April 4, 2006

 NORMAN – At the beginning of the 18th century, France was a country at the forefront of culture and learning. The value of literature and art was unquestioned, and with the establishment of permanent theaters, playwrights increased in number, creating new types of plays. One of these new types was drama, which included both tragedies and comedies.

Perry Gethner, visiting professor of French from Oklahoma State University, will give a free, public presentation “The Invasion of Pathos in French Drama: From Tearful Tragedy to Sentimental Comedy” at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, in 140 Kaufman Hall, 780 Van Vleet Oval. A reception will follow the presentation.

Gethner’s research interests include controversies over dramatic theory, plays by women writers, operas and hybrid plays, and history of drama in the early modern period with an emphasis on religious tragedy. During the past 30 years, Gethner has published more than 50 articles, more than 20 book reviews and more than a dozen translations within his areas of interest. He has received research and travel grants from the South Central Modern Language Association and Oklahoma Foundation for the Humanities.

Before arriving at OSU in 1986, Gethner taught at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, University of Chicago and Yale University. He completed his doctoral degree in French with a minor in philosophy from Yale University in 1977 and his master of arts degree in 1974, also from Yale. He received his bachelor of arts degree in French from Carleton College in 1969.

This lecture is being presented as the final in a series of eight faculty colloquia in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguistics. The faculty colloquium covers diverse topics in the areas of German, Spanish, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Russian and French literature.

“The Faculty Colloquia series is a long-standing institution that over the years has contributed a great deal to the strong intellectual community in our diverse department,” said Karin Schutjer, adviser in the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguistics. “It showcases exciting new research by our own departmental colleagues, by colleagues in related fields at OU and by leading scholars at other institutions.”