RUSSIAN LITERATURE 1

The course is common to all the curricula of the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Language, Civilisation and the Science of Language for the students who have chosen Russian language.
The course aims to give some basic notions concerning the main aspects of Russian civilization, and to give a brief presentation of the country in which the student wishes to learn the language (in all degrees and all addresses that provide the study of this subject). Through a periodization of the historical-cultural development of Russia, will be considered the key moments, using as a guide the various names that the East Slavic territories have taken over the centuries. The student will be guided to locate the most relevant phenomena of the social, institutional, cultural, artistic and literary characterizing Russia in its various stages, so as to acquire a set of basic knowledge of which the study will be detailed in subsequent years, coherently with the curriculum chosen.

1. Knowledge and understanding
● Acquisition of the basic concepts and "cultural specific items" related to Russian history and culture from its origins to the 19th century.
● Recognition of the main Russian literary and philosophical movements of the 18th and 19th centuries;
● Memorization of the main facts of the lives of the five authors examined;

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
● Use of the terminology correctly in all the processes of analysis and communication of the acquired knowledge.
● Knowledge of how to give a correct chronological position to the various historico-cultural phenomena examined.

4. Communication skills
● Knowledge of how to explain the specificities of different types of literary texts using an appropriate terminology.
● Knowledge of how to interact with peers and with the teacher in a critical and respectful way.

5. Learning skills
● Knowledge of how to consult primary and secondary texts critically, applying the concepts and concepts to individual research work.

No pre-requirement is required.

The program covers the basics on the following topics: what is meant by the terms "Rus'", "Muscovy", "Russian Empire", the circumstances of the Christianization of the East Slavic land, some features of literary culture in the "old Russia", Peter the Great and the opening to the West: the emergence of social and cultural institutions of the European type in the Eighteenth century; aspects of Russian literary civilization in the nineteenth century writers and society.

The attendance of the course (which comprehend additional activities with tutors) is FUNDAMENTAL for the success in the exam. The students that cannot attend the course are required to study also the additional materials.

Please read the texts in the order they are listed.

PRIMARY TEXTS:
A. Pushkin, "The Bronze Horseman"
N. Gogol', "May Night, or the Drowned Maiden" and "Nevsky Prospekt"
F. Dostoevsky, "Notes from Underground"
L. Tolstoy, "Hadji Murat"
(In any edition available)

SECONDARY TEXTS:
For a Bibliography in English language, please send an e-mail to the lecturer.

The written test will last 2 hours and will comprehend 5 open questions regarding: 1. A commentary of an excerpt from one of the primary texts; 2. A summary of one of the primary texts; 3. The critical essays; 4. The biographies of the main authors; 5. The historical and cultural context (from the origin to the 19th century).
The final mark will depend on the accuracy of the contents (80%) and on language precision (20%).
In case of emergency, there will be an oral exam.

Lectures; practical classes with the tutor.

Italian

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