From Symbolism to Surrealism

3 units

This course presents a survey of major French dramatic works from the late 1800s to the mid-20th century, including both innovative plays and theoretical treatises by celebrated writers such as Maeterlinck, Villiers de l'Isle-Adam, Jarry, Apollinaire, Breton, Vitrac and Artaud. It examines how in running contrary to other important movements of their general time period (e.g., Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism) these works constitute major examples of what will come to be widely known as Modernism. Attention will also be paid to the ways in which these types of plays gave rise to later forms of theater, like those found in Existentialism and the Théâtre de l'Absurde. Prereq: Fr 325 or Fr 326 or one of these courses and the equivalent Washington University transfer literature course from Toulouse or Paris. One-hour preceptorial required for undergraduates.