The Making of Modern France



THIS COURSE TAUGHT AT MILLS CAMPUS



This course investigates the genesis of modern society in France through the study of French civilization from the Renaissance to the Revolution. Focusing on a variety of genres (essay, poetry, theater, philosophical tale), we will explore how French writers reflected upon the great societal transformations of this period: from the sixteenth century’s bloody civil wars between Protestants and Catholics to Absolutism under Louis XIV the Sun King, the age of Enlightenment, and the French Revolution in 1789. Through this journey into French history, you will develop your linguistic and analytical skills by studying film and secondary sources in conjunction with reading some of the most famous texts of the French canon. Authors may include Aubigné, Corneille, Scudéry, La Fontaine, Molière, Voltaire, Rousseau, Beaumarchais, and Gouges.



Texts: Corneille. Le Cid. (Flammarion, 2009) ISBN : 2081224755.

Voltaire. Candide. (Flammarion 2007) ISBN: 208071290X.

Beaumarchais. Le Mariage de Figaro (Flammarion 2008) ISBN: 2081217724.