Spring 2023

French 4304B – French Genre Fiction
Professor: Dr. Carole Martin, cm25@txstate.edu

Description: This is a course based on the close reading of five fictional texts representative of the French-speaking world and devoted to the topic of “Étranges Amours” or “Queer Love.” These texts are organized in sequence, starting with the most recent one—a 2020 autobiographical monologue by Fatima Daas—and ending with a 17th century tale co-authored by Charles Perrault. The sequence will also give the class the opportunity to reflect on the major movements that have characterized the evolution of modern literature from its classical roots to romanticism (with George Sand's Gabriel), realism, and decadence (with Rachilde's Monsieur Vénus), to the contemporary promotion of autofiction.   

French 4330B – Issues in Contemporary French Media
Professor: Dr. Gyongyi Pisak, g_p55@txstate.edu

Description: The focus of this course is to give you ample practice in speaking and writing in French through analyzing, making, and responding to arguments in a wide range of topics in current French society and culture. You will improve your written style, deepen your understanding of authentic French texts, and increase your ability to understand spoken French. You will also improve your grammatical accuracy, enlarge your vocabulary, and acquire more ease and confidence speaking French, in a friendly environment. The topics we will discuss are certain to trigger ideas and interest, and you will acquire the skills to express your own opinion on them in French.

French 4350A – French Poetic Realism
Professor: Dr. Jennifer Forrest, jf05@txstate.edu

Description: In this course, we will study French Poetic Realism, watching films by great directors like Jean Renoir, Julien Duvivier, Marcel Carné, Jean Grémillon, Jean Vigo, and Jacques Feyder. These directors, screenwriters like the poet Jacques Prévert and Charles Spaak, composers like Maurice Jaubert and Georges Auric, and set designers like Alexandre Trauner and Lazare Meerson all contribute to creating the unique mood and look of truly groundbreaking movies. Poetic Realism had a considerable influence on later styles: Italian Neorealism, American film noir, and the French New Wave. Taught in English.