Rus 270/EN 311/WL 389: Dostoevsky

Course Syllabus

 

 

Fall 2005

 

 

Instructor: Andrew M. Drozd

Office: 210 B. B. Comer

Location: B. B. Comer 241

Office Hours: 1-2 M, 11-12 Th

Time: 9:30-10:45 TR

Phone:  348-5720

E-mail:  adrozd@bama.ua.edu

WWW: http://bama.ua.edu/~adrozd

 

TEXTS:

To Purchase: F. M. Dostoevsky: Poor Folk, Notes from the Underground, Crime and Punishment, The Devils, The Idiot, The Brothers Karamazov.

 

DESCRIPTION: 

This course will cover the life and major works of Fyodor Dostoevsky. No knowledge of Russian is required for this course.

 

GOALS: 

1.      Become familiar with Dostoevsky's intellectual evolution.

2.      Become familiar with the major themes of Dostoevsky's fiction.

 

REQUIREMENTS:

Two exams and a comprehensive final exam. Attendance is mandatory: five or more absences will result in the lowering of your final grade by one full letter. There will be no make-up exams. If you have a conflict with a test date, I will allow you to take the exam early.

The exams will be essay-type exams designed to have the students synthesize the material they have read.

Testing Schedule (Subject to change):

Exam 1: Thursday, Oct. 6.

Exam 2: Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Comprehensive Final Exam: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 8-10:30 AM

 

GRADING:

Grades will be based on your performance on the two exams, each worth 25% of your final grade, and the final exam worth 50%. All course grades are now given on a +/- basis. For an explanation of the policy, see p. 20 of the Undergraduate Catalog.

 

Academic misconduct policy: "All acts of dishonesty in any work constitute academic misconduct. The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event of academic misconduct."

 

Disability access: To request disability accommodations, please contact Disabilities Services (348-4285). After initial arrangements are made with Disabilities Services, contact Professor Drozd.


Course Schedule

 

DATE

TOPIC

READING

Aug. 25

Introduction

 

 

 

 

Aug. 30

Education and Background

Poor Folk

 

 

 

Sep. 1

St. Petersburg

Poor Folk

 

 

 

Sep. 6

Poor Folk

Poor Folk

 

 

 

Sep. 8

The Late 1840s

Notes from the Underground

 

 

 

Sep. 13

Prison and Exile

Notes from the Underground

 

 

 

Sep. 15

Marriage and homecoming

Notes from the Underground

 

 

 

Sep. 20

Notes from the Underground

Crime and Punishment

 

 

 

Sep. 22

The 1860s

Crime and Punishment

 

 

 

Sep. 27

The 1860s

Crime and Punishment

 

 

 

Sep. 29

Second Marriage

Crime and Punishment

 

 

 

Oct. 4

Crime and Punishment

Crime and Punishment

 

 

 

Oct. 6

Exam #1

 

 

 

 

Oct. 11

Western Europe

The Idiot

 

 

 

Oct. 13

Western Europe

The Idiot

 

 

 

Oct. 18

Late 1860s

The Idiot

 

 

 

Oct. 20

The Idiot

The Idiot

 

 

 

Oct. 25

The Idiot

The Idiot

 

 

 

Oct. 27

Return home

The Devils

 

 

 

Nov. 1

1870s

The Devils

 

 

 

Nov. 3

1870s

The Devils

 

 

 

Nov. 8

The Devils

The Devils

 

 

 

Nov. 10

The Devils

The Devils

 

 

 

Nov. 15

Exam #2

 

 

 

 

Nov. 17

Late 1870s

Brothers Karamazov

 

 

 

Nov. 22

Late 1870s

Brothers Karamazov

 

 

 

Nov. 29

Last years

Brothers Karamazov

 

 

 

Dec. 1

Dostoevsky as prophet/philosopher

Brothers Karamazov

 

 

 

Dec. 6

Brothers Karamazov

Brothers Karamazov

 

 

 

Dec. 8

Brothers Karamazov

Brothers Karamazov

 

 

 

Dec. 14

FINAL EXAMINATION

 

 


Instructor Homepage

Dostoevsky Course Page


Andrew M. Drozd
adrozd@bama.ua.edu
The University of Alabama
Last Update: 8/25/05