Walker, Clint B.

English

University of Montana

University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana University of Montana Course Syllabi Open Educational Resources (OER) Fall 9-1-2021 RUSS 306L.80: Evil and the Supernatural in Russian Literature Clint B. Walker University of Montana, Missoula, clint.walker@umontana.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi Let us know how access to this document benefits you. Recommended Citation Walker, Clint B., "RUSS 306L.80: Evil and the Supernatural in Russian Literature" (2021). University of Montana Course Syllabi. 12458. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/12458 This Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Open Educational Resources (OER) at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Montana Course Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact scholarworks@mso.umt.edu.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Prof. Clint Walker Evil and the Supernatural in Russian Culture LA 330, x2501 RUSS 306L fall semester 2021clint.walker@mso.umt.edu Tues and Thurs, 2-3:20pm in LA 338Office Hours:  M 10-11am and 12-1pm, Tues 1-2pm in LA 330Evil & the Supernatural in Russian Culture Evil is seemingly omnipresent in mass culture today—one need only turn on a television, surf the web, dip into a novel, or download a movie. What is the nature of evil? Where does it come from? How does it spread? How can it be combated? What is therelationship between conceptions of evil and the supernatural? How do specific historical and cultural contexts influence notionsabout the nature of evil? How about the perceived role of the supernatural in causing and/or spreading evil? LEARNING OUTCOMES Students in this course will read, discuss and critically analyze a wide array of classic texts in Russian 19th and 20th centuryRussian literature in which the themes of evil and/or the supernatural play a vital role. By using Russian literary texts as a key lensto study the perceived nature of evil, students will acquire the ability to identify key manifestations of perceived evil in disparateperiods of Russian history and culture. Moreover, they will learn to distinguish among various ideas and theories about the nature ofevil and its perceived root causes in human life. Students will see the vital link between ideas and conceptions about the nature ofevil as reflected in a specific text and the historical and cultural context in which the text was originally created. Both in classdiscussions and debates as well as in written analytical papers, students will analyze and evaluate the relationship between reigning conceptions of evil in Russian culture in disparate historical periods and belief in specific natural and supernatural forces as majorcauses of evil in daily life. By exploring conceptions of evil as reflected and explored in Russian literary classics, students will equip themselves to analyze and evaluate more critically contemporary ideas and theories about the nature and root causes of evil in the world as reflected in mass culture of the twenty-first century.GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Regular attendance & timely reading of all assigned worksActive participation in class discussion (and timely preparation of discussion question sheets)Possible short in-class writing (no more than twice in the semester)One 4-5 page short paperOne longer 8-10 page analytical paper* (minimum of two outside sources)DHC (Honor's College) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:In addition to the GENERAL REQUIREMENTS listed above, students taking the course for DHC Honors credit will be required tosign up to present a reading for one class period (either individually or in groups, depending on the number of DHC studentsenrolled in the course). Each class presentation will: 1) introduce the work assigned for the day; 2) familiarize the class with one key related work or a secondary source or a piece of scholarship related to the assigned work; 3) lead class discussion for that day. As part of preparation for leading class discussion, DHC students will be expected to meet with the instructor during an office hour atleast one full week prior to the date of the presentation in order to discuss expectations.Finally, within a period of one week after making this presentation, DHC students will be expected to turn in a two-page typed self-evaluation of their presentation exercise. The evaluation should address three main questions: 1) what did you learn from thispresentation experience? 2) what do you feel you did especially well? 3) where do you feel you could improve in future presentations of material and/or in acting as a facilitator of classroom discussion?REQUIRED TEXTS and MATERIALS:  the cost is $45 for all materials due to your professorThe Magic Ring (Fairy Tales from the Collection by Afanas’ev)Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales (from the Collection by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm)Ruslan and Ludmila by Alexander PushkinThe Queen of Spades and Other Stories by Alexander PushkinDiary of a Madman and Other Stories by Nikolai GogolHero of Our Time by Mikhail LermontovThe Testament of Professor Dowell DVD of 1984 Soviet film based on a novel by A. BelyaevLife of Insects by Viktor PelevinCoursepack (works by Chekhov, Bulgakov, Pilniak, Daniil Kharms, Anna Starobinets, etc)GRADING:25% Attendance, Class Participation and Discussion (DHC presentations included here if                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    appropriate)25% Discussion Question Sheets and in-class writing (whatever out of this is assigned)20% Short Paper (4-5 pages)30% Long Paper (8-10 pages)GRADING SCALE A  = 93-100 C+ = 77-79 D- = 65A- = 90-92 C   = 73-76 F  = 64 and belowB+ = 87-89 C- = 70-72B  = 83-86 D+ = 68-69B- = 80-82 D   = 66-67PAPER GUIDELINES: All papers should be typed or done on a computer. Respect your work—give each paper a title and include your name and the date!Use a standard 12 point font (Times New Roman recommended) and double-space. Proofread each assignment for typos, poorwording, mechanics, etc. Late work will be penalized one letter grade per day. Plagiarism will not be tolerated in any form. Please ask if you have a question about what constitutes plagiarism, but on the whole, if you consult another work for ideas, copy orparaphrase from another source, etc., then you need to acknowledge the source (including the work you consulted and the pagenumber/s) in your paper with a footnote.CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:  It is essential to the learning process that students treat each other and the instructor with respect. Under the Student ConductCode, students who are found to be disruptive may be asked to leave the classroom. Disruptive behaviors may include but are notlimited to:· Using electronic communication devices, including cell phones and laptops for purposes unrelated to ongoing class activities.· Carrying on side conversations that are distracting to the instructor and other students.· Verbally interrupting the class with comments or questions not relevant to the course or to the current discussion.· Failure to participate in assigned group activities.· Significantly interfering with instructor’s work activities during or outside of class.The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors,and Disability Services for Students (DSS). If you think you may have a disability adversely affecting your academic performance and you have not already registered with DSS, please contact DSS in Lommasson 154. I will be glad to work with you and DSS to provide an appropriate accommodation.Syllabus **Note that what you see listed on the syllabus is what you should prepare for that day of class.For example, on Tues, Sept 28 you should come to class having already read “The Queen of Spades” by Pushkin.AugustTues 31 Intro, Discussion of Syllabus and ExpectationsAnalyzing Culture as a System: Intro to Semiotic TheoryTapping into The Source: The Lightsaber Duel RevisitedGeneral Intro: Evil and the SupernaturalA Few Key Conceptions of Evil in Russian CultureSeptember.Thurs 2 “Baba Yaga,” “Vasilisa the Fair” in The Magic Ring collection“”Hansel and Gretel” in Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy TalesTues 7 “The Frog Princess,” “The Tale of Prince Ivan, the Firebird,and the Grey Wolf” in The Magic Ring collection“The Frog Prince,” “The Golden Bird” in Sleeping Beauty  and Other Fairy Tales     Thurs 9  Pushkin, Ruslan and Ludmila (first half for today’s class, p. 1-54)     Tues  14  Pushkin, Ruslan and Ludmila (finish the book)     Thurs 16   Pushkin, Ruslan and Ludmila (overview and film excerpts)      Tues 21  Pushkin, “The Shot,” “The Snowstorm,” “The Undertaker”  in The Queen of Spades and Other Stories      Thurs 23  Pushkin, The Bronze Horsman (in the coursepack)   Tues 28  Pushkin, “The Queen of Spades” in The Queen of Spades       and Other Stories          Thurs 30  Gogol, “Diary of a Madman,” “The Nose”       in Diary of a Madman and Other Stories    October Tues 5  Gogol, “The Overcoat” in Diary of a Madman and Other Stories   Thurs 7  Lermontov, Hero of Our Time (“Bela, Max Maximych, “Taman”)   Tues 12  Lermontov, Hero of Our Time (“Princess Mary”)   Thurs 14  Lermontov, Hero of Our Time (“The Fatalist”)   Tues 19  Short Analytical Paper (4-5pp.) Due Today: Close analysis of  one work (or up to two works) that we have read up to this point. You should focus your discussion on themes in the work or works related to evil and/or the supernatural.      In Class:  Evil & the Supernatural in Painting and Non-Verbal Art     Thurs 21  Chekhov, “Ward No. 6” (in the coursepack)           Tues 26  Lecture/Discussion on the Russian Revolution and Stalinism      Begin reading Bulgakov’s The Fatal Eggs for today.         Thurs  28  Bulgakov, The Fatal Eggs (in the coursepack)  November    Tues 2  Pilniak, Ivan Moscow (in the coursepack)          Thurs 4  Pilniak, Ivan Moscow (in the coursepack)   Tues 9   Daniil Kharms, a number of very short stories (in the coursepack;        Read all of them up to but not including The Old Woman)         Thurs 11   NO CLASS   Veterans Day   Tues 16  Kharms, The Old Woman (in the coursepack)     Thurs 18  Ideally, we will begin The Testament of Professor Dowell in class.      We will watch whatever of the film we can fit into our class time.  Your homework will be to finish the film outside of class  and to work on your long paper outlines.     Tues 23  1-2 Page Outline of Long Paper due today          In class: Discussion of film The Testament of Professor Dowell        Thurs 25  NO CLASS  Thanksgiving Holiday     Tues 30  Pelevin, Life of Insects, p. 1-74   December    Thurs  2  Pelevin, Life of Insects, p. 75-end    Tues 7  Discussion: Pelevin’s Life of Insects:  Crimea and Post-Soviet Space Then (1993) and Now     Thurs  9  stories by Anna Starobinets (in the coursepack)           Your long paper (8-10 pp.) for this course is due on Wed., Dec. 15 by 5pm    You may send me an electronic version of the final long paper if you wish, but I definitely want  to receive a printed version that you should slide under my office door in LA 330.  

RUSS 306L.80: Evil and the Supernatural in Russian Literature

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RUSS 306L.80: Evil and the Supernatural in Russian Literature

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