RUS 101 Elementary Russian I

Professor: L. Watton

CRN: 92461

Distribution: D

Time: M Tu W Th 9:30 am - 10:20 am LC 208

This first-year Russian course introduces the student to the fundamentals of Russian grammar, composition, and conversation. Special attention is given to developing phonetic proficiency and effective reading strategies. Audio-visual exercises supplement in-class instruction.


RUS 275 From Creation to Creator: Women Characters and Women Authors in Russian Literature

Professor: M. Kostalevsky

CRN: 92625

Distribution: B/D

Time: W 10:30 am - 12:30 am OLIN 301

Cross-listed: Gender Studies
The course will analyze various aspects of women's status in Russian life as reflected in Russian literature. Selected texts of major Russian writers, such as Pushkin, Lermontov, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Akhmatova, and Tsvetaeva will demonstrate the gradual recognition of women's roles by the Russian society. The discussion is meant to include female characters in fiction written by men, as well as the works created by women authors. Our focus will be the rise of the "woman question" in Russia and the artistic treatment of this theme by each author. All readings and discussions in English.


RUS 301 Advanced Russian I

Professor: M. Kostalevsky

CRN: 92462

Distribution: D

Time: Tu W Th 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm LC 208

Increasing oral proficiency is a primary aim of this course as well as developing reading strategies appropriate to the widest variety of written texts. These texts will include artistic literature, poetry, and newspapers. We will proceed to expand vocabulary and study the syntax of the complex Russian sentence and grammatical nuances. Students will be asked to write short essays on a variety of topics. Audio-visual work in the language laboratory will be an important part of our work. The class will be conducted only in Russian.


RUS 406 Russian Fables and Fairy Tales

Professor: L. Watton

CRN: 92463

Distribution: B/D

Time: Tu 1:20 pm - 3:20 pm OLIN 304

The Russian genres of the basnya and skazka derive from a folk tradition, yet they also occupy a significant place in the work of major Russian writers. We will read selected fables of Krylov, the most prolific and enduring of Russian fabulists, Pushkin's fairy tales, and Tolstoy's Knigi dlya chteniya which were intended as primers for Russian schoolchildren. In addition to studying the structure, themes and motifs of the genres we will consider the way they function as political-social commentary, and, particularly in Tolstoy's case, as moral instruction. This course is open to all advanced Russian students, and is conducted in Russian.