[ Wesleyan Home Page ] [ WesMaps Home Page ] [ WesMaps Archive ] [ Course Search ] [ Course Search by CID ]
Academic Year 2003/2004

Modern Russian Drama
RUSS 273 FA

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Russian theater played a central role in literary culture yet was heavily dependent on European sources for its models and its repertoire. During the next hundred years, Russian drama developed a brilliant tradition of its own, culminating in the plays of Chekhov. Many writers, including Pushkin, Gogol, Ostrovsky, Turgenev, and Tolstoy, contributed to this development. During the early decades of the 20th century, theater became the venue for the radical artistic experiments of the avant-garde including collaborative projects like THE BEDBUG, (written by Mayakovsky, directed by Meyerhold, set by Rodchenko). This course will read (in English translations) the major works of modern Russian drama, interpreting them in their cultural and political contexts, including the evolving genres and styles of the theater itself.

MAJOR READINGS

Pushkin, BORIS GODUNOV, THE MISERLY KNIGHT, MOZART AND SALIERI
Griboedov, WOE FROM WIT
Gogol, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, THE MARRIAGE
Turgenev, A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY
Ostrovsky, THE STORM
Tolstoy, THE POWER OF DARKNESS, THE LIVING CORPSE
Chekhov, UNCLE VANYA, THREE SISTERS, THE CHERRY ORCHARD
Gorky, THE LOWER DEPTHS
Mayakovsky, THE BEDBUG
Shvarts, THE SHADOW, THE DRAGON

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Most of the work for the class will be close reading in preparation for in-class discussions and dramatic readings of the plays. We will also look at movie and video version of productions of the plays. There will be several short papers on individual plays and a final exam.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: HA RUSS    Grading Mode: Student Option   

Prerequisites: NONE Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2004

Contact wesmaps@wesleyan.edu to submit comments or suggestions. Please include a url, course title, faculty name or other page reference in your email

Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459