Unit information: Russian Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends in 2011/12

Unit name	Russian Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends
Unit code	RUSS20041
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
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 optional unit introduces students to elements of popular culture in 18th and 19th century Russia: it studies some of the fables by Ivan Krylov, fairy tales collected by Afanasiev, and explores some of the myths and legends of Slavic people. Through the study of 19th century fairy tales, of folk legends and myths, students will develop a deeper understanding of Russian literature and culture.

Aims:

• To introduce students to a significant body of knowledge of a complexity appropriate to second 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 C.

• Some options may prepare students for the experience of the Year Abroad.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Successful students will:

• be knowledgeable about a significant cultural, historical or linguistic subject related to the language they are studying;

• be skilled 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 a high level;

• be able to respond to questions or problems by presenting their independent judgements in an appropriate style and at an high level of complexity;

• be able to transfer these skills to other working environments, including study at a foreign university and on work placements during the year abroad.

Teaching Information

Normally one lecture hour and one seminar hour per week across one teaching block (22 contact hours), often with student presentations. In units with a smaller number of students the lecture hour may be replaced by a second seminar or a workshop. Units involving film may require students to view films outside the timetabled contact hours.

Assessment Information

One of the following:

a) A written assignment of 2000 words and a two hour exam (50% each)

b) A written assignment of 2000 words (25%) and a three hour exam (75%)

c) Two written assignments of 2000 words (50% each)

d) One written assignment of 4000 words

e) One oral presentation (25%) and one written assignment of 2500 words (75%)

Reading and References

Set Texts

• Ivan Krylov: selection of fables (supplied as handout)
• The Folk Epic: selection of epics (supplied as handout)

COURSE TEXTBOOK: Afanas'ev, Aleksandr. Russian Fairy Tales. New York: Pantheon. 1973.

Further Reading

Primary Sources

• Bailey, James and Tatyana Ivanova, (ed). An Anthology of Russian Folk Epics. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. 1998.
• Haney, Jack V., An Introduction to the Russian Fairy Tale, Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. 1999.
• Haney, Jack (ed), Russian animal tales. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1999.
• Haney, Jack (ed), Russian Wondertales 1 (Tales of heroes and villains). Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2001.
• Haney, Jack (ed), Russian Wondertales 2 (Tales of magic and the supernatural). Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2001.
• Haney, Jack (ed), Russian Legends. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2003.
• Haney, Jack (ed), Russian tales of love and life. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2005.
• Haney, Jack (ed), Russian tales of clever fools. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2005.
• Ivanits, Linda J. Russian Folk Belief. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. 1992.
• Warner, Elizabeth, Russian Myths, London: British Museum Press, 2002

Secondary Literature

• Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment. New York: Random House/Vintage. 1977.
• Dixon-Kennedy, Mike, Encyclopedia of Russian and Slavic Myth and Legend, Denver: ABC Clio, 1999
• Propp, Vladimir. Morphology of the Folktale. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1975.
• Stepanov, Nikolai, Ivan Krylov. New York: Twayne, 1973.
• von Franz, Marie-Louise. Shadow and Evil in Fairy Tales. 1995.
• Warner, Marina. From the Beast to the Blonde. NY: Noonday Press/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1995,
• Zipes, Jack. Fairy Tale as Myth, Myth as Fairy Tale. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. 1994.
• Zipes, Jack. Fairy Tales and the Art of Subversion. London: Heinemann, 1983.