Geography and History of the World © 2010 Indiana Edition

Chapter 15: Cultural Geography of Russia

Student Web Activities


"Russian Literature"

Introduction
The chapter discusses the unique contributions of Russia in the fields of art, music, and literature. Russian authors and poets of the 19th Century reflected the great social unrest of their time. This trend continued until the oppressive regime of the communist government during Soviet rule, when literature was largely controlled by the government.

Objective
Students will trace and examine the significance of literature to Russian society through much of its existence.

Directions
Research credible websites and complete the questions and activity that follows:

Where to begin
www.online-literature.com/
www.sovlit.com/sovlinks.html
www.infoplease.com/ce6/ent/A0860851.html

Take notes as well as record the websites you visit and answer the following questions:

1
Where did the earliest Russian literature get it starts during the 10th Century?
2
Discuss Leo Tolstoy’s contribution to Russian literature. What is considered to be his most famous novel?
3
What literature piece by Fyodor Dostoyevsky details and an individual’s fall and personal redemption. In what way does this mirror the author’s own life?
4
During what historical period in Russian history did Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky prosper? What was often the focus of their writings?
5
5. In what poetic style did Aleksandr Puskin write? What famous poet and playwright is Puskin sometimes compared because of this literary style?

Activity
Analyzing Information
Literature reflects the culture of their time, and Russian literature is no exception. Research a modern-day author in the United States. Make note how the author’s writings reflect the current culture; be prepared to share your findings with the class. Besides literature, in what other ways do modern citizens show their approval or disapproval with society?

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