These two hugely-popular authors have much in common, not least their revolt against social convention and wider injustices. They wrote some of the major literary and philosophical works of the French 20^th century, defining existentialism and absurdism. However, their relationship broke down: Sartre with his privileged Parisian upbringing advocating violent Marxist revolution, whilst working-class Camus supported revolt as a more human political attitude.

We shall look at this falling-out as well as at the multiple formats the two figures chose to work in. These formats range from short narrative to theatre and philosophy. As well as studying these works, we shall watch film footage of Sartre and Camus and work with bande dessinée (a version of L’étranger and an introduction to Sartre’s philosophy). Their works reflect upon the full range of human experience and thought, notably Sartre’s depiction of hell as ‘other people’ and of existential nausea. However, there will also be space to explore Camus’s meditations on happiness.

In short, students taking this module will gain familiarity with an exciting historical context, as well as the chance to discuss ideas on human existence, death, and society that refuse to go away.

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

• Discuss the writing and thought of Sartre and Camus on its own terms and in relation to its historical context and ongoing relevance
• Demonstrate a capacity for analysing and evaluating complex arguments in a range of historical, literary and critical texts.
• Demonstrate a high level of critical awareness, and the ability to argue and rebut a case, justifying your own viewpoint, when discussing literary and historical sources.
• Construct and evaluate arguments in a structured, logical and coherent manner.

There will be lectures and seminars up to 20 hours annually, including in-depth revision classes at the end of Semester A. You will be expected to make one workshop presentation to the class, and the course convenor will provide you with guidance and critical feedback on your performance.  

You will be expected to study outside the lectures and seminars, and you will be encouraged to engage in research using the basic texts and wider bibliography as a starting point. You will be expected to read outside the basic syllabus, and to use the web critically to define up-to-date information. The total study time devoted to this module should be notionally 10.5 hours per week. Academic and key skills developed include learning, research and organisational skills; communication and IT skills; intercultural awareness and interpersonal skills. The course convenor will provide guidance as appropriate. 

The lecture will take place at 12noon on Mondays. Two workshop groups will meet: one at 3pm on Mondays and one at 10am on Wednesdays (you will be assigned to one of these groups).

 Wk 1

Lecture: Introduction

Workshops: Introduction to text and context

 Wk 2

Lecture: Camus, L’étranger 1

Workshops: student presentation on either 1) Meursault’s attitude to his mother or 2) Is Meursault a completely withdrawn and negative character?

 Wk 3

Lecture: Camus, L’étranger 2

Workshops: student presentation on either 1) The presence of social and historical narratives in the work or 2) Can good writing make us forget bad actions?

 Wk 4

Lecture: Camus, Le mythe de Sisyphe 1

Workshops: student presentation on either1) Camus’s strategies for representing ‘the absurd’ or 2) Joy and despair as potential emotions for Sisyphus.

 Wk 5

Lecture: Camus, Le mythe de Sisyphe 2

Workshops: approaches to essay-writing

 Wk 6: READING WEEK

 Wk 7

Lecture: Sartre, La nausée 1

Workshops: student presentation on either 1) The quality and associations of the language used in the novel or 2) The experience of nausea and how it affects Roquentin’s sense of self.

Wk 8

Lecture: Sartre, La nausée 2

Workshops: student presentation on either 1) The importance of Roquentin’s abandoned biography and of the Autodidact 2) The role of art within the book, notably the song ‘Some of these days’ and as the work closes. 

Wk 9

Lecture: Sartre, Huis clos 1

Workshops: student presentation on either 1) The implications of Garcin’s attempts to leave the room or 2) Can the play’s vision of humanity be reconciled with Sartre’s political activities?

Wk 10

Lecture: Sartre, Huis clos 2

Workshops : student presentation on either 1)  How the play contributes to the recurrent theme of hell in literature or 2) The role of choice and freedom.

Wk 11

Lecture: overview of course

Workshops: revision

 ESSAY TOPICS

 1) What models of justice, if any, does Camus’s work reject and adopt?

 2) ‘Un peu de pensée éloigne de la vie, mais beaucoup y ramène’. Discuss with reference to Camus’s treatment of one or all of: politics, philosophy, and religion.

 3) ‘Literature and philosophy work best together when they are in conflict’. Discuss.

PRIMARY COURSE MATERIALS

Albert Camus,L’étranger

--, Le mythe de Sisyphe

--, with José Munoz, L’étranger (bande dessinée)

Jean-Paul Sartre, La nausée

--, Huis clos

 Secondary reading lists will be provided before the start of the semester