Pre-20th Century Russian Literature syllabus (2014)

Russian 323: Pre-20th Century Russian Literature and Culture Center for the Study of Languages Rice University Spring 2014 Instructor: Office: Office hours: Office phone: E-mail: Dr. Jonathan Z. Ludwig 323 Rayzor Hall Monday, 1:00-2:00; Wednesday, 9:00-10:00, and by appointment 713-348-3479 jzludwig@rice.edu Course goals: Welcome to Russian 323, a survey of pre-20th Century Russian literature and culture. At the end of this semester, you will have a greater understanding of: • the Slavic and East European world, including geography and their historical interaction; • the early history and culture of Russia; • the role literature and film serve as national texts, and the role they plan in understanding the politics of the Russian state throughout history; • the concepts of Russian personal and national identity, and how and why they have developed over time. Required texts to purchase: Eugene Onegin, by Alexander Pushkin A Hero of Our Time, by Mikhail Lermontov Fathers and Sons, by Ivan Turgenev Dead Souls, by Nikolai Gogol Anna Karenina, by Lev Tolstoi All other works are available via the OwlSpace course site as .pdf files, as cited on the course schedule. You may select any version of the above texts that you wish. Course grading policies: Class participation/attendance, including quizzes Test #1 Test #2 Response essays (3) 20% 25% 25% 30% Course requirements: There will be two take-home closed book exams. The format of these exams will be identification/short essay. There will be three response essays. These will be 2–3 page answers to assigned questions, which will be placed on the course OwlSpace site. Class participation will be based on regular class attendance, having read the assigned materials, actively participating when called upon to do so, and any unannounced quizzes, should they become necessary. ADA Statement: Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities will also need to contact Disability Support Services in the Ley Student Center. Course Plan The reading assignments to be covered in class are to be read before you come to class that day so that you may actively participate in any class discussions. I reserve the right to give popquizzes on the content of reading assignments if it becomes clear that you are not completing the readings in a timely fashion. Any grades from these quizzes would become part of your class participation grade. Day 1 13 January National Texts, Landscape Writing Character, and Russian Geography and Language: An Introduction Selected readings [RUSS323Day1readings.pdf] Day 2 15 January The Origins of and Outside Influences on Russia Alexander Blok’s “Scythians” [Scythians.pdf] Day 3 22 January A Pantheon of Slavic Gods and Demons Response Essay #1 due Day 4 27 January Russian Epics Volkh Vseslavyevich; Svyatogor [RussianEpics.pdf] Day 5 29 January Russian byliny I [Byliny1.pdf] Ilya Muromets and Nightengale the Robber; The Birth of Falconer, His Departure, and His Fight with Ilya Muromets; Ilya Muromets and Kalin Tsar; Ilya Muromets Quarrels with Prince Vladimir Day 6 3 February Russian byliny II [Byliny2.pdf] Dobrynya and the Dragon; Dobrynya and Marinka; Dobrynya Nikitich and Vasily Kazimirovich; Dobrynya and Alyosha Popovich Day 7 5 February Folklife, Riddles, and Household Gods / Ivan the Fool Fairy Tales Emelya the Simpleton; Ivanushko; Know Not; Ivan the Simpleton; The Arrant Fool; The Three Kingdoms, Copper, Silver, and Golden; The Wise Wife [IvanTales.pdf] Day 8 10 February Ivan Tales continued / Baba Yaga Fairy Tales The Three Kingdoms; Baba Yaga and the Brave Youth; Baba Yaga; The Maiden Tsar; Prince Danila Govorila; Baba Yaga; Prince Ivan and Byely Polyanin [BabaYagaTales.pdf] Day 9 12 February Russia in the Time of Troubles [IvanKurbsky.pdf] Correspondence between Andrei Kurbsky and Ivan the Terrible Take-home Exam #1: Due Wednesday, 19 February, at the beginning of class Day 10 17 February St. Petersburg: The City as Text Pushkin’s Bronze Horseman [BronzeHorseman.pdf] Day 11 19 February City Life Gogol’s “Overcoat” and selections from “Nevsky Prospect” [NevskyProspect.pdf, Overcoat.pdf] Day 12 24 February Prisoner of the Mountains Day 13 26 February The Art of the Russian Duel Day 14 10 March The Encyclopedia of Russian Life in the Golden Age Eugene Onegin Day 15 12 March Eugene Onegin Day 16 17 March Russia moves into the Caucasus Hero of Our Time Day 17 19 March Hero of Our Time Day 18 24 March Gogol’s (Non-)Sense Dead Souls Response Essay #2 due Day 19 26 March Dead Souls Day 20 31 March A Generational Shift Fathers and Sons Day 21 2 April Fathers and Sons Day 22 7 April Anna Karenina Day 23 9 April Anna Karenina Take-home Exam #2: Due Wednesday, 16 April, at the beginning of class Day 24 14 April The Grand Inquisitor [TheGrandInquistor.pdf] Day 25 16 April The Cherry Orchard [CherryOrchard.pdf] Watch: “Love and Death” Day 26 21 April In-class group discussion project Day 27 23 April Russia at the end of the 19th Century Response Essay #3 due by Friday, 25 April, 12:00 Noon