Contemporary Russian Literature
A.Y. 2021/2022
Learning objectives
This course aims at proposing an approach to the Russian Culture and Literature from the Thaw to today. First some of the key novels of the early Soviet period will be presented. Then, some of the most significant novels by Vasilij Aksenov, Andrej Bitov, Venedikt Erofeev, Sergei Dovlatov, Viktor Pelevin and Vladimir Sorokin will be examined.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: outline of the history of Soviet and Russian Literature from 1953 to today; main authors and literary movements of the period; evolution of the soviet and post-soviet novel. Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to read and contextualize the main works of the Soviet Literature from 1953 to today; ability to read and analyze 7 novels from the late Soviet and post-Soviet period; understanding of historic, cultural, and social implications of the novels; ability to place authors, movements and works in their context; ability to recognise and explain affinities and differences among the novels.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
The course will be held during the second semester. In case the Covid emergency will continue during the second semester, further information will be provided on ARIEL website.
Course syllabus
The course is titled: "The Russian novel from the Thaw to today". The course is divided in 3 parts
Part A: Literature, Politics and Society in Soviet Union and in Contemporary Russia"
Part B: The novel in USSR from the Thaw to Perestrojka
Part C: The Russian novel in the 1990s and today.
The course provides 6 or 9CFU. All the students who wish to get 6 CFU will follow part A and B; the students who wish to get 9 CFU will follow part A, B and C.
In part A of the course the political, social and cultural life in the USSR will be analyzed through different media.
In part B of the course we will focus on the novel in Russia from the Thaw to perestrojka, with a particular focus on authors such as Aksenov, Bitov, Sinjavskij, Erofeev, Dovlatov.
In the part C of the course the novel in the age of Putin will be investigated. In particular, some novels by Sorokin, Pelevin and Ulitskaia will be analized.
The course syllabus is valid until February 2022.
Part A: Literature, Politics and Society in Soviet Union and in Contemporary Russia"
Part B: The novel in USSR from the Thaw to Perestrojka
Part C: The Russian novel in the 1990s and today.
The course provides 6 or 9CFU. All the students who wish to get 6 CFU will follow part A and B; the students who wish to get 9 CFU will follow part A, B and C.
In part A of the course the political, social and cultural life in the USSR will be analyzed through different media.
In part B of the course we will focus on the novel in Russia from the Thaw to perestrojka, with a particular focus on authors such as Aksenov, Bitov, Sinjavskij, Erofeev, Dovlatov.
In the part C of the course the novel in the age of Putin will be investigated. In particular, some novels by Sorokin, Pelevin and Ulitskaia will be analized.
The course syllabus is valid until February 2022.
Prerequisites for admission
The course will be held in Italian. Students are kindly requested to sign up using the app EasyLesson. For students who are not on the degree course in Foreign Languages, a basic knowledge of the history of the Soviet Union is most welcome.
Teaching methods
The course will be held in Italian and wil be presented through lectures and students presentations in the classrooms.
Teaching Resources
Please check the following web-site for materials and documents about the course
https://ariel.unimi.it/offerta/site/drebecchinilr
The student will study the following works
Part A
Cronologia della storia dell'URSS (see ARIEL)
G.P. Piretto, Il radioso avvenire. Mitologie culturali sovietiche, Torino, Einaudi, 2001, pp. 229-332 (see ARIEL)
Vasilij Aksenov, Il biglietto stellato (1961) trad. di C. Masetti, a c. di D. Silvestri, Milano, Mondadori, 2009.
Andrej Bitov, La casa di Puškin (1964-1971), trad. di M. Crepax, Serra e Riva, Milano, 1988.
Part B
Venedikt Erofeev, Tra Mosca e Petuški (1973), trad. di M. Caramitti, Roma, Fanucci, 2003; oppure trad. di P. Nori, Bologna, Quodlibet, 2014.
Andrej Sinjavskij (Abram Terc), Buona notte! (1984), trad. di Sergio Rapetti, Milano, Garzanti, 1987
Sergej Dovlatov, La valigia, trad. di L. Salmon, Sellerio, Palermo, 2000.
Part C
Vladimir Sorokin, La coda, trad. di P. Zveteremich, Guanda, Parma, 1985
Viktor Pelevin, Babylon (1999) trad. di K. Renna e T. Olear, Milano, Mondadori, 2000.
Vladimir Sorokin, La giornata di un opričnik (2006), a c. di D. Silvestri, Atmosphere libri, Milano 2014.
NB Foreign students can read the Russian literary works in their own native language.
Students who will not attend the course should also read the following texts:
M. Caramitti, Letteratura russa contemporanea. La scrittura come resistenza, Bari, Laterza, 2010
G.P. Piretto, Introduzione a Vasilij Aksenov, Il biglietto stellato (1961) trad. di C. Masetti, a c. di D. Silvestri, Milano, Mondadori, 2009, pp. V-VIII.
G. Nivat, Andrei Sinjavskij, in Storia della letteratura russa. Il Novecento, vol. 3, Torino, Einaudi, pp. 825-835 (in ARIEL)
S. Laird, Voices of Russian Literature. Interviews with ten contemporary writers, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1999, pp. 72-94 (su Bitov); pp. 143-162 (su Sorokin), pp. 178-192 (su Pelevin) (vd ARIEL)
M. Caramitti, Postfazione a Venedikt Erofeev, Tra Mosca e Petuški (1973), Roma, Fanucci, 2003, pp. 143-158
https://ariel.unimi.it/offerta/site/drebecchinilr
The student will study the following works
Part A
Cronologia della storia dell'URSS (see ARIEL)
G.P. Piretto, Il radioso avvenire. Mitologie culturali sovietiche, Torino, Einaudi, 2001, pp. 229-332 (see ARIEL)
Vasilij Aksenov, Il biglietto stellato (1961) trad. di C. Masetti, a c. di D. Silvestri, Milano, Mondadori, 2009.
Andrej Bitov, La casa di Puškin (1964-1971), trad. di M. Crepax, Serra e Riva, Milano, 1988.
Part B
Venedikt Erofeev, Tra Mosca e Petuški (1973), trad. di M. Caramitti, Roma, Fanucci, 2003; oppure trad. di P. Nori, Bologna, Quodlibet, 2014.
Andrej Sinjavskij (Abram Terc), Buona notte! (1984), trad. di Sergio Rapetti, Milano, Garzanti, 1987
Sergej Dovlatov, La valigia, trad. di L. Salmon, Sellerio, Palermo, 2000.
Part C
Vladimir Sorokin, La coda, trad. di P. Zveteremich, Guanda, Parma, 1985
Viktor Pelevin, Babylon (1999) trad. di K. Renna e T. Olear, Milano, Mondadori, 2000.
Vladimir Sorokin, La giornata di un opričnik (2006), a c. di D. Silvestri, Atmosphere libri, Milano 2014.
NB Foreign students can read the Russian literary works in their own native language.
Students who will not attend the course should also read the following texts:
M. Caramitti, Letteratura russa contemporanea. La scrittura come resistenza, Bari, Laterza, 2010
G.P. Piretto, Introduzione a Vasilij Aksenov, Il biglietto stellato (1961) trad. di C. Masetti, a c. di D. Silvestri, Milano, Mondadori, 2009, pp. V-VIII.
G. Nivat, Andrei Sinjavskij, in Storia della letteratura russa. Il Novecento, vol. 3, Torino, Einaudi, pp. 825-835 (in ARIEL)
S. Laird, Voices of Russian Literature. Interviews with ten contemporary writers, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1999, pp. 72-94 (su Bitov); pp. 143-162 (su Sorokin), pp. 178-192 (su Pelevin) (vd ARIEL)
M. Caramitti, Postfazione a Venedikt Erofeev, Tra Mosca e Petuški (1973), Roma, Fanucci, 2003, pp. 143-158
Assessment methods and Criteria
The test will be based on an oral exam in Italian. The exam aims at evaluating the skills of the student in presenting a) the main methodological approaches of the course; b) the main figures, works and problems of the history of the Russian Literature, with a particular focus on the Soviet and post Soviet period; c) a critical interpretation of the literary texts by Aksenov, Bitov, Sinjavskij, Dovlatov, Erofeev, Sorokin, Pelevin The final marks will be on a max of 30 points.
International and Erasmus students are kindly requested to contact prof. Rebecchini as soon as possible.
International and Erasmus students are kindly requested to contact prof. Rebecchini as soon as possible.
Unita' didattica A
L-LIN/21 - SLAVIC STUDIES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-LIN/21 - SLAVIC STUDIES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-LIN/21 - SLAVIC STUDIES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)
Reception:
Friday h. 16-19 on Teams, please confirm by email