31041 - Russian Literature 1

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will acquire basic knowledge of Russian history and Russian literature from the 10th century to mid 19th century. The course will introduce students to the main strategies of analysis of texts of different types and periods.

Course contents

The course consists of two parts.

The first part will give an outline of the history of Russia from the origins to the early nineteenth century, along with the basic notions of literary history of the entire period and the analysis of some of the most relevant texts.

The second part will deal with the development of the genre "Novel" in Russia from the late eighteenth century to the late 19th century, together with the analysis of some of the most relevant texts.

Readings/Bibliography

The texts marked with an asterisk are highly recommended. Native speakers of Russian are required to read the literary works in Russian. In the list there are some textbooks in Russian. Native speakers of Russian can take their examination in Russian, if they wish. Erasmus students can study on English textbooks listed below and can read available English translations of the literary works.

The list of the literary works translated into Italian is not complete. The course professor will give more references during the course.

A) Social and Political History

*N.V. Riasanovsky, Storia della Russia, dalle origini ai nostri giorni, Milano, Bompiani, 1989 (other paperback editions available).

B) Literary History Coursebooks

*R. Picchio, La letteratura russa antica, Firenze, Sansoni-Accademia, 1968 (and other editions).

R. Picchio, Letteratura della Slavia Ortodossa, Bari, Dedalo, 1991.

*R. Picchio, M. Colucci (eds), Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, Torino, Utet, 1997, 2 voll. (chapters related to the periods and works included in the course) (Vol. I, part I, all introduction ; chap. I ; cap. II, § 1.2.5.6; chap. III, § 1.2.3.4.5.7.8; Part II, chap. I, §1.2.4.6.7; chap. II §1; chap. III, §1.5.7.8.; Part III, chap. I, §1.2; chap. II §3.4.5.6.7.8; Chap III §1.2.4; Chap IV §1.6.9; Chap V, §1.2.3.4.5; Part IV, Chap. I §1.9; chap. II §1; chap. III §1, chap IV all; chap. VII all; chap. VIII all; Part V, chap. VI all; chap VII all, chap VIII all.

V. Terras (ed.), Handbook to Russian Literature, New Haven, Yale University Press, 1985.

V. Terras, A History of Russian Literature, New Haven, Yale, 1991.

Ch. A. Moser (ed.), The Cambridge History of Russian Literature, Cambridge, Cambridge UP, 1989-1992.

D.S. Lichačev (ed.), Istorija russkoj literatury X-XVII vekov, Moskva, Prosveščenie, 1980. [trad. it., Storia della letteratura russa dei secoli X-XVII, Genova, EDEST, 1989.]

Istorija russkoj literatury v četerech tomach, voll. 1-2, Leingrad, Nauka, 1981. (chapters related to the topics included in the program)

R. Jakobson, Premesse di Storia Letteraria Slava, Mi, Il Saggiatore, 1975 [in particular: “Il nucleo della letteratura slava comparata”; “Il prologo di San Costantino al Vangelo”; “La missione bizantina fra gli slavi”; “Glosse al Cantare di Igor'”; “Sulle fiabe russe”.]

A. Giambelluca Kossova, All'alba della cultura Russa. La Rus kieviana (862-1240), Roma, Edizioni Studium, 1996.

A. Giambelluca Kossova, Da Mosca all'Impero degli zar, Roma, Edizioni Studium, 2001 Laura

Laura Satta Boschian, L'illuminismo e la steppa. Settecento russo, (second edition with poetic anthology), Roma, Studium, 1994.

Satta Boschian, L'Ottocento russo, Roma, Studium, 1994.

John Mersereau, Russian Romantic Fiction, Ardis, Ann Arbor, 1983.

Jean Bonamour, Il romanzo russo, Firenze, Sansoni, 1983 [available in various libraries: Archiginnasio, B. Comunale Pieve di Cento, Dip. Filosofia, Dip Lingue e Lett. Str. Mod.]

C) Literary texts (in chronological order of the literary work)

R. Poggioli (a cura), Cantare delle gesta di Igor. Epopea russa del XII sec., Torino, Einaudi, 1954.

E.T. Saronne (a cura), Il canto della schiera di Igor', Parma, Pratiche, 1990.

Bazzarelli (a cura), Canto dell'impresa di Igor', Mi, BUR 1991.

I.P. Sbriziolo (a cura), Racconto dei tempi passati. Cronaca russa del secolo XII, To, Einaudi, 1971.

Or tjhe recently published

Nestore l'Annalista, Cronaca degli anni passati (XI-XII secolo), introd., transl. and commentary Ada Giambelluca Kossova, Milano, Ed. San Paolo, 2005.

Daniil Zatočnik, Slovo i Molenie, (eds A. Danti e M. Colucci), Firenze, Licosa.

E.T. Saronne (ed.), Pianto sulla distruzione di Rjazan', Parma, Pratiche, 1992

E.T. Saronne, K. Danilcenko (ed.), Giganti, incantatori e draghi. Byline dell'antica Rus, Milano, Luni, 1997.

A. Kossova (ed.), Narrazione sula vita e sull'ardimento del grande e pio principe Alessandro, Palermo, Sellerio, 1991.

A. Kossova (ed.), La fiaba d'amore dei principi russi Pietro e Fevronija, Palermo, Sellerio, 1991.

Afanasij Nikitin, Viaggio al di là dei tre mari, Le Monnier.

Afanasij Nikitin, Viaggio in tre mari, (ed. E.T. Saronne), Roma, Carocci, 2002.

Lettere e testamento di Ivan il Terribile, (eds D.S.Lichacev e J.L. Lur'e), Milano, Longanesi, 1972.

Avvakum, Vita dell'arciprete Avvakum, scritta da lui stesso, (ed. Pia Pera), Milano, Adelphi, 1986. [o anche La Vita dell'arciprete Avvakum, scritta da lui stesso, (ed. L. Rodoyce), Torino, Boringhieri, 1962]

D. Fonvizin, Il Brigadiere. Il Minorenne, Venezia, Marsilio, 1991.

M.D. Čulkov, La cuoca avvenente, Palermo, Sellerio.

Caterina II, Nell'anticamera di un pezzo grosso, a cura di G. Moracci, Lecce

A.N. Radiščev, Viaggio da Pietroburgo a Mosca, Bari, De Donato. [read introductury essay by F. Venturi] The text has been republished in the volume

Russia bifronte : da Pietro 1. a Caterina 2. attraverso la Corruzione dei costumi in Russia di Ščerbátov e il Viaggio da Pietroburgo a Mosca di Radiščev, a cura di Giorgio Maria Nicolai. - Roma : Bulzoni, ©1990.

Aleksandr Radiščev, Viaggio da Pietroburgo a Mosca; transl. Bianca Sulpasso. - Roma : Voland, 2006.

N. Karamzin, La povera Liza, Natalia figlia di boiaro, Milano, Tranchida, 1988

N. Karamzin Il Settecento perduto. I racconti sentimentali, a cura di M.L. Dodero, Genova, Il melangolo, 2004 [contains La povera Lisa, ecc.]

Krylov, Raccolta di favole, a cura di Vera Zdrojewska, Firenze, Edizioni Fussi, stampa 1957

G.R. Deržavin, Poesie, a cura di C. Schirò, Palermo, Guida, 1998

Aleksandr Sergeevič Puškin, La Figlia del Capitano, Evgenij Onegin, ecc. (varie edizioni, anche tascabili)

Nikolaj Vasil'evič Gogol', Le anime morte (various editions, Garzanti, Mursia, ecc.)

Michail Jurevič Lermontov, Un eroe del nostro tempo, Torino, Einaudi, 1998 (various editions,)

Michail Fedorovič Dostoevskij, Delitto e Castigo (various editions,)

Ivan Sergeevič Turgenev, Padri e figli, introduction and commentary by Eridano Bazzarelli; transl. by Silvio Polledro. - 4. ed. - Milano : BUR, 2006 (various editions).

Lev Nikolaevič Tolstoj, Anna Karenina, introduction by Pier Cesare Bori ; transl. by Laura Salmon. - Roma : La Repubblica, c2004. (various editions)

Teaching methods

Lectures, showing audio-visual materials, surfing the internet for relevant sites, analysis of literary texts.

Assessment methods

Oral examination, possibly preceded by a written test, depending on the number of students enrolled.

NB. Native speakers of Russian are required to read the literary works in Russian. In the list there are some textbooks in Russian, literary works and commentaries are also available on the site  http://feb-web.ru/ . Native speakers of Russian can take their examination in Russian, if they wish. Erasmus students can study on English textbooks listed below and can read available English translations of the literary works.

Students should be able to answer questions about:

1. The general outline of Russian political and social history from the ninth century to the beginning of the nineteenth

2. The general outline of the literary history of the same period, with reference to the main literary works

3. at least 3 authors or works for the period up to the end of the seventeenth century and 3 for the 18th century, and 4 for the second part of the course. If the works are short stories or tales, more than one should be read for each author in order to cover a reasonable quantity of text . It is also recommended that students read introductions and essays related to these works. All the handouts and materials left at students' disposal form part of the examination programme.

Teaching tools

Lectures, showing audio-visual materials, surfing the internet for relevant sites, analysis of literary texts.

Office hours

See the website of Gabriella Elina Imposti