Learning objectives
This approach to Russian literature texts will offer to the students a basic knowledge and understanding in the field of the Russian literary culture in the XIX century.
During the course, the student learns to
- understand the late nineteenth century Russian literary scene and, through the prism of its literary monuments, to grasp their historical, political, cultural and artistic panorama;
- highlight texts' formal characteristics linking them with all the vivid polemics of the so-called Great Reforms Era;
- find independently additional information on the topics discussed bibliography using both in print and digital material;
make judgments informed and motivated, based on a careful decoding of the text,
- refine the method of a close reading by applying it freely to other texts, exposing their interpretations in light of the critical literature on the subject.
Prerequisites
It is highly recomended the reading of The Brothers Karamazov.
Course unit content
Slow reading: The brothers Karamazov. A novel or an agiography?
Full programme
Bibliography
F.M. Dostoevskij, I fratelli Karamazov
L.N. Tolstoj, La morte di Ivan Il'ič
Critics
→ G. Carpi, Storia della letteratura russa. Da Pietro il Grande alla rivoluzione d'Ottobre, Carocci: cap. 6 Gli anni 1830-40: pp. 382-436; cap. 7 Metà Ottocento: l'età del romanzo: p. 437-523.
→ R. Givone, Dostoevskij e la filosofia, Laterza, Roma 2006 or G. Zagrebelsky, Liberi servi. Il Grande Inquisitore e l'enigma del potere, Einaudi, Torino 2015 (entrambi i libri saranno disponibili su Elly a fine novembre).
→ M.M. Bachtin, Dostoevskij. Poetica e stilistica, Einaudi, or M.C. Ghidini, Dostoevskij, Salerno Editori, Roma in corso di stampa
Further reading (facultative)
P. Evdokimov, Gogol’ e Dostoevskij ovvero la discesa agli inferi, Ed. Paoline, Roma 1978.
R. Guardini, Il mondo religioso di Dostoevskij, Brescia 1951.
V.I. Ivanov, Dostoevskij. Tragedia - Mito - Mistica, Il Mulino, Bologna 1994.
Bibliography
F.M. Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov.
M.C. Ghidini, Dostoevskij, Salerno Editore, Roma, in print
Teaching methods
Classroom lectures with audiovisual materials and oral discussion.
During the lectures the professor will introduce the main elements of the historical and cultural context, the author's profile and the novels, using both the bibliography of the course and additional visual or textual materials, that will be available on the platform LEA. Suggestions for individual path of study and analysis will be provided, to stimulate a more original and independent approach to the subject.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination.
The oral examination will check
- Knowledge of texts, authors, their ideological context and formal issues of the literary period in question;
- Adequate ability to study independently, to re-elaborate personally the material learned during the course, to propose individual insights that go beyond the topics covered in the course, to solve problems decoding complex texts, and make independent judgments.
In order to verify the achievement of such knowledge and skills, oral test questions are designed to assess the knowledge, the ability of independent and original reworking of such knowledge, and the ability to apply knowledge through the analysis of the text and to extend it through connections, comparisons and contrasts.
The examination won't be sufficient when the student can't demontrate a minimum understanding of the course material and the necessary ability to work autonomously with the course's content. Sufficient evaluation (18-23/30) is determined by the demonstration by the student to have learned the basic and minimum contents of the course, a sufficient level of self-preparation, ability to solve problems related to information retrieval and decoding of texts, as well as the formulation of independent judgment. Scores between 24 and -27 are assigned to the student who produces evidence of a level more than sufficient (24-25/30) or good (26-27/30) evaluation indicators listed above. Higher scores (from 28/30 to 30/30 cum laude) are awardedin presence of a very good to excellent evaluation.
Other information
To attend the course it is useful to follow the course page on the university platform: ttp://elly.dusic.unipr.it
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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