FRN 313 - French Theatre of Resistance

1 course unit

The French hold dear the notion that in times of trouble they have always summoned up the courage to resist the oppressor. That resistance can take many forms: resisting tyranny, social conformity, one’s own destructive impulses, the uncertainty of our existence in the universe. French playwrights such as Corneille, Racine, Marivaux, Beaumarchais, Hugo, Jarry, Sartre, Ionesco, Beckett, and more recently, Yasmina Reza, have captured the dramatic force of this resistance in their theatre. The course surveys major moments in the history of French theatre and emphasizes literary analysis of the plays. Note: Plays are read in translation and the course is taught in English. This course does not count toward the French major/minor.
Meets general academic requirement L and effective Fall 2013 HU.