Contemporary Russian Literature
A.Y. 2024/2025
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 can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course is titled: "The Russian novel and the Soviet Cinema from the Thaw to Perestrojka (1953-1991)". The course is divided in 3 parts
Part A: Culture, Politics and Society in Soviet Union from 1930s to the Thaw"
Part B: The novel and the cinema in USSR from the Thaw to 1970s
Part C: The Russian novel and cinema during the 1980s.
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 and cinema in Russia from the Thaw to perestrojka, with a particular focus on literary authors such as Aksenov, Solzhenitsyn, Strugackie, Erofeev.
In the part C of the course the novel and cinema in the 1980s will be investigated. In particular, some novels by Sinjavskij and Dovlatov as well as some movies by Menshov and Tarkovskij from the same period will be analized.
The course syllabus is valid until February 2026.
Part A: Culture, Politics and Society in Soviet Union from 1930s to the Thaw"
Part B: The novel and the cinema in USSR from the Thaw to 1970s
Part C: The Russian novel and cinema during the 1980s.
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 and cinema in Russia from the Thaw to perestrojka, with a particular focus on literary authors such as Aksenov, Solzhenitsyn, Strugackie, Erofeev.
In the part C of the course the novel and cinema in the 1980s will be investigated. In particular, some novels by Sinjavskij and Dovlatov as well as some movies by Menshov and Tarkovskij from the same period will be analized.
The course syllabus is valid until February 2026.
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
Foreign students are allowed to read the novels and watch the movies mentioned in the Syllabus in original language (Russian) or in English.
The student will study the following works
Part A
Cronologia della storia dell'URSS (materiale presente in ARIEL)
G.P. Piretto, Il radioso avvenire. Mitologie culturali sovietiche, Torino, Einaudi, 2001, pp. 229-332 (vd ARIEL)
Vasilij Aksenov, Il biglietto stellato (1961) trad. di C. Masetti, a c. di D. Silvestri, Milano, Mondadori, 2009 (vd ARIEL)
Aleksandr Solženicyn, Una giornata di Ivan Denisovič (1962), trad. di O. Discacciati, Torino, Einaudi
1 film a scelta fra:
- Quando volano le cicogne, di Michail Kalatozov (1957), (doppiato in italiano)
https://perestroika.it/film/quando-volano-le-cicogne/
- A zonzo per Mosca, di Georgij Danelija (1964) (sottotitoli in italiano)
https://perestroika.it/film/a-zonzo-per-mosca/
Part B
Arkadij e Boris Strugackij, Picnic sul ciglio della strada (1971), trad. a c. di P. Nori e D. Bacci, Marcos y marcos, Milano, 2022 (vd ARIEL)
Venedikt Erofeev, Tra Mosca e Petuški (1973), trad. di M. Caramitti, Roma, Fanucci, 2003; oppure trad. di P. Nori, Bologna, Quodlibet, 2014. (vd ARIEL)
1 film a scelta fra:
- Lunghi addii, di Kira Muratova (1971) (con sottotitoli in italiano)
- https://perestroika.it/film/lunghi-addii/
- Stalker, di Andrej Tarkovskij (1979) (doppiato in italiano)
https://perestroika.it/film/stalker/
Part C
Eduard Limonov, Eddy baby ti amo (1983), trad. di M. Falcucci, Milano, Salani, 2005 (vd ARIEL)
Sergej Dovlatov, La valigia (1986), trad. di L. Salmon, Sellerio, Palermo, 2000 (vd ARIEL)
1 film a scelta fra:
- Mosca non crede alle lacrime, di Vladimir Menšov (1980) (doppiato in italiano)
https://perestroika.it/film/mosca-non-crede-alle-lacrime/
- La piccola Vera, di Vasilij Pičul (1988) (con sottotitoli in italiano)
https://perestroika.it/film/piccola-vera/
- Loveless, di Andrej Zvjagincev (2017) (doppiato in italiano)
https://ariel.unimi.it/offerta/site/drebecchinilr
Foreign students are allowed to read the novels and watch the movies mentioned in the Syllabus in original language (Russian) or in English.
The student will study the following works
Part A
Cronologia della storia dell'URSS (materiale presente in ARIEL)
G.P. Piretto, Il radioso avvenire. Mitologie culturali sovietiche, Torino, Einaudi, 2001, pp. 229-332 (vd ARIEL)
Vasilij Aksenov, Il biglietto stellato (1961) trad. di C. Masetti, a c. di D. Silvestri, Milano, Mondadori, 2009 (vd ARIEL)
Aleksandr Solženicyn, Una giornata di Ivan Denisovič (1962), trad. di O. Discacciati, Torino, Einaudi
1 film a scelta fra:
- Quando volano le cicogne, di Michail Kalatozov (1957), (doppiato in italiano)
https://perestroika.it/film/quando-volano-le-cicogne/
- A zonzo per Mosca, di Georgij Danelija (1964) (sottotitoli in italiano)
https://perestroika.it/film/a-zonzo-per-mosca/
Part B
Arkadij e Boris Strugackij, Picnic sul ciglio della strada (1971), trad. a c. di P. Nori e D. Bacci, Marcos y marcos, Milano, 2022 (vd ARIEL)
Venedikt Erofeev, Tra Mosca e Petuški (1973), trad. di M. Caramitti, Roma, Fanucci, 2003; oppure trad. di P. Nori, Bologna, Quodlibet, 2014. (vd ARIEL)
1 film a scelta fra:
- Lunghi addii, di Kira Muratova (1971) (con sottotitoli in italiano)
- https://perestroika.it/film/lunghi-addii/
- Stalker, di Andrej Tarkovskij (1979) (doppiato in italiano)
https://perestroika.it/film/stalker/
Part C
Eduard Limonov, Eddy baby ti amo (1983), trad. di M. Falcucci, Milano, Salani, 2005 (vd ARIEL)
Sergej Dovlatov, La valigia (1986), trad. di L. Salmon, Sellerio, Palermo, 2000 (vd ARIEL)
1 film a scelta fra:
- Mosca non crede alle lacrime, di Vladimir Menšov (1980) (doppiato in italiano)
https://perestroika.it/film/mosca-non-crede-alle-lacrime/
- La piccola Vera, di Vasilij Pičul (1988) (con sottotitoli in italiano)
https://perestroika.it/film/piccola-vera/
- Loveless, di Andrej Zvjagincev (2017) (doppiato in italiano)
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 and Cinema, with a particular focus on the Soviet and post Soviet period; c) a critical interpretation of the literary texts by the authors presented during the course. 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