1 History of Russian Culture Through Film and Literature HIST E-1557/W
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History of Russian Culture through Film and Literature HIST E-1557/W (Spring 2015) (December 21, 2014) Harvard University Extension School Donald Ostrowski Wednesdays 5:30–7:30 pm (lectures) 51 Brattle St. E-703 phone (617)495-4547 e-mail: [email protected] website: http://isites.harvard.edu/k109152 Teaching Assistants: David Nicholson Robert Goggin email: [email protected] email: [email protected] office hours: By appointment only phone: 617-625-6983 office hours: TuesThurs 4:30–5:30 (rm. 701) Karen J. Wilson email: [email protected] phone: 978-275-6927 (o); 978-255-2279 (h) Course Goals: The course has three main goals. First, it attempts to introduce the history of Russian culture and provide a foundational basis for further post-course study of it. Second, it attempts to improve critical thinking abilities and the powers of observation on the part of the student. Third, it attempts to develop writing skills. Writing Assignments: I have designed the course as writing intensive. In order for the course to fill that function, I expect each student (both undergraduate and graduate) to write a draft and a revised version of one “five-paragraph beast” (625−750 words), a draft and revised version of two 3–5- page “analytical-critique” papers (750–1250 words each) and one final project. For undergraduates, the final project will consist of one 10-page theme-analysis paper (2500 words). Graduate students are required to write a draft and a revised version of a proposal (around 3 pages [750 words]) that must be approved by their teaching assistant before they can commence on a 15–20-page research paper (4000–5000 words). You can find more information about the “five-paragraph beast” and analytical-critique papers on page 7 of this syllabus. Undergraduates will find more detailed information about the theme-analysis paper on page 8. Graduate students will find more detailed information about the proposal and research paper on pages 9–10 of this syllabus. In the computation of the final grade, we will count the “five-paragraph beast” as 15% of the final grade, the analytical-critique papers as 20% each (2 x 20% = 40%), the final projects as 40% of the total grade, and “course participation” (see definition below) as 5% of the final grade. 1 Definitions of “Draft” and “Revised” Versions: We define the “draft” of a paper as the first version handed in. We define the “revised” version of a paper as the next version handed in that addresses the TA’s or instructor’s comments made on the “draft”. Only the “revised” version receives a grade. See “Guidelines for Writing- Intensive Courses” (p. 12). Definition of “Course Participation”: In a writing-intensive course it is especially important to maintain contact with your teaching assistant in order to discuss your papers. One should not, of course, make oneself a nuisance, but frequent communication with authentic questions are what I have in mind. Note on Use and Citation of Sources: The responsibility for learning the rules governing the proper use of sources lies with the individual student. In registering for a course, students agree to abide by the policies printed on the Extension School website, which contains brief descriptions of plagiarism, cheating, and computer network abuse. Ignoring these policies may have unpleasant consequences. You will find an excellent introduction to proper citation in Gordon Harvey’s Writing with Sources: A Guide for Harvard Students (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1998), which is available at the Harvard Coop and online at <http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~expos/sources>. Reading List Textbooks for the Course (required): – Orlando Figes, Natasha’s Dance: A Cultural History of Russia (New York: Henry Holt, 2002). ($24/$16.89/$2.88) ISBN: 9780312421958. – Donald Ostrowski and Marshall T. Poe, eds., Portraits of Old Russia: Imagined Lives of Ordinary People, 1300–1725 (Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 2011). ($29.14/$27.30/$4.35) ISBN: 9780765627292. – Picturing Russia: Explorations in Visual Culture, ed. Valerie A. Kivelson and Joan Neuberger (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008). ($31.60/$22.00/$2.00) ISBN: 9780300164213. – Nicholas Rzhevsky, An Anthology of Russian Literature from Earliest Writings to Modern Fiction: Introduction to a Culture, with CD (Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 2005) ($48.44/$40.00/$15.88) ISBN: 0765612465. Optional Textbooks (not required): – W. Bruce Lincoln, Between Heaven and Hell: The Story of a Thousand Years of Artistic Life in Russia (New York: Viking, 1998) [out of print]. – Suzanne Massie, Land of the Firebird: The Beauty of Old Russia (1980). ($29.03/$11.99/$6.14) ISBN: 0964418417. 2 Recommended Additional Reading (not required): – James Billington, The Icon and the Axe: An Interpretive History of Russian Culture (New York: Random House, 1966, Vintage Books, 1970). – Tamara Talbot Rice, A Concise History of Russian Art (New York: Praeger, 1963). – Priscilla Roosevelt, Life on a Russian Country Estate: A Social and Cultural History (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995). [out of print] ISBN: 0300072627. – Solomon Volkov, The Magical Chorus: A History of Russian Culture from Tolstoy to Solzhenitsyn, translated by Antonina W. Boius (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008). – Serge Zenkovsky, Medieval Russia’s Epics, Chronicles, and Tales (E. P. Dutton, 1974). ($20/$13.60) Required Reading Options Although there are only four required books for the course, all students will be expected to choose and read three (3) additional books from the following list. Note: I have not ordered any of the books recommended for each of the weekly lectures through the Coop, because except for the one marked with a # (and thus available on the course website) they are all trade paperbacks. I recommend early choosing of whichever books you would like to read for the course and searching for them through on-line book services and local libraries. Recommended Reading and Viewing for Each of the Weekly Lectures (choose three): Jan 28 – Excerpts from Rus’ Primary Chronicle, translation by Samuel H. Cross (1953) available at: <http://www.uoregon.edu/~kimball/chronicle.htm> Feb 4 – #“Life of Alexander Nevskii” packet (available on course website) Feb 11 – Robert Payne and Nikita Romanoff, Ivan the Terrible (New York: E. P. Dutton, 1974; New York: Cooper Square Press, 2002). or, alternatively, − Nil Sorsky: The Authentic Writings, edited and translated by David M. Goldfrank (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 2008. Feb 18 − Alexander Pushkin, The Captain’s Daughter (1836) or, alternatively, – Alexander Radishchev, Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow (1790) or, alternatively, −Catherine the Great, Memoirs 3 Feb 25 – Alexander Pushkin, Evgenii Onegin (1836) Mar 4 − Marquise de Cuistine, Empire of the Czar (1843) or, alternatively, −Ivan Turgenev, Fathers and Sons (1862) or, alternatively, – Nikolai Gogol, Dead Souls (1842) Mar 11 –Fedor Dostoevsky, The Idiot (1868) or, alternatively –Fedor Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground (1864) (in combination with Nikolai Chernyshevsky, What Is to Be Done? [1863]) or, alternatively, – Fedor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment (1866) Mar 25 – Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina (1877) or, alternatively, – Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace (1869) Apr 1 – Jeremy Siepmann, Tchaikovsky: His Life and Music (Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, 2008). Youtube: Glinka, “Overture” to Ruslan and Liudmila performed by Berlin Philharmonic; Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition (piano version) performed by Aino Yumiko; Rimsky-Korsakov, Russian Easter Overture; Borodin, Nocturne for String Orchestra; Tchaikovsky, Andante Cantabile performed by Borodin Quartet. Apr 8 – Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard (1904) Apr 15 – Dmitrii Furmanov, Chapayev (1923) or, alternatively, −Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago (1957) or, alternatively, −Maxim Gorky, My Childhood (1915) (available online through HOLLIS/Google) Apr 22 − Evgeniia Ginzberg, Journey into the Whirlwind (1967) or, alternatively, – Mikhail Bulgakov, Master and Margarita (1966; written 1928–1940) or, alternatively, −Fedor Gladkov, Cement (1925) Apr 29 – Alexander Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1962) or, alternatively, – Alexander Solzhenitsyn, First Circle (1968) May 6 – Alexander Zinoviev, The Radiant Future (1976) 4 May 13 – TBA Lectures Assigned Reading Jan 28 Introduction: Goals and Overview of Ostrowski, “Three Criteria of the Course Historical Study”* I. Origins of Russian Culture Wilson, “Critical and Featured Writers: Chroniclers Creative Thinking” Feb 4 II. The Early Rus’ Principalities Anthology, 3–39 Featured Writer and Editors: Author and Natasha’s Dance, 355–375 Redactors of Tale/Life of Alexander Nevsky Picturing Russia, 12–27 Portraits of Old Russia, xxiii−xxviii, 3−102 Feb 11 III. Muscovite Culture, 1500−1800 Anthology, 41–77 Featured Writer: Nil Sorsky Natasha’s Dance, 376–429 Picturing Russia, 28–62, 201–206 Portraits of Old Russia, 105−197 Feb 18 IV. Literature, Art, and Architecture in the Anthology, 79–117 18th Century Natasha’s Dance, 1–68 Featured Writer: Alexander Radishchev Picturing Russia, 63–80 Portraits of Old Russia, 198−300 Feb 25 V. Early 19th Century, Part I Anthology, 118–258 Featured Writer: Alexander Pushkin Natasha’s Dance, 69–146 Picturing Russia, 81–85 Mar 4 VI. Early 19th Century, Part II Anthology, 259–302 Featured Writer: Nikolai Gogol Natasha’s Dance, 147–182 Picturing Russia, 96–99 Mar 11 VII. Mid-Late 19th Century, Part I Anthology, 303–337 Featured Writer: Fedor Dostoevsky Natasha’s Dance, 318–354 Picturing Russia, 90–95 Mar 25 VIII. Mid-Late 19th Century, Part II Anthology, 338–400 Featured Writer: Leo Tolstoy Natasha’s Dance, 217–255 Picturing Russia, 86–89 Apr 1 IX. 19th-Century Russian Music Anthology, 401–437 5 Featured Composer: Peter Tchaikovsky Natasha’s Dance, 255–287 Picturing Russia, 100–123 Apr 8 X. Turn of the 20th Century Anthology, 401–437 Featured Writer: Anton Chekhov Natasha’s Dance, 182–216 Picturing Russia, 100–123 Apr 15 XI. Literature, Art and Architecture, and Music Anthology, 438–440, 451–454 from or on the Revolutionary Period Natasha’s Dance, 289–318 Featured Writer: Maxim Gorky Picturing Russia, 124–147 Youtube: Joffrey Ballet, Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky (in 3 parts) Apr 22 XII.