Rhythm and intonation are stressed in oral recitation. One day per week is devoted to developing translation skills. This was the century during which Russia assimilated all it had borrowed from the West, turned it into a sophisticated modern Russian culture, and returned it to the West as a new and exciting inspiration. The works studied will include philosophy and the fine arts as well as literature, poetry as well as prose, minor figures as well as major. Students will gain insight into the nature of folklore and oral literature, the rich folkloric heritage of the Russians and other Slavic peoples, and various theoretical approaches that have been used to study, analyze, and interpret folklore worldwide.
All readings are in English.
No knowledge of Russian or any other Slavic language is required. Includes survey of Russian formalism, Czech structuralism, and Tartu school semiotics. Literary theory, film theory, cultural studies, feminist theory. Special emphasis on Mikhail Bakhtin. Instruction in correcting individual pronunciation errors.