The French Islands: From Code Noir to Conde

3 units

The French have been dreaming about the tropics ever since transatlantic trade became possible in the sixteenth century, and literature in French has reflected these dreams ever since. Closer to our own period, writers from the French Caribbean have written themselves into the French canon, winning prestigious literary prizes. This course will link these two phenomena by studying literature from and about the tropics from the 18th century to the present. In our readings, we will attempt to see the ways in which the literature from and about France's island possessions has contributed to the forming of cultural and political relations between France and the islands, but also among the islands and within the Americas. Almost all texts available in English for students not majoring in French; main seminar session taught in English with weekly undergraduate preceptorial in French. Prereq: Fr 325 and Fr 326. One-hour preceptorial for required for undergraduates.