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| Unit name |
Russian Twentieth-Century Short Prose |
| Unit code |
RUSS30057 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
H/6
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
|
| Unit director |
Dr. Beumers |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department |
Department of Russian |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Arts |
Description including Unit Aims
This unit explores aspects of the development of the Russian short story during the twentieth century. The early years of Soviet literature saw an unleashing of experimental ideas with movements such as the Formalists and renewed interest in the Absurd and carnivalesque writing, echoes of which may also be found in some post-Stalinist writing. We shall look at two or three authors from both eras (including Olesha, Kharms, Terts) and discuss their approach to form and content. The Thaw witnessed the re-emergence in literature of simple human values, respect for nature, and rediscovery of the past. We shall consider the works of authors including Solzhenitsyn and Shukshin and assess the impact of Village as against Urban Prose, exemplified by authors such as Trifonov. Finally, we shall explore aspects of women's writing in Soviet times, concentrating on social commentary and stylistic development in works by Chukovskaia, Baranskaia and Tolstaia.
Aims:
- To introduce students to a significant body of knowledge of a complexity appropriate to final year level. The content matter will normally include one or more of the following: literature; social, cultural or political history; linguistics; cultural studies; film, television or other media.
- To facilitate students engagement with a body of literature, including secondary literature, texts, including in non-print media, primary sources and ideas as a basis for their own analysis and development. Normally many or most of these sources will be in a language other than English and will enhance the development of their linguistic skills.
- To develop further skills of synthesis, analysis and independent research, building on the skills acquired in units at level I.
- To equip students with the skills to undertake postgraduate study in a relevant field.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Successful students will:
- be knowledgable about a significant cultural, historical or linguistic subject related to the language they are studying;
- will have advanced skills in the selection and synthesis of relevant material;
- be able to evaluate and analyse relevant material from a significant body of source materials, usually in a foreign language, at an advanced level;
- be able to respond to questions or problems by presenting their independent judgements in an appropriate style and at an advanced level of complexity;
- be able to transfer these skills to other working environments, including postgraduate study.
Teaching Information
1 x 2hr slot weekly.
Assessment Information
3000-word essay (50%) and two-hour examination (50%).
Reading and References
- Iurii Olesha, V tsirke, 1929
- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Matrenin dvor, 1963
- Tatiana Tolstaia, Na zolotom kryltse sideli, 1987
- L. Michael OToole, Structure, Style and Interpretation in the Russian Short Story, Yale University Press, 1982
- Geoffrey Hosking, Beyond Socialist Realism: Soviet Fiction since Ivan Denisovich, Granada, 1980
- Catriona Kelly, A History of Russian Womens Writing, 1820-1992, Clarendon Press, 1994
