Astérix: un mythe français, lecture in French

What makes a small Gaulish warrior with a moustache a key to understanding France? In this lecture given in French, Jacqueline Rousselon looks at how the Astérix comics, created in 1959 by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, use humour, satire and wordplay to hold a mirror up to French culture, history and national identity.

Beneath the absurd situations, the fights and the endless banquets lies sharp social satire on bureaucracy, power and the French habit of laughing at themselves and others. The language play, with puns and double meanings, makes the series a treat for anyone who enjoys nuance and intellectual humour.

The evening suits curious readers and culture enthusiasts, and anyone who knows that a good pun can say more than a long explanation. A glass of wine is served during the break.