LETTERATURA RUSSA

The course provides an overview of linguistic and cultural history of Russia in the 20^th century. Students will learn to recognise and correctly collocate characters, events, phenomena and texts of different nature (anthological, film, literary etc), on which they will be encouraged to reflect independently.

The course is divided into several blocks corresponding to the different periods of the century in question. Each block includes introductory lectures on the correspondent historical and cultural context and the analysis of some characteristic texts. These texts will also be studied in the original language and discussed in the classroom with a broad participation of the students, who are invited to read and/or view the texts before the lessons dedicated to them (it is therefore advisable to subscribe to the teaching page on STUDIUM, in order to be updated and prepared). Students will also carry out an individual work with the visual material indicated in the programme (films and tv shows).

Cultural and Literary history of 20^th century Russia:

Block 1: from the Revolution to the end of the 1920s

- Literature and Revolution; the NEP era; 20s-30s;

- E. Zamjatin, Noi.

Block 2: 1929 to 1953

- Stalinism;

- A. Ždanov, Socialist Realism;

- Selection of verses and songs;

- M. Bulgakov, Il Maestro e Margherita;

- film/serial: Cirk, Svetlyj put’, Novaja Moskva (watching movies and tv shows inspired by Bulgakov's novel is optional).

Block 3: 1953 to 1964 (1968)

- The ‘Thaw’;

- A. Solženicyn, Una giornata di Ivan Denissovič;

- film/serial: Stiljagi, Ottepel’, Zastava Il’iča.

Block 4: 1964 to 1982

- The ‘Dissent’;

- Samizdat: poetry, music, prose;

- Ven. Erofeev, La notte di Valpurga

- A. e B. Strugackie, Picnic sul ciglio della strada

- film: Stalker (watching the tv show Tainstvennaja strast’ is optional).

Block 5: 1982 to the present day

- Postmodernism;

- V. Pelevin, Omon Ra;

- V. Sorokin, Eros Moskvy;

- pellicole: Moskva, Kopejka oppure Nočnoj dozor, Dnevnoj dozor.

Critical and reference reading

- G.P. Piretto, Quando c’era l’URSS, Milano, Cortina editore, 2018; pp. 1-605 (o, in alternativa, G.P. Piretto, Il radioso avvenire, Torino, Einaudi, 2001, pp. 3-332);

- *G. Manganelli, Leggere i russi;

- *C. Olivieri, Mosca (ieri e) oggi: Sorokin e dintorni, in “Europa Orientalis”, 2006, XXV, pp. 205-236.

Literary and anthological texts

- E. Zamjatin, Noi, Fanucci editore, 2021 oppure Voland edizioni, 2013;

- M. Bulgakov, Il Maestro e Margherita, Milano, Mondadori, 2016 (the student may also opt for an edition of his choice);

- A. Solženicyn, Una giornata di Ivan Denissovič, Torino, Einaudi, 2019 (the student may also opt for an edition of his choice);

- *Ven. Erofeev, La notte di Valpurga, in V.V. Erofeev, Moskva-Petuški, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2004, pp. 211-312;

- A. e B. Strugackie, Picnic sul ciglio della strada, Milano, Marcos y Marcos, 2011 (or 2003);

- V. Pelevin, Omon Ra, Milano, Mondandori, 1999;

- *V. Sorokin, Ėros Moskvy, in V. Sorokin, Moskva, Moskva, Vagrius, 2001, pp. 9-16.

Additional teaching materials

Slides, texts, videos, audio, songs, films, exercises, supplementary readings on Russian language and culture of the 20^th century will be provided on STUDIUM during the lessons.

All the texts in the programme are available in the library and/or at the teacher's room; the texts marked with an asterisk will be made accessible on the STUDIUM platform.

Please remember that in compliance with art 171 L22.04.1941, n. 633 and its amendments, it is illegal to copy entire books or journals, only 15% of their content can be copied.

For further information on sanctions and regulations concerning photocopying please refer to the regulations on copyright (Linee Guida sulla Gestione dei Diritti d’Autore) provided by AIDRO - Associazione Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle opere dell’ingegno (the Italian Association on Copyright).

All the books listed in the programs can be consulted in the Library.