Department of French and Italian

The Montaigne Seminar

In this course we will study one of the major achievements of world literature, the Essays of Michel de Montaigne. We will read all three books of essays and situate our reading in a variety of cultural and historical contexts. We will explore the highly stratified composition of the essays and their esthetic of irresolution, and we will develop an understanding of literary genre based on the essay in its nascent form. We will discuss the main current trends in Montaigne scholarship and the many opportunities for research and publication while hearing from distinguished guests in the field. Students will do an in-class presentation and write a term paper on a subject chosen in consultation with the professor. The course will be in French. 

FRIT-F 513    #30317      4:00P-6:00P       Th       BH 233        Prof. Eric MacPhail