French and Russian literature

What is the course about?

This in-college literature course offers a rich encounter with seminal works of 19th century French and Russian literature. It treats classic texts in detail and allows students to study a range of political, cultural, and literary contexts and their role in shaping the work of various writers from the canon of 19th century European literature.

What will we cover?

Focusing on works by major authors, the course will cover several interrelated topics in the context of 19th century French and Russian literary culture.

Texts for the class will be:
• Stendhal, The Red and the Black
• Charles Baudelaire, Selected Poems
• Gustave Flaubert, Bouvard and Pecuchet
• Arthur Rimbaud, Selected Poems
• Alexander Pushkin, Selected Stories
• Mikhail Lermontov, A Hero of Our Time
• Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilych
Links to electronic copies of the texts will be provided by the tutor. All texts are also available in paperback through established publishers such as Penguin, Oxford and Norton.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

• Students will develop their general literary, historical, and critical knowledge of European writing and culture through varied reading on 19th century French and Russian literature.

• Students will develop understanding of key individual 19th century French and Russian texts and authors in detail, and the relationship between the two cultures, acquiring a knowledge of specific literary, historical, philosophical, and political contexts for nineteenth century French and Russian literature.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

No previous knowledge or experience of literature is necessary. However, learners will, ideally, need the following
skills and attributes:
- An enthusiasm for reading and discussing a range of texts in large and small groups.
- A willingness and ability to do some reading and preparation outside the class. You will be expected to read the selected texts for each session.
- An interest in, and ability to listen to, the responses of other students to the work discussed.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

The class will be held in 2-hour sessions over 8 weeks. The first 30 minutes will be an interactive lecture on the text, writer, themes and contexts. The remaining time will be a round table and small group discussion of the texts in detail.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

No other costs. Electronic copies will be distributed by the tutor, although hardcopies are preferable and available cheaply in both libraries and new and second-hand bookshops. Just bring some copy of the relevant text for discussion each week.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Have a look at all our fiction courses on the web under History, Culture and Writing/Literature/Fiction at www.citylit.ac.uk.