This course surveys the literature and civilization of the French
Renaissance. We will begin with an introduction to the French
language in the 16th century by reviewing linguistic forms and
orthographic conventions and by assessing the cultural status of
French in relation to Latin, other European vernaculars, and the
regional dialects of France. For this segment we will read some
excerpts from Geoffroy Tory and Francois Rabelais. Then we will look
at the importance of books and printing in the French Renaissance
with a trip to view the collections of the Lilly Library. We will
also examine the role of Christian humanism in the early part of the
century in relation to Jacques Lefèvre d’Etaples’ translation of the
Pauline epistles. Next we will study Marguerite de Navarre’s
collection of short stories, l’Heptaméron. All students will
do an in-class presentation and a five page paper on a story or
theme of their choice from l’Heptaméron. Next we will survey
the Petrarchan tradition in French Renaissance lyric poetry, as
exemplified by Pierre de Ronsard’s Amours, and each student
will do a presentation in class on a poem of his or her choice. To
conclude, we will read the Histoire d'un voyage fait en la terre
du Bresil de Jean de Lery, one of the landmarks of European
anthropology and travel narrative, which will be the subject of our
final exam. Fulfills A & H requirement.