RLFR 234(S) The World of Les Misérables, Then and Now
From its immediate success at the time of its publication in 1862 to the legendary status of its characters, and from the episodes known to every French schoolchild to its countless partial and full adaptations for theater and film, evidence abounds of the lasting impact of Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables. It is a book which captured in detail many of the social, political, historical, and cultural movements of the first half of the nineteenth century and yet has remained relevant to readers through the present day. In this course, we will examine this monumental work in order to gain an understanding of the era that it represents through the point of view of its author and of the influence that it has since exerted on the cultural imagination. We will discuss the myriad of nineteenth-century social, cultural, and political issues that the novel incorporates and will thereby gain a more complete understanding of the period. We will also examine this vast novel by one of the century's most renowned writers as an aesthetic object, discussing issues particular to the genre of the novel. In addition, we will discuss the ways in which the novel has been re-worked into various more modern contexts through adaptations in other media (theater and film) and will analyze the ways in which artists in these media undertake the telling of this classic story. Reading will consist primarily of Hugo's Les Misérables; film viewings (including adaptations by Le Chanois and Lelouch) will be required and other optional readings will be suggested. Conducted in French.
Format: seminar. Requirements: consistent and active class participation, one oral presentation, one short paper, and a longer final paper.
Prerequisites: French 110 or permission of instructor or results of the Williams College Placement Test. Enrollment limit: 20 (expected: 20). If overenrolled, preference given to French and Comparative Literature majors and those with compelling justification for admission.
Hour: LEWIS