| Course ID: | RUSS 4090. 3 hours. |
| Course Title: | Russia through the Eyes of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky |
Course
Description: | The cultural context, lives, and works of nineteenth-century
Russia's greatest novelists. Close reading of two panoramic
masterpieces, "War and Peace" and "The Idiot," interspersed with
selected autobiographical writings and short stories. All
readings and discussion in English. Film adaptations with
English subtitles. |
| Oasis Title: | TOLSTOY AND DOSTOEV |
| Duplicate Credit: | Not open to students with credit in RUSS 4090 |
| Grading System: | A-F (Traditional) |
|
| Course Objectives: | The course will address the following: methodologies of close
readings; the biographical approach to literary studies;
nineteenth-century historical events in Russia as they influence
private and literary life; reactions to censorship; "iurodstvo"
[holy foolishness]; the folklore and literary heritage of Moscow
and Saint Petersburg; theories of the novel and of
autobiography; the influence of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky in world
literature; Tolstoyanism, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King; film
adaptations of literary works.
Students will develop skills in discussion, argumentation, and
formal writing. Regular assigned readings and class
participation, five brief, informal written responses to
readings, three short formal essays(3-4 pages), and a class
presentation leading to a longer final research paper (8-10
pages). |
| Topical Outline: | "War and Peace," Volume I
"The Idiot," Part I
"Poor Folk"
"White Nights"
"Childhood. Boyhood. Youth."
"War and Peace," Volume II
"The Idiot," Part II
"Notes from the House of the Dead"
"Three Deaths"
"War and Peace," Volume III
"The Idiot," Part III
"Notes from Underground"
"A Confession"
"War and Peace," Volume IV
"The Idiot," Part IV
"The Dream of a Ridiculous Man"
"The Death of Ivan Ilych"
"War and Peace," Epilogue
"The Kreutzer Sonata"
"The Kingdom of God is Within You" |
| Honor Code Reference: | Students are expected to conform to the UGA Student Honor Code.
The instructor will communicate to students the required
documentation for written assignments and the effect of
dishonesty or unauthorized assistance upon grading. |