Poem or Document? Functions of the 19th Century Novel (FR0028)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : LLC-4-FR0028

The Realist and Naturalist novel has for a long time been considered as an objective representation of social and political reality, a faithful literary copy of the outside world. However, most authors whom we generally classify as 'Realists', in particular Flaubert, were highly suspicious (to say the least) of a merely mimetic function of the novel. The fictional and theoretical works of the four leading nineteenth-century novelists (Balzac, Stendhal. Flaubert, Zola) show a fundamental tension between what would seem two totally different concepts of fiction: the novel as a historical document versus the novel as a work of art with no outside referent but itself. This course will investigate the different concepts of fiction that were at stake in the Realist and Naturalist enterprise. Drawing on structuralist and post-structuralist criticism, we will re-examine such problematic and ambivalent terms as 'Realism', 'Naturalism', and 'literary mimesis'.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : Admission to French 4 Hons or, for visiting students, proof of equivalent attainment.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

European Languages and Cultures - French, (School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, Schedule G)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Thursday	09:00	10:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be expected to show the ability:
- to demonstrate sound knowledge and understanding of the chosen specialism(s)
- to recognise and acknowledge the complexity of the subject
- to show an understanding of and apply competently relevant concepts and theories
- to construct coherent arguments which demonstrate an awareness of the problems posed by the texts/ issues studied
- to demonstrate a high level of expression in both written and oral presentations
- to offer alternative perspectives and show an awareness of contrasting viewpoints