East Slavic Folklore and Medieval Literature
Course code
SKS6139.HT
old course code
Course title in Estonian
Idaslaavi folkloor ja keskaja kirjandus
Course title in English
East Slavic Folklore and Medieval Literature
ECTS credits
6.0
Assessment form
Examination
lecturer of 2025/2026 Autumn semester
Ksenia Shmydkaya (language of instruction: Russian)
lecturer of 2025/2026 Spring semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
Course aims
The aim of the course is to introduce the most important texts of East Slavic folklore and Old Russian literature (12th–17th centuries) in their historical and cultural context. The course develops the ability to analyze the connections between history and myth and to understand the role of texts in the culture of medieval Russia.
Brief description of the course
The course deals with folklore as a cultural phenomenon and its connections with ethnography and history. The concept of text in the study of folklore and mythological and historical models of the world (time and space) are discussed. The mythological genesis of East Slavicfairy tales, the interweaving of history and myth in Russian epic and historical songs, as well as folklore and literary legends are examined. The connections between Old Russian literature and history are analyzed separately (“The Chronicle of Nestor”, “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, “Zadonshchina”, “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia”, “The Life of High Priest Avvakum”, etc.). The focus is on the key texts of Old Russian literature.
Learning outcomes in the course
Upon completing the course the student:
- knows the main events of medieval Russia and is able to relate them to folklore and literature;
- knows the main texts of East Slavic folklore and Old Russian literature;
- is familiar with the scholarly literature and classical studies in the field;
- is able to analyze the connections between history and myth and evaluate their poetics and function.
- knows the main events of medieval Russia and is able to relate them to folklore and literature;
- knows the main texts of East Slavic folklore and Old Russian literature;
- is familiar with the scholarly literature and classical studies in the field;
- is able to analyze the connections between history and myth and evaluate their poetics and function.
Teacher
Ksenia Shmydkaya
Study programmes containing that course