English 166

Description

Anton Chekhov's (1860-1904) prominence in the English-speaking world is comparable only to Shakespeare's place in Russian culture. This course is devoted to Chekhov's fictional and dramatic writing, and to the lasting influence of his art and persona on modern imagination.

We will read closely Chekhov's short stories and plays and situate his literary idiom in its historical context. We will discuss the inherent connections between his narrative and dramatic texts; examine his thematic and formal innovations; and consider his understated, elusive vision of human experience. We will compare different translations of his work and think about translation in broad cultural terms. We will also watch a few theater productions and film adaptations of Chekhov's drama and follow the idea of "Chekhovian' as it evolves in the course of the twentieth century, in Russia and beyond

Readings for every class are short (typically, 15-20 pages) but need to be thorough.

Random reading quizzes will check your textual knowledge. There will be three short essays (from one to three pages) and/or short written home assignments and a course paper or a final exam.

This class is cross-listed with Slavic 134E.