Literary Avant-Garde in French (1900-1950)

3 credits · Undergraduate

(3 hrs Lecture) This course examines the concept of "avant-garde" in early twentieth century French literatures in Europe, the Antilles and Canada. We analyze texts from the Manifeste Dada (1918) through André Breton's Manifeste du surréalisme (1924) and Aimé Césaire's poetry to the Refus Global (1948) in Quebec. The course focuses on literary and cultural comparisons. It investigates various aspects of Modernism, such as aesthetic autonomy and the relationship between art and politics. The course works across genres and national literatures. Students learn about modernist mouvements and contexts: dada, futurism, surrealism, expressionism, theatre of the absurd and the négritude mouvement. Requisite Courses: FREN-2105, or placement test, or the former FREN-1111(6), or the former FREN-1112(6), or permission of the instructor [prerequisite(s)].