Russian Literature 2

This course represents the second stage of a three-year programme aimed at introducing students to the historical evolution and the main phenomena and authors of Russian literature from the 18th to the 20th century. It deals in particular with Russian literature of the second half of the nineteenth century and therefore includes world-renowned authors such as Ivan Turgenev, Fedor Dostoevskij, Lev Tolstoj and others, to one or more of whom each year a part of the course is dedicated. Addressing students who are also in the middle of the learning path of the Russian language, it presents in the original language significant excerpts in verse and prose and introduces the students to the analysis of the artistic text.

Knowledge and understanding: outline of the history of Russia in the second half of the nineteenth century and of the relationship between social and literary dynamics in the light of the particular country's situation. Main authors and literary movements; evolution or the novel; basic elements of Russian metrics, with reference to the authors of the first and second half of the nineteenth century. Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to read and contextualize fundamental works of Nineteenth century Russian literature in Italian. Reading passages of texts examined during the course in Russian. Understanding of historical, cultural, and social implications of literary texts; ability to place authors, movements and works in their context; ability to recognise and explain each author's literary themes and strategies; recognize the most elementary forms of versification and rhetorical figures and explain the effects on the meaning of a poetic text.