RUSSIAN LITERATURE

The course aims at introducing the student to Russian symbolism (late 19th century-beginning of 20th century), focusing in particular on its ties to 19th century “classics”. After a thorough cultural and historical overview, we will analyse critical writings on Aleksandr Puškin and Nikolaj Gogol’ by some Russian symbolist (D. Merežkovskij, A. Blok, A. Belyj). Particular attention will be drawn to the shift in the cultural paradigm between 19th century literary criticism and the symbolist one. Methodologic considerations on intertextuality in Russian symbolism will also be taken into account. The texts listed in bibliography will be analysed in detail and linked to Puškin’s and Gogol’s poetics.
In terms of knowledge and understanding, the teaching, which falls among the basic courses of the Master's Degree Course in European, American and Postcolonial Languages and Literatures, is in line with the educational objectives of the degree program and aims at:
- a knowledge and understanding of Russian artistic-literary culture from the end of 19th century to the first decades of 20th century, taking into account the historical context indispensable for developing interpretive and textual analysis skills;
- a specialized knowledge and understanding – in the original language – of examples of Russian prose and poetry of the period between two centuries: in-depth study of the theoretical aspects treated during the three-year period, methods of textual analysis, links between history of literature and history of culture;
- a knowledge and understanding of the terminology of textual analysis and literary criticism.

Students are expected to acquire:
- an ability to translate literary texts and essays on literary-cultural topics from Russian into Italian;
- an ability to draw from the texts the main features of the authors’ poetics and critical thoughts;
- an ability to perform competent bibliographic research on sources in Russian;
- an ability to deal with high-level professional situations in intercultural areas.

Students are required to have a B2 knowledge of Russian language. Knowledge of the principal events and social issues of the last three centuries of Russian history is necessary.

The course aims at defining the relationship between Russian symbolism and 19th century Russian "classics" (A. Puškin and N. Gogol’). Through the analyses of some essays by prominent Russian symbolists, we will underline the rupture from 19th century literary criticism and the reinterpretation of Russian classics durind the so called "silver age". Intertextuality between Russian symbolism and 19th century literature will also be taken into account.

Primary sources:
- A. Puškin, Il cavaliere di bronzo, in Studi in onore di E. Lo Gatto, Bulzoni, Roma, 1992, traduzione di M. Colucci, pp. 27-40
- N. Gogol’, Racconti di Pietroburgo, qualsiasi edizione purché recente
- V. Rozanov, O Gogole (Puškin i Gogol’, Kak proizošel tip Akakija Akakieviča), in V. Rozanov, Polnoe sobranie sočinenij v 35 tomach, tom 1, Sankt-Peterburg 2014, pp. 142-156
- D. Merežkovskij, Gogol’ e il diavolo, Edizioni Fiorini, 2014 (compresa la postfazione di C. De Lotto)
- A. Blok, Ditja Gogolja, in A. Blok, Polnoe sobranie sočinenij i pisem v dvadcatich tomach, tom 8, Moskva, Nauka 2010, pp. 106-108
- A. Blok, Poesie (saranno indicate durante le lezioni e rese disponibili nella piattaforma moodle)
- A. Blok, La missione del poeta, in A. Blok, L’intelligencija e la rivoluzione, Adelphi 1978, pp. 149-160
- A. Belyj, Gogol’, in A. Belyj, Gli spettri del caos. Simboli e simbolisti russi, Guerini e associati 1989, pp. 199-215

Secondary sources:
- C.G. De Michelis, Il simbolismo: la prima fase; Il simbolismo: la seconda fase, in Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, UTET 1997, vol. 2, pp. 57-113
- R. Wellek, Caratteristiche essenziali della critica letteraria russa, in Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, UTET 1997, vol. 2, pp. 555-575
- Cultural Mythologies of Russian Modernism : From the Golden Age to the Silver Age, a cura di B. Gasparov, R.P. Hughes, I. Paperno, University of California Press 1992, limitatamente ai saggi: B. Gasparov, The “Golden Age” and its Role in the Cultural Mythology of Russian Modernism (pp. 1-16); I. Paperno, Puškin v žizni čeloveka Serebrjanogo veka (pp. 19-51); M.C. Levitt, Pushkin in 1899 (pp. 183-203)
- E. Magnanini, L’interpretazione critica di Gogol’ nel primo Novecento, «Annali della facoltà di Lingue e Letterature straniere di Ca’ Foscari», 1978, 2, pp. 119-131


Non attending students will also read: Ju. Lotman, Puškin, in Storia della civiltà letteraria russa, UTET, vol. 1 (pp. 404-433); A. D’Amelia, Introduzione a Gogol’, Laterza 1995, limitatamente alle pp. 34-47, 93-104, 203-212; one essay between: Z. Minc, Blok i Gogol’, in Z. Minc, Aleksandr Blok i russkie pisateli, Iskusstvo SPb, 2000, pp. 22-85 and Z. Minc, Blok i Puškin, in Z. Minc, Aleksandr Blok i russkie pisateli, Iskusstvo SPb, 2000, only chapter V (pp. 190-208) and VII (pp. 243-260)

Students will sit for an oral exam testing the following: a clear understanding of the evolution of the history and literature of the period spanning from the end of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century; a detailed understanding of the authors’ literary development among Russian symbolism (25%); a detailed understanding of the primary sources, the new literary criticism on 19th century classics and intertextuality (50%).

Traditional classroom lectures held by the teacher, during which Students are free to participate with questions and observations. In-depth materials or suggestions for further reading can be communicated through the teacher's web page.

Italian

The cycle of lectures of mod. 1 and mod. 2 are held one after the other, respectively on the first and second half of the semester.

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