French 470 - Suffering and Self-Expression in Early Modern French Literature

Institution:

Washington University in St Louis

Subject:

Description:

How did early modern people cope with disease, suffering, and death? With the advancement of medical science, in particular with Ambroise Paré, who saw it as his mission to ease his patients' pain, a new sensitivity toward man's suffering began to develop. Working within the historical and scientific context of the time, this course examines old and emerging attitudes toward man's suffering with special emphasis on the relationship between suffering and artistic expression. Topics discussed include: suffering as part of the human condition; suffering and faith; suffering and early modern medicine; medicine and religion; gendered views of illness; disease/suffering as a vehicle of relief and self-expression; literary treatment of suffering and disease, including melancholia, depression, suicide, kidney stone, mourning, aging, etc.; images of the ailing body and the ailing mind in early modern texts; disease as a theme and a metaphor. Various genres are covered (fiction, poetry, drama, essay, travelogue). Authors likely include Maurice Scève, Helisenne de Crenne, Louise Labé, Joachim Du Bellay, Pierre de Ronsard, Marguerite de Navarre, Jean-Baptiste Chassignet, Gabrielle de Coignard, and Michel de Montaigne. Prerequisites: French 325 and French 326 or one of these courses and the equivalent Washington University transfer literature course from Toulouse or Paris. One-hour preceptorial for undergraduates only.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wustl.edu

Phone Number:

(314) 935-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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