3202001 Slavic Languages and Literatures
| Numbering Code | U-LET16 13202 LJ36 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ First semester | |
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| Number of Credits | 2 | Course Type | Lecture | |
| Target Year | Target Student | |||
| Language | Japanese | Day/Period | Wed.5 | |
| Instructor name | Nkamura Tadashi (Graduate School of Letters Professor) | |||
| Outline and Purpose of the Course |
Russian literature and thought have greatly influenced modern Japanese literature and thought. Worldwide, Japan is second only to Russia in the number of times Chekhov's plays have been performed. Tolstoy and Dostoevsky were among the most read writers between the Taisho and Showa periods, and they remain popular to this day. However, few readers have fully understood the cultural traditions and ideology behind Russia's literature or the circumstances under which they developed. This course will focus on some of the most significant subjects to provide a systematic overview of the historical flow of Russian literature, ideas, and paintings from the formation of modern Russian literature at the end of the 18th century to around 1880. |
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| Course Goals |
* Gain knowledge and understanding of modern Russian literature, thought, and paintings * Understand the connections that transcend countries in artworks and genres common in Western culture. |
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| Schedule and Contents |
The lesson plan is as follows, although there might be slight changes in the schedule. I will instruct the students on how to give feedback in the class. Class 1: Introduction Classes 2-3: Pre-modern Russian culture: Eastern Orthodox Church, the emergence of Cossacks and Old Believers, the construction of St. Petersburg, and more Classes 4-13: An overview of 19th-century Russian literature and philosophy following three lineages 1) The lineage of the Petersburg myth as a mirror of self-consciousness of the Modern Russia: “The Bronze Horseman” by Pushkin, “The Overcoat” and “The Nose” by Gogol, Petersburg images by Dostoevsky, and others 2) The lineage of the Caucasus representation as “others” in Russian culture: “The Prisoner of the Caucasus” by Pushkin, “A Hero of Our Time” and other works by Lermontov, “The Cossacks” by Tolstoy, and others 3) The lineage of “a Russian take of nature” Poems by Pushkin and Lermontov, “A Sportsman's Sketches” by Turgenev, “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina” by Tolstoy, paintings by The Wanderers Movemnet, and others Class 14: Literature and social situation after the Edict of Emancipation Class 15: Summary |
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| Evaluation Methods and Policy | Completion of questionnaires distributed in each class 30%; semester-end paper 70% | |||
| Course Requirements | Nothing in particular | |||
| Study outside of Class (preparation and review) | Please try to read the books and essays that will be introduced during class by yourself. | |||
| Textbooks | Textbooks/References | Handouts will be distributed as needed | ||
| References, etc. | Instructions will be given in the first class and throughout the course as needed. | |||
