Unit FRENCH LITERATURE I

Course

Foreign languages and cultures

Study-unit Code

GP004914

Curriculum

In all curricula

Teacher

Susanna Alessandrelli

Teachers

Susanna Alessandrelli

Hours

54 ore - Susanna Alessandrelli

CFU

Course Regulation

Coorte 2026

Offered

2026/27

Learning activities

Caratterizzante

Area

Letterature straniere

Sector

FRAN-01/A

Type of study-unit

Opzionale (Optional)

Type of learning activities

Attività formativa monodisciplinare

Language of instruction

Italian

Contents

In accordance with the periodization adopted for the teachings of French literature of the various annuality (first year: from the 18th century to the contemporary age; second year: 16th and 17th centuries; third year: Middle Ages),The course is an introduction to French Literature from the 18th to the 20th centuries, and to the related cultural and artistic movements. Students will acquire theoretical and methodogical skills for literary and linguistic analysis of the selected texts. The major authors and the related literary movements will be studied through the selection of anthological passages. the course therefore includes in-depth studies of literary history, introduction to the evolution of the novel, poetry, criticism, textual analysis

Reference texts

Module A The philosophical novel.
Voltaire, 'Micromégas', Histoire philosophique, Dossier et notes réalisés par Guillaume Peureux. Lecture d'images par Alain Jaubert, Collection Folioplus Classiques (n° 69), Paris, Gallimard, 2006.
The critics and some parts of narrative texts that the teacher will use to present the period under study will all be published on the Unistudium platform. Furthermore, specific information relating to the course and teaching materials will be available on the Unistudium platform:https://www.unistudium.unipg.it/unistudium/login/index.php on the page dedicated to teaching French literature I. Working and/or non-attending students are invited to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course in order to be able to suggest a path, integrated with other readings and suited to their path. Students with disabilities and/or with SLD who, having completed regular accreditation through SOL, have obtained access to University services, can apply for the compensatory tools ensured by law (e.g. textbooks in digital format; teaching materials in accessible formats: presentations, handouts, workbooks, provided if necessary in advance of the lessons), for which consult: https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa. For the request, students are invited to ask the teacher, who will put them in contact with the Disability and/or DSA Department Coordinator (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it)

Volataire, “L’Ingenu “ Texte integral et dossier di Lièvre É., Paris, Gallimard, Folio Plus classiques, 2004.
Module B the naturalist novel.
Zola, Émile, “Nana”. Présentation par Marie-Ange Fougère, Paris, Flammarion, 2000.

Maupassant. Guy de, “Yvette”. Préface et commentaire par Gérard Gengembre, Paris, Librairie Générale Française, 1997.

Module C the existentialist novel
J-P., Sartre, “La Nausée”, Paris, Folio, Gallimard, 2013.

Educational objectives

The course constitutes the first stage of the three-year course for the study of French literature and gives the student the opportunity to deal with texts from the period closest to the present day (18th-20th centuries), and to acquire fundamental historical-literary skills for the analysis of the literary text and of the French artistic and literary cultural currents that have followed from the 18th century to the present day. At the end of the first year, the student must acquire the following knowledge: - literary history from the 18th to the 20th centuries; - knowledge of the main authors, their works and the historical context; knowledge of the distinctive features of different literary genres and poetic forms; - the principal of the literary movements that develop in the indicated time span; The main skills to apply to knowledge are the following: - the ability to critically place a work and a literary movement; - ability to read, translate and analyze the texts studied. - analysis skills (thematic, stylistic and structural) of the texts in the program.

Prerequisites

In order to understand and be able to independently use the knowledge and tools of historical and literary analysis provided by the course, the student must possess a good linguistic-literary culture and a good level of Italian language which allows him to understand the texts at a content level. of the program. The course is also open to beginner students, for whom, during the course, translations of the program texts will be suggested. However, the main lexical and syntactic difficulties present in the language texts will be addressed during the lessons. Non-attending students Non-attending students will have to resort to the studies indicated in the critical bibliography and partly published on unistudium. https://www.unistudium.unipg.it/unistudium/login/index.php o the page dedicated to the teaching of French Literature I

Teaching methods

The prevailing teaching method involves frontal lessons in the classroom assisted, if necessary, by multimedia tools; The evolution of history of French literature of XVIII, XIX and XX centuries will be introduced through a set of anthological readings and critical texts exposed during lessons and made available for students on Unistudium platform. Students will also be invited to participate actively to the presentation of critical readings coordinated with the teacher. For a thorough examination of the topics, students will also be provided with some websites in order to access to works or monographs, on-line magazines or other documents about the studied program. Practical exercises in translation and textual analysis are also foreseen. In-depth seminars are also planned. The course consists in lectures organised in the following three modules : 1. Introduction to literary history of XVIII century through anthological readings with special attention to the authors of XVIII century included in the program. 2. Introduction to literary history of XIX century through anthological readings with special attention to the authors of XIX century included in the program. 3. Introduction to literary history of XX century through anthological readings with special attention to the authors of XX century included in the program. All works and related critics included in the course program will be read in the full french version recommended by the teacher. It is strongly recommend to attend lessons. Attending students have the opportunity of direct and regular confrontation with teacher. The class promotes a better understanding of the discussed topics. Students with disabilities Students with disabilities and/or with SLD who, having completed regular accreditation through SOL, have obtained access to University services, can apply for the compensatory tools ensured by law (e.g. textbooks in digital format; teaching materials in accessible formats: presentations, handouts, workbooks, provided if necessary in advance of the lessons), for which consult https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa. For the request, students are invited to ask the teacher, who will put them in contact with the Disability and/or DSA Department Coordinator (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it) In the academic year 2023/2024 the University of Perugia has foreseen that 11 categories of students could be admitted to the use of the DAD. Any interested students will be invited to check the possibility of following the lessons on attend courses online, in DAD DAD procedure - University of Perugia (unipg.it)

Other information

Students will find regularly on Unistudium platform the teaching material as an integral part of the course program. Students with specific learning disabilities are invited to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course in order to identify all necessary tools for a profitable course. For the way the verification tests are carried out, students with disabilities and/or with DSA can take advantage of the inclusive technologies, the compensatory tools and the dispensatory measures provided for by the legislation, after consulting with the teacher. Students will find timetable of reception on the teacher’s webpage. Reception hours Students find reception hours on the teacher's web page.

Learning verification modality

The examination consists in a single oral test focused on topics and authors studied during the lessons based on the texts included in the program. The test will assess the level of knowledge, understanding and critical analysis of students and their ability to expose the acquired knowledges with appropriate language. The duration of examination varies following the performance of the test.

Regarding students with disabilities and / or with SLD: students can take advantage of inclusive technologies, compensatory tools and dispensatory measures provided for by the legislation. Technologies, tools and measures must be requested and agreed with the teacher well in advance of the tests. Students with disabilities and/or with SLD who, having completed regular accreditation through SOL, have obtained access to University services, can apply for the compensatory tools ensured by law (e.g. textbooks in digital format; teaching materials in accessible formats: presentations, handouts, workbooks, provided if necessary in advance of the lessons), for which consult https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa.
For the request, students are invited to ask the teacher, who will put them in contact with the Disability and/or DSA Department Coordinator (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it)
expose the acquired knowledges with appropriate language. The duration of examination varies following the performance of the test. With regard to students with disabilities and / or with SLD: students can take advantage of inclusive technologies, compensatory tools and dispensatory measures provided for by the legislation. Technologies, tools and measures must be requested and agreed with the teacher well in advance of the tests. Students with disabilities and/or with SLD who, having completed regular accreditation through SOL, have obtained access to University services, can apply for the compensatory tools ensured by law (e.g. textbooks in digital format; teaching materials in accessible formats: presentations, handouts, workbooks, provided if necessary in advance of the lessons), for which consult https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa. For the request, students are invited to ask the teacher, who will put them in contact with the Disability and/or DSA Department Coordinator (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it)

Extended program

Contents French literature 2026/2027
The course is an introduction to French literature from the 18th to the 20th century and to the cultural and artistic currents of the period under consideration. The teacher also intends to provide students with the theoretical and methodological tools necessary for the literary and linguistic analysis of the texts examined. Through a selection of anthological passages, some of the most important writers and the movements to which they belong will be examined.

Didactic methods
The evolution of French literary history of the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries will be presented through a series of anthological readings and critical texts projected during the lessons and then made available to students on the Unistudium platform. The course includes lectures divided into the following three modules:

1. Introduction to 18th century literary history through anthological readings with particular focus on the 18th century authors present in the program.
2. Introduction to the literary history of the nineteenth century through anthological readings with particular focus on the nineteenth century authors present in the program.
3. Introduction to the literary history of the twentieth century through a choice of anthological readings with particular focus on the nineteenth-century authors present in the program.

The works in the program will be read in the complete French version recommended by the teacher, including their critical apparatus. Attendance is highly recommended. Attending students have the opportunity to have a regular discussion with the teacher. The lesson promotes a better understanding of the topics covered.

Modulo A Philosophical novel
Voltaire,'Micromégas',
Histoire philosophique, Dossier et notes réalisés par Guillaume Peureux. Lecture d'image par Alain Jaubert, Collection Folioplus classiques (n° 69), Gallimard, 2006.
Voltaire, “L’Ingenu“,Texte integral et dossier di Lièvre É., Paris, Gallimard, Folio Plus Classiques, 2004.

Modulo B naturalist novel
Zola, Émile, “Nana”. Présentation par Marie-Ange Fougère, Paris, Flammarion, 2000.
Maupassant Guy de, “Yvette”. Préface et commentaire par Gérard Gengembre, Paris, Librairie Générale Française, 1997.

Modulo C Existentialist novel
Jean-Paul Sartre, «La Nausée», Paris, Gallimard, Folio, 2013.
Testo consigliato per la storia letteraria:
L. Sozzi (a cura di), « Storia europea della letteratura francese », vol. II, «Dal Settecento all'età contemporanea », Torino, Einaudi, 2013.

The critical texts and some parts of narrative texts that the teacher will use for the presentation of the period under study will all be published on the Unistudium platform.
Training objectives

At the end of the course the student must acquire the following knowledge: literary history from the 18th to the 20th century; the principal of the literary movements that develop in the indicated time frame; The main skills to be applied to knowledge are: ability to critically situate a work and a literary movement; ability to read, translate and analyze the texts studied; ability to analyze (thematic, stylistic and structural) of the texts in the program. Methods for verifying learning. The exam consists of a single oral test. At the center of the interview there will be the themes and authors treated during the lessons and contained in the texts indicated in the program. The test aims to evaluate the students' level of knowledge, understanding and critical analysis and their ability to present the acquired contents with language properties. The duration of the exam varies depending on the progress of the test itself.

Students with disabilities and/or with SLD
Students with disabilities and/or with SLD who, having completed regular accreditation through SOL, have obtained access to University services, can apply for compensatory tools, dispensatory measures and inclusive technologies ensured by law, to be requested and agreed with the teacher well in advance of tests and exams. For general information, consult the page https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa and contact the Disability and/or SLD Department Coordinator (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it). (prof.ssa Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it)

Bibliography
Other useful critical studies that the student can use to complete their preparation:

LITERARY HISTORY MANUALS
Iotti G., “La civiltà letteraria francese del Settecento”, Bari, Laterza, 2009.
Scaiola A.M., (ed) “Il romanzo francese dell'Ottocento”, Bari, Laterza, 2009.
Critical Texts Highly recommended for students who are unable to attend classes regularly.
ON THE TALES OF VOLTAIRE
Dumeste M.-H., “Le Conte philosophique voltairien; 20 sujets entièrement traités à partir de ‘Candide’, ‘l’Ingénu’‘ Micromégas’, Zadig”, Paris, Hatier, 1995.

Mervaud C., “Sur l’activité ludique de Voltaire conteur: le problème de ‘L’Ingénu’”, L’information littéraire, 1983, n.35, pp.13-17.

Van Den Heuvel J., “Voltaire dans ses contes”, Paris, Armand Colin, 1967, sur ‘Micomégas’ et sur ‘Candide’, pp. 236-289, sur ‘L’ingénu’, pp.295-312.
Sur Nana:
Bafaro, G., “Nana, Zola”, Paris, Ellipses, 2000.
Bellalou, G., “Regard sur la femme dans l’œuvre de Zola. Ses représentations de l’encre à l’écran”, Toulon, Les Presses du Midi, 2006.
Derakhshesh, D., “Et Zola créa la femme.”, Langres, Dominique Guéniot, 2005.
Gural-migdal, A., ed., «Nana, figure de l’Entre et de l’Autre », L’écriture du féminin chez Zola et dans la fiction naturaliste/Writing the Feminine in Zola and Naturalist Fiction, Bern, Peter Lang, 2003, pp. 313-331.

Jennings, C., “Lecture idéologique de Nana”, Mosaic, n. 4, 1977, pp. 47-54.
Mbarga, C., Emile Zola : Les femmes de pouvoir dans les Rougon-Macquart, Paris, L’Harmattan, 2008.
Newton, J., “Zola et les images : aspects de Nana”, in Hamon, Philippe; Leduc-Adine, Jeand Pierre, Mimesis et semiosis: littérature et représentation: miscallanées offertes à H. Mitterand, Paris, Nathan, 1992, pp. 461-474.

Reverzy, E., “Nana d’Emile” Zola, Paris Gallimard, « Foliothèque » 2008.
Sur Yvette

Benhamou, N., “La prostitution dans la poésie de Guy de Maupassant : genèse d’une notion clé de l’œuvre en prose”, Anales de Filologia francesa, 2019. pp. 403-417.
Brahimi, D., “Quelques idées reçues sur Maupassant”, Paris, L’Harmattan, 2012.
.
Dahhan, Ph.e, “Guy de Maupassant et les femmes”, Paris, Editions Bertout « La Mémoire Normande », 1996.

Färnlöf, H., “La concision exemplaire de la nouvelle? Réflexions sur l’art du récit bref chez Maupassant », Nineteenth-Century French Studies, Vol. 50, n. 1-2, 2021, pp. 135-149.
Grojnowski, D., “ L’amateur de Nouvelles”, in Maupassant, miroir de la nouvelle, Paris, Presses universitaires de Vincennes, 1988, pp. 9-13.

Poyet, Th., Maupassant, une littérature de la provocation, Paris, Editions Kimé, 2011.

Vial, A., “Maupassant et la Vénus vénale”, Fait et significations : Musset, Hugo, Baudelaire, Verlaine, Balzac, Sainte-Beuve, Flaubert, Maupassant, Paris, Librairie Nizet, 1973.

Sur La Nausée
Deguy, J., “La Nausée de Jean-Paul Sartre”, Paris, Gallimard, 1993.

Gomez-Muller A., Sartre, de “la Nausée” à l‘engagement, Parigi, Félin-Kiron 2005.

Idt, G., “La Nausée Sartre: Résumé, Personnages, Thèmes” Paris, Hatier, 1994.

Krieger L., “Histoire et existentialisme chez Sartre”, «Cités», vol. 22, n.2, 2005, pp. 155-159.
Lo Conte M., “Esistenza e Morte. Heidegger e Sartre”, Napoli, La scuola di pitagora, 2019.

Louette J.-F., “La Nausée Roman du silence La voix, le retrait, l’autre”, «Littérature», n 75, 1989, pp. 3-20.

Mellino M., “Jean-Paul Sartre. La nausea del Novecento. L’esistenzialismo come crisi dell’Occidente.”, Geneaologie della modernità. Critica postcoloniale e teoria radicale, 2017, pp. 257-297.

MercierJ., “L’existentialisme sartrien.”, Hommes et monde, vol. 11, n° 43, pp. 268-277.
Philonenko A., “Liberté et mauvaise foi chez Sartre”, Revue de métaphysique et de morale, n. 2, 1981, pp. 145-163.
Prini P., Storia dell’ esistenzialismo da Kierkegaard ad oggi, Edizioni Studium, Roma,1989.

Tamassia P., “Sartre e il Novecento”, Trento, Università degli studi di Trento, 2009.
Teroni, S., “L’idea e la forma. L’approdo di Sartre alla scrittura letteraria”, Venezia, Marsilio, 1988.
Van Buuren M., “Être et exister: le cas de La Nausée”, Revue électronique de littérature française, n. 1, 2007, pp. 74-89.

REFERENCE BIBLIOGRAPHY

Auerbach E., “Mimesis. Il realismo nella letteratura occidentale,” 2 Vol, Torino, Einaudi, 2010.
Bercegol F., “Métamorphoses du roman sentimental, XIXe-XXIe siècle”, “Collection Rencontres”, n°113, Paris, Classiques Garnier, 2015.
Berchtold J., “Les prisons du roman, XVIIe-XVIIIe siècle, lectures plurielles et intertextuelles de Guzman d'Alfarache à Jacques le Fataliste”, Genève, Droz, “Collection Histoire des idées et critique littéraire”, 2000.
Berretta Anguissola A., “Il romanzo francese dell'Ottocento. Un racconto in otto percorsi”, Roma, Carocci, 2021.
Berretta Anguissola A., “Il romanzo francese di formazione”, Bari, Laterza, 2009.
Calais É., Voiriot Cordary N., Dumas D., (eds) “Voltaire : le conte philosophique voltairien”, Paris, Ellipses, 2016.
Chartier P., “Introduction aux grandes théories du roman”, Paris, Armand Colin, 2005.
Coulet H.,“Le Roman jusqu’à la Révolution”, Paris, Armand Colin, 2003.
Durvye C., “À la découverte du roman”, Paris, Ellipse, 2000
Forestier L., (ed.) “Maupassant et l'écriture” Actes du colloque de Fécamp, 21-22-23 mai 1993, Paris, Nathan, 1993.
Genette G., “Figures III”, Paris, Éditions du Seuil, 1972.
Genette G., “Nouveau discours du récit”, Paris, Edition du Seuil, 1983.
Goldzink J., “La plume et l'idée ou l'intelligence des Lumières”, Paris, Éditions le Manuscrit, 2008.
Granderoute R., “Le roman pédagogique de Fénelon à Rousseau”, Genève , Slatkine, 1985.
Guichardet J., “Balzac, archéologue de Paris”, Genève, Slatkine, Paris, H. Champion, 1999.
Iotti G., (ed.), “La Civiltà letteraria francese del Settecento”, Bari Laterza, 2009.
Lotterie F. (ed.), “Voltaire et ses contes. Nouvelles perspectives critiques. Zadig, Candide, L'Ingénu”, Paris, Hermann, 2019.
Lukàcs G., “Le roman historique”, Paris, Payot, 1977.
Millet C., “Le Romantisme. Du bouleversement des lettres à la France révolutionnaire”, Le Livre de Poche, Collection « Référence », Paris, 2007.
Mitterand H., “Le Regard et le Signe. Poétique du roman réaliste et naturaliste”, Paris, Presses Universitaires de France, 1987.
Mitterand H., “Le roman naturaliste, anthologie”, Paris, Le Livre de Poche, 1999.
Pages Alain, “Le Naturalisme”, Paris, Presses Universitaires de France, 1989.
Pouilliart R., “Le Romantisme III, 1869-1896”, Paris, Arthaud, 1968.
Pouillon J., “Temps et roman, Paris, Gallimard, 1993.
Propp V., “ Morphologie du conte (traduit du russe par DerridA M., Todorov T., Kahn C.), Paris, Seuil, 1970.
Rabaté D., “Poétiques de la voix, Collection”, « Les Essais », Paris, José Corti, 1999.
Raimond M., “La crise du roman, dès lendemains du Naturalisme aux années vingt”, Paris, José Corti, 1966.
Robbe-Grillet A., “Pour un nouveau roman”, Paris, Éditions de Minuit, 1990.
Rougemont D. (de), “L’Amour et l’Occident, Paris, Plon, 1972.
Sarraute N., “L’Ère du soupçon”, Paris, Gallimard, 1956.
Scaiola A.-M., (ed.), “Il Romanzo francese dell'Ottocento”, Bari, Laterza, 2009.
Tadié J.Y., “Le roman au XX siècle”, Paris, Belfond, «Agora», 1990.
Todorov T., “Introduction à la littérature fantastique”, Paris, Seuil (collection «Poétique»), 1970.
Todorov T., “Les Genres du discours”, Paris, Seuil (collection «Poétique»), 1978.
Todorov T., “Poétique de la prose”. Nouvelles recherches sur le récit, Paris, Seuil, 1978.
Touret M., “Histoire de la littérature française du XXe siècle : de 1942 à 2000”, Tome II, Rennes, presses universitaires de Rennes, 2003.
Touret M., “Histoire de la littérature française du XXe siècle”, Tome I, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2000.
Vaillant A., “Dictionnaire du romantisme”, Paris, Cnrs éditions, 2012.
Viart D., Vercier B., “La Littérature française au present”, Paris, Bordas, 2008.

Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile

4) Quality education ; 5) Gender equality; 12 ) reduce inequalities; 16) peace, justice and strong institutions.