Russian 15
Introduction to Russian Civilization

Course Syllabus, Fall 2003

MWF 1:45-2:50

Jennifer R. Tishler
205 Reed Hall
email: jennifer.r.tishler@dartmouth.edu
phone: 6-1627
Office hours: M & W 3-4 and by appointment*

 

Russia cannot be understood by reason alone.
Common measures cannot be applied to her.
She has a special character.
One must simply believe in Russia.

Or so believed the 19th-century Russian poet Fedor Tiutchev. Clearly, Russia has contributed richly to world culture, as you will understand better by the end of this course. At the same time, much of Russian culture and history has been about Russia’s tensioned relationship with its surrounding world. This course is designed as an introduction to Russian civilization, presenting an overview of art, architecture, literature, music, philosophy, and film. Our discussions will place the cultural phenomena into a larger historical context as we discuss their relatedness--and distinctions--to American and European culture.

Course Requirements

Learning for this course will take place both inside and outside the classroom. The in-class format will include lectures, discussions, and presentations of videos, slides, and music. Outside class, you will be responsible for completing assigned readings (including reading assignments on the Internet). All students are expected to complete the following assignments: 1) attendance at and participation in class; 2) a 60-minute midterm examination; 3) two 2-3 pp. analytical essays; 4) a 10-12 pp. final paper.

Grades

Final grades will be determined according to the following scale: Attendance and participation (20%); midterm exam (20%); analytical essays (15% + 15%); final paper (30%).

Readings

Be prepared to discuss the assigned readings in class on the day they appear on the syllabus. All of the required books have been ordered at Wheelock Books. Some additional readings will be distributed in class in photocopy.

Russell Bova, Russia and Western Civilization
George Hamilton, The Art and Architecture of Russia
Neil Heyman, Russian History
Ivan Turgenev, Fathers and Sons
Andrzej Walicki, A History of Russian Thought from the Enlightenment to Marxism

Course schedule

Wed. 9/24

Ways of Understanding Russia

Fri. 9/26

Kievan Rus’ and Muscovy. Heyman 1-47; Bova 3-20

Mon. 9/29

The Orthodox Church: history and doctrine. Heyman 48-63; Bova 78-112

Wed. 10/1

The Orthodox Church: art and architecture. Russian Art Website http://www.rollins.edu/Foreign_Lang/Russian/frame1.html

[read Historical Introduction, Understanding Icons, Iconostasis, Andrei Rublev, and the Trinity]

Hamilton: 15-64, 97-151

Fri. 10/3

The Rise of Moscow. Heyman 64-98; Hamilton 184-208.

Mon. 10/6

Peter the Great and St. Petersburg. Heyman 99-131; Hamilton 258-275

Wed. 10/8

Building an Empire. Heyman 132-171; Hamilton 276-333

Fri. 10/10

Challenges to Authority. Walicki 35-52; Radishchev “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow” (photocopy)

Mon. 10/13

Romantic art. Hamilton 342-373. ESSAY #1 due today in class.

Wed. 10/15

The Russian Idea. Bova 23-77; Walicki 53-70

Fri. 10/17

Alexander Pushkin and Russian Literature. Heyman 172-188; Pushkin, “Bronze Horseman” (photocopy); Bova 145-159

Mon. 10/20

The Russian Intelligentsia. Chaadaev “First Letter” (photocopy 20pp.); Walicki 81-91

Wed. 10/22

Westernizers and Slavophiles. Walicki 92-151

Thurs. 10/23

“The Sixties” and reform. Heyman 189-208; Walicki, 183-235

Mon. 10/27

Turgenev and Russian Literature. Turgenev, Fathers and Sons

Wed. 10/29

Turgenev, Fathers and Sons (continued)

Fri. 10/31

Russian Classical Music. Bova 210-240

Mon. 11/3

Midterm Exam

Wed. 11/5

The Age of Realism in Art. Russian Art Website http://www.rollins.edu/Foreign_Lang/Russian/frame3.html

[read Introduction (19th cent.) and Repin]; Hamilton 374-387

Fri. 11/7

Social and Cultural Revolutions: Art and Thought of the Silver Age. Heyman 209-251; Hamilton 388-415; Walicki 371-394

Mon. 11/10

The Russian Revolutions. Heyman 252-291; Bova 113-141

Wed. 11/12

Alexander Blok and Russian Literature. Heyman 292-312; Blok, “The Twelve” (photocopy); Bova 159-176.

Fri. 11/14

Avant-garde art. Heyman 313-347; Russian Art Website http://www.rollins.edu/Foreign_Lang/Russian/frame4.html

[read Introduction (20th cent.), Constructivism, Cubism, Cubo-Futurism, Neo Primitivism, Rayonism, Suprematism, Chagall, Kandinskii]

Mon. 11/17

Russian Art: Class held in Hood Museum today. Bova 177-209. ESSAY #2 due today in class.

Wed. 11/19

Russian Film: Eisenstein’s Strike. Heyman 348-379; watch Strike at Jones Media Center

Fri. 11/21

Russian Political Culture. Heyman 380-454; Bova 243-276

Mon. 11/24

Test #2

Wed. 11/26-Fri. 11/28

No class, due to Thanksgiving Holiday

Mon. 12/1

Research Day

Wed. 12/3

Research Day

Mon. 12/8

Final papers due by 4:00 pm. Early submissions encouraged.

 


* I encourage students with disabilities, including “invisible” disabilities like chronic diseases and learning disabilities, to discuss with me after class or during my office hours appropriate accommodations that might be helpful to them.