Course Description
Course Texts

Homework:

The Geography of Russia

• Prepare reports on these different regions of Russia
• Clickable Map of the Geography of Russia
• Russia Map Exercise: Blank Map (Russia Map Resources) (Russia Expansion) (You might want to make yourself a map of Russia.)
• Report Table
• Read Natasha's Dance (introduction) pp. xxv-xxxiii

Homework

• Read Chapter One, part one of 'European Russia': The Founding of St. Petersburg  pp. 4-13

• Ivan the Terrible (Reading Guide)  (quiz) (notes)
• Repin, Ivan the Terrible  and His Son Ivan: November 16, 1581 (1885)

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• Tolstoy, War and Peace, Book Seven, Chapter 7
• Myths of Russian Identity

Chapter 1. European Russia (Notes)

1. Founding of St. Petersburg
2. ‘Fountain House’ and the Sheremetev family
3. Praskovya Sheremeteva and the Serf Artist
4. The Russian Split Personality
5. The Superfluous Man
6. The Grand Tour
7. Impact of the French Revolution

• Group Project Work

For further reading:

• Peter the Great (Riasanovsky)
  
• Oliva (Reading Guide) (notes) (quiz)

1. Founding of St. Petersburg 
   
• Myths of Russian Identity
• The Site on the Baltic
• Peter's Project in Social Engineering
• Peter's Hatred of Muscovy
2.  ‘Fountain House’ and the Sheremetev family (Student Presentation)
   
• The Backwards Nobility
• Peter's Table of Ranks (Table of Ranks List)
  
• Wealth of the Sheremetv Dynasty
• Lavish Noble Lifestyle
• Pyotr Sheremetev: the Enlightened Noble
  
3.  Praskovya Sheremeteva and the Serf Artist  (Student Presentation)
   
• The Serf Artist
• Praskovya and Nikolai
• Serf Harems
• The Comic Opera vs. Reality
• Scandal and Death
  
4. The Russian Split Personality (Student Presentation)
   
• Catherine the Great Liberates the Nobles
• The Birth of Russian Opera
• The Theatricality of Noble Estates
• Russia's Split Personality
• The Banya
• Salon Society
• Birth of a Literary Language
  
5. The Superfluous Man (Student Presentation)
   
• The Westernized Fop
• Chatsky from Woe for Wit
• Gallicized Nobles
• Voltairean Skepticim
• Muscovite Soul
  
6. The Grand Tour (Student Presentations)
   
• Karamzin's Letters from Europe
• Growing Criticism of the West
• The Result: Ambivalence
  
7. Impact of the French Revolution
• The New Nationalism

Homework:

Chapter 2: Children of 1812 (Notes)

1. The Decembrists: Birth of the Intelligentsia/ Liberal Russian Nationalism
2. The Decembrist Revolt
3.  Exile to Siberia
4. The Vogue for Russian Nationalism
5. Noble Childhood
6. Competing Myths of Russian History
7. Volkonsky’s Return from Exile and Emancipation

For further reading: 

• Peter vs. Shcherbatov:  Zitser (Reading Guide) (quiz) (notes)

Presentations:

Chapter 2: Children of 1812 (Notes)

1. The Decembrists: Birth of the Intelligentsia/ Liberal Russian Nationalism  (Student Presentation)
   
• 1812 Patriotism: Officers and Serfs 
• Liberalism of Young Officers vs tradition of servility
• Birth of the Intelligentsia
• Pushkin and the Decembrists
2. The Decembrist Revolt  (Student Presentation)
• Speransky's Reforms
• Alexander I's Shift Right to Arakcheev's Policies
• Plans for Liberal Coup 
• Coup Failure
• Decembrist Trial and Execution
• Volkonsky's Exile 
  
3.  Exile to Siberia:   (Student Presentation)
• Siberia
• Peasant Existence
• Volkonsky's Commune
• Russian Truth
  
• The Peasant Prince
  
4. The Vogue for Russian Nationalism   (Student Presentation)
• French vs. Russian Languages
  
• Aristocrats Adopt Russian Habits
  
• The Dacha
  
• Hunting
  
• Pushkin's Eugene Onegin
• Russian Folktales
• Gogol
• music and art
  
5. Noble Childhood  (Student Presentation)
• Eighteenth Century Parenting 
• The Servant World
• The Nanny
• Boarding School
• Nostalgia for Childhood
  
6. Competing Myths of Russian History  (Student Presentation)
• Karamzin's History of the Russian State
• Chaadaev's Letter
• Slavophile Nationalism
• Karamzin's Statism
• Decembrist Liberals
• The Debate over Novgorod
• Monument to the Russian Millenium
• Overture of 1812 (finale) (1862)
7. Volkonsky’s Return from Exile and Emancipation
• Tolstoy's Bolkonsky
• Volkonsky's Return From Exile 
• Alexander II's  Emancipation of the Serfs
• Volkonsky's Alternative

Homework:

Chapter 3. Moscow! Moscow!

1. Moscow
2. St. Petersburg
3. Moscow: A city of gourmands and massive banquets
4. ‘Neo-Russian’ style in crafts, architecture and music
5. The Debate over Russian Identity in the Arts
6. Moscow Becomes a Metropolis: Rise of the Merchant Class
7. Moscow’s paradox - a progressive city whose mythic self-image was in the distant past

• Catherine the Great (Reading Guide) (quiz) (notes)
  Enlightened Despotism (and its limits)
  Overextending an Empire? (map)

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Chapter 3. Moscow! Moscow!

1. Moscow (Student Presentation)
   
• Napoleon Watches Moscow Burn
• History of Moscow
• Old Believers
• Neo-Russian
  
2. St. Petersburg (Student Presentation)
   
• The Spectral City
• Dostoevsky's Vision
  
3. Moscow: city of gourmands and massive banquets (Student Presentation)
   
• The Good Life
• Famous Gourmands
• The New -Traditional' Diet
• Peasant Food
• The Trade in Vodka
• Open Doors
  
4. ‘Neo-Russian’ style in crafts, architecture and music (Student Presentation)
   
• Neo-Russian Revival
• Neo-Russian Architecture
• Musorgsky
• Stasov
• The Kuchkists
  
5. The Debate over Russian Identity in the Arts (Student Presentation)
   
• Interpreting the Time of Troubles
• Interpreting Boris Gudunov
• Interpreting Musorgsky Operas
• Rimsky-Korsakov's Revision 
• Surikov's History Paintings
• The Repressions of Alexander III
  
6. Moscow Becomes a Metropolis: Rise of the Merchant Class
7. Moscow’s paradox - a progressive city whose mythic self-image was in the distant past

Homework:

• Complete  presentations
  

Essay Question: Describe the ideas percolating in Russian Society during the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries which would produce the literary explosion that began with Pushkin.

Due at 3:30 p.m.

Homework:

Homework:

• Pushkin, "The Bronze Horseman" (1833) (illustration) (discussion) (Essay Topic)  (kviz)

•  Gogol, "The Overcoat " (1842) (study guide) (discussion) (film clip)

Homework:

Homework:

Homework:

• Read Figes, Chapter 5.   In Search of the Russian Soul
• 1. 19^th c. religious revivalism: the Old Believers
• 2. Nikolai Gogol and Dead Souls
• 3. Belinsky’s Retort: Russians are pagans

• 1. 19^th c. religious revivalism: the Old Believers
• 2. Nikolai Gogol and Dead Souls
• 3. Belinsky’s Retort: Russians are pagans

• Read Gogol, Dead Souls vol. 1 (1842) Chapters 1 and 2: pp. 3-36
• Study Guide:
• Chapter One: Chichikov's Arrival in the town of N. 
• Chapter Two: His Visit to Landowner Manilov

• Study Guide:
• Chapter One: Chichikov's Arrival in the town of N. 
• Chapter Two: His Visit to Landowner Manilov

• Read Gogol, Dead Souls vol. 1 (1842) Chapters 3 and 4: pp. 37-87
• Study Guide:
• Chapter Three: The Widow Korobochka 
• Chapter Four: Nozdryov

• Study Guide:
• Chapter Three: The Widow Korobochka 
• Chapter Four: Nozdryov

• Read Gogol, Dead Souls vol. 1 (1842) Chapters 5 and 6: pp. 88-132
• Study Guide:
• Chapter Five: Sobakevich 
• Chapter Six: Plyushkin

• Study Guide:
• Chapter Five: Sobakevich 
• Chapter Six: Plyushkin

• Read Gogol, Dead Souls vol. 1 (1842) Chapters 7 and 8: pp. 133-179
• Study Guide:
• Chapter Seven: Chichikov's Souls 
• Chapter Eight: The Governer's Ball

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• Study Guide:
• Chapter Seven: Chichikov's Souls 
• Chapter Eight: The Governer's Ball

• Read Gogol, Dead Souls vol. 1 (1842) Chapters 9 and 10: pp. 180-220
• Study Guide:
• Chapter Nine: Gossip! 
• Chapter Ten: Meeting at the Police Chief's Home

• Study Guide:
• Chapter Nine: Gossip! 
• Chapter Ten: Meeting at the Police Chief's Home

• Read Gogol, Dead Souls vol. 1 (1842) Chapters 11: pp. 221-253
• Study Guide: Chapter 11: Chichikov's Flight and Russia's Destiny

• Study Guide: Chapter 11: Chichikov's Flight and Russia's Destiny  pp. 221-253

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• Read Figes, Chapter 4. The Peasant Marriage
• 1. the ‘going to the people’ movement
• 2. Stasov’s troika:  Repin, Musorgsky and the sculptor Antokolsky
• 3. Tolstoy’s Ambivalence about the Peasants
• 4. Noble vs. Peasant Marriage

• 1. the ‘going to the people’ movement (notes)
  
• 2. Stasov’s troika:  Repin, Musorgsky and the sculptor Antokolsky (notes)
• 3. Tolstoy’s Ambivalence about the Peasants (notes)
• 4. Noble vs. Peasant Marriage (notes)

Homework:

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Homework:

Homework:

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Homework:

Homework:

Homework:

• The Haymarket: Conditions in 1866 (Center Stage)

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Chapter Five:  Raskolnikov’s Terrible Dream
Chapter Six:  The Idea of Murder
Chapter Seven:  Across the Threshold

Homework:

• Chapter 1: The Police Station
• Chapter 2: Wandering to Razumikhin’s Apartment
• Chapter 3: Fever Dreams
• Chapter 4: Zosimov and Razumikhin Theorize About the Crime

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• Chapter 1: The Police Station
• Chapter 2: Wandering to Razumikhin’s Apartment
• Chapter 3: Fever Dreams
• Chapter 4: Zosimov and Razumikhin Theorize About the Crime
• Chapter 5: Luzhin, the Liberal Suitor
• Chapter 6: Haymarket Nocturne: Zametov, The Suicide Attempt,  and Raskolnikov’s Return to the Scene of the Crime
• Chapter 7: Marmeladov’s Death and Raskolnikov’s Gift

Homework:

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• Chapter 1: Razumikhin in Love
• Chapter 2: St. Petersburg Parlor Game
• Chapter 3:  On the Limits of Individual Autonomy
• Chapter 4:  Sonia’s Entrance
• Chapter 5:  Raskolnikov’s 1st Interview with Porfiry Petrovich
• Chapter 6:  Raskolnikov on the Slippery Slope

Homework:

• Chapter 1: Razumikhin in Love
• Chapter 2: St. Petersburg Parlor Game
• Chapter 3:  On the Limits of Individual Autonomy
• Chapter 4:  Sonia’s Entrance
• Chapter 5:  Raskolnikov’s 1st Interview with Porfiry Petrovich
• Chapter 6:  Raskolnikov on the Slippery Slope

Homework:

• Chapter 1: Svidrigaylov's Gambit
• Chapter 2: The Showdown With Luzhin
• Chapter 3: Razumikhin's Plan
• Chapter 4: Sonia's Room: The Raising of Lazarus
• Chapter 5: 2nd Interview with Porfiry Petrovich
• Chapter 6: Nikolay, the House Painter

Homework:

• Chapter 1: Lebeziatnikov's Commune (361-378)
• Chapter 2: Katerina Ivanovna's Funeral Party (378-391)
• Chapter 3: Luzhin's Accusation (391-405)
• Chapter 4: Raskolnikov's Confession to Sonia (405-422)
• Chapter 5: Katerina Ivanovna's Hemmorhage (422-436)

Homework:

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• Chapter 1: Air, Air, Air, sir... (439-448)
• Chapter 2: Porfiry's Plea Bargain (448-462)
• Chapter 3: Svidrigaylov's Option (462-472)
• Chapter 4: Svidrigaylov's Confession (472-483)
• Chapter 5: Svidrigaylov's Play for Dunia's Love (483-497)
• Chapter 6: The Neva Rising (498-511)
• Chapter 7: Raskolnikov's Farewells (511-520)
• Chapter 8: Raskolnikov Kneels in the Haymarket (521-31)

Homework:

• Chapter 1: Air, Air, Air, sir... (439-448)
• Chapter 2: Porfiry's Plea Bargain (448-462)
• Chapter 3: Svidrigaylov's Option (462-472)
• Chapter 4: Svidrigaylov's Confession (472-483)
• Chapter 5: Svidrigaylov's Play for Dunia's Love (483-497)
• Chapter 6: The Neva Rising (498-511)
• Chapter 7: Raskolnikov's Farewells (511-520)
• Chapter 8: Raskolnikov Kneels in the Haymarket (521-31)

Homework:

The Case of Vera Zasulich  (1878) Friend of Nechaev, in 1877 Vera Zasulich shot the police chief of St. Petersburg in reprisal for his beating  of a political prisoner in custody in the Peter and Paul Prison. In 1878, she was tried for the crime and acquitted (!)

Dostoevsky essay due at 3:30 p.m.

Nechaev, "Catechism of a Revolutionist" (1869) (discussion)

Aileen Kelly, “Mr. Possessed” (on Sergei Nechaev) (1981): "The Revolutionary Catechism is to modern extremism what the Communist Manifesto is to communism.")

Homework:

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Homework:

Homework:

• 5. Bleaker Views of the Peasants after 1900
• 6. the World of Art movement and the Ballet Russes
• 7. Stravinsky, The Peasant Wedding

Homework:

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 For further reading:

• Figes, Chapter 5.   "In Search of the Russian Soul" 5. Tolstoy vs. Chekhov on Faith and Death
• Figes, Chapter 4. The Peasant Marriage: 5. Bleaker Views of the Peasants after 1900
• Tolstoy: On “The Darling” by A. Chekhov
  

• Pobedonotsev,  The Ideologist of Russian Reaction (1898)
• Pobedonostsev, Reflections of a Russian Statesman

Homework:

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EXAMS

EXAMS

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EXAMS Make Up Day           

US Second Semester Begins