French Culture and Society Final

Describe how the building of Gothic cathedrals reflects medieval power struggles in France.

?

Constitutional Patriotism

A political identity.

Following the discovery of the Lascaux caves there was a tendency toward primitivism which was linked to: A. the shift of the art world from Paris to New York B. he desire to redefine the French past after World War II C. the widespread acceptance of modern art D. All of the above

All of the above

Notre Dame de Chartres: A relied on the relic of the Virgin Mary's tunic to gain offerings from pilgrims B. was rebuilt in Gothic style after a fire in 1194 C. gave priority to linear movement upwards and to unified space D. All of the above

All of the above

Victor Hugo wrote that medieval architecture had been destroyed by: A. the passing of time B. revolutions C. renovations undertaken by scholars of architecture D. All of the above

All of the above

Gothic cathedrals represent:

Catholic and monarchic France

The First Estate

Clergy from outset. (Lower half consisted of priests were were under paid and over worked. Upper half xknsysed of bishop's and abbots.) Owed 10-15% of lans tax free.

During the French Revolution the traditional provinces were replaced with?

Departments

How does humor transform the Gallic myth in Asterix and Obelix?

If on one hand humor makes the material more appealing, on the other it appears to undermine it. Humor undoubtedly destabilizes sacredness and solemnity, but it also posits questions. In the Asterix series, these questions offer the opportunity to reinvent what has become corny material. In this respect, the humor in the comic strip refers not to the message but to the medium, namely to the strata of Gallic myths on which Asterix is built and to the choice of this material as a means of self-reflection itself. In other words, the ultimate reflection on French identity is serious, although the means through which it is pursued are cliché, and purposefully so. Paradoxically, the Gallic material is saved by its humorous use. The exploration of what it means to be French can still be pursued through the Gallic myth as long as it is put into perspective by humor. By doing this, the authors of Asterix and Obelix have not only saved the Gallic myth, they have created a new one. The characters have become popular symbols of France, and not simply because they are Gauls. Asterix and Obelix are intelligent, playful, and indomitable. The French can identify with that.

Which of these represents a French prehistoric vestige? A. The Louvre pyramid B. The Egyptian obelisk in the Place de la Concorde C. The Bastille prison D. None of the above

None of the above

National Attachment

Personal Sacrifice

What do you think some of the dangerous outcomes can be when a nation identifies very strongly with a specific prehistorical origin?

Prehistoric is the time period before writing utensils were invented. A specific prehistorical origin implies that anybody who doesn't partake of that (tenuous) origin isn't really accepted into the nation. It's the premises of ethnocentrism.

How does the character of Quasimodo reflect Notre-Dame?

Quasimodo is known as "the hunchback of Notre-Dame" due to his deformities and because he spent his entire lift at Notre-Dame. Despite his deformities, Quasimodo had a pure heart which connected him to the cathedral. He loved the cathedral and the beauty of the bells. How does Quasimido reflect Notre Dame?

National Identity/Ethnicity

Racial and religious background.

Ethnosymbolism

Sharing the legacy and honor of Frcnh history. Pride of country.

By referring to France as the Hexagon, one underlines the French attachment to...

Territory: The Hexagon coincides with France's "natural" boundaries.

The Second Estate

The nobility; highest position in church, gov, army. Exempt from taxes and 30%of land owed tax free.

In order to prove an ancestral link with prestigious classical mythology, the Franks were said to have derived from the

Trojans

T/F: Although Napoleon resorted to numerous repressive measures, he also consolidated many of the Revolution's gains.

True

T/F: Although the Lascaux caves are commonly referred to as the Sistine Chapel of Prehistory, they are also a reminder of the impossibility for the French to directly access their nation's prehistory.

True

T/F: Georges-Eugene Haussmann's new plan for Paris included a more symmetrical layout and the creation of wider boulevards.

True

T/F: Impressionist painters rebelled against the official hierarchy of genres by avoiding biblical and mythological material.

True

T/F: It was a common legend to identify the Lascaux caves with an arms deposit used during the Liberation. This legend does not hold historical validity.

True

T/F: The Gothic pointed vault was preferred to the Romanesque rounded arch because it allowed the weight of the structure to bear down instead of out and because it could draw the viewer's gaze up very effectively.

True

T/F: The first association of the French with the rooster was a simple play on words.

True

T/F: The use of collage by Braque and Picasso in the years 1912-1914 highly influenced the Dada movement.

True

T/F: The year 1914 saw both the outbreak of World War I in France and the creation of the first readymades by Marcel Duchamp.

True

Victor Hugo believed a cathedral could be interpreted as?

a depository of collective memory

De Gaulle understood very early on that he would be most necessary

as a unifying figure during periods of turmoil

New Wave directors thought cinema should be

both engaging and confusing

One of the ways in which the Tour de France promotes so-called "banal nationalism" is?

by broadcasting somewhat stereotypical French landscapes throughout the world

The Third Estate

everyone else

De Gaulle partially retreated from NATO in 1966 because

he preferred to stress French national independence and to focus on direct relations between countries

Hugo's novel Notre Dame de Paris was key in?

inspiring Violet Le Duc's renovation of the cathedral to include gargoyles

Jean-Jacques Rousseau attributes the origin of inequality to?

private property

The situation in Algeria became particularly difficult for France when

the Algerian cause went from being a domestic issue to an international concern

One of the major accomplishments of the moderate phase of the French Revolution was?

the abolishment of feudalism

The church of Saint Denis is also?

the burial of the royal family

T/F: Analytical Cubism favored the simple, straightforward, two-dimensional representation resulting from a single viewpoint.

False

T/F: Dada art was very critical of conceptual art.

False

T/F: De Gaulle was a great supporter of government based on political parties, an attitude demonstrated by his consistent involvement with the many factions of the Fourth Republic.

False

T/F: Due to the politics of centralization, the Basque language is no longer spoken in France, and the cultural events that take place in the Pays Basques such as bullfights are simple tourist attractions.

False

T/F: Haussmann's contribution to the city of Paris was purely functional. Although he demolished much of 'old Paris,' he did not invent a new style.

False

T/F: Impressionism focuses on the artists' emotional reaction to landscapes.

False

T/F: New Wave cinema emphasizes the importance of patriotism, central authority, and strong, clear narratives, aligning itself perfectly with De Gaulle's nationalistic politics and paternalistic style.

False

T/F: The Gothic style represents the decline of the monarchy.

False

T/F: The Lascaux caves have played a central role in French nationalism since the Roman times.

False

T/F: The battle in French Indo-China was really a war against communism that was disguised as a colonial war.

False

T/F: The creation of departments in 1789 strengthened the old historical provinces

False: Provinces were fragmented by the creation of departments.

France has often been called an "exception." Explain this notion in your own words.

France's exception policy within the trade world demonstrates a form of exception viewed by the rest of the world. This exception was created by the GATT in order to consider goods and services as an exception from the world trade organization. Many other countries, such as American tax these goods and services.

Explain the complex attitude towards Collaboration and Resistance in France.

I had a difficult time trying to understand this lecture, however, from what I understood the French were unhappy with the German's taking over. Their freedom was being threatened and many people were scared. Therefore, Frenchmen created the resistance in order to "resist" the Germans. Good starting point. The French were resisting the Nazis. How does Collaboration come into the picture? And what are the current attitudes towards the two?