RUSS 373 - Seminar on Russian Literature

Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)

Focused analysis of an author, work, theme, genre, or literary school in the nineteenth or twentieth century.

Topic for 2014/15a: Chekhov’s Short Stories and Plays. Close reading of short stories and one play by Anton Chekhov. Focus is on the forms and themes of Chekhov’s works, as well as their historical context. Special attention is given to developing reading fluency and analytical discussion. Accompanied by film screenings. Ms. Safariants.

Topic for 2014/15b: Dostoevsky’s Tales and Other Shorter Fiction. Due to his international fame as the creator of the novels Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, and The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s shorter fiction is often overlooked in the West. For anyone seriously interested in the Russian author’s oeuvre, however, knowledge of his tales and short stories is indispensible, as they represent masterpieces in their own right. In this course we read several of Dostoevsky’s inspired and masterfully crafted short stories, including White-Nights, A Gentle Creature, and The Dream of a Ridiculous Man. All readings are done in the original, affording students a unique opportunity to examine Dostoevsky’s style and development as a writer. Mr. Arndt.

Prerequisite: RUSS 331 or permission of the instructor.

Conducted in Russian.

One 3-hour period.