Russian 226 - Nikolai Gogol: Laughing through Tears

Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852) was perhaps the most mysterious and influential Russian writer of the nineteenth century… and beyond. In this course, we will travel through his fictional universe—the world of menacing mermaids, flying dumplings, and meteorological cataclysms. On our way, we will examine issues of Romantic authorship and nationalism, the challenges of writing outside one’s homeland and language, and the relationship of sexuality and creativity. Gogol’s literary inventions allow us to trace the intersections of many distinctive artistic imaginations. Our readings will include a range of genres: fragments, novellas, a play, and a narrative-poem-in-prose. We will pay special attention to the afterlives of Gogol's works in music, the visual arts, and the cinema. Throughout, we will dissect the aesthetic, thematic, moral, and ethical influence that Gogol has had on Russian literature.

Offered Fall 2026. Professor Brett Donohoe.
 

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Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: emphasis on written work, readings, independent research, oral presentations, group work, visual analysis.