Module: French Literature & Society

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	French Literature & Society
Module Code	FRE1022 (ITS: FR304)
Faculty	SALIS	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

This course involves the in-depth analysis of works by metropolitan and/or non-metropolitan authors and artists in French, placing special emphasis on questions of genders and Sexualites, both on an individual level and involving a wider cultural base. Students explore questions around represetntation through art and artivismand consider different types of narrative and representational practice. The nature of identity is analysed, including its basis, its changes and its hesitations, in relation to the construction and representation of the self in creative work and society. Memory is explored in terms of its foundations, its selectivity, and questions of repression and expression, in accordance with the importance of both concepts in each work and in each historical context. The course is delivered in French and English. I

Learning Outcomes

1. examine the importance of the generation of 'stories of the self' for identity construction and SOGI identities, and other relevant theoretical constructs pertaining to the texts under discussion.
2. discuss the effects of different types of narrative form and organization and appraise and incorporate judgements from the key critical literature on the works.
3. identify the specific cultural/societal issues accompanying the texts, for example traumatic historical events, socio-sexual politics, or questions of immigration and integration.
4. compare and contrast works produced in French, which may be from different cultures.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	22	No Description
Assignment Completion	20	No Description
Independent Study	25	No Description
Directed learning	36	Independent reading of prescribed works
Directed learning	11	Preparation for group or class discussion
Directed learning	11	Revision of group and class discussions (synchronous or asynchronous)
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	10710	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Dervila Cooke	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Analysis of a given work or works (written or oral, as determined by the lecturer)	45%	n/a
Assignment	Quizzes	5%	n/a
Assignment	Analysis of a given work or works (written or oral, as determined by the lecturer)	50%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Readings and Analyses (16 lectures)
Study of themes, structure, character depiction, use of language, textual analysis

Literary criticism and personal interpretations (4 lectures)
Study of literary figures and techniques

Literary history and context (4 lectures)
Presentation of contextual and literary history

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Lecarme, Jacques et Eliane Lecarme-Tabone: 1997, L'Autobiographie, 1st, Armand Colin, Paris,
Sheringham, Michael: 1993, Devices and Desires: French Autobiography. Rousseau to Perec, Clarendon Press, Oxford,
Cooke, Dervila: 2005, Present Pasts: Patrick Modiano's (Auto)Biographical Fictions, Rodopi, Amsterdam/New York,
Fernandez-Recatala, Denis: 1994, Annie Ernaux, Editions du Rocher, Monaco,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

website: Venus d'ailleurs. Ecrire l'exil en français (le Québec), http://www.publifarum.farum.it/ezine_articles.php?art_id=211