A History of French Literature: From Chanson de geste to Cinema

In its scope and inclusiveness, this ambitious volume is far more than a history of the literature of France from its origins to the present day, though it is that too. It is a book that fully registers the impact of post–modern thought upon our understanding of what we mean by ′literature′ and what historically has been meant by the term. David Coward′s book allows us to see the diverse wealth of French literature, which has been extended and enriched by new Francophone writing in Europe, Canada, the West Indies and North and Sub–Saharan Africa. His history is set in the widest cultural context and links the development of literature to the mentalities and social conditions which produced it. Coward takes us beyond ′literature′ into the world of the best–seller and, beyond words, to graphic fiction and cinema. In the course of his account he maps the rise of the intellectual, from the time of Dreyfus to the divisions of the 1930s, from the Existentialists to the Post–Structuralists and beyond, and in so doing charts a progression from literary doctrine to critical theory. Whatever the subject in hand, from the ′feminism′ of the Middle Ages to the Feminism of the present, from the ′modernism′ of the fifteenth century to the Modernism we associate with Proust and his contemporaries, Coward proves to be a fascinating and inspiring guide. Topics, themes and genres are clearly signposted so that the reader may follow the evolution of theatre, poetry or fiction as well as wider matters such as censorship and writers′ rewards. The text is complemented by a fully comprehensive and reader–friendly index.

Part I: The Middle Ages. Introduction. Language. Literature. Its Diffusion. Authors. Hagiography. The Chanson De Geste. Lyric Poetry To Ruteboeuf. Romance. Comic Realism. Le Roman De Renard. The Fabliau. The Literature Of Devotion, Moral Reflection And Information. Learning And Ideas. Theatre. Later Lyric Poetry. Fifteenth Century Modernism. Chartier. Charles d’Orléans. The Anti–Courtly Reaction. ‘Rhétoriqueurs’. Villon. Conclusion. Part II: The Renaissance. 1. The Age Of François I:. The Restitution Of Letters And The Renewal Of Faith. The Impact Of Italy. Philology. Neoplatonism. Neostoicism. The New Learning. Erasmsus. The Evangelical Movement. Poetry. The Rhétoriqueurs. Marot. Latin Verse. Scève. The Lyons Poets. The Defence Of Women. The Querelle Des Amyes. Conclusion. Prose. The Rise Of French. Chronicle, Epic And Romance. Fiction. Rabelais. 2. The Generation Of The Pléïade:. The Defence Of The Language. Royal Intervantion. Standardisation. The Role Of Translation. Which French?. The New Poetics And The Pléïade. The Féfence Et Illusration. The Pléïade. Its Aesthetic. The Hierarchy Of Genres. Its Themes. Love And The Court. Nature. The Impact Of The Pléïade. Pléïade Poets. Du Bellay. Ronsard. Theatre. The Hôtel De Bourgogne. Humanist Drama. Growth Of Tragedy. Neo–Classical Tragedy. Garnier. Comedy. 3. Literature During The Wars Of Religion:. The Wars Of Religion. Henri IV. Counter–Reformation. Literature. Poetry. After The Pléïade. Poetry And Religion. Epic. The Personal Meditation. Prose. Chronicles. Political Writing. Pamphlet Literature. Prose Narrative. Moral Reflection. Montaigne. Conclusion. Part III: The Classical Age. Writers And Public. Writers And Their Public. Rewards And Favour. The Status Of Authors. The Socialisation Of Literature. Taste. Preciosity. The ‘Précieuses’. The Evolution Of Taste. The Elaboration Of The Classical Ideal. Malherbe. The Classical Doctrine. Language. The Language Of Classicism. Principles And Rules. Honnêteté. The Rise Of Rationalism. Jesuits Anbd Jansenists. The New Science. The ‘Libertins’. Descartes. Pascal. Poetry. Boileau. La Fontaine. Fiction. The Pastoral Novel. The Heroic Novel. The Roman D’analyse. The Roman Réaliste. The Philosophical Novel. The Conte De Fée. First Person Narrators. Fictitious Memoirs. Theatre. The Theatres. The Players. The Staging Of Plays. Audiences. Tragicomedy. Comedy. Molière. Tragedy. Corneille. Racine. The Crisis Of Confidence. Moral Reflection. The Critical Spirit. The Press. History. Quietism. Fénelon. Bossuet. Malebranche. Relativism. The New Ideas. Bayle. The Spread Of Science. The Querelle Des Ancien Et Des Modernes. The Legacy Of Classicism. Part IV: The Enlightenment. Introduction. 4. Writers And Their Public:. Language. Education. The Reading Public. The Book Trade. Censorship. The Status Of Authors. 5. The Rise Of The Philosophic Spirit:. The Knowledge Revolution. The Cosmopolitan Connection. Science, Religion And The Material World. Nature. Scientific Optimism. Le Bonheur. Pure And Applied Reason. Philosophical Optimism. Materialism. Determinism. 6. The Social Programme Of The Enlightenment:. Deism. The Problem Of Evil. Natural Morality. Tolerance. Politics. Limits Of Reform. The Philosophic Programme. L’Encyclopédie. Montesquieu. Voltaire. Rousseau. Diderot. Philosophie And Literature. 7. Literature:. Neoclassicism. Anglomania. Poetry. Theatre. Theatres And Staging. The Theatre Debate. Théâtre De Société. Tragedy. Comedy. Marivaux. The Drame Bourgeois. Beaumarchais. Prose Writing. Observation. Historiography. Biography. Autobiography. Fiction. Defence Of The Novel. Public Demand. Literary Strategies. Narrative Modes. Narrative Genres. Romans D’éducation. The Roman Libertin. Realism. Nouvelle And Conte. Beyond Enlightenment. Mercier. Restif. Laclos. Bernardin De Saint–Pierre. Sade. Enlightenment And Revolution. Pre–Romanticism. 8. Literature And The Revolution (1789–99). Part V: The Nineteenth Century. Introduction. 9. Writers And Their Public:. Language. Literacy. Reading Public. Censorship. Rights And Rewards. Market Forces. Status Of Authors. 10. Movements And Schools:. A. Intellectual Revolutions. Pure And Applied Science. Literature And Ideas. Digesting The Revolution. Throne And Altar. History. Catholicism And The Right. Positivism. Socialism And The Left. Ideas And Literature. B. Aesthetic Doctrines. The Growth Of Schools. Chateaubriand. Mme De Stael. Romanticism. Schools Of Poetry. The Parnassian School. Baudelaire. Symbolism: The First Phase. Décadisme. The Symbolist Movement. The Evolution Of Symbolism. Post–Symbolism. The Symbolist Revolution. Schools Of Fiction. Balzac. Realism. Naturalism. Literary Criticism. The Press. Foreign Influences. 11. Literature:. Poetry. Lamartine. Vigny. Hugo. Other Romantic Poets. Gautier. Leconte De Lisle. Parnassian Poets. Baudelaire. Verlaine. Rebels Of The 1870s. Rimbaud. Mallarmé. Laforgue. Poetry To 1914. Conclusion. Theatre. 1800–1850. Tragedy. Comedy. Romantic Drama (1827–43). Musset. Vaudeville. Scribe. Melodrama. Classical Revival. 1850–1914. The Moralising School Of Manners. Boulevard Theatre Of The Belle Époque. Naturalist Theatre. Symbolist Theatre. Melodrama. Conclusion. The Novel. 1800–30. The ‘Personal’ Novel. Mainstream Fiction. Romantic Fiction To 1830. 1830–48. The ‘Roman Libertin’. Colonial Fiction. Foreign Imports. Stendhal. Balzac. Mérimée. Sand. 1848–90. The Goncourts. Flaubert. Zola. Maupassant. The Retreat From Naturalism. 1890–1914. ’Les Psychologues’. ‘Le Roman De L’enfance’. Decadents. Le Roman De Moeurs. Short Fiction. Conclusion. The Roman Feuilleton And The Rise Of Popular Fiction. 1836–48. 1848–1870. 1870–1900. 1900–1920. Conclusion. Part VI: The Twentieth Century. 12. Writers And Their Public. French In The World. Language. The Public. The Book Trade. Censorship. Writers’ Rewards. The Status Of Authors. 13. From Literary Doctrine To Critical Theory. To 1914. Between The Wars. Surrealism. The ‘Collège De Sociologie’. The Catholic Revival. Since 1940. The Aesthetic Rump. Literary Theory. La Nouvelle Critique And Strucuralism. Post–Structuralism. Deconstruction. Postmodernism. The Concept Of Literature. 14. The Rise Of The Intellectual. From Dreyfus To The Great War. Dreyfusards And Anti–Dreyfusards. Ideas To 1914. The Intellectual In 1914. The Inter–War Years. Benda. Capitalism. Fascism V. Communism. The ‘Front Populaire’. Realignments. Defeat, Occupation And Liberation (1940–1944). L’Épuration And After. Épuration. Engagement. Sartre And Camus. Existentialism. Sartre. Camus. ‘Resistentialism’. The 1950s. The Recovery Of The Liberal Right. Doubts About The USSR. Colonialism. 1962–1968. A New Intellectual Order. Structuralism. Alienation. 1968–1980. A New Intellectual Equation. The Soixante–Huitard Spirit. A New ‘Résistance’. Post–Strucuralism. Feminism. The Retreat From Revolution. The Right–Wing Reactioin. The ‘Nouveaux Philosophes’. Since 1980. An Intellectual Mafia?. The Retreat From Dognatism. History And Philosophy. Postmodernism. A New Pragmatism?. Conclusion. 15. Literature:. Poetry. 1900–1918. World And Mind. The ‘Modern’ Spirit. 1918–1940. Dada And Surrealism. Non–Aligned Poets. Matters Of Form. 1940–1945. The École De Rochefort. 1945–60. Continuities And Renewal. 1960–1975. Since 1975. Poetry And Publisher. Matters Of Form. Themes. Regional Poets. Poetry By Women. Conclusion. Theatre:. 1914–1939. The National Theatres. The Boulevards. Studio Theatre. The Cartel. The Surrealists. Art And Commerce. 16. Social Comment:. 17. Ideas. 18. The Psychologists. 19. Poets Of Illusion. Other Playwrights. Salacrou. Cocteau. Claudel. Giraudoux. Anouilh. Conclusion. 1940–1968. 20. The Mainstream. 21. The Literary Play. 22. The Philosophical Play. Sartre. Camus. 23. New Theatre. Ionesco. Beckett. Genet. 24. Institutional Developments. The CDN. Vilar. Barrault. Planchon. 25. Playwrights Of The Sixties. Gatti. Arrabal. Theatre Since 1968. Boulevard And Mainstream. ‘La Création Collective’. Directors And Playwrights. Sarraute And Duras. Playwrights Since The Seventies. Théâtre Du Quotidien. Koltès And Vinaver. Conclusion. Fiction. 1914–40. The Revolt Of Youth. Time And History. Proust. Man And History. Man And God. Man And Destiny. The Human Tragedy. Forms Of Ficrion. 1940–60. New Departures. Radical Experiment. The New Novel. 1960–1970. Yourcenar. Cohen. Tournier. Since The 1970s. Duras. The Legacy Of The Sixties. Postliterary Fiction. Autobiography. Popular Genres. The Survival Of Tradition. Conclusion. Short Fiction. Part VII: Beyond Imagination, Gender And The Métropole. Biography. Autobiography. Women’s Writing. The Eighteenth Century. 1789–1900. 1900–45. 1945–68. Since 1968. Gay Writing. Francophone Writing. Language. Alternatives To Francophonie. Problems Of Definition. Belgium. Switzerland. French Canada. Quebec. The Caribbean: Martinique, Guadeloupe. French Guyana. Haiti. Indian Ocean: Mauritius, Réunion, Madagascar. Sub–Saharan Africa. North Africa: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia. Conclusion. Part VIII: Beyond ‘Literature’. 26. The Best–Seller. 1918–1930. The Thirties. The Forties. The Fifties. The Sixties. The Seventies. The Eighties. The Nineties. Conclusion. 27. French Humorous Writing. 1830–1914. Humour Sunce 1900. Humour And The Press. Parody. The Status Of Humour. Spoken And Visual Humour. Cinema. Theatre And Poetry. Comic Fiction. Non–Fiction. Conclusion. 28. Regional Literature:. The Politics Of Regionalism. Between The Wars. World War II. 1945–70. Since 1970. Literature To 1914. Poetry. From The Roman De Province To The Roman Rustique. After 1900. Regionalist Writers. The Defence Of The Countryside. New Themes. 1918–1945. ‘Nature Naturelle’. Political Awareness. The ‘Proletarian’ Tendency. Chronicles Of Rural Life. A Regionalist ‘Genre’?. Its Parochial Nature. The Defence Of The Countryside. Conclusion. Since 1940. Post–War Revival. Poetry. Fiction Revalued. Social Fictions. Memoirs. The Professionalisation Of Regional Writing. Its Conservatism. Since 1980. Conclusion. 29. The ‘Roman Policier’:. 1850–90. 1890–1920. 1920–1940. 1940–1960. 1960–1980. Since 1980. Conclusion. Part IX: Beyond Words. 30. The .Roman Photo’: Graphic Fiction. 31. La Bande Dessinée. Origins. To 1914. Between The Wars. 194–68. The ‘Belgian’ School. The American Way. Pilote. The Rising Status Of BD. 1968 And After. Since 1980. Educational BD. The Decline Of The 1980s. BD And Women. Conclusion. 32. The Cinema:. 1895–1918. The Silent Twenties. The Thirties. The War Years. Post–War Cinema. The New Wave And After. 1968–80. The 1980s. The 1990s. Conclusion.

David Coward is Research Professor in French at the University of Leeds. He has written widely on the literature and culture of France since 1700 and has translated tales by Sade and Maupassant, plays by Molière and novels by Diderot and Dumas fils. His English version of Albert Cohen′s Belle du Seigneur was awarded the Scott–Moncrieff Prize for Translation in 1996. He writes regularly for the Times Literary Supplement and is a contributor to the literary pages of magazines and newspapers in the UK and US.

"David Coward′s new History is heroically comprehensive and shrewdly concise, generously accommodating in its definition of the subject, yet wisely discriminating in its detailed assessments. As the new millennium gets under way, it will surely be not only an essential guide but a lasting source of renewable pleasure for anyone interested in the literature and culture of France . " Times Literary Supplement <!––end––> "In its breadth, depth, concision and sophistication of analysis, this book is an exceptional achievement. Neglecting neither Francophone nor gender–specific literature, this single–volume history of a thousand years of French writing and culture is a tour de force." Choice "Covering in varying depth everything down to modern gay, regional, and francophone writing, this approachable and clearly written book can be read front to back or a given strand can be followed through by moving through the headings classifying genres: theatre, poetry, etc." Modern Language Review "[...] Coward comes into his element, and provides an invaluable synthesis of where French is now and where it is going. A whole raft of mainstream and marginal writing is presented and evaluated, and it is here that those of us who teach French find ourselves pedagogically the most deeply in Coward′s debt." The Times Higher Education Supplement "The concise discussion of structuralism, poststructuralism, postmodernism, and deconstruction will be of use to many students of literature." World Literature Today