Introduction to Russia: Tolstoy's War and Peace

Russian Studies 100W
Fall 1996

Franklin A. Sciacca
Hamilton College
208 Johnson
(315) 859-4773

Email:
fsciacca@hamilton.edu

Office Hours:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:15-2:30PM,
and by appointment


Cathedral of Christ the Savior

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Built to Commemorate the Russian Victory Over Napoleon

A team-taught introduction to the civilization of Russia through an examination of its historical and political development, and its major social and cultural institutions. In 1996-97, the course will focus on Napoleon's invasion of Russia and its aftermath. Consideration of the cultural and social contexts of the War of 1812, in particular the Russian reactions in literature, art, music, theology, and philosophy. The centerpiece of the course will be a close critical analysis of Tolstoy's *War and Peace*. (Writing intensive.) No knowledge of Russian required. Maximum enrollment, 20. Sciacca (Moderator).

Syllabus


Schedule of Readings for the Course


PLEASE NOTE: Given the nature of the course--with such a large number of visiting professors--the syllabus is tentative. Many of the readings for the guest lectures are not yet included. This is one reason why posting it on the Web page is so useful--I will be able to convey any changes and additions as the semester progresses. I do realize, however, that the Meltec Server, which hosts this page, is prone to crashes. Therefore I will be sure to repeat in class what the scheduled assignment is for the following session.


See Assignments for schedule of the written assignments for the course.


Course Texts
Available in the College Store and on reserve in Burke Library.

Leo Tolstoy, *War and Peace* [Norton Critical Edition, Second Edition, 1996][It is NOT advisable to use the First Edition]

Nadezhda Durova, *The Cavalry Maiden* [Indiana University Press, 1989]


Tuesday, Sept 3

Guest-Kristin Strohmeyer [Reference Librarian, Burke Library}: Exploring the Internet and World Wide Web

Thursday, Sept 5

Assignment for today: Get an e-mail account if you do not already have one. Go to the computer center and play with Netscape. Find some Tolstoy- or Napoleon-related Web sites. Before class, e-mail me (fsciacca) Web addresses for at least three relevant sites. I will compile the sites and post on our Web page.

In class: Introduction/Getting Acquainted.

Tuesday, Sept 10

The course-related exhibition, *War and Peace: Russia in the Age of the Napoleonic Invasion*, is being installed this week in Emerson Gallery

Read in Norton Critical Edition (Second Edition) of *War and Peace*: critical essays by Mirsky, Feuer and Morson (pp. 1137-1148, 1156-1165)

In class: Documentary on Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy

Thursday, Sept 12

*War and Peace* Book 1 (pp.3-94)

Tuesday, Sept 17

Prof. Andrew Swensen (Dept. Of German and Russian): Russian Intellectual Movements/Slavophiles and Westernizers

Thursday, Sept 19

*War and Peace* Book 2 (pp.95-173)
If we have time, a class visit to the exhibition.

Tuesday, Sept 24

Father John (Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Monastery, Jordanville, NY): the Orthodox Church

Thursday, Sept 26

*War and Peace* Book 3 (pp.175-255)

Tuesday, Oct 1

Professor Shoshana Keller (Dept. Of History): Women in Russia. Read: Durova, *The Cavalry Maiden*

Thursday, Oct 3

Professor Shoshana Keller (Dept. Of History): The War of 1812

Tuesday, Oct 8

*War and Peace* Books 4-5 (pp.257-365)

Thursday, Oct 10

*War and Peace* Book 6 (pp.367-429)

Tuesday, Oct 15

Professor Rick Werner (Dept. Of Philosophy): Tolstoy's Anarchism and Pacifism

Thursday, Oct 17

*War and Peace* Books 7-8 (pp.431-534)

Tuesday, Oct 22

Fall recess

Thursday, Oct 24

*War and Peace* Book 9 (pp.535-606)

Tuesday, Oct 29

Professors Andrew Swensen and John Bartle (Dept. Of German and Russian): The Napoleonic Theme in Russian Literature

Thursday, Oct 31

Happy Halloween!

*War and Peace* Book 10 (pp.607-730)

Tuesday, Nov 5

Professor Doug Ambrose (Dept. Of History): Meanwhile, back on a hill in Clinton, New York... America in 1812

Thursday, Nov 7

*War and Peace* Book 11 (pp.731-826)

Tuesday, Nov 12

*War and Peace* Books 12-13 (pp.827-910)
In class: Presentation on the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

Thursday, Nov 14

No class today. (I will be at the AAASS Conference in Boston): film, Woody Allen's *Love and Death*

Tuesday, Nov 19

Professor Peter Rabinowitz (Dept. Of Comparative Literature): Prokofiev's opera, *War and Peace*. Assignment: Listen to the entire opera attentively!

Thursday, Nov 21

*War and Peace* Books 14-15 (pp.911-996)

Tuesday, Nov 26

*War and Peace* Epilogue 1 (pp.997-1042)

Thursday, Nov 28

Thanksgiving break

Tuesday, Dec 3 and Thursday, Dec 5

*WAR AND PEACE* FILM MARATHON...BONDARCHUK'S 8-HOUR VERSION OF TOLSTOY!

SPECIAL EVENT...Wednesday, Dec 4...The Dmitri Pokrovsky Ensemble [Russian Folk Music at its purest and best!]

Tuesday, Dec 10

Professors Kelly Smith (Dept. Of Government) and Martine Guiyot-Bender (Dept. Of French): The Politics of War and Memory

Thursday, Dec 12

*War and Peace* Epilogue 2 (pp.1043-1074)

 

Created by Lynn Mayo,
Last modified June 19, 1997.