تعلم اللغة الفرنسية فى فرنسا – مدارس اللغة الفرنسية – دورات فى الريفيرا الفرنسية

The MIDDLE AGES (1476 ~1492)

All started about year 813 with the Council of Tours, which was held during the reign of King Charlemagne. In this Council, the Church enjoined clergy to preach "in rusticam romanam linguam". The importance of this romance idiom is again officially recognized in 842, with the "Sermens de Strasbourg". From this point, court and monastic sponsorship of writing, along with the extension of political and military dominion are important determiners in the growth of status for the various romance idioms. But nothing was really concrete before the first important event in the history of the French language, namely the Oaths of Strasbourg that represents the first proto-French document. Indeed, these oaths defined an alliance between two brothers, a version in Germanic language (at the origin of German) and the other at the origin of the French language. With the Middle Ages, one finds mainly three different currents in the literature, which were mainly sung at the time. There was, initially, "courteous poetry", the "chanson de geste" and the "tale of chivalry".

COURTEOUS POETRY

In courteous poetry, also called "fin' amor" (that means "perfect love"), one finds most of the time a man trying to conquer the heart of a lady. But attention: this lady must be married and of a social status higher than the lover. Why??? Quite simply because if this lover were of a higher stature, he would have the capacity to order her to marry him; whereas with this situation, he does not have any power over the lady, not being able to satisfy the desire. Because what is before anything else most important, it is the desire... Indeed, the man wishing to allure the lady, his sustenance, must avoid succumbing to the desire because the love would take the place of all, reporting the desire with an unquestionable death to the heart of their relation. In making the journey in the conquest of his lady, the lover will have to deserve the favors of his beloved and which he yields to her as a passing fancy. In this literary style, which was made to be sung mainly (lyric poetry), one finds many obstacles the purpose of which are to create an increase in the desire before obtaining the satisfaction of love, which must be deserved, although never satisfied... This manner of living is connected with that of the Court of the King: the lover must have talents with hunting and like a warrior, have a good education and act with ease in front of a lady, who becomes the inspiration of courteous poetry...

CHANSON DE GESTE

On the side of the Chanson de Geste, it is rather a certain mixture that prevails: historical facts and legends. Most of the time, epics in fact report the exploits of the heroes who reflect ideals, models... The principal inspiration of this literary style is the war-like subjects of the Carolingian time, that is to say that of Charlemagne (Council of Tours) or of his grandson, Louis the Piles (Oaths of Strasbourg). A good example of this literary style is without any doubt the Song of Roland, made up around the year 1100 after Jesus-Christ.

ROMANCE OF CHIVALRY

Romance of Chivalry made its appearance a little later without meaning it was of a secondary nature. The term "Romance" meant, about the middle of XII century, in very little time... which is not in Latin and changed considerably. Hardly a century later, the significance of this term referred to the individual exploits of knights in which the goal is to gain the love of a lady (still...) by the means of chivalresque adventures. These texts are written in verse and old French. The knight must be a tough person (with some combat...) but on another side, he must be most courteous in the presence of his lady that is what you say a complete hero. This literary type is a mixture of the two preceding styles, courteous poetry (love) and the chanson de geste (warlike episodes), which gives a more complete adventure... Who doesn't know Tristan & Isolde???

REBIRTH (1492 - 1598)

When the Medici family sought a motto to express their optimism and humanism, they chose "Le Temps Revient," a French expression meaning "The Great Age Returns." Their choice of French was not accidental, for the study of this language offers a royal path to discovering the complexity of human experience from the Oaths of Strasbourg in the ninth century to the present. Rebirth is this period in the history of humanity where two discoveries influenced human evolution enormously: printing works by Gutenberg, in 1440 (although it was not discovered during the Renaissance, it is all the same for it was in this period that it became an innovation) and the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, in 1492, which marked one era of transformation. Indeed, discovered, new, invention and exploration are four words which describe the Renaissance rather well. On the literary side, it indicates a return to classic works with the fall of Constantinople in 1452. The texts were brought back to Rome, which had previously been deposited in Constantinople following the conquest of Rome by the Barbarians, in 476. The dominant style, humanism, represents a culture to be improved, being erudite, well-read and educated men . One studies the texts of Antiquity to look further into the culture. One also places the human being in the center of the universe that creates a certain opening to the other, a peace, a "collective Utopia". All will long remember Pantagruel, this nice giant, strands of Gargantua who have both been created by François Rabelais. The famous "Ordonance de Villers-Cotterets" (1539) indicates perhaps the first officially recognized role of the dominant regional language, which had become French.

BAROQUE (1580-1630)

The term "baroque" comes from "barroco" which means irregularity of pearl. This familiar term comes from Italy, and is very influential in France of 1580 to 1630. It will however never cease influencing authors. It is opposed to Classicism even though these two trends are contemporaneous with one another. Under the Baroque, borders are almost non-existent: no border between truth and falsehood, no barrier between the dream and reality, life and death, body and spirit. For what would borders be used for beings are in the constant evolution of man being only momentary shadows because the world does not have duration: the ceaseless movement of the death of mankind... One indicates there pleasure and taste compared with the reason and the typical rules with the Classicism. Three words describe the Baroque: original, eccentric, odd even...

CLASSICISM (XVII century)

Contrary to the other trends which precede it, Classicism touches mainly France. The first goal of this literary movement is to conceive harmony in the texts, the writings. At that time, writers must yield with strict rules because only Classicism it should not be forgotten reaches its apogee with the reign of Louis XIV the "Sun King". Why??? Quite simply because of Baroque excesses, it was necessary to give a little order and the desire of the king to leave his trace in the history was very high. This literature is also used to represent the glory of the King and to show the beauty of the French people. One finds there the ideal of the honest man who must act as if it were at the court of the King (cultivated, humble, courteous). One must, moreover, be realistic without however missing compliance with the rules of propriety, that which largely moderates the aspect of realism but which preserves nobility. It is one period when a religious climate is found, moralized as with the Fables of the Fountain. One finds there also a return to the classic texts and the addition of three fundamental rules in great theatrical dramas: unity of place (only one place), of action (discussion thread), and of time (generally only one day). One can observe these characteristics in Andromaque of Jean Racine.

THE LIGHTS (18th century)

LIGHTS, it is the need that the human being has to inform the self of its own nature, its bases, its origins... One takes part in attending with a freedom of renewed thought and a great increase in the expression of the feelings. It is in particular during this trend that the French revolution of 1789 would have taken place. One observes an improvement of the living conditions on Earth and, contrary to Classicism, Man is more important than God. One accepts a thing only if it showed a concrete observation beforehand (increased presence of sciences...). It is also a time where respect and propriety are completely obsolete. An example of work of the "Lights" is the philosophical tale Zadig, of Voltaire. The goal of this work is mainly to take a look upon man, to reflect on the goal of human nature... Moreover, it is in particular at that time that the world of written French takes a radical turn with the arrival of the first Encyclopedia. Indeed, thanks to brilliant spirits like Diderot and Rousseau that one can have today at our disposal dictionaries and encyclopedias. It was a question at that time in taking an inventory of knowledge, of putting it in writing, for the disposition of each and everyone. But this encyclopedia did not join together only principles of French language but also a host of ideas on sciences, arts and the trades as its name indicates it: Encyclopedia or reasoned Dictionary of sciences, arts and the professions. The primary goal with the writing of this work is to give greater likelihood to ensuring progress... to some extent... to guarantee it. Thus, with the basics given by this Encyclopedia, society will become more complete, more specialized, by ensuring a better education for all: the dream of Charlemagne is carried out centuries later!!! This education is a principal concern for these men who wrote this work for the good of society and are marvelously rewarded for it : to their great satisfaction, the rate of elimination of illiteracy increases!!!

ROMANTICISM (1800-1850)

This literary trend is a direct consequence, subsequence, to the French revolution. It assists the arrival of the industrial revolution and a transformation of society. On the literary side, one notices the explosion of the expression of the feelings of the individual as well as his imagination. One rejects the classical rules because one wants to revive a little, to break borders... Enormous communion with nature that makes it possible for the authors to better perceive their state of mind. One marvelously notices very well these aspects of communion with nature and the expression of the feelings in the romance Atala - Rene de Chateaubriand. One feels the weariness of the world, one is nostalgic after the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte in Waterloo in 1815. Society is made guilty of their situation. The world then created is a world of dream, of imaginary... As regards romantic poetry, the expression of feelings largely dominates and the poet is perceived as being a guide who directs the people. On the "technical" side of the poem, versification is softened and stylistic devices are from now on essential with the rejection of the rules of Classicism... A good example of romantic poetry is certainly the poem Expiation by Victor Hugo. It is also necessary to quote names like Alfred de Musset, Theophilus Gauthier, Gerard de Nerval and Alphonse of Lamartine who are quite as important in the history of romantic French literature...

NATURALISM (1850-1890)

Naturalism, it is a certain opposition to Romanticism, a rejection of the romantic dream. This period consists of Realism which most accurately represents possibly the reality of the external world. Through works which emerge in this period, it indicates that (literary) style must be unobtrusive, although extremely present and meticulous. Naturalism, as said previously, includes/understands these elements of Realism (very thorough!!!) adding to these scientific tools. Indeed, they are scientific descriptions of human realities of the society at the time which arise from these works. By analyzing these writings, one notices that the various topics of productions beforehand were the subject of certain research, of thorough documentation. The author puts forth an assumption therefore that it is verified using experimentation. One has that to think of the novel Thérèse Raquin of Emile Zola where one finds rather realistic descriptions... Throughout this time in the history of literature, one does not find taboo subjects, nor of restriction in the production. The authors show society as it is: one forsakes the important, haughty characters henceforth to be interested only in male prostitutes, workmen, average workers, average people of the street, the city... Why would they show the Kings, the beautiful things of society whereas everywhere there is failure, death and the war which prevails???

SYMBOLISM (1850-1900)

As all the trends which precede it, Symbolism does not make departures from the rule: it appears in reaction to other doctrines, that is to say Naturalism, the running literary contemporary of Symbolism, and protests even sometimes against Romanticism. For the Symbolist poets, it is a question of being opposed to Naturalism which tries to paint, accurately and until in the forfeiture, reality. For them, it is necessary to bore out the material appearances of objects and to discover the true ideas which hide behind them for thereby discovering the true nature of the world. To arrive there, these poets will use symbols, images, in order to emphasize the direction camouflaged by an abstracted truth, but representing the truth. In short, they do describe the actual world but by using metaphorical representations. One wonders consequently on the spiritual nature of the man, the occult sciences and even about spiritism. For the Symbolists, work on the form of the poem must be as important as the ideas advanced . According to them, it is necessary to fill the vacuum of their existence and to fight against boredom. The poets Symbolists are true literary "estheticians" taking into account the attention given to formal work. One notices this aspect in the Élévation poem in Charles Baudelaire.