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Seton
Hall University, Department of History
The World of Anna Karenina Professor Nathaniel Knight
Course Description |
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Ivan Kramskoi, Portrait of the Writer Lev Tolstoy (1873) |
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Lev Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina is an epic tale of passion, intrigue, tragedy and redemption. It is also a penetrating portrayal of Russian life in the period following the great reforms of the 1860s. In this course we will use Anna Karenina as the starting point for a multifaceted exploration of nineteenth century Russian culture. Among the topics we will discuss are family life, social relations, modernization and industrialization, gender and sexuality, revolutionary movements and political power. We will enhance our reading of the novel with a wide range of supplementary materials including memoirs, travel accounts, historical analysis, art, music and film.
This course will be organized in a seminar format. While I may occasionally lecture on particular topics not covered in the readings, our primary activity will be class discussion. Therefore the success of the course depends in large measure on you. Scrupulous attendance and active engaged participation will be essential components of your overall performance. All assigned readings must be completed before the class for which they are assigned, and you should come to class prepared to ask questions and contribute insights. Written work must be turned in on the designated due dates. Late work will be accepted only with prior approval in genuine documented emergencies. In other words, if you have a problem, you must let me know before the assignment is due. Standards of academic integrity will be strictly enforced. Plagiarism, cheating and other infractions may result in a failing grade for the course. For more information on this topic see my Statement on Academic Integrity and the History Department's Policy on Academic Dishonesty Required Readings: (On sale at the campus bookstore) Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, Anna Karenina,
Norton Critical Edition, George Gibian, ed., Second ed. All additional readings will be available on-line either through the library’s electronic reserves (accessible through the library catalog) or via the schedule section of the course web site. Paper copies of materials on electronic reserve are available at the library circulation desk. To read materials on electronic reserve you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download this program click here. Your final grade will be based on the following criteria: |
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| Term paper Mid-term exam Book report Web site participation Reference report Attendance and Participation |
30% 20% 15% 15% 5% 15% |
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