Courses - Fall 2026
FREN439L
Studies in 17th Century French Literature and Culture; The Cultures of Absolutism in the Age of Louis XIV
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: FREN387
Decamping from Paris to establish the royal court at Versailles, Louis XIV, the self-proclaimed "Sun King," outlawed Protestantism, cultivated state control of the arts, and encouraged colonial expansion based on slave labor in the Americas. Focusing on documents produced during the "grand siecle" itself, we will examine the theory and practice of Louis's authoritarian initiatives as well as expressions of resistance to them, with a special emphasis on journalism and poetic literature.
Decamping from Paris to establish the royal court at Versailles, Louis XIV, the self-proclaimed "Sun King," outlawed Protestantism, cultivated state control of the arts, and encouraged colonial expansion based on slave labor in the Americas. Focusing on documents produced during the "grand siecle" itself, we will examine the theory and practice of Louis's authoritarian initiatives as well as expressions of resistance to them, with a special emphasis on journalism and poetic literature.
Flagship Institution of the University System of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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301.405.1000
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