Many of Leo Tolstoy’s works allude to religious images; he uses imagery throughout his works to develop complex characters that by the end of his story deliver a moral message, which in many chases the story is relative to real experience he has had in his own life. His life as a wealthy aristocrat, time as a student, and later his time a soldier all comes about in his writings. Through his life there was a gradual shift in his personal morality, which emanated throughout his works as he wrote them until he finally became a staunch catholic.
Born on his family estate Yasnaya Polyana in 1828, Leo Tolstoy grew up in a comfortable life a few miles outside Moscow in Russia. Much of his youth had been surrounded by tragedy and loss. Many of the people who influenced him had been women, many of whom had passed away due to varying illnesses. His mother died when he was just two years old, and as a result his father's cousin Tatyana Ergolsky had become the caretaker for the children for a time. Then in 1837 Tolstoy's father died, and Tolstoy’s aunt Aleksandra Osten-Saken, became the legal guardian of the children until she too passed away in 1840. When Tolstoy’s aunt Aleksandra died, Tolstoy and his siblings were sent to Kazan, Russia, to live with his father’s other sister, Pelageya Yushkov. Despite the sort period of time he had with her, Aleksandra Osten-Saken played a significant role in influencing Tolstoy in his religious life (Leo Tolstoy Biography: Online).
Being born into an aristocratic family, Tolstoy was one of the few families that had access to a formal education. Tolstoy could maintain a more leisurely lifestyle, as he was educated at home by German and French tutors. Though later in his education he entered...
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---“How Much Land Does A Man Need?” Farmington: Plough Publishing House, 1998. (p.265-282)
---“What Men Live By” Farmington: Plough Publishing House, 1998. (p.121-144)
---“Where Love is, God Is” Farmington: Plough Publishing House, 1998. (p.188-201)
Leo Tolstoy, author of The Death of Ivan Ilyich, suffered numerous tragic losses such as his parents and his aunt, Tatyana Ergolsky who created a tremendous impact during Tolstoy’s childhood. Overtime, Tolstoy was cultured and for Tolstoy it was common within his community. During the 1840, Tolstoy developed a strong, eager interest for the studies of moral philosophy. In The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Tolstoy suggests that although people can find happiness in materialism, they need spirituality during a crisis.
Ivan Fyodorovich Sponka The short story, “Ivan Fyodorovich Shponka and His Aunt”, explicates the life of a man named Ivan Fyodorovich Shponka. We see him briefly in his young years, followed by his life in the army, and his return to the farm where his strong characterized aunt resides. We can see immediately that this man lives in constant cleanliness and dutiful paranoia; these are some of his desires that he wishes to exhibit to others. We can also see his fears, which reside in the confiscation of his masculinity and independence.
Chekhov is part of a non-typical category of artists, because he did not believed in his genius, on the contrary, there are evidence that he believed that his work will not conquer time and posterity. Spectacular, just like Russia at the border between the 19th and 20th century, Chekhov was born the son of serfs in 1860 (Tsar Alexander will abolish serfdom in 1861) only to become a landlord 32 years later, and a neighbor of Prince Shakovskoi. He bought the Melikhovo estate (unconsciously imitating Tolstoy, the patriarch of Iasnaia Polyana), not far from Moscow, with 13 thousand rubles of which he has paid an advance of five thousand.
Throughout the story, Tolstoy gives us a clear reasoning as to why he writes so deeply and meaningfully, but also leaves plenty of room for our own interpretation. Combining the two structural elements of pathos and metaphors in his writing helped give a well-defined reason to his intended audience of what he was trying to say. Over all, Tolstoy’s illustrative language was beautifully written and got the message across about making sense of death and accepting
To start, Tolstoy believes that are can either be universally good art or good for people with specific tastes. However, the very best works have the ability to be universally
Chekhov reminds the readers that Anna is young compared to Gurov. Chekhov’s novel states, “As he went to bed he reminded himself that only a short time ago she had been a schoolgirl, like his own daughter” (3). The images of Anna being a schoolgirl not too long ago, when Gurov has a daughter of similar age, brings the sense of abnormality between the relationship of Gurov and Anna. It’s hard to imagine such a huge difference in lovers especially in the strict culture of Russia in the late 19th century where these occasions were unthought-of. The uncomforting thought of the difference in age goes back to differ the meanings of love and romance in the novel because against all odds and differences, Anna and Gurov hide away from these obvious facts. The thought of love in this culture is between a man and woman of similar age. According to Chekhov’s novel, “He was sick of his children, sick of the bank, felt not the slightest desire to go anywhere or talk about anything” (9). Chekhov’s description of sickness reveals that Gurov has a huge moment of denial, denial of family and denial of age. This denial of age, helps Gurov cope with the oddities of their relationship, the oddities of the love they had with the characteristics of a romance. Gurov was trying to change the definition of their relationship on his own mental terms. While Gurov was trying to bring out a spontaneous, younger
...th and Russian nationalism. Rodya is a testament to what may go wrong with the morality of the superman. Rodya is also a symbol of someone who does not follow Nietzsche’s path to becoming a superman and this is reason alone for his failure. The two writers are an ominous prediction of what was to come in Europe. For Dostoevsky, Russia did become a global powerhouse with the creation of the Soviet Union. For Nietzsche, man partially left behind Christianity. Christianity did lose a great amount of power with the creation of a more secular society. Papal authority battles state authority and it is papal doctrine that seems to be coming up on the shorthand of this battle. Nietzsche’s sentiments were echoed after the two world wars. His philosophy was the harbinger of existentialism. 20th century philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre compounded many of Nietzsche’s ideas. It is clear from crime and punishment as well as beyond good and evil that Nietzsche and Dostoevsky share many views while on others they could not be more rigidly divided. In all, one fact remains. These two great men continue to have a resounding affect on European and global culture, whether society likes it or not.
p. 291.) The aforesaid aforesaid afores As Dmitri grew older, it became apparent to everyone that Dmitri understood complex topics better than others did. When Dmitri turned 14 and entered school in Tobolsk, a second major family tragedy occurred: his mother’s glass factory burned to the ground.
Merriman, C.D.. "Leo Tolstoy." - Biography and Works. Search Texts, Read Online . Discuss.. Jalic INC., 1 Jan. 2007. Web. 16 May 2014. .
Tolstoy uses The Death of Ivan Ilyich to show his readers the negative consequences of living as Ilyich did. One of the worst decisions that Ivan Ilyich made during his lifetime was based on what would monetary benefit him. In others words, he his family and his colleges relate happiness to material possessions only. They could afford to buy big house, expensive cars and fancy clothes which leaded to happiness. But it was just an illusion.
A. The Epic of Russian Literature. New York: Oxford University Press, 1950. 309-346. Tolstoy, Leo. "
Tolstoy, Leo, and Huntington Smith. "VI." My Religion. New York: T.Y. Crowell &, 1885. Print.
Dostoevsky’s noteworthy literary works each contain similarities in theme, character development, and purpose when analyzed beyond face value. Dostoevsky’s early life and ideals, intertwined with life-changing events that shifted his ideologies, and critiques of fellow Russian writers during his time period lay the groundwork for Dostoevsky’s recurring arguments for the way which Russian society would be best-off, as well as ways in which the people of Russia would be suited to live the most fulfilling, non-corrupt lives.
Between 1875 and 1877, Leo Tolstoy, nobility by birth, wrote installments of Anna Karenina. While writing Anna Karenina,” he became obsessed with the meaning and purpose of life. This led Tolstoy to compose the essay, My Confession, detailing his agonizing religious and moral self-examination, published in 1882. He devoted another three years to the discovery of the meaning and purpose of life. At the close of the seven years of only non-fiction essays, Tolstoy resumed writing and publishing fictional works. However, he did write two more essays devoted to the meaning of life, What Then Must We Do (1886) and The Kingdom of God is Within You (1892). Tolstoy, in 1886 wrote a particularly intriguing tale of a bishop and three old men, The Three Hermits,” which reflects Tolstoy’s search for purpose and the meaning of life.
During the Crimean War, Tolstoy commanded a battery, and was at the siege of Sebastopol . In 1857 he visited France, Switzerland, and Germany to learn more about society and how to improve it. After traveling for a time, Tolstoy settled in Yasnaja Polyana, where he started a school for poor children. He saw that the secret of changing the world was in education. He investigated during his travels to Europe educational theory and practice, and published magazines and textbooks on the subject. In 1862 he married Sonya Andreyevna Behrs, and they had 13 children. Sonya also acted as Tolstoy’s secretary.