RUSSIAN LITERATURE II

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

L0038

Academic Year of enrolment:

2016

Year of supply:

2018/2019

Type of Course:

Basic

Degree:

Course of 1st Cycle Degree in LINGUISTIC MEDIATION AND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Disciplinary Sector:

Slavic Studies

Location:

PESCARA

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

MORACCI Giovanna

Cycle:

Second semester

Hours of classroom activity:

Individual study hours:

152

Prerequisites:

PREREQUISITES
Level B1 (Reading) of Russian.

Objectives

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the course is to present the evolution and the main literary phenomena of the Russian literature of the first half of the 19th century, the so-called “golden age” of Russian literature. While developing an intermediate level of Russian, students will analyze selected literary works of the main authors of the period: Pushkin, Lermontov and Gogol’.
The aims of the course include:
- building on learners's knowledge and understanding of the culture and literature of Russia.
- developing critical and analytical skills
- enhancing learners' understanding of Russian literary texts.

Contents

Russian literature of the first half of the 19th century.

Extended Syllabus

COURSE SYLLABUS
- Historical and cultural background. Periodization of the Russian literature of the first half of the 19th century.
- Diffusion and influence of West-European literatures.
- Works of Aleksandr Pushkin. Periodization. His contribution to the development of new genres. Lyric; the novel in verse Evgenij Onegin; prose, The Tales of Belkin. Analyzing selected lyrics and passages (in Russian) from the literary works: Pushkin’s language and style.
- Works of Michail Lermontov. Lyric; composition strategies in the novel A Hero of Our Time. Analyzing selected lyrics and passages (in Russian) from the novel: Lermontov’s language and literary ‘devices’.
- Romanticism in Russia. The byronic hero: parallels between Onegin and Pechorin (A Hero of Our Time).
- Works of Nikolai Gogol. Gogol’s cultural mythes: Ukraina, St.Petersburg, Rome. The novel Dead souls; the comedy The Government Inspector. Analyzing selected passages (in Russian) from the novel and the comedy: Gogol’s style.
- Forties of the 19th century. The Natural school. Belinsky. Almanacs and literary journals.
- Literary criticism on Pushkin and Gogol in the 20th century: 1.Introduction to Lotman’s semiotic analyze of Evgenij Onegin; 2. The peculiarity of Sinjavskij’s view of Gogol’s art.

Recommended Bibliography

COMPULSORY READING MATERIALS:
a) LITERARY WORKS:
- A. S. Puškin, Evgenij Onegin
- A. S. Puškin, I racconti di Belkin
- A. S. Puškin, Selected Lyrics.
- M. Ju. Lermontov, Un eroe del nostro tempo
- M. Ju. Lermontov, Selected Lyrics.
- N.V.Gogol’, Le anime morte
- N.V. Gogol’, L’ispettore generale
Linguistic and stylistic analysis of selected passages from Russian textes: A. S. Puškin, Evgenij Onegin; A. S. Puškin, Povesti Belkina; M. Ju. Lermontov, Geroj našego vremeni; N.V.Gogol’, Mërtvye duši; N.V.Gogol’, Revizor .
b) REFERENCE WORKS
Historical and cultural background: R. Bartlett, Storia della Russia, Milano: Oscar Mondadori, 2007 e ed. successive (cap.IV: ”La Russia e l’Europa: apogeo e declino dello stato autocratico.1760-1860”).
Literary criticism: to choose from among: 1. Ju.M.Lotman, Il testo e la storia: L’”Evgenij Onegin” di Puškin, Il Mulino, Bologna, 1985; 2. A. Sinjavskij, Nell’ombra di Gogol’, Garzanti, Milano, 1980.
STUDENTS studying ON THEIR OWN will prepare additional reference works: Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, Torino: UTET, 1997, vol.I: chpts “La letteratura di inizio Ottocento”, “Puškin”, “Lermontov”, “Gogol’”, “Belinskij e l’occidentalismo degli anni Quaranta”, “La scuola naturale”.

Teaching Methods

COURSE STRUCTURE
The course is structured in an amount of 48 class hours. It consists in classes of history of literature and literary criticism, and in analysis of literary works by Pushkin, Lermontov and Gogol.

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

COURSE GRADE DETERMINATION
End-of-semester assessment consists in an oral examination.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Knowledge:
− The student has detailed knowledge of the history of the Russian literature of first half of the 19th century (periods, trends, genres; works of the main authors).
− The student mentions names of authoritative 20th century literature researchers and critics.
− The student presents literary works of the period, and puts them into a larger historical, cultural and literary context.
Skills:
− The student uses basic literature terminology.
− The student possesses abilities in the analysis and interpretation of the literary works.
− The student has an ability to work systematically.

Contacts/More Information

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Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

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