BASC70198 - French Literature: Stendhal's The Red and the Black and Balzac's Pere Goriot

Course Description

This class takes up two of the greatest and most influential French novels, both set in the Restoration after the defeat of Napoleon: Stendhal's The Red and The Black; and what is widely considered Balzac's best (and "essential") novel, Pere Goriot. Stendhal is often considered the first psychological novelist; The Red and the Black, following Julien Sorrel in his frustrations and struggles in post-Napoleonic France and in the time leading up to the 1830 revolution, gives a deeply satirical view of the time. We will also discuss the 1983 film adaptation of the novel, with Gregory Peck & Christopher Plummer. We will then move on to Pere Goriot, a powerful personal and social tragedy set in Paris, and the cornerstone of Balzac's larger Comedie humaine. Both authors are noted for their uncompromising realism. We will engage in close reading and discussion. Please read Part 1, chaps 1-18 of The Red and the Black for the first class.

Course Outline

Course Syllabus

Notes

Online registration closes June 8 at 5:00 pm CT.