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Academic Year 2005/2006


Gogol, Bulgakov and Others. Russian Comic Fiction of the 19th and 20th centuries.
RUSS 274 SP

Crosslistings:
REES 274
COL 274

The humor of any nation is the best guide to its civilization and mentality. Russian comic fiction includes the work of its greatest writers from Nicolai Gogol through Mikhail Bulgakov to the present. The course gives a survey of the best achievements of Russian comic writers over two centuries. The types of humorous perspectives in this fiction range from social satire to existential irony and the comic absurd; all the texts are both funny and bitter, revealing human nature and the human condition.

Reading and discussion will be in English. There are no prerequisites for taking the course.

MAJOR READINGS

Nikolai Gogol , THE NOSE. THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. THE STORY OF HOW IVAN IVANOVICH QUARELLED WITH THE IVAN NIKIFOROVICH.
Anton Chekhov , RAPTURE. THE DEATH OF THE CIVIL SERVANT. AN INCIDENT AT LAW. FAT AND THIN. THE DAUGHTER OF ALBION. THE COMPLAINTS BOOK. THE CHAMELEON. THE MALEFACTOR. SERGEANT PRISHYBEEV.
Grisha. KIDS. THE LITTLE JOKE. THE OBJET D'ART. THE ORATOR.
Mikhail Bulgakov , HEART OF A DOG.
Mikhail Zoshchenko, CLASSY LADY, A DOGGED SENSE OF SMELL. MONKEY LANGUAGE. A BAT HHOUSE. NERVOUS PEOPLE. THE BENEFITS OF CULTURE. A HASTY BUSINESS. QUALITY MERCHANDISE. THE GALOSH. HARD LABOR. THREE MEN AND A CAT. FOREIGNERS. LOOSE PACKAGING. AN INCIDENT ON THE VOLGA. WATER SPORTS. THE STORY OF AN ILLNESS. THE ELECTRICIAN. AN AMUSING ADVENTURE. A LAST UNPLEASANTNESS.
Danil Kharms, THE OLD WOMAN. INCIDENTS.
Venedict. Erofeev, MOSCOW-PETUSHKI
Sergei Dovlatov, THE SUITCASE

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

1 midterm, 1 term paper, class presentations.

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-30-2006


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