This course will examine the life and works of the great Russian writer Lev
Tolstoy in the context of Western intellectual history. Readings will include
Tolstoy's two major novels, War and Peace and Anna Karenina, as well as a
number of shorter works, such as The Kreutzer Sonata and The Death of Ivan
Ilych. We will also examine some of Tolstoy's aesthetic and didactic works. Ultimately, we will develop an understanding of the writer's environment and his
impact on the numerous social movements calling for change in the second half
of the nineteenth century. All readings will be in English.
Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: timely completion of all reading assignments, active class participation, three short papers, an article review, and a
final research project.
No prerequisites. No enrollment limit (expected: 20).