Survey of 19th Century Russian Poetry (360-0-1)

Instructors

Clare A Cavanagh
847/467-2360
1880 Campus Dr. (Kresge) Office 3222
Office Hours: Wednesdays 2-3pm

Meeting Info

Kresge 3364 Slavic Seminar Rm: Tues 3:00PM - 5:50PM

Overview of class

Nineteenth century Russian poetry was born, it could be argued, under a foreign star. The very terms we use to describe Russian literature generally and poetry specifically--литература, беллетристика, автор, поэт, поэма, поэзия, лирика, баллада, эпос, ода, элегия, роман, муза, жанр, и т.п.--derive as often as not from foreign sources. Indeed, translation from such sources plays a key role in the development of modern Russian poetry. How then did poetry come to be perceived as the "prestige" genre in Russian culture, literary and otherwise? What role did poetry play in the formation of nineteenth century Russian national identity? We will address such questions through specifics of verse structure and language from the Golden Age of the early 19th century to the later "Age of Prose."

Registration Requirements

Advanced knowledge of Russian. Instructor consent.

Learning Objectives

--Knowledge of major nineteenth century Russian poets and poems
--Understanding of the distinctive role of romantic poetry in the formation of 19th Russian national identity
--Familiarity with Russian verse structure and genres.
--Capacity to analyze and interpret poems in cultural context.
--Awareness of the power of translation in creating national identity.

Class Materials (Required)

"Russkie poety XIX veka: Antologiia dlia studentov, ed. Emil Draitser (CreateSpace, 2013), 149295344X

Michael Wachtel, The Cambridge Introduction to Russian Poetry (Cambridge UP, 2004) 0521004934

All other materials will be available on Canvas"

Class Attributes

Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area