UNDERGRADUATE SIGNATURE COURSE A World Apart: Russian Sci-Fi in Literature and Film UGS 303 (# )

Transcription

1 The University of Texas at Austin Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies Spring Semester 2011 UNDERGRADUATE SIGNATURE COURSE A World Apart: Russian Sci-Fi in Literature and Film UGS 303 (# ) COURSE SYLLABUS Instructor: Prof. Thomas. J. Garza Offices: Calhoun CAL 406 (mailbox in CAL 415) and Rainey HRH Phone: or tjgarza@mail.utexas.edu Office hours: T 1-2:30 (CAL 406), M 2-3:30 (HRH 4.190) and any other time by appointment Class time: MW 1:00-2:00 pm in FAC 21 Additional Friday meeting time TBA Teaching Assistants: Katie Logan, Brian Mothersole, Paul Osborne, Eliot Stone, and Nathaniel Zingg [Office hours TBA] Required texts: [available at the UT Co-op or from online sellers] Worlds Apart: An Anthology of Russian Science Fiction and Fantasy. Alexander Levitsky, New York, NY: Overlook Press, We, Evgeny Zamyatin, New York, NY: Modern Library, The Heart of a Dog, Mikhail Bulgakov, New York: Dramatists Play Service, Prisoners of Power (The Inhabited Island) [available on BlackBoard] plus: Course Packet [available at Speedway Printers in the Dobie Mall]. Films: [excerpted in class, available online] Aelita Queen of Mars, Jakov Protozanov, dir. (1924). Space Flight, Vasily Zhuravlev, dir. (1935). Planet of Storms, Pavel Klushantsev, dir. (1961). His Name Was Robert, Ilya Olshvanger, dir. (1967).

2 Spring 2011 UGS 303 Syllabus page 2 Soliaris, Andrei Tarkovsky, dir. (1972). Stalker, Andrei Tarkovsky, dir. (1979). The Heart of a Dog, Vladimir Bortko, dir. (1988). The Fatal Eggs, Sergei Lomkin, dir. (1995). Night Watch, Timur Bekmambetov, dir. (2004). Day Watch, Timur Bekmambetov, dir. (2006). The Inhabited Island, Fyodor Bondarchuk, dir. (2009). I. GENERAL The country that brought us Sputnik and reinvented the robot also created some of the world's best creations of science fiction and fantasy. From the works of classic Russian writers (such as Pushkin, Lermontov and Gogol), to the harsh images of Soviet-era utopias (such as Zamyatin s We and Bulgakov s Fatal Eggs and The Heart of a Dog), to the films of the 20th century (such as Tarkovsky s Soliaris and Stalker), and current post-soviet works (such as the apocalyptic vampire thrillers Night Watch and Day Watch, and the post-colonial Inhabited Island), we'll explore the remarkable world of Russian sci-fi through a variety of media. Whether you're already a sci-fi fan, or a newcomer to the genre, prepare to discover a brave new world! Course Requirements Attendance and Participation: You are expected to attend class meetings regularly, do all assigned readings and film viewings, and prepare written assignments. Because the readings and films covered in this course are chronological and cumulative in design, your regular attendance is required. Missing more than five (5) class sessions will lose a letter of the final grade. Participants who do not complete all five of the required components of the syllabus cannot pass the course. In extreme and extenuating circumstances, the instructor may excuse absences. ECHO 360º: As part of a pilot project in the College of Liberal Arts, all lecture sessions of this course will be recorded and made available to students via BlackBoard. The purpose of these materials is for review of lecture content to prepare for exams or papers, and to allow students who miss a class to help cover the assigned material. They are not a substitute for attending class. Any perception that attendance in the course is being affected by the availability of the online materials will result in a cancellation of the recordings. Reaction Paper: A brief (2-3 pages) reaction paper to one of the readings or media presentations covered in class is due by Wednesday, February 23. While this essay is not research based, it may contain references or support from external sources. Reaction Panel Presentation: Each student will briefly (2-3 minutes) present his/her text response (derived fro the reaction paper) as part of Friday session in-class panels organized by the TA around the texts/topics of the Reaction Papers. These presentations will be the basis for discussion in the Friday session.

3 Spring 2011 UGS 303 Syllabus page 3 Midterm Exam: A comprehensive midterm exam over all material covered (readings, films, slides, and lectures) in the first half of the course will be given on Monday, March 9. The specific format of the midterm will be announced well before the exam date. Short Essay: Each participant is required to hand in on Monday, April 18, a paper, 4-6 pages in length, treating any one of the subjects covered during the semester. Sample paper topics and treatments will be given out well in advance of the due date. Final Exam: An exam comparable in format to the midterm covering the material (readings, films, slides, lectures) from the second half of the course -- will be given during the University exam period on Monday, May 16, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. Special Accommodations: Any student with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations fro the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities at Any necessary accommodations should be presented to the instructor in written form. II. GRADING There are five components of the final course grade. These components and their relative weights are: Reaction Paper (2-3 pp.) 15% Reaction Panel Presentation 15% Midterm exam 20% Short Essay (4-6 pp.) 25% Final exam 25% COURSE OUTLINE AND ASSIGNMENTS Wednesday, January 19 Introduction to UGS 303 Overview of syllabus and course design for UGS 303 Establishment of scene: Russia and Science Fiction and Fantasy For next meeting, read Why Science Fiction is the Wrong and Only Name for It in the CP. Monday, January 24 Toward a Definition of Science Fiction The need and place of science fiction in Western literature and culture For next session, read Worlds of Russian Fantasy (pp. 9-38) in Levitsky, and The Golden Age of Science Fiction is Twelve in the CP. Wednesday, January 26 Science Fiction vs. Science Fantasy Understanding Fantastic Worlds: Fact and Fiction For the next session, read From Folk Myth to the Fantastic in Poetry and Prose (pp ) in Levitsky. Russian Fantasy vs. Fiction

4 Spring 2011 UGS 303 Syllabus page 4 Monday, January 31 The Origins of Russian Sci-Fi: Fantasy The Age of Enlightenment in Russia and Literature The creation of the phantasmagoric For next meeting, read Pushkin s The Bronze Horseman and The Queen of Spades, and Lermontov s Demon (pp ) in Levitsky. Wednesday, February 2 19 th Century Texts The Supernatural and Fantasy in Russian society Depicting the Other in literature For next meeting, read Gogol s The Diary of a Madman and The Nose (pp ) in Levitsky. Monday, February 7 19 th Century, Continued When is the Supernatural Natural? The Place of Place in Fantasy Literature For next meeting, read Early Modern Utopias (pp ), and Vera Pavlovna s Fourth Dream (pp ) in Levitsky. Wednesday, February 9 Russian Utopias Russia on the Eve of Revolution Who Needed a Utopian Society? For next meeting, read Three Responses to Utopian Thought in Levitsky (pp ). Monday, February 14 The Russian Revolution and New Literature Beginnings of Socialist Realism View scenes from Aelita, Queen of Mars Poster for Aelita (1924) For next meeting, read Modern Russian Fantasy (pp ) and selection from A.N. Tolstoy s Aelita (pp ) in Levitsky, and Aelita by O Mahoney in CP. Wednesday, February 16 Aelita (1924) Soviet Utopias The place of the space race in Soviet nationalism For next meeting, read Russia s Modernist and Post-Symbolist Prose (pp ) and The Cave (pp ) in Levitsky, and begin reading Zamyatin s We.

5 Spring 2011 UGS 303 Syllabus page 5 Monday, February 21 Zamyatin s Worlds Revisiting Place in Soviet times Identity in Utopia and Dystopia For the next meeting, finish reading We. Reaction Paper is due on Wednesday! Wednesday, February 23 We (1921) The creation of Dystopia Reaction Paper due today For the next meeting, read The Waning of Modernism (pp ) and Olesha s On the Fantasy of H.G. Wells (pp ) in Levitsky. Evgeny Zamyatin Monday, February 28 We and Its Successors The Rise of Stalin and Literary Reactions The World of Olesha For next meeting, read 2003 Forward to The Fatal Eggs in CP. Wednesday, March 2 Bulgakov s World The Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s Writer as Rebel For next meeting, read Bulgakov s The Fatal Eggs. Monday, March 7 The Fatal Eggs (1924) Literary views of the Soviet Union The Re-emergence of Soviet Space Worlds For next meeting, prepare for midterm. Mikhail Bulgakov Wednesday, March 9 MIDTERM EXAM For next meeting, read Bulgakov s The Heart of a Dog. HAVE a UTOPIAN Spring Break!

6 Spring 2011 UGS 303 Syllabus page 6 Monday, March 21 The Heart of a Dog (1925) Literary Creations of Homo Sovieticus The Place of Medicine in Sci-Fi For next meeting, read the Strugatsky Brothers The Visitors in the CP. Wednesday, March 23 Socialist Realism after the War: The Strugatsky Brothers New creations of Science and Technology The Cold War comes to Russian Sci-Fi View scenes from Man-Amphibian (1961) For next meeting read the Strugatsky Brothers Roadside Picnic in CP. Strugatsky Brothers Monday, March 28 Period of Stagnation and Sci-Fi: Strugatsky Brothers View scenes from Cold War Soviet films Days of Darkness, Planet of Storms (1962) and His Name Was Robert (1967) For next meeting, read Autobiography, Memory and Identity: The Films of Andrei Tarkovskii in CP. Wednesday, March 30 Tarkovsky: Soliaris (1972) Space as New Soviet utopia View scens from Tarkovsky s Soliaris For next meeting watch film Soliaris. Monday, April 4 Soliaris, cont. View scenes from American production of Solaris (2002) For next meeting watch film Stalker. Wednesday, April 6 Stalker (1979) From literature to film: Process and Product Period of Stagnation For next meeting, catch up on your film viewing(!).

7 Spring 2011 UGS 303 Syllabus page 7 Monday, April 11 Stalker, cont. The connection between death in 19th c. Russian literature For next meeting, read Galichenko s The Age of Perestroika in CP. Still from Tarkovsky s Stalker Wednesday, April 13 Tarkosvky s successors The collapse of the Soviet Union 1991 The response in literature and film For next meeting, read On Contemporary Russian Fantasy (pp ) in Levitsky. NB: Short essays are due on Monday! Monday, April 18 Post-Soviet genres Post-Soviet Sci-Fi Genres Short Essays are due! For next meeting, read selection from Lukyanenko s Night Watch and Day Watch in CP. Wednesday, April 20 Sci-Fi turns to Horror? Russian politics and fantasy worlds at home Sci-Fi vampires as the Post-Soviet Other View scenes from Night Watch (2004) and Day Watch (2006) For next meeting, read selection from Lukyanenko s Twilight Watch in CP. Monday, April 25 Bekmambetov s legacy Film and Literature of the 2000s A Return to Science Fantasy? View scenes from Aziris Nuna (2006). For next meeting, catch up on reading and prepare prognosis for Russian sci-fi. Night Watch (2004)

8 Spring 2011 UGS 303 Syllabus page 8 Wednesday, April 27 The New Russian Empire? Post-Colonial Russia and Sci-Fi View scenes from The Inhabited Island I (2008). For next meeting, prepare for final review of 2000s films. Monday, May 2 What s Next for Russian Sci-Fi? The Future of Russian Sci-Fi View scenes from Inhabited Island II (2009). Course Instructor Survey For next meeting, prepare any questions for final review. Wednesday, May 4 Final Review Session Closing Comments Final Exam Format and Review NB: Final Exam will be on Monday, May 16, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. Have a happy, safe and very FANTASTICAL summer!