HIST 105-01, Soviet Russia - History and Literature, Fall 2007

Abstract

The Soviet Union is unlike many periods in history; it has a definite beginning (1917) and a definite end (1991). Under the Soviet regime, the citizens of this vast country endured incredible hardships and enormous suffering. This applies particularly to the Stalin period, when millions died due to famine, terror and forced labor. With the exception of a short thaw under Khrushchev, the USSR’s rulers relied on political repression to rule their citizens. Although freedom of expression and speech did not exist, Soviet authors did produce intriguing prose and poetry of high quality. While the official Soviet style of "socialist realism" produced largely worthless literature, many writers who dared to resist the official line wrote works that are considered classics. This course will examine the history of the USSR and the representation of different periods of that history by some of the best Soviet authors.