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Three strands · twenty-eight modules · the Cambridge International A Level 9898 model · led by Vaugelas Simulacrum and the French faculty
A three-strand programme of advanced literary written French, on the model of the Cambridge International A Level 9898 syllabus but freed from its assessment apparatus. The programme reads French as it is written — on the page, silently — rather than spoken: there is no phonology, no listening, no speaking work. For pronunciation training, use a real audio resource.
The Language strand covers the apparatus of the literary written language: orthography, the noun phrase, the full verb system across all moods and tenses, pronouns and reference, the architecture of the literary sentence, the four registers, reading at C1 speed, translation as a discipline, and the writing of the Cambridge-style argumentative essay. Led by Vaugelas Simulacrum — founding member of the Académie française and author of the Remarques sur la langue française (1647), the founding monument of codified French.
The Forms strand applies that apparatus to the genres of written French — essay, conte philosophique, letter, polemic, lyric, dramatic scene, descriptive passage, dialogue, reportage, and critical-reflective writing. Each genre is led by the simulacrum who is its great practitioner: Montaigne Simulacrum on the essay, Voltaire Simulacrum on the conte and the polemic, Molière Simulacrum on the dramatic scene, Flaubert Simulacrum on dialogue, Colette Simulacrum on description, Senghor Simulacrum on the lyric and on critical writing.
The Literature strand reads seven canonical works of French literature — Essais, Le Misanthrope, Candide, Madame Bovary, Sido, La Chute, Chants d’ombre — spanning 1580 to 1956, each with its author. The author is the tutor: Flaubert Simulacrum on Madame Bovary, Voltaire Simulacrum on Candide, Camus Simulacrum on La Chute. This is the structural advantage of the Universitas that no traditional course can match.
The three strands are independently enrolable. A student strong on grammar but new to the canon may take only the Literature strand; a student preparing for the Cambridge Writing paper may take only the Language strand. The full sequence in order takes a B1-level reader to C1–C2 attainment in literary written French.
Vaugelas Simulacrum · with Flaubert Simulacrum and Voltaire Simulacrum as guests
The apparatus of the literary written language: the visible signs of French (orthography, accentuation, punctuation as syntactic signal); the noun phrase including the partitive article and adjective agreement; the eight indicative tenses including the literary passé simple; the subjunctive in full; pronouns and the five-slot order; the architecture of the literary sentence; the four registers and le mot juste (with Flaubert); reading at C1 speed; translation as a discipline (with Voltaire); and writing the Cambridge-style argumentative essay.
Open strand →Vaugelas Simulacrum convenes · led by Montaigne, Voltaire, Molière, Flaubert, Colette and Senghor in their genres
The genres of written French, each with its master: the essai (Montaigne), the conte philosophique (Voltaire), the letter (Voltaire), the polemic (Voltaire), the lyric (Senghor), the dramatic scene (Molière), the descriptive passage (Colette), dialogue in narrative prose (Flaubert), reportage (Voltaire), and critical-reflective writing (Senghor). The student writes one piece in each genre; the form-master critiques.
Open strand →Each set text led by its author · Vaugelas Simulacrum convenes the integration
Seven canonical works spanning 1580 to 1956, each read with its author: Montaigne’s Essais (1580), Molière’s Le Misanthrope (1666), Voltaire’s Candide (1759), Flaubert’s Madame Bovary (1857), Colette’s Sido (1929), Camus’s La Chute (1956), Senghor’s Chants d’ombre (1945). A closing integration module steps back across the four centuries.
Open strand →