| Unit name | Renaissance Fiction |
|---|---|
| Unit code | FRENM2003 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Emeritus Professor. Parkin |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Students need to have a command of the French language which enables them to study materials in the original |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of French |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The unit will introduce students to French Renaissance fiction, concentrating on two major European authors, namely Frangois Rabelais and Marguerite de Navarre. They share certain religious and cultural beliefs, but differ widely in style and taste, a particular contrast lying in the so-called Querelle des Femmes, where they stand opposed as anti-feminist and feminist respectively, though neither position is unambiguous. Other relevant subjects are narrative technique, characterisation, social issues (Marguerite is a noblewoman, Rabelais stands closer to the people) and their writings' curious provisionality: neither Rabelais' chronicles nor the Heptamiron are complete. An essay will be required on conclusion of the unit, normally concerning a subject linking the two authors. Students will also offer an assessed seminar presentation, either analysing a section of narrative in detail or treating a specific theme.
