An exploration of great works of French and Francophone theater from the seventeenth century to the present. Students will read the classical playwrights Molière, Corneille, and Racine, as well as lesser known but worthy early modern women dramatists, Catherine Bernard and Olympe de Gouges; the course will follow the aesthetic and thematic shifts brought on by Marivaux, Beaumarchais, and Hugo, and compare these to the theater of contemporary Francophone playwrights such as Yasmina Réza, Marie N’Diaye, and Wajdi Mouawad. Close attention will be paid to the historical settings and material conditions in which the plays first appeared, and how they have since been adapted and reprised in different political contexts and by troupes with varying objectives. Students will watch performances and grasp the unique position that theater occupies within the French cultural tradition.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 12

Prerequisites: FREN 210, FREN 211, or FREN 212; and one additional unit, FREN 213 or above.

Instructor: Bilis

Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature

Typical Periods Offered: Every three years

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring

Notes: