The 19th-Century Novel: From Realism to Naturalism to Huysmans

3 units

In this seminar we will read some of the great realist novels of the nineteenth century, by the four masters of the genre: Balzac, Stendhal, Flaubert, Zola. We will also examine Huysmans's A Rebours, which was written in reaction to the excesses of Realism. We will determine what characterizes the realist novel and how it has evolved from Balzac to Zola. We will consider its theoretical orientation, but we will also focus on the major themes it addresses: the organization of French society throughout the nineteenth century, Paris vs. the province, love, money, ambition, dreams, material success, decadence, etc. Prereq: Fr 325 and 326 or one of these courses and the equivalent WU transfer literature course from Toulouse or Paris. One-hour preceptorial required for undergraduates.