ONLINE: How do Francophone women authors depict the society of their times? What do they write about tradition, submission, emancipation, inclusion? In this course taught entirely in French, five Francophone women authors, two from France, two from Senegal and one Acadian from New Brunswick, Canada, will give us a good idea of what it was like to live in the 19th and 20th centuries. For each author, a biography and a background of historical events and societal traits of their time will be provided. We will examine selected passages from novels by these five authors to ascertain what they said about life in particular times and places in Francophone cultures. For lack of time, we will not read whole novels, though students will be encouraged to do so. Even though we will be studying women authors, men will be the protagonists of some novels. By the end of the course, it is hoped that participants will see society through a whole new perspective and ponder whether it has evolved over time. | Lecture + Q&A, Facilitated discussion.
Max enrollment: 14.
Class sessions are recorded.
Claire Davidshofer, born in Cote d’Ivoire, lived there as a child. Upon her family's return to France, she attended French public schools and the Universite d'Aix-en-Provence, where she earned a master’s degree in English and American literature. Before relocating to Durham, she lived in Maine. There, she taught a variety of courses at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, among them courses on French literature, Francophone Africa, Quebec and Acadian history. She now teaches at OLLI.