Lieben und Leiden auf der Schulbank. Louise Labés Sonette im Französischunterricht

Abstract

Competence orientation and pragmatization of the teaching content give less and less space to the treatment of literature in (foreign language) teaching. Against this background, early modern literature is in a particularly difficult position. Regardless of this, not least in view of the recurring concern about the loss of a broad and holistic general education, it seems sensible to us to attempt to deal with Renaissance poetry in French lessons at upper secondary level.

Using the example of Louise Labé’s sonnets, the article presents the rich didactic potential of these texts ranging from linguistic and literary analysis to aspects of cultural history. By illustrating what topics can be trained in the context of competence orientation in French lessons, we give examples of how Labé’s sonnets enable a student-oriented treatment in interdisciplinary foreign language lessons and show how this contributes at the same time to (inter)cultural and aesthetic education.