Instructor’s email: amuza@berkeley.edu

The course is devoted to major works of Russian drama, which have become part of the literary canon, as well as of the national cultural tradition, and which have informed everyday Russian speech with aphorisms, idioms, and proverbs. The particular connection of dramatic writing with the spoken language and oral communication will be at the center of our close reading and analysis of several seminal texts. We’ll read plays by Griboedov, Gogol, Ostrovsky, Chekhov, as well as one or two representative works of soviet and contemporary Russian drama.

The class will also engage and advance the students’ ability to articulate, enunciate, deliver, and appreciate Russian dialogue.

Reading and discussion in Russian, with some critical commentary in English.

Texts: Reader

Prerequisites: Four semesters of Russian or the instructor’s consent. The course is open to both Slavic majors and heritage speakers of Russian.