19th Century French Fiction: Flaubert, Zola, Maupassant
Marriage, social mobility, empire and the development of the self: these are some of the key issues at play in the three French novels we will discuss on this course. Focusing on Zola's The Kill (1871), Maupassant's Bel-Ami (1885) and Flaubert's Madame Bovary (1856). We'll explore the evolution of French literary style and social mores over the course of the 19th Century, thinking about representations of class, wealth, revol...
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Written during a period of great social upheaval, this course focuses on three key novels from the French 19th century canon. Exploring The Kill (1871), Bel-Ami (1885) and Madame Bovary (1856) by Zola, Maupassant, and Flaubert respectively, we will discuss the role of society in shaping the individual, contextualising these novels against the revolutions and historical events in 19th century France which will expand our understanding of these writers and the world in which they wrote and published their works. We will also investigate the ways in which novelistic forms and models of publishing evolved in the period, analysing how these trends influenced writers and the kinds of stories they told. Working through the novels chronologically, the course will focus on the stylistic development from Romanticism to Realism within the century. Through this careful analysis we will illuminate new aspects of these texts.
What will we cover?
Week 1 - Introduction: Revolutions, Society and Literature
Week 1 - The Second Empire and Parisian Society: The Kill (Week 1) Chapters 1-4
Week 2- Sexuality and the City: The Kill (Week 2) Chapters 4- End of Novel
Week 3 -Poverty to Marriage: Bel-Ami (Week 1) Chapters 1-9
Week 5 – Provincial Manners: Madame Bovary (Week 1) Part I
Week 6 – Flaubert and the Pastoral: Madame Bovary (Week 2) Part II- End of novel
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Have an understanding, and appreciation, of the cultural context which these three key French texts were produced.
Identify key tropes which define this genre of writing.
Analyse different forms of texts and media critically.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is for anyone who is interested in the subject. The course is suitable for all levels and you do not require any particular skills - just an enthusiasm for literature and a willingness to contribute to discussions. The course will provide an introduction to the subject but will also be useful for those wishing to build on existing knowledge in the subject area.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The class will largely be taught through mini lectures, class discussions and group work.
The three longer texts should be read in advance, if possible, in preparation for the course/ the corresponding week of the course. The sections of the book we will cover each week are outlined above.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Please look for other Fiction courses in the Literature programme under https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/literature.
Dr Megan Beech is a literature scholar and performance poet. She was the winner of the Poetry Society’s SLAMbassadors national youth slam in 2011. She has performed at venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Parliament, the Southbank Centre, Glastonbury Festival and Cheltenham Literature Festival. Her debut collection 'When I Grow Up I Want to be Mary Beard' was published in 2013, and her latest book 'You Sad Feminist' was released in 2017. Her poetry has featured on the Sky One's 'Russell Howard Hour' and the BBC iPlayer series ‘Women Who Spit'. She was featured in The Guardian lists of ‘inspiring young feminists in 2014’ and ‘Must Read Books of the Year 2014’ and Evening Standard's list of 'Ten 21st Century feminist icons'. She has recently finished a PhD at the University of Cambridge.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/19th-century-french-fiction-flaubert-zola-maupassant274490019th Century French Fiction: Flaubert, Zola, Maupassanthttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/demystifying-poetry-hlt354-1080.jpg149149GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Literature/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Literature/Fiction/Courses/Online courses228511771187118817311228511771187<p>Marriage, social mobility, empire and the development of the self: these are some of the key issues at play in the three French novels we will discuss on this course. Focusing on Zola's <em>The Kill</em> (1871), Maupassant's <em>Bel-Ami </em>(1885) and Flaubert's <em>Madame Bovary</em> (1856). We'll explore the evolution of French literary style and social mores over the course of the 19th Century, thinking about representations of class, wealth, revolution and the establishment along the way.</p>00274480719th Century French Fiction: Flaubert, Zola, Maupassant149149https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/demystifying-poetry-hlt354-1080.jpgInStockEveningTueOnlineAvailable courses5-10 weeksWeekday2026-05-05T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experienceMay 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHLT31814914919th Century French Fiction: Flaubert, Zola, Maupassant14997149Megan Beech19th-century-french-fiction-flaubert-zola-maupassant/hlt318-2526<p>Marriage, social mobility, empire and the development of the self: these are some of the key issues at play in the three French novels we will discuss on this course. Focusing on Zola's <em>The Kill</em> (1871), Maupassant's <em>Bel-Ami </em>(1885) and Flaubert's <em>Madame Bovary</em> (1856). We'll explore the evolution of French literary style and social mores over the course of the 19th Century, thinking about representations of class, wealth, revolution and the establishment along the way.</p>0000-Available|2026-05-05 00:00:00<p>Written during a period of great social upheaval, this course focuses on three key novels from the French 19th century canon. Exploring <em>The Kill</em> (1871), <em>Bel-Ami </em>(1885) and <em>Madame Bovary </em>(1856) by Zola, Maupassant, and Flaubert respectively, we will discuss the role of society in shaping the individual, contextualising these novels against the revolutions and historical events in 19th century France which will expand our understanding of these writers and the world in which they wrote and published their works. We will also investigate the ways in which novelistic forms and models of publishing evolved in the period, analysing how these trends influenced writers and the kinds of stories they told. Working through the novels chronologically, the course will focus on the stylistic development from Romanticism to Realism within the century. Through this careful analysis we will illuminate new aspects of these texts.</p><p>Marriage, social mobility, empire and the development of the self: these are some of the key issues at play in the three French novels we will discuss on this course. Focusing on Zola's <em>The Kill</em> (1871), Maupassant's <em>Bel-Ami </em>(1885) and Flaubert's <em>Madame Bovary</em> (1856). We'll explore the evolution of French literary style and social mores over the course of the 19th Century, thinking about representations of class, wealth, revolution and the establishment along the way.</p><p>Week 1 - Introduction: Revolutions, Society and Literature</p><p>Week 1 - The Second Empire and Parisian Society: <em>The Kill </em>(Week 1) Chapters 1-4</p><p>Week 2- Sexuality and the City: <em>The Kill </em>(Week 2) Chapters 4- End of Novel</p><p>Week 3 -Poverty to Marriage: <em>Bel-Ami</em> (Week 1) Chapters 1-9</p><p>Week 4 - Jealousy to Attainment: <em>Bel-Ami</em> (Week 2) Chapters 10-18</p><p>Week 5 – Provincial Manners: <em>Madame Bovary</em> (Week 1) Part I</p><p>Week 6 – Flaubert and the Pastoral: <em>Madame Bovary</em> (Week 2) Part II- End of novel </p><ul><li>Have an understanding, and appreciation, of the cultural context which these three key French texts were produced.</li><li>Identify key tropes which define this genre of writing.</li><li>Analyse different forms of texts and media critically.</li></ul><p>This course is for anyone who is interested in the subject. The course is suitable for all levels and you do not require any particular skills - just an enthusiasm for literature and a willingness to contribute to discussions. The course will provide an introduction to the subject but will also be useful for those wishing to build on existing knowledge in the subject area.</p><p>The class will largely be taught through mini lectures, class discussions and group work.</p><p>The three longer texts should be read in advance, if possible, in preparation for the course/ the corresponding week of the course. The sections of the book we will cover each week are outlined above. </p><p>Please look for other Fiction courses in the Literature programme under https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/literature. </p>LiteratureFictionvirtual14914997HLT318NONETue05/05/26 - 09/06/2618:00 - 19:3018:0019:306 sessions (over 6 weeks)65-10 weeksEveningWeekdayOnlineOnlineMegan BeechBeginners, Some experienceAvailable courses2026-05-05T00:00:00+00:00May 2026Culture, history & humanities14914919th Century French Fiction: Flaubert, Zola, Maupassant19th-century-french-fiction-flaubert-zola-maupassant/hlt318-2526<p>Marriage, social mobility, empire and the development of the self: these are some of the key issues at play in the three French novels we will discuss on this course. Focusing on Zola's <em>The Kill</em> (1871), Maupassant's <em>Bel-Ami </em>(1885) and Flaubert's <em>Madame Bovary</em> (1856). We'll explore the evolution of French literary style and social mores over the course of the 19th Century, thinking about representations of class, wealth, revolution and the establishment along the way.</p>0000-Available|2026-05-05 00:00:00<p>Written during a period of great social upheaval, this course focuses on three key novels from the French 19th century canon. Exploring <em>The Kill</em> (1871), <em>Bel-Ami </em>(1885) and <em>Madame Bovary </em>(1856) by Zola, Maupassant, and Flaubert respectively, we will discuss the role of society in shaping the individual, contextualising these novels against the revolutions and historical events in 19th century France which will expand our understanding of these writers and the world in which they wrote and published their works. We will also investigate the ways in which novelistic forms and models of publishing evolved in the period, analysing how these trends influenced writers and the kinds of stories they told. Working through the novels chronologically, the course will focus on the stylistic development from Romanticism to Realism within the century. Through this careful analysis we will illuminate new aspects of these texts.</p><p>Marriage, social mobility, empire and the development of the self: these are some of the key issues at play in the three French novels we will discuss on this course. Focusing on Zola's <em>The Kill</em> (1871), Maupassant's <em>Bel-Ami </em>(1885) and Flaubert's <em>Madame Bovary</em> (1856). We'll explore the evolution of French literary style and social mores over the course of the 19th Century, thinking about representations of class, wealth, revolution and the establishment along the way.</p><p>Week 1 - Introduction: Revolutions, Society and Literature</p><p>Week 1 - The Second Empire and Parisian Society: <em>The Kill </em>(Week 1) Chapters 1-4</p><p>Week 2- Sexuality and the City: <em>The Kill </em>(Week 2) Chapters 4- End of Novel</p><p>Week 3 -Poverty to Marriage: <em>Bel-Ami</em> (Week 1) Chapters 1-9</p><p>Week 4 - Jealousy to Attainment: <em>Bel-Ami</em> (Week 2) Chapters 10-18</p><p>Week 5 – Provincial Manners: <em>Madame Bovary</em> (Week 1) Part I</p><p>Week 6 – Flaubert and the Pastoral: <em>Madame Bovary</em> (Week 2) Part II- End of novel </p><ul><li>Have an understanding, and appreciation, of the cultural context which these three key French texts were produced.</li><li>Identify key tropes which define this genre of writing.</li><li>Analyse different forms of texts and media critically.</li></ul><p>This course is for anyone who is interested in the subject. The course is suitable for all levels and you do not require any particular skills - just an enthusiasm for literature and a willingness to contribute to discussions. The course will provide an introduction to the subject but will also be useful for those wishing to build on existing knowledge in the subject area.</p><p>The class will largely be taught through mini lectures, class discussions and group work.</p><p>The three longer texts should be read in advance, if possible, in preparation for the course/ the corresponding week of the course. The sections of the book we will cover each week are outlined above. </p><p>Please look for other Fiction courses in the Literature programme under https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/literature. </p>LiteratureFictionconfigurable
11881187Fictionhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/literature/fiction1/2/285/1177/1187/11881/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Literature/Fiction
