RUSS 411 - Special Topics: Mikhail Bulgakov in Historical Context

FC ARHU CD

4 credits
Selected readings from the Kyiv-born Russian and Soviet author Mikhail Bulgakov in the context of the Russian revolution, the traumatic years of the civil war, and the 1930s. From his early short stories to the unfinished novel Master and Margarita, Bulgakov raises questions about the difficult moral and existential choices that his characters–and he as an author–have to make in order to survive in a time of oppression, wars, and lies. The course aims to provide a window into the complexity of Bulgakov’s life and work, including his relationship with Stalin and his controversial views on Ukraine and Ukrainians. Taught in Russian.

Prerequisites: RUSS 305 or (306 (may be taken concurrently)).

This course is appropriate for new students based on placement exam.