French 230tl - Colloquium: Topics in French Studies-Tahitian Letters: Island Paradise in the French Cultural Imagination

“I thought I had been transported to the garden of Eden”: the explorer Bougainville’s 1771 description of the abundance and beauty of “Taïti” set the tone for two centuries of exoticism in French literature and art. This course explores legacies of Enlightenment, colonialism, feminism and postcolonialism through the shifting representations of this so-called island paradise. Readings include travel narratives, philosophical texts, poetry and novels by Rousseau, Diderot, Josephine de Montbart, Charles Baudelaire, Pierre Loti and Chantal Spitz. Works are approached in historical context, drawing connections with visual culture, global developments and contemporary debates. Basis for the major. Prerequisite: FRN 220 or equivalent. Restrictions: FRN 230 may not be repeated. Enrollment limited to 18. Course taught in French. (E)

[CE] FRN 230 Limit