Russian 259 - Chekhov and the Russian Short Story

Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) reinvented the art of the Russian short story and Russian theater. Accused of killing realism by Maxim Gorky, Chekhov reimagined the form and content of Russian literature in the last days of the Russian Empire. This course surveys some of Chekhov’s most interesting and influential prose and theatrical works with an eye to how, precisely, Chekhov used the tools of the genres and media to shift how literature is capable of signifying. This course also pays special attention to Chekhov’s literary and historical moment, and readings from his contemporaries and his literary descendants will inform our study of Chekhov’s lasting legacy in Russian letters. No knowledge of Russian literature or language is necessary. All readings will be in English translation, and students who would like to read some or all of the works in the original Russian may arrange to do so with the instructor.

Spring semester. Visiting Assistant Professor 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: emphasis on written work, readings, independent research, oral presentations, visual analysis.