À la recherche de la vocation perdue. Plaidoyer pour l’enseignement de la littérature des siècles passés

The aim of this article is to discuss the place of the literature of past centuries in the romance philology teaching programmes. I accentuate the social importance of literary subjects at the university in the making of future citizens responsible for the common good, as well as the social importance of literature itself. Furthermore, I emphasize the role of scholars who are assumed not only to bring knowledge to their students, but also to teach them essential social skills. The analysis is based on my ten-year academic experience of specialist in the history of literature and history of the French Enlightenment.