In its long history Russia has fought numerous wars, both defensive and offensive, and these wars have inspired a rich, complex, contradictory poetic response. We examine Russian war narratives starting with the medieval period and ending with the Second World War and including epic poetry, songs, stories, novels, paintings, and films. We will study the depiction of war and the image of the soldier (or warrior) in different genres and time periods, as well as the historical circumstances in which the different works were produced and the respective audiences for which they were intended. All texts will be in English. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.