20th-Century Russian Literature (211-1-1)

Topic

Gender and Revolution in Soviet Russian Culture

Instructors

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

Meeting Info

University Hall 122: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

The Russian Revolution of 1917 initiative a vast experiment in family, sex, and marriage. How did the backwards Russia of the early twentieth century become the most advanced nation in the world in gender and family legislation in the early 1920's? How did the Soviet government attempt to translate Marxist theories of the family into social practice? What happened when revolutionary visions were replaced by the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin? How did the state regulate gender representation in the arts? How did literature and the arts shape, resist or reflect key transformations in Soviet society as the century progressed? We will examine both state-sanctioned and oppositional works, including poetry, short stories, novellas, novels, literary journalism, film, and the visual arts as we explore these questions. All reading to be done in English

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students should be able to: • Analyze literary works through careful close reading in cultural context • Construct an effective argument with appropriate evidence derived from literary texts •Gain understanding of key events in modern Soviet Russian history and culture • Perceive the shifting roles of gender in Soviet ideology as refracted through literature and culture • Address the shifting relationship between art and the state in Soviet Russia

Class Materials (Required)

"Fyodor Gladkov, Cement. Paperback. (Northwestern UP, 1994, ISBN 0-8101-1160-8)

All other texts available on Canvas"

Class Attributes

Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area