It will cover works of representative authors (such as Graffigny, Voltaire, Sand, Zola, Le Clézio, and Makine), focusing this semester on the theme of the "other" in literature. The juxtaposition of works by male and female authors who wrote on similar themes will also enable us to examine how literature represents the intersection of gender and sexuality with ethnicity, class, and nationality across several centuries and cultures. The course will be conducted in French. Prerequisite: Two semesters of French beyond ROFR 20201, or placement by exam, or by permission. Cross List GSC 30508
ROFR 37500-01 CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: WARRIOR WRITERS AND OTHER FIGHTERS / ÉCRIVAINS GUERRIERS ET AUTRES LUTTEURS
O. Morel 11:00-12:15 TR
“Warrior Writers and other Fighters” is a new course. It focuses on two faces of the rich relationship between writing and violence in general: of course, it addresses the classical relationship between war and writing as an important topic, but from a very different perspective, it also envisions the type of “fight,” of struggle and engagement, that a writing process engages, as a process of creation, in oppressive conditions (war, dictatoreship...) or within a more peaceful democratic regime in which the writer perceives herself or himself as a rebel, as an opponent. From a broad point of view, this is a class about literature and power (understood as a field of forces at both political and polemical levels). It has been designed as the third “chapter” of a research conducted by the professor about “extreme writings.”
ROFR 40731-01 DIFFERENCE AND DISSIDENCE IN FRENCH FICTION FROM
THE 20TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT
C. Perry 02:00-03:15 TR
In this course we will study the evolution of French fiction from the early 20th century to the present through the lens of unconventional works such as L’Immoraliste by André Gide (1902), Chéri by Colette (1920), Sous le soleil de Satan by Georges Bernanos (1929), two short stories from L’Exil et le royaume by Albert Camus (1957), L’Amant by Marguerite Duras (1984), Acide sulfurique by Amélie Nothomb (2005), and Ulysse from Bagdad by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt (2008). These provocative works will give us the opportunity to explore a rich variety of narrative styles while also measuring the progression from self-reflective expositions to surrealist visions, existentialist obligations, postmodern derisions and multicultural imaginations. Film adaptations of several novels will also come into play, enabling us to compare the translation of text to image. Class taught in French.
ROFR 40850 PARIS COSMOPOLITE: GLOBALIZATION, IMMIGRATION, AND
TRANSLATION IN FRANCOPHONE LITERATURE AND FILM
A. Rice 01:30-02:45 MW
In this course we examine contemporary literary and cinematographic representations of Paris that take into account the ever-evolving “face” of the French capital city. We focus especially on the multicultural, multilingual nature of Paris today, thanks to “globalization” and the important waves of immigration that have contributed to a very cosmopolitan urban center. We look closely at the ways different cultures, customs, religions, and languages are “translated” into the text and onto the screen in recent works by such authors and filmmakers as Merzak Allouache, Bessora, Maryse Condé, Michael Haneke, Alain Mabanckou, and Leïla Sebbar.
ROFR 53000 SENIOR SEMINAR: LOVE & WAR: THE LITERATURE OF LATE
MEDIEVAL FRANCE
M. Boulton 12:30-01:45 TR
This seminar will examine the culture of fourteenth- and fifteenth-century France, setting literature in its social and historical context. Among the works to be discussed are the lyric poetry (including works with music) by Jeannot de Lescurel, Guillaume de Machaut, Charles d’Orléans, François Villon, and Christine de Pizan, Froissart’s Chroniques, Machaut’s Remède de Fortune, and the Matines de la Vierge de Martial d’Auvergne. Study of literary works will be supplemented by historical readings, listening to musical works of the period and a visit to the Rare Book Room to examine medieval manuscripts.
Fall 2010 COURSES
ROFR 20201 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I Various Times MWF
P. Martin, O. Menyard
A third-semester college language course. Includes review and expansion of basic grammatical structures. Extensive practice in speaking and writing. Readings and discussions of a variety of literary and nonliterary texts of appropriate difficulty.
ROFR 20202 INTERMEDIATE French II Various Times MWF
O. Menyard
A one-semester course designed to provide a transition between the lower-level language courses and the more challenging literature courses. It concentrates on a thorough grammar review and a genre-based writing program which provides a variety of effective strategies for more meaningful oral and written expression.
ROFR 20300-01 Conversational French 01:55-02:45 MWF
This course is designed primarily as an elective for non-majors and for students unable to study in a French speaking country who wish to enhance their conversational skills in French. It will not provide a comprehensive review of grammar but will instead assume this knowledge. On most days, the class will be divided into small discussion groups to grapple with a dilemma suggested by our textbook. Other class days will be spent on debates or individual oral presentations. There will be no written assignments or exams for this course. Grades will be based on frequent vocabulary quizzes, oral assignments, and an oral examination. Students must be willing to attend class every day and to participate actively and exclusively in the French language. Serves as a cognate towards the major.
ROFR 20680-01 Monday 2-3:15 Karen Richman
ILS 30102 - Section 01: Creole Language and Culture (CRN 18085)
Long Title: Creole Language and Culture
Course Description:
This course introduces students to the vivid, sonorous language of Kreyòl, or Creole, and to the fascinating culture of its speakers. This intensive, beginning-level course is intended for students with no knowledge of Creole. In small-group teaching sessions, students will be prepared for conversational fluency with basic reading and writing skills, emphasizing communicative competence as well as grammatical and phonetic techniques. Our study of Kreyòl is closely linked to our anthropological exploration of how the language is tied to Caribbean society and culture. The course takes a holistic, anthropological approach to the history, political economy, and religion of Haiti. In addition to class work, audio tapes, music and film enhance the study of the Haitian language and culture.
ROFR 27500-01 CONTEMPORARY WOMEN WRITERS BETWEEN FRANCE AND ALGERIA
A. Rice 11:45-01:00 MW
This course focuses on French-language works of fiction written by women located between Algeria and France. Whether they immigrated from Algeria to France themselves or were born in France to immigrant parents, these women writers have found an outlet for the expression of their personal experience in writing. This expression gives rise to a number of questions, especially language, gender, religion, and nationality and their contribution to a sense of identity, that will provide focal thematic points of reflection for written and oral reactions to these provocative short stories, novels, and essays. As a complement to our readings, we will examine depictions of Algerian women in France in three recent films. Students will complete two papers as well as in-class writing assignments and one oral presentation. Cross List GS 20504 2.
ROFR 27500-02 FRENCH REPRESENTATIONS OF THE USA: BETWEEN PARADOXES AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS 11:00-12:15 TR
O. Morel
This course, we will learn how to read, listen and view contemporary France through the productions of its popular culture: through the media and the daily news, through its popular music, its cinema, its contemporary literature, through the influence of its capital (Paris), etc. We will also pay attention to the growing influence of the web and “new media.” This perspective will allow us to emphasize the impact of “other” cultures (or cultures viewed as “other”) on France's traditional values. To what extend France is becoming a highly cosmopolitan country? How? The purpose of this course is to try to answer these questions. Two short essays and a final paper will be required, as will active participation in class discussions.
ROFR 30310-01 TEXTUAL ANALYSIS: THE ART OF INTERPRETATION 01:30-02:45 MW
A. Toumayan
The aim of this course is to familiarize students with the French technique of “explication de texte” (i. e. a very close reading and analysis of a short text) and other methods of literary analysis. Poetry, prose passages, and excerpts of plays from a range of literary periods will be examined. Each student will be responsible for several oral presentations in class, as well as two 3-5 page papers. There will also be a final exam and a few quizzes in lieu of a midterm exam. This course is required of all first and second majors. Prerequisite: Two semesters of French beyond ROFR 20201, or placement by exam.
ROFR 30320-01 ADVANCED GRAMMAR & WRITING 03:00-04:15 MWF
Advanced-level course given in French. We will discuss the themes, style, and rhetorical structures of a varied group of texts(literary, political, cultural, and critical). The emphasis lies in the development of advanced writing skills focusing on clarity and correctness of the language through various weekly writing assignments and written explications de texts.
ROFR 30710-01 SURVEY OF FRENCH LITERATURE I 12:30-01:45 TR M.Boulton The course is designed to serve as an introduction to French literature of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Seventeenth Century. We will read a selection of representative works from authors of each period, including Marie de France, Chrétien de Troyes, Marguerite de Navarre, Ronsard, DuBellay, Labé, Montaigne, Pascal, Molière and Racine. In addition to acquiring a basic familiarity with early French literature, students will be introduced to the vocabulary of literary criticism. Close readings, some oral presentations (or explications), and active participation in classroom discussions are expected. All discussions and written work will be in French. A series of mini-essays, a 6-8 page term paper, an oral presentation (done in a group), and active and assiduous participation in class discussions will be required. Prerequisite: Two semesters of French beyond ROFR 20201, or placement by exam, or by permission. Cross List MI 30530 2.
ROFR 30720-01 SURVEY OF FRENCH LITERATURE II 04:30-05:45 MW
A. Toumayan
This course is designed as an introduction to French and Francophone literatures from the 18th century to the late 20th century. It will cover works of representative authors (such as Montesquieu, Graffigny, Voltaire, Sand Zola, Le Clézio, and Djavann), focusing this semester on the theme of the “other” in literature. The juxtaposition of works by male and female authors who wrote on similar themes will also enable us to examine how literature represents the intersection of gender and sexuality with ethnicity, class, and nationality across several centuries and cultures. The course will be conducted in French. A series of mini-essays, a term paper, and a final exam will be required, as will active and assiduous participation in class discussions. Cr-list GS.
ROFR 37500-01 CROSSING CULTURES IN CONTEMPORARY FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE FILM 01:30-02:45 MW
C. Perry
In this new course, we will view and discuss eight contemporary French and Francophone films which dramatize the possibilities or impossibilities of cross-cultural communication, whether in France or abroad. These films will also offer us the opportunity to explore and reflect upon related issues such as exile, immigration, and postcolonial realities in a globalized world. Movies to watch will include eight of the following: Chaos, by Coline Serreau (2001); Inch'Allah dimanche, by Yamina Benguigui (2001); Stupeur et tremblements, by Alain Corneau (2003, an adaptation of Amélie Nothomb’s novel); Exils, by Tony Gatlif (2004); Le Grand Voyage, by Ismaël Ferroukhi (2004); Caché, by Michael Haneke (2005); Azur et Asmar, by Michel Ocelot (2006); Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud (2007, an adaptation of Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel); Entre les murs, by Laurent Cantet (2008); and Un Prophète by Jacques Audiard (2009). Each movie will be shown in French, with English subtitles. To accompany our screenings, we will read volume 1 of the graphic novel Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi (2004), and the novel Stupeur et tremblements, by Amélie Nothomb (1999), which will help us examine the differences between text and image. We will also read articles and essays on recent French and Francophone cinema as well on contemporary issues represented in the films. Screenings will take place outside of class at dates and times to be determined by consensus during the first week of the semester. Students will be responsible for participating in thoughtful discussions in class, giving a team oral presentation, writing two 5-6 page papers (with the possibility of rewriting the first), and successfully completing a final exam. The course will be conducted in French.
ROFR 40431-01 God, the Gods, Good, and Evil 02:00-03:15 TR
L. MacKenzie
Classical French literature and thought are in a sense a laboratory in which theology, theological dispute, the weighing of good and evil are uncommonly active as the object of study. In this course, taught in French, we will be looking at representative texts from the worlds of fiction—mainly theatre—and nonfiction where the Judeo- Christian God or the pagan gods play decisive, if at times implicit, roles. In so doing, we will also be looking at the ways in which human behavior, be it lofty or base, is influenced, even determined by certain beliefs in the divine. Among the texts we will be studying will be Corneille: Polyeucte; Racine: Andromaque, Phedre, Athalie; Moliere: Le Tartuffe; Pascal: Lettres provinciales; Penséés, La Bruyère : “ Des esprits forts.” Prerequisite: a least 1 30000 level French course; a willingness to discuss in French and a determination to improve one’s French, both spoken and written. (Note I do not say fluency in French). There will be a series of short papers, 1 longer paper and a final exam.
ROFR 40831-01 WORLD LITERATURE IN FRENCH 01:30-02:45 MW
A.Rice
This course takes its name from a manifesto published on March 16, 2007 in the French newspaper Le Monde: “Pour une ‘littérature-monde’ en français.” Signed by 44 writers, the document argues in favor of “liberating” the French language “from its exclusive pact with the nation” and highlights the desire among many contemporary writers of French to be respected as authors of “world literature.” In this class, we pay special attention to textual expressions of two phenomena that are currently coming together in interesting ways in France and the Francophone world—“postcolonialism” and “globalization”—as we seek to discern the ways in which writers from various locations portray characters who grapple with questions of individual identity and interpersonal relationships and their connection to nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, class, gender, and sexuality. We will also study three Francophone films that tackle these questions in a contemporary world marked by mobility, movement, and (im)migration. We study novels and essays by the following writers: Maryse Condé from Guadeloupe; Nancy Huston from Canada; Dany Laferrière from Haiti; Zahia Rahmani from Algeria; Boualem Sansal from Algeria; Brina Svit from Slovenia; Abdourahmna Waberi from Djibouti. Assignments include a mid-term paper of approximately 4-5 pages and a final paper of 10-12 pages, as well as short in-class writing assignments and a 15-minute oral presentation. Cross List GS 40564 2.
ROFR 20201 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH I Various Times MWF
P. Martin, O. Menyard
A third-semester college language course. Includes review and expansion of basic grammatical structures. Extensive practice in speaking and writing. Readings and discussions of a variety of literary and nonliterary texts of appropriate difficulty.
ROFR 20202 INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II Various Times MWF
M.C. Escoda-Risto, O. Menyard
A one-semester course designed to provide a transition between the lower-level language courses and the upper-division literature courses. It concentrates on a thorough grammar review and a genre-based writing program which provides a variety of effective strategies for more meaningful oral and written expression. We will also read Marcel Pagnol’s Manon des sources, and view the movie of the same name. Prerequisite: ROFR 20201.
ROFR 20215 INTENSIVE INTERMEDIATE FRENCH II1:55-2:45 MWF, 11:00-12:15 TR
K. Werner
This course will meet the needs of three different audiences: 1) students at the 20201 level who are looking for the challenges and rewards of daily exposure to French language and culture, 2) students at the 20201 level who are considering studying in Angers, France, and 3) students who wish to progress through the intermediate level language curriculum in just one semester. By meeting daily, not only will we be able to accomplish a systematic review of French grammar, but we will also have sufficient time to devote to a wide variety of cultural activities designed to cultivate your speaking, writing, reading, and comprehension skills. For example, we will be surfing French web-sites, viewing and reviewing several French movies, reading and discussing a number of literary passages (culminating in a novel towards the end of the semester), and viewing a selection of art works by French artists in the University’s own Snite Museum—tout en français! Prerequisite: ROFR 10102 or 10115
ROFR 20300-01, 02 CONVERSATIONAL FRENCH 9:35-10:25, 10:40-11:30 MWF
M.C. Escoda-Risto
This is a one semester course intended for students who have had a significant exposure to the basic principles of the French language, and who are interested in acquiring greater proficiency in their oral expression. It will not provide a comprehensive review of grammar, but will instead assume this knowledge. In addition to the exercises set forth in the syllabus, students will be asked to participate in the creation of a video. Prerequisite: ROFR 20202 or 20215
ROFR 21205 ANGERS: ATELIER PRÉPARATOIRE 7:00-8:15 T/R
A.Toumayan
A 1.0 credits preparation for studies at Notre Dame's international study Program in Angers, France. A course packet with a variety of cultural readings will form the core of the course. Student centered discussions, combined with ample opportunity for Q&A, will prepare students for most of what awaits them in France. Enrollment will take place after students have been selected for the program. Course will begin meeting one week after Spring break.
ROFR 27500 APPROACHES TO FRENCH & FRANCOPHONE CULTURES
This content-driven course is intended for students who want to broaden their knowledge of the French language and related cultures, as well as improve both their understanding of the French and Francophone world and their communication skills in the French Language. Recent topics taught are Facets of French, France, and the French; French Civilization & Culture; Tahiti. Prereq ROFR 20202, 20215 or by placement.
ROFR 27500-01 DECIPHERING FRANCE ON THE FRONT PAGE: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE IMMIGRANT 12:30 -1:45 T/O. Morel
France on the cover page, not only of French newspapers, but also of publications around the world: this is the concept of this course. This semester, we will specifically focus on representations of immigrants and foreigners in today’s French society, through media and film. The course will analyze the coverage of recent events by examining daily media representations from and about France today. We will pay special attention to the way politics interact with cultural and social phenomena, taking into account the regional affiliations of the French and the country’s changing status in international affairs. The course will be conducted in French. Two short essays and a final paper will be required, as will active participation in class discussions
ROFR 27500-02 TOUR DE FRANCE DES REGIONS DANS/PAR TOUS LES SENS M.C. Escoda-Risto 11:45-01:00 M/W
A brief historical introduction to four non-immigrant minorities –Alsatians, Bretons, Occitans & Basques- will lead us into our “Tour de France” where all our senses will be put to task. From an overture to the traditional folklore (legends, tales…), a look at the private & public architectural creations, a sampling of regional music and oral expression, to the gastronomical contributions of these cultures will inform our (re) discovery of the profound diversity always present on this hexagonal land known to us, today, as France. Four tests (one on each of the regions), one modest research paper, one short oral presentation, & one final exam, as well as the preparation & consumption of a regional meal will be the students’ contribution to this regional tour.
ROFR 30310-01 ANALYZE THIS! TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
J. DellaNeva 11:45-1:00 M/W
The aim of this course is to familiarize the student with interpreting literary texts of various genres and from different periods. Special attention is given to the French technique of explication de textes, a very close reading and analysis of a short text. Accordingly, students will learn to do both oral and written interpretations or explications; hence, increasing facility in correct written and spoken French will be a significant component of this course. As an ancillary to the art of interpretation, the student will be introduced to the tools of rhetoric and poetic versification as well as to some modern theories of literary analysis. Thus students should expect to acquire a certain technical mastery, in terms of building the vocabulary required for the discussion of literary texts at an advanced level, as the course progresses.
Requirements: All students must do three or four oral interpretations of a text (depending on class size); all students are expected to participate actively in the class discussion that ensues from these presentations. In addition to the oral explications in class, there will be two short written analyses (3-5 pp.) done in two drafts each, a series of quizzes in lieu of a midterm, and a final exam. Additional work includes daily written preparation questions concerning vocabulary or allusions pertinent to the assigned text of the day. Occasional pop-quizzes may also be given at the discretion of the instructor.
ROFR 30320 ADVANCED GRAMMAR & WRITING 1:30-2:45 M/W
O. Menyard
Advanced-level course given in French. We will discuss the themes, style, and rhetorical structures of a varied group of texts (literary, political, cultural, and critical). The emphasis lies in the development of advanced writing skills focusing on clarity and correctness of the language through various weekly writing assignments and written explications de textes.
SURVEY OF FRENCH LITERATURE I 11:00-12:15 T/R
FROM PERCEVAL TO PUSS IN BOOTS: Old Regime French Literature in Cultural Context
J. Douthwaite This course is designed as an introduction to French literatures from the 12th century to the beginning of the 18th. It will cover works of representative authors such as Chrétien de Troyes (Perceval), Marie de France (Lais), Christine de Pizan (Le Livre de la cité des dames), Montaigne (Essais), Rabelais (Pantagruel), Racine (Phèdre), LaFontaine (Fables), Perrault (Contes), Lafayette (La Princesse de Clèves), and Galland (Les Mille et une nuits). Our method of “contrapuntal” readings will allow us to shuttle back and forth between the Old Regime and the 21st century in France. Our focus on early modern literature will be enlivened by discussion of timely issues such as President Sarkozy’s attitude on the patrimoine (Lafayette), Arab-French relations (Galland), the politicization of the Concours de l’agrégation (Labé), and the postcolonial rewriting of French classics (Perrault). This juxtaposition will enable us to examine how literature represents the intersection of politics, gender, and explosive cultural issues across several centuries. The course will be conducted in French. A series of mini-essays, a term paper, and a final exam will be required, as will active and assiduous participation in class discussions. Crosslisted with the Medieval Institute.
ROFR 30720 SURVEY OF FRENCH LITERATURE II 3:30-4:45 T/R
C. Perry
This course is designed as an introduction to French and Francophone literatures from the 18th century to the present. It will cover works of representative authors (such as Graffigny, Voltaire, Sand, Zola, Le Clézio, and Nothomb), focusing on the theme of "other" in literature. The juxtaposition of works by male and female authors who wrote on similar themes will also enable us to examine how literature represents the intersection of gender and sexuality with ethnicity, class, and nationality across several centuries and cultures. The course will be conducted in French. A series of mini-essays, a term paper, and a final exam will be required, as will active and assiduous participation in class discussions. Crosslisted with Gender Studies.
ROFR 40300 READING VERSAILLES 9:30-10:45 T/R
L. MacKenzie The purpose of this course, conducted in French, will be to flesh out the term "Versailles" in an effort to appreciate how this huge "text" works as a coherent and decipherable whole. To this end, we will consider the topographical, architectural, artistic, musical and literary aspects of the court (understood both as the place and the society). In so doing we can hope to appreciate the mythopoetic underpinnings of Louis XIV's political agenda. Among the specific subjects/sources we will be working on: Fouquet and Vaux-le-Vicomte; La Fontaine's recounting of the famous (and"fatal") extravaganza at Vaux in 1661; the evolution of the palace of Versailles; detailed study of statuary in the garden and of the "planetary" rooms known as the King's Apartment; La Bruyere's reflections on the court; the thoughts of the 20th century sociologoist, Norbert Elias on "La vie de cour"; the music, both instrumental and operatic of Lully, Charpentier and Delalande. Classes will generally be organized around lectures, the vieweing of slides and film and the audition of musical selections. There will be frequent quizzes and examinations, but no term paper. Prerequisite: at least one 30000 level course
ROFR 40635 19th CENTURY SHORT STORY PHANTASMES ET FANTASTIQUE
A. Toumayan 12:30-1:45 T/R
This course will focus on the development of the genre of short narrative during the nineteenth century in France. Representative works of Balzac, Nerval, Baudelaire, Barbey d'Aurevilly, Flaubert, Gautier, Mérimée, Maupassant, and Villiers de l'Isle Adam will be considered. The themes of obsession, trauma and madness will compose common motifs in the corpus of texts that we will examine. We will also study the distinctive features of the aesthetics of Romanticism, Realism and Symbolism as well as generic considerations relating to the conte fantastique. Course requirements include one oral presentation, two papers of moderate length and a final exam.
ROFR 53000 SENIOR SEMINAR: IN THE SHADOW OF COLONIALISM: FRENCH TRAVELERS WRITING AND PAINTING THE MAGHREB
C. Perry 2:00-3:15 T/R
Serving as an introduction to North African countries--known as the Maghreb—from a European perspective, this course will explore works by French writers and artists who visited, or resided in, Morocco and Algeria from the early 19th century to the late 20th century. We will examine aesthetic representations and travel diaries of painters such as Eugène Delacroix, Théodore Chassériau, Eugène Fromentin (Une année dans le Sahel), and Henri Matisse; the travel accounts of Pierre Loti (Au Maroc) and Isabelle Eberhardt (excerpts from Écrits sur le sable); fictional works by Eberhardt (short stories), Henri de Montherlant (La Rose de sable), Albert Camus ("L'Hôte" and “La Femme adultère” in L'Exil et le Royaume), J.M.G. Le Clézio (Désert), Michel Tournier (La Goutte d'or), and Didier Van Cauwelaert (Un aller simple). Studies by Edward Said (Orientalism) and Fatimah Mernissi (Beyond the Veil: Male-Female Dynamics in a Modern Muslim Society), among others, will enable us to approach Islamic culture as well as the vexed questions of French colonialism and the condition of North-African women. The course will be conducted in French. Students will be responsible for assiduous reading and active participation in class discussions as well as weekly journals and a 12-15 page research paper. There will be no exam. This course is open to first and supplementary majors.
