to be one of best writers world history - an honorable right, and Leo Tolstoy deserved it, leaving behind a huge creative legacy. Stories, novellas, novels, which are presented in a whole series of volumes, were appreciated not only by the writer's contemporaries, but also by his descendants. What is the secret of this brilliant author, who was able to fit in his life and ""?
In contact with
Writer's childhood
Where was the future novelist born? Pen Master came into being in September 9, 1828 in the estate of his mother Yasnaya Polyana, located in Tula province. The family of Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy was large. father had county title and mother was born Princess Volkonskaya. When he was two years old, his mother died, and after another 7 years, his father.
Leo was the fourth child in noble family, so that he was not deprived of the attention of relatives. The literary genius never thought of his losses with heartache. On the contrary, only good memories about childhood, because mother and father were very affectionate with him. IN work of the same name the author idealizes his childhood and writes that it was the most wonderful time of his life.
The little count received education at home, where he was invited French and German teachers . After leaving school, Leo was fluent in three languages, and also had extensive knowledge in various fields. In addition, the young man was fond of musical creativity, could play the works of his favorite composers for a long time: Schumann, Bach, Chopin and Mozart.
Young years
In 1843 a young man becomes student of the Imperial Kazan University, chooses the Faculty of Oriental Languages, however, later changes his specialty due to poor academic performance and begins to practice law. Unable to complete the course. The young count returns to his estate in order to become real farmer.
But here, too, failure awaits him: frequent trips completely distract the owner from the important affairs of the estate. Keeping your diary- the only occupation that was done with amazing scrupulousness: a habit that lasted a lifetime and became the foundation of most future works.
Important! The unfortunate student did not become inactive for a long time. Having allowed himself to be persuaded by his brother, he went to serve as a cadet to the south, after which, having stayed in Caucasian mountains for some time, received a transfer to Sevastopol. There, from November 1854 to August 1855, the young count participated in.
Early work
The rich experience gained on the battlefields, as well as in the era of the Junkers, prompted the future writer to create the first literary works
. Even in the years of service as a cadet, having a lot of free time, the count begins to work on his first autobiographical story "Childhood".
Natural observation, a special flair were clearly reflected in the style: the author wrote about what was close, understandable not only to him alone. Life and creativity merge together.
In the story "Childhood" every boy or young man would recognize himself. The story was originally a short story and was published in a magazine. "Contemporary" in 1852. It is noteworthy that already the first story was splendidly received by critics, and the young novelist was compared with Turgenev, Ostrovsky and Goncharov, which was already a real recognition. All these masters of the word were already quite famous and loved by the people.
What works did Leo Tolstoy write at that time?
The young count, feeling that he has finally found his calling, continues to work. Brilliant stories come out of the pen one after another, stories that instantly become popular due to their originality and amazing realistic approach to reality: “Cossacks” (1852), “Boyhood” (1854), “Sevastopol Tales” (1854 - 1855), "Youth" (1857).
IN literary world rushes in new writer Lev Tolstoy, which strikes the reader's imagination with detailed details, does not hide the truth and applies new technology letters: second collection « Sevastopol stories» written from the point of view of the soldiers, to bring the story even closer to the reader. The young author is not afraid to openly, frankly write about the horrors and contradictions of war. Characters are not heroes from paintings and canvases of artists, but simple people who are able to perform real feats in order to save the lives of others.
Belong to something literary movement or to be a supporter of a particular philosophical school, Lev Nikolaevich refused, declaring himself anarchist. Later, the master of the word in the course of a religious search will take the right path, but for now, the whole world lay before the young, successful genius, and he did not want to be one of many.
Family status
In Russia, where he lived and was born, Tolstoy returns after a wild trip to Paris without a penny in his pocket. Here took place marriage to Sofya Andreevna Bers, daughter of a doctor. This woman was main companion in life Tolstoy, became his support to the very end.
Sophia expressed her readiness to be a secretary, wife, mother of his children, girlfriend and even a cleaning lady, although the estate, for which servants were a common thing, was always kept in exemplary order.
The count's title constantly obliged households to observe a certain status. Over time, the husband and wife separated religious views: Sophia did not understand and did not accept the attempts of a loved one to create her own philosophical dogma and follow it.
Attention! Only eldest daughter writer Alexandra supported her father's undertakings: in 1910 they made a pilgrimage trip together. Other children adored dad as a great storyteller, although a rather strict parent.
According to the recollections of descendants, the father could scold the little dirty trick, but after a moment he would put him on his knees, regret, composing on the go interesting story. In the literary arsenal of the famous realist, there are many children's works recommended for study in preschool and junior school age- This "Book for reading" and "ABC". The first work contains stories by L.N. Tolstoy for the 4th grade of the school, which was organized in the Yasnaya Polyana estate.
How many children did Leo and Sophia have? A total of 13 children were born, three of whom died in infancy.
Maturity and creative flourishing of the writer
From the age of thirty-two, Tolstoy began work on his main work - an epic novel. The first part was published in 1865 in the Russky Vestnik magazine, and in 1869 the final edition of the epic saw the light of day. Most of The 1860s was devoted to this monumental work, which the count repeatedly rewrote, corrected, supplemented, and at the end of his life got so tired of it that he called it "War and Peace" - " verbose rubbish". The novel was written in Yasnaya Polyana.
The work, which is four volumes long, turned out to be truly unique. What are its advantages? This is first of all:
- historical truth;
- action in the novel is both realistic and fictional characters, the number of which has exceeded a thousand according to the calculations of philologists;
- interspersing the plot of three historical essays on the laws of history into the outline; accuracy in the description of life and everyday life.
This is the basis of the novel - the path of a person, his position and the meaning of life is made up of these ordinary actions.
After the success of the military-historical epic, the author begins to work on the novel "Anna Karenina" based on much of his autobiography. In particular, the relationship between Kitty and Levina- these are partial memories of the life of the author himself with his wife Sophia, a certain short biography writer, as well as a reflection of the canvas of real events of the Russian-Turkish war.
The novel was published in 1875 - 1877, and almost immediately became the most discussed literary event that time. The story of Anna, written with amazing warmth, attention to female psychology, made a splash. Before him, only Ostrovsky in his poems turned to female soul And revealed the rich inner world beautiful half of humanity. Naturally, high fees for the work were not long in coming, because each educated person read Tolstoy's Karenina. After the release, that's enough secular romance, the author was not at all happy, but was in constant mental torment.
Change of outlook and later literary successes
Many years of life were devoted search for the meaning of life which led the writer to Orthodox faith, however, this step only confuses the graph. Lev Nikolaevich sees corruption in the church diaspora, complete subordination to personal convictions, which does not correspond to the dogma that his soul longed for.
Attention! Leo Tolstoy becomes an apostate and even publishes the incriminating magazine Posrednik (1883), because of which he is excommunicated and accused of "heresy".
However, Leo does not stop there and tries to follow the path of purification, doing enough bold steps. For example, gives all his possessions to the poor, which Sofya Andreevna categorically opposed. The husband reluctantly transferred all the property to her and gave the copyright to the works, but still did not give up the search for his destiny.
This period of creativity is characterized great religious enthusiasm- treatises are created and moral stories. What works with religious overtones did the author write? Among the most successful work between 1880 and 1990 were:
- the story "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" (1886), describing a man near death, who is trying to understand and comprehend his "empty" life;
- the story "Father Sergius" (1898), aimed at criticizing his own religious quest;
- the novel "Resurrection", which tells about the moral pain of Katyusha Maslova and the ways of her moral purification.
Completion of life
Having written many works in his life, the count appeared before his contemporaries and descendants as a strong religious leader and spiritual mentor, such as Mahatma Gandhi, with whom he corresponded. The life and work of the writer is permeated by the idea that it is necessary hourly resist evil with all the strength of your soul while demonstrating humility and saving thousands of lives. The master of the word has become a real teacher among the lost souls. Entire pilgrimage trips were organized to the Yasnaya Polyana estate, the students of the great Tolstoy came to “know themselves”, listening to their ideological guru for hours on end, which the writer became in his declining years.
The author-mentor accepted everyone who came with problems, questions and aspirations of the soul, he was ready to distribute his savings and shelter wanderers for any period. Unfortunately, this increased the degree of tension in relations with his wife Sophia and, in the end, resulted in the unwillingness of the great realist to live in his house. Together with his daughter, Lev Nikolaevich went on a pilgrimage to Russia, wanting to travel incognito, but often this was to no avail - they were recognized everywhere.
Where did Lev Nikolayevich die? November 1910 was fatal for the writer: already being ill, he stayed in the house of the head of the railway station, where he died on November 20. Lev Nikolaevich was a real idol. During the funeral of this, verily, folk writer, according to the memoirs of contemporaries, people cried bitterly and followed the coffin in a crowd of thousands. There were so many people, as if they were burying a king.
Short biography of Leo Tolstoy
Lev Tolstoy. Short biography.
Conclusion
The story about the life and work of Leo Tolstoy can be endless, many monographs have been written about this. The novels of the writer still remain the standard literary art, and the military epic "War and Peace" was included in the golden collection greatest works peace. Lev Nikolaevich became the first writer who drew attention to the depths human subconscious, unconscious and subtle motives of character, as well as on great role everyday life, which determines the whole essence of the personality.
Russian writer, Count Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy was born on September 9 (August 28 according to the old style) in 1828 in the Yasnaya Polyana estate of the Krapivensky district of the Tula province (now the Shchekino district of the Tula region).
Tolstoy was the fourth child in a large noble family. His mother, Maria Tolstaya (1790-1830), nee Princess Volkonskaya, died when the boy was not yet two years old. Father, Nikolai Tolstoy (1794-1837), participant Patriotic War also died early. The upbringing of children was carried out by a distant relative of the family, Tatyana Yergolskaya.
When Tolstoy was 13 years old, the family moved to Kazan, to the house of Pelageya Yushkova, his father's sister and guardian of the children.
In 1844, Tolstoy entered Kazan University in the Department of Oriental Languages of the Faculty of Philosophy, then transferred to the Faculty of Law.
In the spring of 1847, having filed a petition for dismissal from the university "due to frustrated health and domestic circumstances", he went to Yasnaya Polyana, where he tried to establish relations with the peasants in a new way. Disappointed by the unsuccessful experience of managing (this attempt is captured in the story "The Morning of the Landowner", 1857), Tolstoy soon left first for Moscow, then for St. Petersburg. His lifestyle changed frequently during this period. Religious moods, reaching asceticism, alternated with revelry, cards, trips to the gypsies. At the same time, he had his first unfinished literary sketches.
In 1851 Tolstoy left for the Caucasus with his brother Nikolai, an officer Russian troops. He took part in hostilities (at first voluntarily, then received an army post). Tolstoy sent the story "Childhood" written here to the journal "Contemporary", without revealing his name. It was published in 1852 under the initials L. N. and, together with the later stories Boyhood (1852-1854) and Youth (1855-1857), amounted to autobiographical trilogy. Literary debut brought recognition to Tolstoy.
Caucasian impressions were reflected in the story "Cossacks" (18520-1863) and in the stories "Raid" (1853), "Cutting down the forest" (1855).
In 1854 Tolstoy went to the Danube front. Shortly after the start of the Crimean War, he was transferred to Sevastopol at his personal request, where the writer happened to survive the siege of the city. This experience inspired him for the realistic Sevastopol Tales (1855-1856).
Shortly after the end of hostilities, Tolstoy left military service and lived for some time in St. Petersburg, where he had great success in literary circles.
He entered the Sovremennik circle, met Nikolai Nekrasov, Ivan Turgenev, Ivan Goncharov, Nikolai Chernyshevsky and others. Tolstoy took part in dinners and readings, in the establishment of the Literary Fund, became involved in disputes and conflicts of writers, but he felt like a stranger in this environment.
In the autumn of 1856 he left for Yasnaya Polyana, and at the beginning of 1857 he went abroad. Tolstoy visited France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, returned to Moscow in the autumn, then again to Yasnaya Polyana.
In 1859, Tolstoy opened a school for peasant children in the village, and also helped establish more than 20 such institutions in the vicinity of Yasnaya Polyana. In 1860 he went abroad for the second time to familiarize himself with the schools of Europe. In London, he often saw Alexander Herzen, was in Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, studied pedagogical systems.
In 1862, Tolstoy began publishing the pedagogical journal Yasnaya Polyana, with books for reading as an appendix. Later, in the early 1870s, the writer created the "ABC" (1871-1872) and "New ABC" (1874-1875), for which he composed original stories and transcriptions of fairy tales and fables, which made up four "Russian Books for Reading".
The logic of ideological and creative pursuits writer of the early 1860s - the desire to depict folk characters("Polikushka", 1861-1863), the epic tone of the narration ("Cossacks"), attempts to turn to history to understand the present (the beginning of the novel "The Decembrists", 1860-1861) - led him to the idea of the epic novel "War and Peace" (1863-1869). The time of the creation of the novel was a period of spiritual uplift, family happiness and quiet solitary work. At the beginning of 1865, the first part of the work was published in Russkiy Vestnik.
In 1873-1877 another one was written great romance Tolstoy - "Anna Karenina" (published in 1876-1877). The problematics of the novel led Tolstoy directly to the ideological "turn" of the late 1870s.
On the top literary fame the writer entered a period of deep doubts and moral quests. In the late 1870s and early 1880s, philosophy and journalism came to the fore in his work. Tolstoy condemns the world of violence, oppression and injustice, believes that it is historically doomed and must be radically changed in the near future. In his opinion, this can be achieved by peaceful means. Violence, on the other hand, must be excluded from social life; non-resistance is opposed to it. Non-resistance was not understood, however, as an exclusively passive attitude towards violence. A whole system of measures was proposed to neutralize violence state power: a position of non-participation in what supports the existing system - the army, courts, taxes, false teaching, etc.
Tolstoy wrote a number of articles reflecting his worldview: "On the census in Moscow" (1882), "So what should we do?" (1882-1886, published in full in 1906), On the Famine (1891, published in English in 1892, in Russian in 1954), What is Art? (1897-1898) and others.
Religious and philosophical treatises of the writer - "Study of dogmatic theology" (1879-1880), "Combination and translation of the four Gospels" (1880-1881), "What is my faith?" (1884), "The kingdom of God is within you" (1893).
At this time, such stories were written as "Notes of a Madman" (the work was carried out in 1884-1886, not completed), "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" (1884-1886), etc.
In the 1880s, Tolstoy lost interest in artistic work and even condemned his previous novels and short stories as lordly "fun". He fell in love with the simple physical labor, plowed, sewed boots for himself, switched to vegetarian food.
Home artistic work Tolstoy in the 1890s became the novel "Resurrection" (1889-1899), which embodied the whole range of problems that worried the writer.
As part of the new worldview, Tolstoy opposed Christian dogma and criticized the rapprochement between church and state. In 1901, the reaction of the Synod followed: the world-renowned writer and preacher was officially excommunicated, this caused a huge public outcry. Years of change also led to family discord.
Trying to bring his way of life into line with his convictions and burdened by the life of the landowner's estate, Tolstoy secretly left Yasnaya Polyana in the late autumn of 1910. The road turned out to be unbearable for him: on the way, the writer fell ill and was forced to make a stop at the Astapovo railway station (now the Lev Tolstoy station, Lipetsk region). Here, in the stationmaster's house, he spent the last few days of his life. Behind reports about the health of Tolstoy, who by this time had acquired world fame not only as a writer, but as religious thinker, watched the whole of Russia.
On November 20 (November 7, old style), 1910, Leo Tolstoy died. His funeral at Yasnaya Polyana became a nationwide event.
Since December 1873, the writer was a corresponding member of the Imperial St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (now - Russian Academy Sciences), since January 1900 - an honorary academician in the category of fine literature.
For the defense of Sevastopol, Leo Tolstoy was awarded the Order of St. Anna IV degree with the inscription "For Courage" and other medals. Subsequently, he was also awarded medals "In memory of the 50th anniversary of the defense of Sevastopol": silver as a participant in the defense of Sevastopol and bronze as the author of "Sevastopol stories".
Leo Tolstoy's wife was the doctor's daughter Sofya Bers (1844-1919), whom he married in September 1862. Sofya Andreevna for a long time was a faithful assistant in his affairs: a copyist of manuscripts, a translator, a secretary, a publisher of works. In their marriage, 13 children were born, five of whom died in childhood.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy
Born: September 9, 1828
Died: November 10, 1910
Biography
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was born on August 28 (September 9 n.s.) in the Yasnaya Polyana estate of the Tula province. By origin, he belonged to the most ancient aristocratic families of Russia. Received home education and upbringing.
After the death of parents (mother died in 1830, father in 1837) future writer with three brothers and a sister he moved to Kazan, to the guardian P. Yushkova. At the age of sixteen, he entered Kazan University, first at the Faculty of Philosophy in the category of Arabic-Turkish literature, then studied at law faculty(1844 - 47). In 1847, without completing the course, he left the university and settled in Yasnaya Polyana, which he received as his father's inheritance.
The future writer spent the next four years in search: he tried to reorganize the life of the peasants of Yasnaya Polyana (1847), lived social life in Moscow (1848), at St. Petersburg University he took exams for the degree of candidate of law (spring 1849), decided to serve as a clerical employee in the Tula noble deputy assembly (autumn 1849).
In 1851 he left Yasnaya Polyana for the Caucasus, the place of service of his older brother Nikolai, and volunteered to take part in hostilities against the Chechens. Episodes Caucasian War described by him in the stories "Raid" (1853), "Cutting down the forest" (1855), in the story "Cossacks" (1852 - 63). He passed the cadet exam, preparing to become an officer. In 1854, being an artillery officer, he transferred to the Danube army, which acted against the Turks.
In the Caucasus Tolstoy began to work in earnest literary creativity, writes the story "Childhood", which was approved by Nekrasov and published in the journal "Contemporary". Later, the story "Boyhood" (1852 - 54) was printed there.
Shortly after the start of the Crimean War Tolstoy at his personal request, he was transferred to Sevastopol, where he participated in the defense of the besieged city, showing rare fearlessness. Awarded with the Order St. Anna with the inscription "For Courage" and medals "For the Defense of Sevastopol". IN " Sevastopol stories"he created a mercilessly reliable picture of the war, which made a huge impression on Russian society. In the same years he wrote the last part of the trilogy - "Youth" (1855 - 56), in which he declared himself not just a "poet of childhood", but a researcher of human nature. This interest in man and the desire to understand the laws of mental and spiritual life will continue in his future work.
In 1855, having arrived in Petersburg, Tolstoy became close to the staff of the Sovremennik magazine, met Turgenev, Goncharov, Ostrovsky, Chernyshevsky.
In the autumn of 1856 he retired Military career- not mine ... "- he writes in his diary) and in 1857 went on a six-month trip abroad to France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany.
In 1859 he opened a school for peasant children in Yasnaya Polyana, where he taught classes himself. He helped open more than 20 schools in the surrounding villages. In order to study the organization of school affairs abroad in 1860 - 1861 Tolstoy made a second trip to Europe, visited schools in France, Italy, Germany, and England. In London, he met Herzen, attended a lecture by Dickens.
In May 1861 (the year of the abolition of serfdom) he returned to Yasnaya Polyana, assumed the position of mediator and actively defended the interests of the peasants, resolving their disputes with the landowners about the land, for which the Tula nobility, dissatisfied with his actions, demanded his removal from office. In 1862 the Senate issued a decree dismissing Tolstoy. A secret surveillance of him by the III Section began. In the summer, the gendarmes carried out a search in his absence, confident that they would find a secret printing house, which the writer allegedly acquired after meetings and long conversations with Herzen in London.
In 1862 life Tolstoy, his life was ordered to long years: he married the daughter of a Moscow doctor Sofya Andreevna Bers and began a patriarchal life on his estate as the head of an ever-increasing family. thick raised nine children.
The 1860s - 1870s were marked by the appearance of two works by Tolstoy, which immortalized his name: "War and Peace" (1863 - 69), "Anna Karenina" (1873 - 77).
In the early 1880s, the Tolstoy family moved to Moscow to educate their growing children. From this time of winter Tolstoy spent in Moscow. Here, in 1882, he participated in the census of the Moscow population, became closely acquainted with the life of the inhabitants of the city's slums, which he described in the treatise "So what should we do?" (1882 - 86), and concluded: "... You can't live like that, you can't live like that, you can't!"
New worldview Tolstoy expressed in the work "Confession" (1879), where he spoke about the revolution in his views, the meaning of which he saw in the break with the ideology of the noble class and the transition to the side of the "simple working people". This fracture has led Tolstoy to the denial of the state, official church and property. The consciousness of the meaninglessness of life in the face of inevitable death led him to believe in God. He bases his teaching on the moral precepts of the New Testament: the demand for love for people and the preaching of non-resistance to evil by force constitute the meaning of the so-called "Tolstoyism", which is becoming popular not only in Russia, but also abroad.
During this period, he came to a complete denial of his previous literary activity, engaged in manual labor, plowed, sewed boots, switched to vegetarian food. In 1891 he publicly renounced copyright on all his writings written after 1880.
Influenced by friends and true admirers of his talent, as well as personal need for literary activity Tolstoy in the 1890s changed his negative attitude to art. During these years he created the drama "The Power of Darkness" (1886), the play "The Fruits of Enlightenment" (1886 - 90), the novel "Resurrection" (1889 - 99).
In 1891, 1893, 1898 he participated in helping the peasants of the starving provinces, organized free canteens.
IN last decade engaged, as always, in intense creative work. The story "Hadji Murad" (1896 - 1904), the drama "The Living Corpse" (1900), the story "After the Ball" (1903) were written.
At the beginning of 1900 he wrote a series of articles exposing the whole system government controlled. The government of Nicholas II issued a decree according to which the Holy Synod (the highest church institution in Russia) excommunicated Tolstoy from the church, which caused a wave of indignation in society.
In 1901 Tolstoy lived in the Crimea, was treated after a serious illness, often met with Chekhov and M. Gorky.
In the last years of his life, when Tolstoy drew up his will, he found himself at the center of intrigue and strife between the "Tolstoyites", on the one hand, and his wife, who defended the well-being of her family and children, on the other. Trying to bring his way of life in line with his beliefs and burdened by the lordly way of life in the estate. On November 10, 1910, Tolstoy secretly left Yasnaya Polyana. The health of the 82-year-old writer could not stand the trip. He caught a cold and, falling ill, died on November 20 on the way at the Astapovo station of the Ryazan-Ural railway.
Buried at Yasnaya Polyana.
Novels
1859 - Family happiness1884 - Decembrists
1873 - War and Peace
1875 - Anna Karenina
Trilogy: Childhood, Boyhood and Youth
1852 - Childhood1854 - Boyhood
1864 - Youth
Tale
1856 - Two hussars1856 - Morning of the landowner
1858 - Albert
1862 - Idyll
1862 - Polikushka
1863 - Cossacks
1886 - Death of Ivan Ilyich
1903 - Notes of a madman
1891 - Kreutzer Sonata
1911 - Devil
1891 - Mother
1895 - Master and worker
1912 - Father Sergius
1912 - Hadji Murad
stories
1851 - History of yesterday1853 - Raid
1853 - Christmas night
1854 - Uncle Zhdanov and Chevalier Chernov
1854 - How Russian soldiers die
1855 - Marker notes
1855 - Wood cutting
1856 - The cycle "Sevastopol stories"
1856 - Blizzard
1856 - Demoted
1857 - Lucerne
1859 - Three deaths
1887 - Surat coffee shop
1891 - Francoise
1911 - Who is right?
1894 - Karma
1894 - Dream of a young king
1911 - After the ball
1911 - Fake Coupon
1911 - Alyosha Pot
1905 - Poor people
1906 - Korney Vasiliev
1906 - Berries
1906 - For what?
1906 - Divine and Human
1911 - What I saw in a dream
1906 - Father Vasily
1908 - The power of childhood
1909 - Conversation with a passerby
1909 - Traveler and peasant
1909 - Songs in the village
1909 - Three days in the countryside
1912 - Khodynka
1911 - Unintentionally
1910 - Grateful soil
Biography of Leo Tolstoy
1.2 Childhood
Born on August 28, 1828 in the Krapivensky district of the Tula province, in the hereditary estate of his mother - Yasnaya Polyana. Was the 4th child; his three older brothers: Nikolai (1823-1860), Sergei (1826-1904) and Dmitry (1827-1856). In 1830 sister Maria (1830-1912) was born. His mother died when he was not yet 2 years old.
A distant relative, T. A. Ergolskaya, took up the upbringing of orphaned children. In 1837, the family moved to Moscow, settling on Plyushchikha, because the eldest son had to prepare for entering the university, but soon his father died suddenly, leaving his affairs (including some litigation related to the family's property) in an unfinished state, and the three younger children again settled in Yasnaya Polyana under the supervision of Yergolskaya and her paternal aunt, Countess A. M. Osten-Saken, who was appointed guardian of the children. Here Lev Nikolaevich remained until 1840, when Countess Osten-Saken died and the children moved to Kazan, to a new guardian, the father's sister P. I. Yushkova.
The Yushkovs' house was one of the most cheerful in Kazan; all members of the family highly valued external brilliance. “My good aunt,” says Tolstoy, “the purest being, always said that she would want nothing more for me than for me to have a connection with married woman” (“Confession”).
He wanted to shine in society, but his natural shyness prevented him. The most diverse, as Tolstoy himself defines them, "speculations" about key issues of our existence - happiness, death, God, love, eternity - painfully tormented him in that era of life. What he told in Boyhood and Youth about the aspirations of Irteniev and Nekhlyudov for self-improvement was taken by Tolstoy from the history of his own ascetic attempts of that time. All this led to the fact that Tolstoy developed "a habit of constant moral analysis", as it seemed to him, "destroying the freshness of feeling and clarity of mind" ("Youth").
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Leo Tolstoy is one of the most famous and great writers in the world. Even during his lifetime, he was recognized as a classic of Russian literature, his work paved the bridge between the currents of two centuries.
Tolstoy showed himself not just as a writer, he was an educator and humanist, he thought about religion, and was directly involved in the defense of Sevastopol. The writer's legacy is so great, and his life itself is so ambiguous that they continue to study and try to understand him.
Tolstoy himself was difficult person, which evidence at least it family relationships. So numerous myths appear, both about Tolstoy's personal qualities, his actions, and about creativity and the ideas invested in it. Many books have been written about the writer, but we will try to debunk at least the most popular myths about him.
Flight of Tolstoy. A well-known fact - 10 days before his death, Tolstoy ran away from his home, which was in Yasnaya Polyana. There are several versions of why the writer did this. They immediately began to say that the already elderly man tried to commit suicide. The communists developed the theory that Tolstoy expressed his protest against the tsarist regime in this way. In fact, the reasons for the writer's flight from his native and beloved home were quite mundane. Three months before that, he wrote a secret will, according to which he transferred all copyrights to his works not to his wife, Sofya Andreevna, but to his daughter Alexandra and his friend Chertkov. But the secret became clear - the wife learned about everything from the stolen diary. A scandal erupted immediately, and Tolstoy's own life became a real hell. His wife's tantrums prompted the writer to do what he had planned 25 years ago - to escape. In these hard days Tolstoy wrote in his diary that he could no longer endure this and hated his wife. Sofya Andreevna herself, having learned about the flight of Lev Nikolaevich, became even more furious - she ran to drown herself in the pond, beat herself in the chest with thick objects, tried to run away somewhere and threatened to never let Tolstoy go anywhere again.
Tolstoy had a very angry wife. From the previous myth, it becomes clear to many that only his evil and eccentric wife is to blame for the death of a genius. In fact family life Tolstoy was so complex that numerous studies are still trying to figure it out today. And the wife herself felt unhappy in her. One of the chapters of her autobiography is called “The Martyr and the Martyr”. In general, little was known about Sofya Andreevna's talents; she was completely in the shadow of her powerful husband. But the recent publication of her stories made it possible to understand the full depth of her sacrifice. And Natasha Rostova from "War and Peace" came to Tolstoy straight from his wife's youthful manuscript. In addition, Sofya Andreevna received an excellent education, she knew a couple foreign languages and even translated complex work her husband. The energetic woman still had time to manage the entire household, the accounting of the estate, as well as sheathe and tie up the entire considerable family. Despite all the hardships, Tolstoy's wife understood that she was living with a genius. After his death, she noted that for almost half a century life together she never understood what kind of person he was.
Tolstoy was excommunicated and anathematized. Indeed, in 1910 Tolstoy was buried without a funeral, which gave rise to the myth of excommunication. But in the memorable act of the Synod of 1901, the word "excommunication" is absent in principle. Officials from the church wrote that with his views and false teachings, the writer had long placed himself outside the church and was no longer perceived by it as a member. But society understood the complex bureaucratic document with a florid language in its own way - everyone decided that it was the church that abandoned Tolstoy. And this story with the definition of the Synod was actually a political order. So the chief prosecutor Pobedonostsev took revenge on the writer for his image of a man-machine in Resurrection.
Leo Tolstoy founded the Tolstoyan movement. The writer himself was very cautious, and sometimes even with disgust, about those numerous associations of his followers and admirers. Even after escaping from Yasnaya Polyana, the Tolstoy community turned out to be not the place where Tolstoy wanted to find shelter.
Tolstoy was a teetotaller. As you know, in adulthood, the writer refused alcohol. But he did not understand the creation of temperance societies throughout the country. Why do people gather if they are not going to drink? After all, big companies mean drinking.
Tolstoy adhered fanatically to his own principles. Ivan Bunin, in his book on Tolstoy, wrote that the genius himself was sometimes very cool about the provisions of his own teaching. One day the writer with his family and close family friend Vladimir Chertkov (he was also the main follower of Tolstoy's ideas) ate on the terrace. It was a hot summer, mosquitoes were flying everywhere. One particularly annoying one sat down on Chertkov's bald head, where the writer killed him with the palm of his hand. Everyone laughed, and only the offended victim noted that Lev Nikolaevich took the life of a living creature, shaming him.
Tolstoy was a big womanizer. The sexual adventures of the writer are known from his own notes. Tolstoy said that in his youth he led a very bad life. But most of all he is confused by two events since that time. The first is a connection with a peasant woman even before marriage, and the second is a crime with her aunt's maid. Tolstoy seduced an innocent girl, who was then driven out of the yard. That peasant woman was Aksinya Bazykina. Tolstoy wrote that he loved her like never before in his life. Two years before his marriage, the writer had a son, Timothy, who over the years became a huge man, like his father. Everyone in Yasnaya Polyana knew about the master's illegitimate son, that he was a drunkard, and about his mother. Sofya Andreevna even went to look at her husband's former passion, not finding anything interesting in her. And Tolstoy's intimate stories are part of his diaries of his youth. He wrote about the voluptuousness that tormented him, about the desire of women. But something like this was common for Russian nobles of that time. And repentance for past ties never tormented them. For Sofia Andreevna physical aspect love was not at all important, unlike her husband. But she managed to give birth to Tolstoy 13 children, losing five. Lev Nikolaevich was her first and only man. And he was faithful to her throughout the 48 years of their marriage.
Tolstoy preached asceticism. This myth appeared thanks to the thesis of the writer that a person needs a little for life. But Tolstoy himself was not an ascetic - he simply welcomed the sense of proportion. Lev Nikolayevich himself fully enjoyed life, he simply saw joy and light in simple and accessible things.
Tolstoy was an opponent of medicine and science. The writer was not at all obscurantist. He, on the contrary, spoke about the fact that it is impossible to return to the plow, about the inevitability of progress. At home, Tolstoy had one of their first Edison phonographs, an electric pencil. And the writer rejoiced, like a child, at such scientific achievements. Tolstoy was very civilized man understanding that humanity pays for progress with hundreds of thousands of lives. And this development, associated with violence and blood, the writer did not accept in principle. Tolstoy was not cruel to human weaknesses, he was outraged that the vices were justified by the doctors themselves.
Tolstoy hated art. Tolstoy understood art, he simply used his own criteria to evaluate it. And didn't he have a right to? It is difficult to disagree with the writer that a simple man is unlikely to understand Beethoven's symphonies. For unprepared listeners, many of classical music sounds like torture. But there is also such an art that is perceived as excellent by both simple villagers and sophisticated gourmets.
Tolstoy was driven by pride. They say that it was this inner quality that manifested itself in the philosophy of the author, and even in everyday life. But is it worth considering the non-stop search for truth as pride? Many people believe that it is much easier to join some teaching and serve it already. But Tolstoy could not change himself. And in Everyday life the writer was very attentive - he taught his children mathematics, astronomy, and conducted physical education classes. Little Tolstoy took the children to the Samara province, that they knew better and fell in love with nature. It's just that in the second half of his life, the genius was preoccupied with a lot of things. This is creativity, philosophy, work with letters. So Tolstoy could not give himself, as before, to his family. But it was a conflict between creativity and family, and not a manifestation of pride.
There was a revolution in Russia because of Tolstoy. This statement appeared thanks to Lenin's article "Leo Tolstoy, as a mirror of the Russian revolution." In fact, one person, be it Tolstoy or Lenin, is simply not to blame for the revolution. There were many reasons - the behavior of the intelligentsia, the church, the king and court, the nobility. That's all they gave old Russia Bolsheviks, including Tolstoy. His opinion, as a thinker, was listened to. But he denied both the state and the army. True, he was opposed to the revolution. The writer generally did a lot to soften morals, urging people to be kinder, to serve Christian values.
Tolstoy was an unbeliever, he denied faith and taught this to others. Statements that Tolstoy turns people away from the faith irritated and offended him greatly. On the contrary, he stated that the main thing in his works is the understanding that there is no life without faith in God. Tolstoy did not accept the form of faith that the church imposed. And there are many people who believe in God, but do not accept modern religious institutions. For them, Tolstoy's searches are understood and not at all terrible. Many people generally come to church after being immersed in the thoughts of the writer. This was especially observed in Soviet times. Even before, the Tolstoyans turned towards the church.
Tolstoy constantly taught everyone. Thanks to this rooted myth, Tolstoy appears as a self-confident preacher, telling whom and how to live. But when studying the writer's diaries, it will become clear that he dealt with himself all his life. So where was he to teach others? Tolstoy expressed his thoughts, but never imposed them on anyone. Another thing is that a community of followers, Tolstoyans, has developed around the writer, who tried to make the views of their leader absolute. But for the genius himself, his ideas were not fixed. He considered the absolute presence of God, and everything else was the result of trials, torments, searches.
Tolstoy was a fanatical vegetarian. At a certain point in his life, the writer completely abandoned meat and fish, not wanting to eat the disfigured corpses of living beings. But his wife, taking care of him, poured meat into his mushroom broth. Seeing this, Tolstoy was not angry, but only joked that he was ready to drink every day. meat broth If only his wife didn't lie to him. Other people's beliefs, including in the choice of food, were above all for the writer. They always had those at home who ate meat, the same Sofya Andreevna. But there were no terrible quarrels because of this.
To understand Tolstoy, it is enough to read his works and not to study his personality. This myth prevents a real reading of Tolstoy's work. Without understanding what he lived, one cannot understand his work. There are writers who say everything with their texts. But Tolstoy can be understood only if you know his worldview, his personal traits, his relationship with the state, church, and relatives. Tolstoy's life is an exciting novel in itself, which sometimes spilled over into paper form. An example of this is "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina". On the other hand, the writer's work also influenced his life, including family life. So there is no escape from studying the personality of Tolstoy and the interesting aspects of his biography.
Tolstoy's novels cannot be studied at school - they are simply incomprehensible to high school students. It is generally difficult for modern schoolchildren to read long works, and "War and Peace" is also filled with historical digressions. Give our high school students abridged versions of novels adapted to their intellect. It is difficult to say whether this is good or bad, but in any case they will at least get an idea of Tolstoy's work. To think that it is better to read Tolstoy after school is dangerous. After all, if you do not start reading it at that age, then later the children will not want to immerse themselves in the writer's work. So the school works proactively, deliberately giving more complex and smart things than the child's intellect can perceive. Perhaps then there will be a desire to return to this and understand to the end. And without studying at school, such a “temptation” will not appear for sure.
Tolstoy's pedagogy has lost its relevance. Tolstoy the teacher is treated ambiguously. His teaching ideas were perceived as the fun of a gentleman who decided to teach children according to his original method. In fact, the spiritual development of a child directly affects his intellect. The soul develops the mind, and not vice versa. And Tolstoy's pedagogy works in modern conditions. This is evidenced by the results of the experiment, during which 90% of children achieved excellent results. Children learn to read according to Tolstoy's ABC, which is built on many parables with their secrets and archetypes of behavior that reveal the nature of man. Gradually, the program becomes more complex. A harmonious person with a strong moral principle emerges from the walls of the school. And according to this method, about a hundred schools are engaged in today in Russia.
