RUSS 432/532 Topic:  Gogol/Turgenev

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Professor James Rice (EMAIL; tel. -4079) describes the course:

In English.

Gogol and Turgenev are the first modern masters of Russian fiction -- great classics soon followed by Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Chekhov. RUSS 432/532 offers a 5-week minicourse in English on Gogol, and another on Turgenev.

Nikolai GOGOL [say: "GO-gull"], 1809-1852, wrote comic short stories that are often surreal (a century before European Surrealism). Some tales famous in world literature are "Diary of a Madman," "The Nose," and "The Overcoat." We read a selection of these, and his comic novel DEAD SOULS. Gogol also wrote the greatest Russian comedy for the stage, "The Inspector General" -- shown in class in a video.

Ivan TURGENEV [say: "tour-GAIN-yef"], 1818-1883, wrote realistic stories and novels about the private lives and politics of the Russian gentry, and their relationship with the peasantry (half of them slaves). We read a selection of the stories and one (of six) novels -- the most famous, FATHERS AND SONS, which introduced the world to a keyword of anarchism and revolution: 'Nihilism'.

One short writing exercise in each half of the course, and one final exam on both writers (March 16th).

SCHEDULE

Required texts: (1) Gogol, COLLECTED TALES, Vintage

(2) Gogol, DEAD SOULS, Everyman

(3) Turgenev, SKETCHES FROM A HUNTER'S ALBUM, Penguin

(4) Turgenev, FATHERS & SONS, Dover

(5) PACKETS I & II.GOGOL

Jan 4 Intro. Vita the DIKANKA stories 'Slavonic Ausonia'
Jan 6 "Night before Christmas" "Shponka and His Auntie"

Jan 11 the MIRGOROD stories "Old-World Landowners" "Vii"
Jan 13 "How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich"

Jan 18 "Diary of a Madman"
Jan 20 "The Nose"

Jan 25 "Inspector General" ["Revizor"] video in class
Jan 27 "The Overcoat" <take-home exercise due Feb. 1>
Feb 1 DEAD SOULS, Part I
Feb 3 Summing up Gogol, LETTERS TO FRIENDS; Belinsky, LETTER TO GOGOL

TURGENEV
Feb 8 Intro Turgenev, "Gogol" HUNTER'S ALBUM: "Forest and Steppe," "Singers," "Bezhin Meadow"
Feb 10 ALBUM: "Chertopkhanov & Nedopiuskin," "End of Chertopkhanov," "Living Relics," "Tour in the Forest" <packet>

Feb 15 "Mumu" <packet>
Feb 17 Pushkin, "Antiar" <packet> Turgenev, "Region of Dead Calm"<packet>
Feb 22 "First Love" <packet>
Feb 24 WRITING EXERCISE <in-class 45 minutes> DISCUSSION

Mar 1 FATHERS AND SONS 1862
Mar 3 Turgenev, "Apropos of FATHERS AND SONS" <packet>

Mar 8 "The Dream" <packet>
Mar 10 POEMS IN PROSE 1877-82 <packet: 14 selections, 15 pp> Henry James, "Ivan Turgenieff" 1884 <packet> Summing up. Final Exam preview.

Mar 16 Wed FINAL EXAM 8:00-10:00 am