3. B2 | Literature: special - Le Rouge et le Noir by Stendhal | Online

Time Slots

Tuesdays (May 16 - June 13), 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

For members

$250

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For non-members

$300

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About this Class

Le Rouge et le Noir is an historical psychological novel by Stendhal, published in 1830. It chronicles the attempts of a provincial young man to rise socially beyond his modest upbringing through a combination of talent, hard work, deception, and hypocrisy. He ultimately allows his passions to betray him... Handsome, ambitious Julien Sorel is determined to rise above his humble provincial origins. Soon realizing that success can only be achieved by adopting the subtle code of hypocrisy by which society operates, he begins to achieve advancement through deceit and self-interest. His triumphant career takes him into the heart of glamorous Parisian society, along the way conquering the gentle, married Madame de Rênal, and the haughty Mathilde. But then Julien commits an unexpected, devastating crime - and brings about his own downfall. The Red and the Black is a lively, satirical portrayal of French society after Waterloo, riddled with corruption, greed, and ennui, and Julien - the cold exploiter whose Machiavellian campaign is undercut by his own emotions - is one of the most intriguing characters in European literature.
source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14662.The_Red_and_the_Black

Communicative objectives:
Study a major work by Stendhal, Le rouge et le noir (on average 150 pages per week depending on the edition)
Analyze 19th century character portraits under a psychosocial lens
Analyze the author's writing style (Realism, Bildungsroman)

About Michaela Jordan

mj
Michaela was raised bilingual (French and English) in Southern Burgundy, by a family who has dedicated their lives to the wine and spirit industry. She has studied Languages and Education at University Lyon II and has been intermittently teaching French to students, in England and the United States, since 2013. Michaela has taught courses on French Language, Culture, Literature, and Translation, from introductory to advanced. This year, she has been working towards getting a second master's degree in Comparative Literature at Dartmouth College. When Michaela is not teaching at the French Library, she is teaching at a local French school. In her spare time, she loves to bake, climb, and travel.