French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Foglia-Loiseleur, 19th-Century Literary History
Other Literary Studies

19th-Century Literary History
Aurélia Foglia-Loiseleur

PUBLICATION DATE: 24/09/14 PUBLISHER: Armand Colin SERIES: 128 ISBN: 978-2-200-29125-9 EAN: 9782200291259 FORMAT: Pocket BINDING: Paperback NO. OF PAGES: 128 p.

To summarize the history of nineteenth-century literature without caricature, and to identify its historical and theoretical driving forces—such are the objectives of this synthesis, which encompasses a rich and multifaceted century. By offering a synthetic overview, the author enables us to better trace the evolution of forms and the interplay between history and literature. This volume does not seek to be polemical, even though it occasionally highlights crucial disputes and debates; rather, it aims to outline the developments that mark the emergence of modernity in literature.

An indispensable introduction, therefore, to the key issues of nineteenth-century literature.

Aurélie Foglia-Loiseleur is an Associate Professor at the Université de Paris 3-Sorbonne Nouvelle.

Table of Contents:

GENERAL ISSUES
A Critical Age
On Romanticism
What Politics of Writing?
MUTATIONS OF GENRES
The Rebirth of Poetry
The Theater of Operations
In the Mirror of the Novel

Published in the accessible pocket series by Armand Colin, this volume serves as a reliable introductory synthesis for students and enthusiasts navigating the vast landscape of nineteenth-century French literature. The author, an associate professor at the Université de Paris 3-Sorbonne Nouvelle, structures the overview around pivotal aesthetic developments and the complex dialogue between historical shifts and artistic creation. By examining the period not as a monolithic block but as a critical age defined by constant redefinition, the book provides readers with clear conceptual tools to understand enduring traditions and radical breaks alike.

The study addresses central genres including poetry, theatre and the novel, mapping out how writers responded to the political and cultural upheavals of their time. Rather than engaging in niche polemics, it highlights foundational debates surrounding romanticism and the politics of writing, tracing the pathways that led toward literary modernity. This makes the work particularly useful for anyone seeking a solid grounding in nineteenth-century poetics and intellectual history, offering well-organized signposts to help contextualize the major figures, movements and formal mutations of the era.