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2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

FREN3740 Ecrire et s'écrire. Womens' Writing in France, 20th/21st Centuries

20 creditsClass Size: 24

Module manager: Professor Diana Holmes
Email: d.holmes@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

Pre-requisite qualifications

Completion of level 2 French or equivalent

Module replaces

2 x 10-credit modules: The Politics of Romance and Sexual/Social Subjects

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Critical reception of writing by women, throughout most of the 20th century, tended to emphasize two supposedly feminine failings: women could only write about themselves, and they always wrote about romantic love. This module takes these two clichés about women's writing as the basis for the two semesters and asks to what extent writing about the self (autobiography) and writing love stories (romance) are specifically feminine, and how women writers have used the two forms. Beginning with the study of some key theories of women's writing (workbook provided), it first tackles the question of writing the self, or autobiography, studying some theories of gender and autobiography before turning to four examples of the genre, and to an exploration of self-writing through (a brief foray into) practice. Semester 2 then starts from the popular romance (of the Mills & Boon/Harlequin variety), as the preferred genre of 20th century women readers, and moves on to three examples of 'literary' novels by major French women writers, one (Colette) from earlier in the century and two contemporary (Annie Ernaux; Nancy Huston). The module will develop your skills in research, discussion and debate, textual analysis, writing in French and English, and your knowledge of gender and literary theory and 20th/21st century French culture.Pre-requisite: Completion of level 2 French or equivalent

Objectives

On completion of this module, students will be able to handle concepts of literary and cultural analysis relating to gender, sexual difference, representation and autobiography.

They will be able to show knowledge of women's writing in the 20th and 21st centuries, and to situate the set texts in the appropriate cultural and social contexts. They will be able to demonstrate understanding of the issues involved in writing autobiographically.

Students will also be able to engage in advanced level debate, argumentation, and formal presentation.

Skills outcomes
- Critical reading, thinking, argumentation
- Language development (French).

Syllabus

The analysis of a selection of texts by some of the greatest and/or most widely read 20th/21st century French women writers, within the context of women's writing at the time of publication, and with reference to issues relevant to women's and gender studies: representation of gender and sexual difference, sexual politics, women's relationship to language, culture and society.

The module focuses on:
(a) writing the self, or autobiography, including an element of practice ie creative writing and
(b) the novel both as love story and as means of addressing social and political questions.

Lectures will provide context and critical frameworks; the majority of learning/teaching will be through seminar discussion.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Class tests, exams and assessment	1	2.00	2.00
Lecture	6	1.00	6.00
Seminar	14	1.00	14.00
Private study hours			178.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

- 39 hours seminar preparation
- 59 hours private reading round the subject
- 10 hours practising autobiographical writing
- 20 hours preparation for exam
- 50 hours preparation/writing essay.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

- seminar discussion and feedback
- short formative essay (1,000 word maximum) semester 1
- examination end of semester 1.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	3,000 words	50.00
Practical	Autobiographical writing (1,000 words max.) + commentary	20.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		70.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 00 mins	30.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		30.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 25/05/2016

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