Reading and composition course based on works of Russian and other Slavic writers, either written in English or translated into English. As students develop strategies of writing and interpretation, they will become acquainted with a particular theme in Russian and/or Slavic literatures and their major voices. R5A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and R5B satisfies the second half.

Ever wondered what kinds of monsters are lurking in Russian forests? Want to know what happens when the Devil makes a visit to Soviet Moscow? In this course we will learn all of those things and more, tracing the history of devils, witches, and other “unclean forces” in the Russian cultural imagination. We will begin by reading Russian fairy tales and folk texts, analyzing figures like Baba Yaga, Koshchei the Deathless, and Satan himself, as well as studying the many superstitions which were part of rural life for centuries. We will examine how these creatures and folk beliefs were incorporated into Russian literature, reading works by classic writers like Aleksandr Pushkin, Nikolai Gogol, and Fyodor Dostoevsky, as well as how these literary demons move from rural to urban settings. In the second half of the course, we will focus on longer works, reading Fyodor Sologub’s novel The Petty Demon and excerpts from Mikhail Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita, which is arguably the most important work of Russian literature in the twentieth century. Our readings will be supplemented with clips from the numerous film and cartoon engagements with these characters from Russian folklore and literature, and we will conclude the course with discussions of the popularity of psychics and witchcraft in post-Soviet Russia, as well as the recent folk horror boom in film and TV.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll in nor attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.

Requisites

• Previously passed an R_A course with a letter grade of C- or better. Previously passed an articulated R_A course with a letter grade of C- or better. Score a 4 on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Literature. Score a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Language and Composition. Score of 5, 6, or 7 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination in English.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills