Classics of Russian Literature

I've just completed my fourth lecture series from The Teaching Company's "Great Courses" series. Having already listened to "The Life and Works of C. S. Lewis", "Classics of British Literature", and "The English Novel", I decided to go in a slightly different direction with a literary tradition that I am only vaguely familiar with.

Our guide for this journey through Russian literature is Dr. Irwin Weil, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literature at Northwestern University. Of the four different professors that I have listened to so far, he struck me as having not only the best delivery style but also one of the deepest passions for his topic. His love of Russian tradition, history, and language is evident from the very beginning.

Throughout the 36 lectures in the series, Dr. Weil focuses on 3 different periods in Russian literature: the early literary traditions during the Kiev period, the Golden Age of Russian literature, and the literature of the communist period in the 20th century. Not only did I learn more about the authors I was already familiar with (Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Chekhov), but also discovered new authors that I am dying to sink my teeth into like Pushkin and Pasternak. One thing I loved about the series was how Dr. Weil highlighted the differences between the literary periods, but also the many similar themes that permeate the tradition as a whole. Themes like the equality found within humanity, the heavy spiritual quality found even in the works created at the height of the Communist era, and the relation of the vastness of the Russian empire to the sweeping and broad feelings found in it's great novels.

But what I loved more than anything was hearing these great works in their original language. I had never thought of Russian as a beautiful language, but hearing Pushkin's "I Remember a Wonderful Moment" rolling off the speaker's tongue in it's original rhythm and sound is a moment that I will never forget. Do yourself a favor and listen to it here.

If I had any complaint, it was that the lectures stopped with Solzhenitsyn and didn't introduce any of Russia's contemporary literature. This did give the feeling that Russian literature is a thing of the past, which of course it cannot be.

All of these lecture courses have been worth it both in time and money. If you would like to learn more about not only the great works and author's of the Russian tradition, but also about the heart, soul, and history of that ancient land, I can't recommend this course more highly. Dr. Weil does a wonderful job in introducing us Westerners to a literary tradition that is both familiar and unknown. Don't be surprised if you begin to see more and more of it popping up here at Complete and Unabridged.

The English Novel

Last week I wrapped up my third audio lecture series from The Teaching Company. This one was entitled "The English Novel", and it traced the history, not just of the great works themselves, but also of the novel form itself as found in English literature. It is a great back-up to the "Classics of British Literature" series that I finished back in April.

Our professor for this course is Dr. Timothy Spurgin, the Bonnie Glidden Buchanan Professor of English Literature and Associate Professor of English at Lawrence University. Though perhaps not quite as witty and conversational as Professor Sutherland from "COBL", his lecturing style is easy to listen to, follow, and comprehend.

This series comprises of 24 lectures tracing the evolution of the English novel from its earliest beginnings of Fielding and Richardson to its culmination in Joyce and Woolf. Each lecture is a fantastic blend of biographical info on the author, plots and themes from the story, and the theory of the novel form. Though I was familiar with most of the authors and stories, I learned a lot through this course. It helped me recognize patterns throughout the English novel tradition ( it's obsession with courtship and marriage, and it's penchant for "comedic" endings), and learn to draw parallels between what we are reading in the novel and what was happening in the world at the time. I also really loved the part where Dr. Spurgin discusses how the rise in translations of foreign literature forever changed the English novel tradition.

If you love English novels, or like learning the history and theory of literature, I would definitely recommend this course. It is enjoyable and informative. I must warn you, however, your "to read" list will grow by leaps and bounds!

Classics of British Literature

It took over a year, but I finally finished the Classics of British Literature lecture series from "The Great Courses" of The Teaching Company. This 48 lecture course explores not only the great works themselves, but also how the societies of the times influenced the works, and how the works, in turn, influenced society.

Professor John Sutherland, who is affiliated with University College London, California Institute of Technology, and Edinburgh University, gives the lectures with a wonderful blend of wit, charm, and professionalism. My sisters said the he sounded like Kamen-rah off of Night at the Museum 2, but I actually liked his approach and style.

What was so great about this series is that it didn't just focus on novels (partial as I am to them). Poets like Byron, Wordsworth, and Yeats are in the mix as are playwrights like Shakespeare and Shaw and non-fiction writers like Gibbon and Equiano. It really showed how broad the scope of British literature really is. I also enjoyed the insight into British history that each of the works provided. It really showed how Britain's unique history inspired it's colorful literary past.

I had a few problems with some of the lectures, the biggest one being with the one on Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. In that particular lecture, Professor Sutherland says that Christian loses his burden after crossing the River Jordan. Those who have read the book know that his burden of sin actually comes off at the foot of the cross. To say otherwise not only is incorrect according to the story, but is also wrong in the theological department. I also differed on a few of the conclusions that he offered for some of the other works (like Jane Eyre).

But overall, I found this to be an interesting, fun, and stimulating series. Those of you who are interested in learning more about you favorite authors, their works, and the times they lived in should really check these out. These lectures take you beyond the page and into the midst of what might just be the greatest literary tradition in history.