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Rutgers  University  Russian  &  East  European  Languages  and  Literatures  

 LAUGHTER  THROUGH  TEARS:  THE  COMIC  TRADITION  IN  RUSSIAN  LITERATURE  

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Spring  2014,  TTh5  (Tuesday  and  Thursday,  2:50–4:10pm)  Scott  Hall  115  

   Instructor:  James  McGavran  Office:  German  House  203  (172  College  Ave.)  Office  Phone:  732.932.7201,  ext.  17  E-­‐mail:  james.mcgavran@rutgers.edu  Office  Hours:  MTTh  1:00–2:00pm,  and  by  appointment!    COURSE  DESCRIPTION  

According  to  popular  legend,  when  Alexander  Pushkin  finished  reading  the  first  volume  of  Nikolai  Gogol’s  Dead  Souls—one  of  the  great  comic  masterpieces  of  Russian  prose—he  exclaimed,  “God!  How  sad  our  Russia  is!”  This  interdisciplinary  course  will  introduce  students  to  the  rich  and  wonderfully  eclectic  world  of  comic,  humorous,  and  satirical  Russian  literature.  Our  readings  span  nearly  three  centuries  and  numerous  genres,  from  the  neoclassical  comedies  of  Denis  Fonvizin  and  Alexander  Griboyedov  to  the  postmodern  prose  of  Venedikt  Erofeev.  We  will  explore  how  and  why  some  of  the  darkest  periods  of  Russia’s  history  have  produced  its  most  luminously  comic  literature,  and  we  will  discuss  whether  “laughter  through  tears”  is  the  norm  in  Russian  culture,  or  whether  it  is  a  grotesque  inversion.  Taught  in  English.  No  prerequisites  and  no  knowledge  of  Russian  required.  

COURSE  LEARNING  GOALS  

Students  will:  read  and  discuss  masterworks  of  Russian  drama  and  prose  of  the  18th,  19th,  and  20th  centuries;  build  a  theoretical  framework  for  the  discussion  of  humor  and  laughter  and  their  role(s)  in  culture;  differentiate  genres  and  styles  including  dramatic  comedy,  social  satire,  and  absurdist  humor;  sharpen  analytical  and  communication  skills;  be  able  to  propose  an  argumentative  thesis  and  support  it  with  appropriate  evidence.  

RUSSIAN  PROGRAM  AND  COMPARATIVE  LITERATURE  PROGRAM  LEARNING  GOALS  

http://reell.rutgers.edu/undergraduate/major  http://complit.rutgers.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99&Itemid=157    REQUIRED  TEXTS  

All  are  available  at  the  Rutgers  University  Bookstore.  You  may  purchase  them  elsewhere,  but  it  is  important  that  you  find  these  translations  and  editions.  

1. Gogol,  Nikolai.  The  Diary  of  a  Madman,  The  Government  Inspector,  and  Selected  Stories.  Trans.  Wilks  and  Maguire.  Penguin  Classics,  2006.  ISBN:  0140449078.  

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2. Gogol,  Nikolai.  Dead  Souls.  Trans.  Pevear  and  Volokhonsky.  Vintage,  1997.  ISBN:  0679776443.  

3. Sologub,  Fyodor.  The  Petty  Demon.  Trans.  Cioran.  Ardis,  2009.  ISBN:  0882338080.  4. Ilf,  Ilya  and  Evgeny  Petrov.  The  Twelve  Chairs.  Trans.  Fisher.  Northwestern  UP,  2011.  

ISBN:  0810127725.  5. Kharms,  Daniil.  Today  I  Wrote  Nothing:  The  Selected  Writings  of  Daniil  Kharms.  Trans.  

Yankelevich.  Overlook  TP,  2009.  ISBN:  159020042X.  6. Bulgakov,  Mikhail.  The  Master  and  Margarita.  Trans.  Pevear  and  Volokhonsky.  Penguin  

Classics,  2001.  ISBN:  0141180145.  7. Zoshchenko,  Mikhail.  The  Galosh  and  Other  Stories.  Trans.  Hicks.  Overlook  TP,  2009.  

ISBN:  1590202112.  8. Erofeev,  Venedikt.  Moscow  to  the  End  of  the  Line.  Trans.  Tjalsma.  Northwestern  UP,  

1992.  ISBN:  0810112000.  

COURSE  REQUIREMENTS  

1. Reading.  Do  it.  Don’t  get  behind.  Pay  attention  to  detail.  Try  to  inhabit  each  author’s  consciousness:  what  did  he  know,  what  had  he  been  through,  what  fascinated  and  disturbed  him,  and  how  did  he  sleep  at  night?  You  will  take  a  midterm  exam  consisting  of  passage  identifications  and  short-­‐answer  questions  on  our  readings,  and  I  reserve  the  right  to  give  unannounced  reading  quizzes  if  I  get  the  impression  we  are  not  all  “on  the  same  page.”  

2. Class  participation  and  Sakai  discussion  forum.  Russian  literature  and  culture  have  always  generated  heated  debate,  and  it  is  in  this  context  that  we  will  study  them.  The  Sakai  discussion  forum  for  the  course  will  stand  in  for  Twitter  as  part  of  an  ongoing  collaborative  experiment  to  enhance  and  extend  discussion  beyond  the  classroom—and  to  think  about  the  relationship  of  technology  to  politics  and  culture.  You  are  expected  to  “tweet”  one  forum  contribution—limiting  yourself  to  the  title  field  of  the  message,  which  holds  a  maximum  of  260  characters—before  each  class.  Working  within  the  limitations  of  the  platform,  you  might  want  to  propose  a  concise  interpretation  of  our  readings,  inquire  about  something  you  find  difficult,  express  righteous  indignation,  or  respond  to  someone  else’s  post.  Please  use  page  numbers  to  direct  your  readers  to  the  text  you  are  discussing.  All  Sakai  “tweets”  must  be  posted  by  10:00pm  the  evening  before  class,  so  that  you  and  I  have  the  opportunity  to  read  each  other’s  comments  before  we  meet.  I  will  address  and  respond  to  your  posts  frequently  during  class,  using  them  to  shape  our  discussions.  Your  daily  participation  and  your  Sakai  forum  contributions  will  be  evaluated.  

3. Writing.  You  will  be  assigned  two  three-­‐page  response  papers  and  one  eight-­‐page  final  paper  this  semester.  These  are  not  research  assignments;  you  are  expected  to  provide  original,  concrete  analysis—usually  comparative,  sometimes  from  an  unusual  point  of  view—of  our  course  materials.  Toward  the  end  of  the  term,  you  will  select  a  topic  for  your  final  paper  in  consultation  with  me  and  your  peers.  Critical  feedback  on  the  two  shorter  papers  will  help  sharpen  your  skills  before  you  embark  on  the  final.  Halfway  through  the  semester,  you  will  take  a  short,  in-­‐class  midterm  exam  that  will  consist  of  passage  identifications  from  our  readings  and  short-­‐answer  questions.  If  you  have  kept  up  with  the  reading,  the  midterm  will  be  easy  for  you.  

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GRADING  POLICY    Your  grade  for  the  course  will  be  computed  according  to  the  following  distribution.    1.    Class  Participation   25%  2.  Sakai  Forum  Posts   10%  

3.  First  Paper  (2-­‐3  pages)   15%  

4.  Midterm  Exam   15%  

5.  Second  Paper  (3  pages)   15%  6.  Final  Paper  (7-­‐8  pages)   20%  (total)   100%    GRADE  DISTRIBUTION    A  =  90–100;  B+  =  85–89;  B  =  80–84;  C+  =  75–79;  C  =  70–74;  D  =  65–69;  F  =  64  and  below.    ATTENDANCE  POLICY  

All  students  must  attend  regularly  and  arrive  prepared.  Please  use  the  new  University  absence  reporting  website  https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra/  to  indicate  the  date  and  reason  for  any  absences.  An  email  will  automatically  be  sent  to  me.  It  is  the  responsibility  of  students  who  have  been  absent  (for  any  reason)  to  find  out  what  they  have  missed  and  obtain  materials  that  may  have  been  handed  out.  Because  we  only  meet  twice  per  week,  unexcused  absences  will  very  quickly  and  adversely  affect  your  final  grade:  2  unexcused  absences  will  result  in  you  getting  the  lower  grade  in  any  borderline  situation;  3-­‐4  unexcused  absences  will  result  in  a  full  letter-­‐grade  reduction  (e.g.,  a  B  would  become  a  C);  and  if  you  have  5  or  more  unexcused  absences,  you  will  fail  the  course,  no  matter  what  grades  you  have  received  on  completed  assignments.  Three  late  arrivals  count  as  one  absence.  

CELL    PHONES  

Cell  phones  and  all  other  technological  devices  (laptops,  iPads,  iPods,  etc.)  must  be  turned  off  during  class  out  of  respect  for  your  instructor  and  your  fellow  students.  Please  schedule  all  important  phone  communications  outside  of  class  time.  

DISABILITY  SUPPORT  SERVICES  

Students  who  will  be  requesting  accommodations  due  to  disabilities  are  encouraged  to  familiarize  themselves  with  the  procedures  and  policies  regarding  disability  support  services  at  the  following  website:  http://disabilityservices.rutgers.edu/.  It  is  recommended  that  students  seeking  accommodations  begin  filing  paperwork  as  soon  as  possible,  as  the  documentation  review  process  can  take  up  to  30  business  days.  Students  are  encouraged  to  speak  with  me  about  these  issues  at  the  beginning  of  the  term.  All  such  conversations  will  be  kept  strictly  confidential.  

 

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ACADEMIC  INTEGRITY  

Violations  of  academic  integrity  are  an  extremely  serious  matter  and  can  lead  to  a  student  failing  the  course  and  being  referred  to  the  University’s  Office  of  Student  Conduct  for  disciplinary  action.  When  referring  to  ideas  other  than  your  own,  always  acknowledge  your  sources  clearly  and  completely,  whether  you  are  quoting  or  paraphrasing.  Please  see  the  University’s  policies  on  academic  integrity  at  http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/,  and  discuss  with  me  any  questions  you  may  have  about  this  and  related  issues.  

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CLASS,  READING,  AND  ASSIGNMENT  SCHEDULE    

Topic  1:  Neoclassical  Comedy:  Who  is  Laughing  at  Whom?  

• Tuesday,  January  21:  Class  canceled  due  to  inclement  weather!  • Thursday,  January  23:  Course  introduction.  What  is  laughter?  What  are  comedy,  humor,  

and  satire?  What  makes  us  laugh?  Syllabus,  course  requirements.  • Tuesday,  January  28:  Denis  Fonvizin,  The  Infant,  Acts  I–III  (PDF  on  Sakai).  • Thursday,  January  30:  The  Infant,  Acts  IV  and  V  (PDF  on  Sakai).  

Topic  2:  Nikolai  Gogol:  Social  Satire  or  Something  Stranger?  

• Tuesday,  February  4:  “The  Nose”  and  “The  Overcoat.”  • Thursday,  February  6:  The  Government  Inspector  (the  whole  play!).  • Tuesday,  February  11:  Dead  Souls,  Chapters  1–6  (pp.  3–132).  • Thursday,  February  13:  Dead  Souls,  Chapters  7–10  (pp.  133–220).  • Tuesday,  February  18:  Dead  Souls,  Chapter  11  and  Chapters  1–3  of  Volume  Two  (pp.  

221–337).  • Thursday,  February  20:  Dead  Souls  to  the  end  (pp.  338–393).  

Topic  3:  Demons  Petty  and  Enormous:  A  Rotting  Society’s  Darkest  Satire  

• Tuesday,  February  25:  Sologub,  The  Petty  Demon,  pp.  29–87.  • Thursday,  February  27:  The  Petty  Demon,  pp.  88–146.  • Tuesday,  March  4:  The  Petty  Demon,  pp.  147–232.  • Thursday,  March  6:  The  Petty  Demon,  pp.  233–260.  First  Response  Paper  Due!!  

Topic  4:  Ilf  and  Petrov:  The  Dynamic  Duo  of  Soviet  Satire  

• Tuesday,  March  11:  The  Twelve  Chairs,  Chapters  1–11  (pp.  5–124).  • Thursday,  March  13:  The  Twelve  Chairs,  Chapters  12–18  (pp.  125–218).                                                        

In-­‐Class  Midterm  Exam!!  

Spring  Break:  Saturday,  March  15–Sunday,  March  23  

• Tuesday,  March  25:  The  Twelve  Chairs,  Chapters  19–36  (pp.  219–438).  • Thursday,  March  27:  The  Twelve  Chairs  to  the  end  (pp.  439–505).  

 

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Topic  5:  The  Discreet  Kharms  of  the  Absurd  

• Tuesday,  April  1  (Ha!):  Kharms,  Today  I  Wrote  Nothing,  pp.  43–86.  • Thursday,  April  3:  Today  I  Wrote  Nothing,  pp.  87–124.  

Topic  6:  Mikhail  Bulgakov:  Soviet  Comedy  Goes  Cosmic  

• Tuesday,  April  8:  The  Master  and  Margarita,  Chapters  1–11  (pp.  7–118).  • Thursday,  April  10:  The  Master  and  Margarita,  Chapters  12–18  (pp.  119–214).  • Tuesday,  April  15:  The  Master  and  Margarita,  Chapters  19–27  (pp.  217–346).  • Thursday,  April  17:  The  Master  and  Margarita,  Chapter  28–Epilogue  (pp.  347–396).  

Second  Response  Paper  Due!!  

Topic  7:  Mikhail  Zoshchenko:  Soviet  Satire  Comes  Down  to  Earth  

• Tuesday,  April  22:  Zoshchenko,  The  Galosh  and  Other  Stories:  “A  Thief,”  “A  Speech  about  Bribery,”  “A  Crime  Report,”  “Love,”  “Electrification,”  “A  Bathhouse,”  “Thieves,”  “Nervous  People.”  

• Thursday,  April  24:  “Economy  Measures,”  “A  Workshop  for  Health,”  “The  Benefits  of  Culture,”  “The  Galosh,”  “Three  Men  and  a  Cat,”  “How  Much  Does  a  Man  Need?,”  “The  Pushkin  Centenary  Celebrations”  (both  speeches).  

Topic  8:  Venedikt  Erofeev  and  the  Birth  of  Russian  Postmodernism    

• Tuesday,  April  29:  Moscow  to  the  End  of  the  Line,  pp.  11–102.  • Thursday,  May  1:  Moscow  to  the  End  of  the  Line,  pp.  102–164,  and  course  wrap-­‐up.  

FINAL  PAPER  DUE  FRIDAY,  MAY  9  BY  3:00PM!!