Undergraduate Seminar in French Literature and Culture

3 units

An exploration of a variety of cultural icons, objects, myths, and traditions that define the French experience throughout the centuries. Topics vary. In France the Middle Ages is a period of intense artistic and literary creation despite an often brutal history. Feudal struggles, the Hundred Years' War, the Crusades, frequent epidemics, and famines add a tragic cast to daily life. Yet this period witnesses the birth of literature written in French ( Chansons de Geste, courtly romances and poetry, theater), a tradition rich with knights and damsels in distress, stories of love and conquest. Cities are built, as are castles and cathedrals. Botanical gardens are planted. Elaborate wall tapestries and paintings begin to decorate the homes of lords and churches. France discovers the art of the book in the form of illuminated manuscripts. Men and women develop a taste for clothing and jewelry. The course explores this fascinating history by examining celebrated examples of the period's literature and art. It includes a visit to the medieval collection of the St. Louis Art Museum and the film Visiteurs du Soir.