Tolstoy's War and Peace TR

Undergraduate

This course is a semester-long study of the quintessential big Russian novel, Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace (1869). Set against the backdrop of Napoleon’s failed 1812 Russian campaign, the novel is a sweeping panorama of nineteenth-century Russian society and an unforgettable gallery of artfully drawn characters. It also poses profound philosophical and moral questions. What are the limits of individual agency, both in private life and in grand political arenas? Do historical events have identifying causes? What is a meaningful, well-lived life? We also explore Tolstoy’s strategies for fictionalizing history. What myths does he destroy and construct? And how is this patriotic war epic also an imperial novel? Reading the novel closely, we situate it both in its historical context and in our contemporary world. Secondary materials include readings in history, political theory, philosophy, international relations, and literary criticism. All readings and class discussions in English. No prerequisites required. HU Tr 0 Course cr HTBA