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Russian 820 |
Katia Siskron |
Course Description: This course is taught in English and is open to upper division and graduate students. It is recommended for students of any literature interested in the development of the novel. The focus of the course is on the analysis and discussion of the late eighteenth-century and early nineteenth-century Russian novels assessed from the perspective of genre theory and specifically in context of Bakhtin’s theory of the novel.
Prerequisite: ENG 416, or consent of instructor.
Objective: In this course we will explore, extend and apply Bakhtin’s theory of the novel. I will provide a brief overview of Western genre theory, placing Bakhtin in the context of contemporary formalist and Marxist critical theory. We will then read selected essays by Bakhtin on the development of the novel as a genre and on the chronotope and use these readings to explore thematic and structural development of eighteenth century and early nineteenth century Russian novels: Karamzin's Poor Liza, Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin, A Captain’s Daughter, Gogol’s Dead Souls, and Lermontov’s A Hero of Our Time. We will follow the development of the novelistic genre in Russia both in the historical context, and in the context of other genres such as poetry and short prose produced by the same authors.
Methods: The course methodology will consist of lectures, class discussion, research and oral presentations.
Assessment and Course Requirements: Students will be evaluated and graded on class participation, research papers and oral presentations. Both graduate and undergraduate students will write a paper on a literary work of their choice. Both undergraduate and graduate students will be required to submit a research prospectus and a brief work-in-progress oral presentation at midterm and a completed research paper and oral presentation on the last day of class. Undergraduate students will write ten-page research papers with a minimum of five critical sources. Graduate students will write twenty-page research papers with a minimum of ten critical sources. In addition, graduate students will be required to read and do a presentation of a full-length critical or theoretical text from the list of suggested reading .Russian majors, minors and graduate students will do selected readings in Russian under the guidance of the instructor.
Student Outcomes: This course promotes development of analytical and critical thinking and writing. It also provides insight into twentieth century literary theory, specifically Bakhtin's theory of the novel and the development of the novelistic genre in Russia.
Resources: Students will be given a workshop on Internet research, and are encouraged to take advantage of the Russian Program database: www.sfsu.edu/~russian, and the Bakhtin Centre website: http://shef.ac.uk/~bakh/bakhtin.html
The instructor will also provide an extensive bibliography on the topic and a reader (or readers) of appropriate excerpts (see preliminary reference list below).
Required Texts:
Suggested Reading:
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