Description
The aim of this module is to explore Russian literary culture from the 1917 revolutions to the death of Stalin in 1953. As well as covering some of the most famous works produced in this period, such as Mikhail Bulgakov’s Master i Margarita and Isaak Babel’’s Konarmiia¸ it introduces less well known writers such as Sigizmund Krzhizhanovskii. Areas for discussion include the effects of the revolution on literary forms and themes, the aims and significance of different literary movements in the post-revolutionary period, the state’s intervention in artistic culture, and the role of literature – and writing more generally – in shaping, and criticizing, Soviet society. For this reason, in addition to the artistic texts (mainly prose works) that you might expect to find on a module like this, you will also be reading some short theoretical texts and other non-literary works. The course is arranged thematically, with four main topics:
- • theoretical battles, new forms, contrasting approaches
- • Soviet man, speaking Bolshevik, and socialist realism
- • contexts, experiences and responses
- • critiques, satires and beyond
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 19th August 2024.
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