Professor: Jenifer Presto

4.00 credits

• CRN 32201: Monday & Wednesday, 12:00-1:20 PM @ CHA 301

This course will provide you with an introduction to some of the great works of Russian literature and culture through a focus on the art of the fantastic. Literary theorist Tzvetan Todorov has suggested that the fantastic should be viewed primarily in formal terms as a literary mode that invites the reader’s hesitation about the plausibility of the events presented. This course will challenge Todorov’s largely formalistic understanding of the fantastic by highlighting its political uses. In Imperial, Soviet, and Post-Soviet Russia, writers and artists have had to contend with government censorship and control, and it was often the fantastic that provided them with the best vehicle to address problems in Russian society. Our discussions will consider not only the formal and stylistic aspects of the texts under discussion, but also their social and political implications. In addition to fostering an appreciation for Russian literature and culture, this course will enable you to work on your interpretive, writing, and oral presentation skills—skills that will be of great importance to you in and beyond college.