What is Evil: The Demons of Russian Literature (Part 3 - Master and Margarita) - Thicket
What is Evil: The Demons of Russian Literature (Part 3 - Master and Margarita)
Literature & Language

What is Evil: The Demons of Russian Literature (Part 3 - Master and Margarita)

Russian literature is full of demons; even Satan himself shows up every now and then. That's exactly what happens in "Master and Margarita", by Mikhail Bulgakov. One day, in soviet Moscow, Satan shows up, together with an entire entourage of demonic helpers. But where does evil lie? In the Devil himself? Or somewhere else?
Up to 15 students
Nov 24-Dec 8 (3 Lessons)
Tue, 10:30-11:30pm UTC

Your Instructor

Paula Domingo Pasarin
Paula Domingo Pasarin

PhD Candidate in Russian Studies
Princeton University

Being an incorrigible bookworm and a night owl with a penchant for foreign languages, it was but a matter of time that I would land in some literature department. I was born in Barcelona, Spain, where I graduated with a BA in German and Russian literatures. After a few years in industry, I moved to Chicago to earn a MA in Digital Humanities from uChicago, before going back to Europe for a MPhil in Slavonic Studies at the University of Oxford. Currently, I am earning a PhD in Slavic Studies at Princeton. In my doctoral research, I focus on translation, intertextuality, Symbolism, and literature and the scenic arts. I believe that there is no better observatory of mankind than literature, and I enjoy welcoming others into that observatory.

Russian literature19th century literatureSymbolism and ModernismMysticism and literatureMessianism and EschatologyComparative literatureTranslation

What you'll learn

Master the literary strategies employed to discuss social evil and moral issues indirectly

Learn about Russia's history of ideas, with a special emphasis on its social and moral debates

Get acquainted with some of the main masterpieces of Russian literature

Discuss some of the suggested origins of evil and suffering

Course Schedule

In this session, we'll discuss Book I. Along with analysing the presentation of the work's main themes, we'll focus on clarifying the social and historical context, as well as Bulgakov's individual situation in the Soviet Union

What You Get

Live interactive sessions

Engage in real-time discussions with expert instructors

Small discussion groups

Up to 15 students for personalized attention

Session recordings

Review and revisit class content anytime

Dedicated platform

Track progress and organize your schedule

Frequently asked questions

Course-specific questions