2018/19 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

FREN3480 Twentieth Century French Literature and the Visual Arts

20 creditsClass Size: 24

Module manager: Dr Nigel Saint
Email: N.W.Saint@leeds.ac.uk

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

Year running 2018/19

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successful completion of Level 2 French or equivalent at the discretion of the Course Director

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Some of the stories about the relationship between literature and the visual arts in France have become legendary: - Apollinaire was (wrongly) arrested for stealing the Mona Lisa; - Malraux looted art treasures in Cambodia; - and Lacan once owned Courbet's scandalous L'Origine du monde but kept it hidden from view. This module will consider the interaction between writing and the visual arts in texts written after 1945. Covering a wide variety of artists (Van Gogh, Giacometti, James Turrell and Sophie Calle) and periods (19th and 20th Century photography), we will look at how writers respond to painting, sculpture and photography using different prose forms. The topics explored include beauty, artists' lives, philosophy, memory, the value of art and experiences of looking. Our study of Didi-Huberman's book on Turrell includes an afternoon visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

1. demonstrate thorough knowledge of the prescribed texts
2. situate these texts within their literary, aesthetic, cultural and theoretical contexts
3. analyse critically the texts' engagement with their artistic subjects
4. address the general theoretical questions relating to the comparison between literature and the visual arts
5. form clear and persuasive arguments, both orally and in writing, relating to the issues raised by the module.

Skills outcomes
Enhanced skills in written and oral French in an academic register.

Syllabus

During the course of the module we will considering the following prescribed texts:
- Sophie Calle, Disparitions, Actes Sud, 2000
- Georges Didi-Huberman, L'Homme qui marchait dans la couleur, Minuit, 2001
- Antonin Artaud, Van Gogh le suicidé de la société, Gallimard/L'Imaginaire, 2001
- Roland Barthes, La Chambre claire: Note sur la photographie, Gallimard/Seuil, 1980.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Seminar	21	1.00	21.00
Private study hours			179.00
Total Contact hours			21.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Students will be expected to prepare for seminars by:
a) reading texts,
b) preparing group presentations,
c) reflecting on specific research questions,
d) carrying out bibliographical research.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

- seminar presentations
- optional practice essay (returned promptly with feedback) and
- discussions with tutor about choice of assessed essay.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	3,000 words in French	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		50.00

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	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		50.00

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: 24/04/2018

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