Teaching code

4S002905

Teacher

Stefano Aloe

Coordinatore

Stefano Aloe

Credits

6

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

L-LIN/21 - SLAVIC STUDIES

Period

I semestre (Lingue e letterature straniere) dal Sep 28, 2020 al Jan 9, 2021.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars

Learning outcomes

The course leads the students to learn the basic features of the cultural and literary history of Russia. At the end of the course, students must be able to: 1) know the most important moments in Russia’s history and the basic elements of russian modern culture, with specific reference to the XIX century; 2) apply the acquired knowledge in the analysis of the text studied during the lessons, using the supplied critical bibliography. 3) develop independent opinions concerning the fundamental topics addressed during the course and to express them in a coherent and correct way.

Program

«Beauty and Truth: an introduction to Russian literary civilisation»
The aim of the course is to acquaint students with the grounds of Russian cultural and literary history, by a critical approach to classical texts of Russian literature (from 19th to the beginning of 20th century), and links to other forms of artistic expression, cultural and historical events. Reading and commenting a choice of literary texts during the classes will allow us to get close to Russian literature’s main themes and to experience several ways of textual analysis.

Required reading (in Russian original or in translation)
- A. Pushkin, The Bronze Horseman (Медный всадник)
- M. Lermontov, A Hero of our Time (Герой нашего времени)
- N. Gogol’, The Nose; The Overcoat (Нос, Шинель)
- F. Dostoevskij, Crime and Punishment (Преступление и наказание) or White Nights (Белые ночи)
- L. Tolstoj, Father Sergy (Отец Сергий), or Sebastopol tales (Севастополь), or The Death of Ivan Ilyich (Смерть Ивана Ильича)
- A. Čechov, Ward N.6 (Палата № 6) or The Lady with the Dog (Дама с собачкой)

In addition students have to read one the following facultative texts:

- N. Leskov, The Enchanted Wanderer (Очарованный странник) or The Sealed Angel (Запечатленный ангел)
- I. Turgenev, Fathers and Sons (Отцы и дети) or A noble nest (Дворянское гнездо)
- F. Dostoevskij, Notes from the Underground (Записки из подполья)

Bibliography
- AA.VV., Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, diretta da M. Colucci e R. Picchio, Torino, UTET, 1997 (a choice of chapters will be indicated at the beginning of the course).
Other materials will be forwarded at the beginning of the course.

Examination Methods

Aims: the aim of the exam is to verify:
- The acquisition by the students of the basic space-temporal and conceptual coordinates learned in the course
- The appropriate knowledge concerning the topic and the instruments analysed during the course and/or planned in the programme
- The ability to value independently e with a full knowledge of the situation the peculiar historical, social and cultural phenomena of Russia, above all those ones concerning the period analysed in the course.

Contents:
The exam will be about the contents included in the programme and about the literary, artistic and historic cultural materials analysed during the course.

Methods for conducting:
The exam is oral and is an interview during which the student must present with precision and showing the ability to judge independently about what has been learned during the course and the individual preparation. The programme is the same for both the attending and non-attending students: the last ones can find the necessary materials to study in the programme, in the lecture notes and on the e-learning internet page; they could ask the professor for additional material or explanations during the office hours if needed.

Arrangements for evaluating:
Single vote in thirties.