FRS 002 — Sec. 014 —
(2 units) — CRN 26021 — W 1:10-3:00pm — 2016 Haring
The Count of Monte Cristo and France in the 19th Century
Instructor: Sally McKee, Department of History, College of Letters and
Science
Description: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre
Dumas has thrilled readers since it appeared in print for the first time in 1845.
Edmund Dantes’ elaborate scheme to exact revenge on his enemies for the
years he spent locked up in an island prison for a crime he did not commit takes
place in the decades after the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Era. A tale
of spectacular adventure and a love story all in one, the novel ranges widely
over France. Reading the novel offers an entertaining way to absorb the central
aspects of nineteenth-century French history. To understand the full context of
Dantes’ revenge and adventures, the seminar members will explore over the
ten weeks of the quarter topics in the history and culture of France from 1789
to 1848.
Format: The practical goal of the seminar is to teach basic library
research skills and improve the students’ writing. By searching for information
on topics relating to the story, students working on their own or in teams of
two will become well acquainted with the library’s resources. A portion
of each seminar meeting will be devoted to discussion of the novel and the results
of the library searches. In addition, we will watch a four-part documentary on
Napoleon in the assigned seminar room. In addition to reading the novel over the
course of the quarter, seminar members will produce a short five-page paper on
a topic of their choice relating to French history or culture, preferably one
that pertains to Dumas’ novel. Students will choose from a variety of paper
topics related to elements in the novel. Examples: crime and punishment in 19th
c.. France; architecture of 19th c. houses; duelling; gardens; Napoleon’s
defeat; the army of France; art and painting in the Napoleonic era; music and
theatre in Paris; Paris in the 19th century. Grading:
Grades will be based on: oral presentations and participation (50%); first draft
of paper (25%); second draft of paper (25%).
Books: Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo (Penguin,
2003). A reader of selected articles and book excerpts on topics reflected in
the novel. The additional readings will amount to 15-20 pages a week.
About the Instructor: Professor Sally McKee teaches in the History
Department. A medieval historian, she usually offers courses on various aspects
of the Middle Ages. Her research centers on Italy and the Mediterranean. Recently,
however, she has been working on French history in the nineteenth century.