Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy. Ln Tolstoy was left without anyone early

Born into the noble family of Maria Nikolaevna, nee Princess Volkonskaya, and Count Nikolai Ilyich Tolstoy in the Yasnaya Polyana estate in Krapivensky district of the Tula province, he was the fourth child. The happy marriage of his parents became the prototype of the heroes in the novel “War and Peace” - Princess Marya and Nikolai Rostov. Parents died early. The future writer was educated by Tatyana Aleksandrovna Ergolskaya, a distant relative, and educated by tutors: the German Reselman and the Frenchman Saint-Thomas, who became the heroes of the writer’s stories and novels. At the age of 13, the future writer and his family moved to the hospitable house of his father’s sister P.I. Yushkova in Kazan.

In 1844, Leo Tolstoy entered the Imperial Kazan University at the Department of Oriental Literature of the Faculty of Philosophy. After the first year, he failed the transition exam and transferred to the Faculty of Law, where he studied for two years, plunging into secular entertainment. Leo Tolstoy, naturally shy and ugly, acquired secular society reputation for “thinking” about the happiness of death, eternity, love, although he himself wanted to shine. And in 1847, he left the university and went to Yasnaya Polyana with the intention of pursuing science and “reaching the highest degree of perfection in music and painting.”

In 1849, the first school for peasant children was opened on his estate, where Foka Demidovich, his serf and former musician, taught. Yermil Bazykin, who studied there, said: “There were about 20 of us boys, the teacher was Foka Demidovich, a yard man. Under father L.N. Tolstoy he performed the position of musician. The old man was good. He taught us the alphabet, counting, sacred history. Lev Nikolaevich also came to us, also studied with us, showed us his diploma. I went every other day, every other day, or even every day. He always ordered the teacher not to offend us...”

In 1851, under the influence of his older brother Nikolai, Lev left for the Caucasus, having already begun to write “Childhood”, and in the fall he became a cadet in the 4th battery of the 20th artillery brigade, stationed in the Cossack village of Starogladovskaya on the Terek River. There he finished the first part of “Childhood” and sent it to the magazine “Sovremennik” to its editor N.A. Nekrasov. On September 18, 1852, the manuscript was published with great success.

Leo Tolstoy served for three years in the Caucasus and, having the right to the most honorable St. George Cross for bravery, “ceded” it to a fellow soldier, as giving a lifelong pension. At the beginning of the Crimean War of 1853-1856. transferred to the Danube Army, participated in the battles of Oltenitsa, the siege of Silistria, and the defense of Sevastopol. Then the story “Sevastopol in December 1854” was written. was read by Emperor Alexander II, who ordered to take care of the talented officer.

In November 1856, already recognized and famous writer leaves military service and goes to travel around Europe.

In 1862, Leo Tolstoy married seventeen-year-old Sofya Andreevna Bers. Their marriage produced 13 children, five died in early childhood, and the novels “War and Peace” (1863-1869) and “Anna Karenina” (1873-1877), recognized as great works, were written.

In the 1880s Leo Tolstoy experienced a powerful crisis, which led to the denial of official state power and its institutions, the awareness of the inevitability of death, faith in God and the creation of his teaching - Tolstoyism. He lost interest in the usual lordly life, he began to have thoughts about suicide and the need to live correctly, become a vegetarian, engage in education and physical labor - he plowed, sewed boots, taught children at school. In 1891 he publicly renounced copyright on his literary works written after 1880.

During 1889-1899 Leo Tolstoy wrote the novel “Resurrection,” whose plot is based on a real court case, and scathing articles about the system of government - on this basis, the Holy Synod excommunicated Count Leo Tolstoy from the Orthodox Church and anathematized him in 1901.

On October 28 (November 10), 1910, Leo Tolstoy secretly left Yasnaya Polyana, setting off on a journey without a specific plan for the sake of his moral and religious ideas of recent years, accompanied by the doctor D.P. Makovitsky. On the way, he caught a cold, fell ill with lobar pneumonia and was forced to get off the train at Astapovo station (now Lev Tolstoy station in the Lipetsk region). Leo Tolstoy died on November 7 (20), 1910 in the house of the station chief I.I. Ozolin and was buried in Yasnaya Polyana.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy was born in 1828, on September 9. The writer's family belonged to the noble class. After his mother died, Lev and his sisters and brothers were raised by their father's cousin. Their father died 7 years later. For this reason, the children were given to their aunt to raise. But soon the aunt died, and the children went to Kazan, to their second aunt. Tolstoy's childhood was difficult, but, however, in his works he romanticized this period of his life.

Lev Nikolaevich received his basic education at home. Soon he entered the Imperial Kazan University at the Faculty of Philology. But he was not successful in his studies.

While Tolstoy was serving in the army, he would have had quite a lot of free time. Even then he began to write an autobiographical story “Childhood”. This story contains good memories from the publicist's childhood.

Lev Nikolaevich also took part in the Crimean War, and during this period he created a number of works: “Adolescence”, “Sevastopol Stories” and so on.

"Anna Karenina" is Tolstoy's most famous creation.

Leo Tolstoy fell asleep in eternal sleep in 1910, November 20th. He was interred in Yasnaya Polyana, in the place where he grew up.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy is a famous writer who, in addition to recognized serious books, created works useful for children. These were, first of all, “ABC” and “Book for Reading”.

He was born in 1828 in the Tula province on the Yasnaya Polyana estate, where his house-museum is still located. Leva became the fourth child in this noble family. His mother (nee a princess) soon died, and seven years later his father too. These terrible events led to the fact that the children had to move to their aunt in Kazan. Lev Nikolaevich will later collect memories of these and other years in the story “Childhood,” which will be the first to be published in the Sovremennik magazine.

At first, Lev studied at home with German and French teachers; he was also interested in music. He grew up and entered the Imperial University. Tolstoy's older brother convinced him to serve in the army. Leo even took part in real battles. They are described by him in “Sevastopol Stories”, in the stories “Adolescence” and “Youth”.

Tired of wars, he declared himself an anarchist and went to Paris, where he lost all his money. Having come to his senses, Lev Nikolaevich returned to Russia and married Sophia Burns. Since then, he began to live on his native estate and engage in literary creativity.

His first major work was the novel War and Peace. The writer took about ten years to compose it. The novel was well received by both readers and critics. Next, Tolstoy created the novel Anna Karenina, which received even greater public success.

Tolstoy wanted to understand life. Desperate to find an answer in creativity, he went to church, but was disappointed there too. Then he renounced the church and began to think about his philosophical theory - “non-resistance to evil.” He wanted to give all his property to the poor... Even the secret police began to follow him!

Having gone on a pilgrimage, Tolstoy fell ill and died in 1910.

Biography of Leo Tolstoy

In different sources, the date of birth of Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy is indicated differently. The most common versions are August 28, 1829 and September 9, 1828. Born the fourth child in a noble family, Russia, Tula province, Yasnaya Polyana. There were only 5 children in the Tolstoy family.

His family tree starts with the Ruriks, his mother belonged to the Volkonsky family, and his father was a count. At the age of 9, Lev and his father went to Moscow for the first time. The young writer was so impressed that this trip gave rise to such works as “Childhood”, “Adolescence”, “Youth”.

In 1830, Lev's mother died. After the death of the mother, their uncle, the father’s cousin, took over the upbringing of the children, after whose death the aunt became their guardian. When the guardian aunt died, a second aunt from Kazan began to take care of the children. In 1873, my father died.

Tolstoy received his first education at home, with teachers. In Kazan, the writer lived for about 6 years, spent 2 years preparing to enter the Imperial Kazan University and was enrolled in the Faculty of Oriental Languages. In 1844 he became a university student.

Studying languages ​​was not interesting for Leo Tolstoy, after which he tried to connect his destiny with jurisprudence, but his studies did not work out here either, so in 1847 he dropped out of school and received documents from the educational institution. After unsuccessful attempts to study, I decided to develop farming. In this regard, I returned to parents' house to Yasnaya Polyana.

I didn’t find myself in agriculture, but I was good at keeping a personal diary. Having finished working in farming, I went to Moscow to focus on creativity, but all my plans have not yet been realized.

Very young, he managed to visit the war, together with his brother Nikolai. The course of military events had an impact on his work, this is noticeable in some works, for example, in the stories “Cossacks”, Hadji - Murat”, in the stories “Demoted”, Woodcutting”, “Raid”.

Since 1855, Lev Nikolaevich became a more skilled writer. At that time, the law of serfs was relevant, which Leo Tolstoy wrote about in his stories: “Polikushka”, “Morning of the Landowner” and others.

The years 1857-1860 were full of travel. Under their impression, I prepared school textbooks and began to pay attention to the publication of a pedagogical magazine. In 1862, Leo Tolstoy married young Sophia Bers, the daughter of a doctor. Family life, at first, did him good, then the most famous works were written, War and Peace, Anna Karenina.

The mid-80s were fruitful, dramas, comedies, and novels were written. The writer was worried about the theme of the bourgeoisie, he was on the side of the common people, in order to express his thoughts on this matter, Leo Tolstoy created many works: “After the Ball”, “For What”, “The Power of Darkness”, “Sunday”, etc.

Roman, Sunday” deserves special attention. To write it, Lev Nikolaevich had to work hard for 10 years. As a result, the work was criticized. Local authorities, so afraid of his pen that they put him under surveillance, were able to remove him from the church, but despite this, ordinary people supported Leo as best they could.

In the early 90s, Leo began to get sick. In the fall of 1910, at the age of 82, the writer’s heart stopped. It happened on the road: Leo Tolstoy was traveling on a train, he became ill and had to stop at the Astapovo railway station. The station chief gave shelter to the patient at home. After 7 days of visiting, the writer died.

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Count Leo Tolstoy, a classic of Russian and world literature, is called a master of psychologism, the creator of the epic novel genre, an original thinker and teacher of life. The works of this brilliant writer are Russia’s greatest asset.

In August 1828, a classic was born on the Yasnaya Polyana estate in the Tula province Russian literature. The future author of War and Peace became the fourth child in a family of eminent nobles. On his father's side, he belonged to the old family of Count Tolstoy, who served as... On the maternal side, Lev Nikolaevich is a descendant of the Ruriks. It is noteworthy that Leo Tolstoy also has a common ancestor - Admiral Ivan Mikhailovich Golovin.

Lev Nikolayevich’s mother, nee Princess Volkonskaya, died of childbed fever after the birth of her daughter. At that time, Lev was not even two years old. Seven years later, the head of the family, Count Nikolai Tolstoy, died.

Caring for the children fell on the shoulders of the writer’s aunt, T. A. Ergolskaya. Later, the second aunt, Countess A. M. Osten-Sacken, became the guardian of the orphaned children. After her death in 1840, the children moved to Kazan, to a new guardian - their father’s sister P. I. Yushkova. The aunt influenced her nephew, and the writer called his childhood in her house, which was considered the most cheerful and hospitable in the city, happy. Later, Leo Tolstoy described his impressions of life at the Yushkov estate in his story “Childhood.”

The classic received his primary education at home from German and French teachers. In 1843, Leo Tolstoy entered Kazan University, choosing the Faculty of Oriental Languages. Soon, due to low academic performance, he transferred to another faculty - law. But he did not succeed here either: after two years he left the university without receiving a degree.

Lev Nikolaevich returned to Yasnaya Polyana, wanting to establish relations with the peasants in a new way. The idea failed, but the young man regularly kept a diary, loved social entertainment and became interested in music. Tolstoy listened for hours, and...

Disillusioned with the life of the landowner after spending the summer in the village, 20-year-old Leo Tolstoy left the estate and moved to Moscow, and from there to St. Petersburg. The young man rushed between preparing for candidate exams at the university, studying music, carousing with cards and gypsies, and dreams of becoming either an official or a cadet in a horse guards regiment. Relatives called Lev “the most trifling fellow,” and it took years to pay off the debts he incurred.

Literature

In 1851, the writer’s brother, officer Nikolai Tolstoy, persuaded Lev to go to the Caucasus. For three years Lev Nikolaevich lived in a village on the banks of the Terek. Nature of the Caucasus and patriarchal life Cossack village later appeared in the stories “Cossacks” and “Hadji Murat”, the stories “Raid” and “Cutting the Forest”.

In the Caucasus, Leo Tolstoy composed the story “Childhood,” which he published in the magazine “Sovremennik” under the initials L.N. Soon he wrote the sequels “Adolescence” and “Youth,” combining the stories into a trilogy. The literary debut turned out to be brilliant and brought Lev Nikolaevich his first recognition.

The creative biography of Leo Tolstoy is developing rapidly: an appointment to Bucharest, a transfer to besieged Sevastopol, and command of a battery enriched the writer with impressions. From the pen of Lev Nikolaevich came the series “Sevastopol Stories”. The works of the young writer amazed critics with their bold psychological analysis. Nikolai Chernyshevsky found in them a “dialectic of the soul,” and the emperor read the essay “Sevastopol in December” and expressed admiration for Tolstoy’s talent.

In the winter of 1855, 28-year-old Leo Tolstoy arrived in St. Petersburg and entered the Sovremennik circle, where he was warmly welcomed, calling him “the great hope of Russian literature.” But over the course of a year, I got tired of the writing environment with its disputes and conflicts, readings and literary dinners. Later in Confession Tolstoy admitted:

“These people disgusted me, and I disgusted myself.”

In the fall of 1856, the young writer went to the Yasnaya Polyana estate, and in January 1857 he went abroad. Leo Tolstoy traveled around Europe for six months. Visited Germany, Italy, France and Switzerland. He returned to Moscow, and from there to Yasnaya Polyana. On the family estate, he began arranging schools for peasant children. In the vicinity of Yasnaya Polyana, with his participation, twenty educational institutions. In 1860, the writer traveled a lot: in Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium, he studied the pedagogical systems of European countries in order to apply what he saw in Russia.

A special niche in Leo Tolstoy’s work is occupied by fairy tales and works for children and teenagers. The writer has created hundreds of works for young readers, including good and instructive fairy tales “Kitten”, “Two Brothers”, “Hedgehog and Hare”, “Lion and Dog”.

Leo Tolstoy wrote the school textbook “ABC” to teach children writing, reading and arithmetic. The literary and pedagogical work consists of four books. The writer included instructive stories, epics, fables, as well as methodological advice for teachers. The third book includes the story “ Caucasian prisoner».

In the 1870s, Leo Tolstoy, while continuing to teach peasant children, wrote the novel Anna Karenina, in which he contrasted the two storylines: family drama Karenins and the home idyll of the young landowner Levin, with whom he identified himself. The novel only at first glance seemed to be a love affair: the classic raised the problem of the meaning of existence of the “educated class”, contrasting it with the truth of peasant life. “Anna Karenina” was highly appreciated.

The turning point in the writer’s consciousness was reflected in the works written in the 1880s. Life-changing spiritual insight occupies a central place in the stories and stories. “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, “The Kreutzer Sonata”, “Father Sergius” and the story “After the Ball” appear. The classic of Russian literature paints pictures of social inequality and castigates the idleness of the nobles.

In search of an answer to the question of the meaning of life, Leo Tolstoy turned to the Russian Orthodox Church, but even there he did not find satisfaction. The writer came to the conclusion that the Christian Church is corrupt, and under the guise of religion, priests are promoting false teaching. In 1883, Lev Nikolaevich founded the publication “Mediator,” where he outlined his spiritual beliefs and criticized the Russian Orthodox Church. For this, Tolstoy was excommunicated from the church, and the writer was monitored by the secret police.

In 1898, Leo Tolstoy wrote the novel Resurrection, which received favorable reviews from critics. But the success of the work was inferior to “Anna Karenina” and “War and Peace”.

For the last 30 years of his life, Leo Tolstoy, with his teachings on non-violent resistance to evil, was recognized as the spiritual and religious leader of Russia.

"War and Peace"

Leo Tolstoy did not like his novel “War and Peace,” calling the epic “ verbose rubbish" The classic writer wrote the work in the 1860s, while living with his family in Yasnaya Polyana. The first two chapters, entitled “1805,” were published by Russkiy Vestnik in 1865. Three years later, Leo Tolstoy wrote three more chapters and completed the novel, which caused heated controversy among critics.

The novelist took the features of the heroes of the work, written during the years of family happiness and spiritual elation, from life. In Princess Marya Bolkonskaya, the features of Lev Nikolaevich’s mother are recognizable, her penchant for reflection, brilliant education and love of art. The writer awarded Nikolai Rostov with his father’s traits - mockery, love of reading and hunting.

When writing the novel, Leo Tolstoy worked in the archives, studied the correspondence of Tolstoy and Volkonsky, Masonic manuscripts, and visited the Borodino field. His young wife helped him, copying his drafts out clean.

The novel was read avidly, striking readers with the breadth of its epic canvas and subtle psychological analysis. Leo Tolstoy characterized the work as an attempt to “write the history of the people.”

According to the calculations of literary critic Lev Anninsky, by the end of the 1970s, the works of the Russian classic were filmed 40 times abroad alone. Until 1980, the epic War and Peace was filmed four times. Directors from Europe, America and Russia have made 16 films based on the novel “Anna Karenina”, “Resurrection” has been filmed 22 times.

“War and Peace” was first filmed by director Pyotr Chardynin in 1913. The most famous film was made by a Soviet director in 1965.

Personal life

Leo Tolstoy married 18-year-old in 1862, when he was 34 years old. The count lived with his wife for 48 years, but the couple’s life can hardly be called cloudless.

Sofia Bers is the second of three daughters of the Moscow palace office doctor Andrei Bers. The family lived in the capital, but in the summer they vacationed on a Tula estate near Yasnaya Polyana. For the first time Leo Tolstoy saw his future wife as a child. Sophia was educated at home, read a lot, understood art, and graduated from Moscow University. The diary kept by Bers-Tolstaya is recognized as an example of the memoir genre.

At the beginning of his married life, Leo Tolstoy, wanting there to be no secrets between him and his wife, gave Sophia a diary to read. The shocked wife found out about her husband's turbulent youth, his passion gambling, wild life and the peasant girl Aksinya, who was expecting a child from Lev Nikolaevich.

The first-born Sergei was born in 1863. In the early 1860s, Tolstoy began writing the novel War and Peace. Sofya Andreevna helped her husband, despite her pregnancy. The woman taught and raised all the children at home. Five of the 13 children died in infancy or early childhood.

Problems in the family began after Leo Tolstoy finished his work on Anna Karenina. The writer plunged into depression, expressed dissatisfaction with the life that Sofya Andreevna so diligently arranged in the family nest. The count's moral turmoil led to Lev Nikolayevich demanding that his relatives give up meat, alcohol and smoking. Tolstoy forced his wife and children to dress in peasant clothes, which he made himself, and wanted to give his acquired property to the peasants.

Sofya Andreevna made considerable efforts to dissuade her husband from the idea of ​​​​distributing goods. But the quarrel that occurred split the family: Leo Tolstoy left home. Upon returning, the writer entrusted the responsibility of rewriting drafts to his daughters.

The death of their last child, seven-year-old Vanya, briefly brought the couple closer together. But soon mutual grievances and misunderstandings alienated them completely. Sofya Andreevna found solace in music. In Moscow, a woman took lessons from a teacher for whom romantic feelings developed. Their relationship remained friendly, but the count did not forgive his wife for “half-betrayal.”

The couple's fatal quarrel occurred at the end of October 1910. Leo Tolstoy left home, leaving Sophia a farewell letter. He wrote that he loved her, but could not do otherwise.

Death

82-year-old Leo Tolstoy, accompanied by his personal doctor D.P. Makovitsky, left Yasnaya Polyana. On the way, the writer fell ill and got off the train. railway station Astapovo. Lev Nikolaevich spent the last 7 days of his life in the house stationmaster. The whole country followed the news about Tolstoy’s health.

The children and wife arrived at the Astapovo station, but Leo Tolstoy did not want to see anyone. The classic died on November 7, 1910: he died of pneumonia. His wife survived him by 9 years. Tolstoy was buried in Yasnaya Polyana.

Quotes by Leo Tolstoy

• Everyone wants to change humanity, but no one thinks about how to change themselves.
• Everything comes to those who know how to wait.
• All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
• Let everyone sweep in front of his own door. If everyone does this, the whole street will be clean.
• It's easier to live without love. But without it there is no point.
• I don't have everything I love. But I love everything I have.
• The world moves forward because of those who suffer.
• The greatest truths are the simplest.
• Everyone is making plans, and no one knows whether he will survive until the evening.

Bibliography

• 1869 – “War and Peace”
• 1877 – “Anna Karenina”
• 1899 – “Resurrection”
• 1852-1857 – “Childhood”. "Adolescence". "Youth"
• 1856 – “Two Hussars”
• 1856 – “Morning of the Landowner”
• 1863 – “Cossacks”
• 1886 – “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”
• 1903 – “Notes of a Madman”
• 1889 – “Kreutzer Sonata”
• 1898 – “Father Sergius”
• 1904 – “Hadji Murat”

The great Russian writer Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy is known for the authorship of many works, namely: War and Peace, Anna Karenina and others. The study of his biography and creativity continues to this day.

The philosopher and writer Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy was born into a noble family. As an inheritance from his father, he inherited the title of count. His life began on a large family estate in Yasnaya Polyana, Tula province, which left a significant imprint on his future fate.

Classmates

Life of L. N. Tolstoy

He was born on September 9, 1828. While still a child, Leo experienced many difficult moments in life. After his parents died, he and his sisters were raised by their aunt. After her death, when he was 13 years old, he had to move to Kazan to be under the care of a distant relative. Lev's primary education took place at home. At the age of 16 he entered the philological faculty of Kazan University. However, it was impossible to say that he was successful in his studies. This forced Tolstoy to transfer to an easier, law faculty. After 2 years, he returned to Yasnaya Polyana, having never fully mastered the granite of science.

Due to Tolstoy's changeable character, he tried himself in different industries, interests and priorities often changed. The work was interspersed with protracted sprees and revelry. During this period, they incurred a lot of debts, which they had to pay off for a long time. The only passion of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, which remained stable throughout his life, was keeping a personal diary. From there he later drew the most interesting ideas for his works.

Tolstoy was partial to music. His favorite composers are Bach, Schumann, Chopin and Mozart. At a time when Tolstoy had not yet formed a main position regarding his future, he succumbed to his brother’s persuasion. At his instigation, he went to serve in the army as a cadet. During his service he was forced to participate in 1855.

Early works of L. N. Tolstoy

Being a cadet, he had enough free time to begin his creative activity. During this period, Lev began to study autobiographical history called Childhood. For the most part, it contained facts that happened to him when he was still a child. The story was sent for consideration to Sovremennik magazine. It was approved and released into circulation in 1852.

After the first publication, Tolstoy was noticed and began to be equated with significant personalities of that time, namely: I. Turgenev, I. Goncharov, A. Ostrovsky and others.

During those same army years, he began work on the story Cossacks, which he completed in 1862. The second work after Childhood was Adolescence, then Sevastopol Stories. He was engaged in them while participating in the Crimean battles.

Traveling around Europe

In 1856 L.N. Tolstoy left military service with the rank of lieutenant. I decided to travel for a while. First he went to St. Petersburg, where he was given a warm welcome. There he established friendly contacts with popular writers of that period: N. A. Nekrasov, I. S. Goncharov, I. I. Panaev and others. They showed genuine interest in him and took part in his fate. The Blizzard and Two Hussars were written at this time.

Having lived a cheerful and carefree life for 1 year, having ruined relations with many members of the literary circle, Tolstoy decides to leave this city. In 1857, his journey through Europe began.

Leo did not like Paris at all and left a heavy mark on his soul. From there he went to Lake Geneva. Having visited many countries, he returned to Russia with a load of negative emotions. Who and what amazed him so much? Most likely, this is too sharp a polarity between wealth and poverty, which was covered by the feigned splendor of European culture. And this could be seen everywhere.

L.N. Tolstoy writes the story Albert, continues to work on the Cossacks, wrote the story Three Deaths and Family Happiness. In 1859 he stopped collaborating with Sovremennik. At the same time, Tolstoy began to make changes in his personal life, when he planned to marry the peasant woman Aksinya Bazykina.

After the death of his older brother, Tolstoy went on a trip to the south of France.

Returning home

From 1853 to 1863 his literary activity was suspended due to his departure to his homeland. There he decided to start farming. At the same time, Lev himself carried out active educational activities among the village population. He created a school for peasant children and began teaching according to his own methods.

In 1862, he himself created a pedagogical magazine called Yasnaya Polyana. Under his leadership, 12 publications were published, which were not appreciated at the time. Their nature was as follows - he alternated theoretical articles with fables and stories for children at the primary level of education.

Six years from his life from 1863 to 1869, went to write the main masterpiece - War and Peace. Next on the list was the novel Anna Karenina. It took another 4 years. During this period, his worldview was fully formed and resulted in a movement called Tolstoyism. The foundations of this religious and philosophical movement are set out in the following works of Tolstoy:

• Confession.
• Kreutzer Sonata.
• A Study of Dogmatic Theology.
• About life.
• Christian teaching and others.

Main accent they focus on the moral dogmas of human nature and their improvement. He called for forgiveness of those who bring us harm and renunciation of violence when achieving our goals.

The flow of admirers of L.N. Tolstoy’s work did not stop coming to Yasnaya Polyana, looking for support and a mentor in him. In 1899, the novel Resurrection was published.

Social activities

Returning from Europe, he received an invitation to become the bailiff of the Krapivinsky district of the Tula province. He actively joined the active process of protecting the rights of the peasantry, often going against the tsar's decrees. This work broadened Leo's horizons. Closer encounter with peasant life, he began to understand all the subtleties better. The information received later helped him in literary creativity.

Creativity flourishes

Before starting to write the novel War and Peace, Tolstoy began writing another novel, The Decembrists. Tolstoy returned to it several times, but was never able to complete it. In 1865, a small excerpt from War and Peace appeared in the Russian Bulletin. After 3 years, three more parts were released, and then all the rest. This created a real sensation in Russian and foreign literature. The novel describes in the most detailed way different segments of the population.

The writer's latest works include:

• stories Father Sergius;
• After the ball.
• Posthumous notes of Elder Fyodor Kuzmich.
• drama Living Corpse.

The character of his latest journalism can be traced conservative attitude. He harshly condemns the idle life of the upper strata, who do not think about the meaning of life. L.N. Tolstoy harshly criticized state dogmas, rejecting everything: science, art, court, and so on. The Synod itself reacted to such an attack and in 1901 Tolstoy was excommunicated from the church.

In 1910, Lev Nikolaevich left his family and fell ill on the way. He had to get off the train at Astapovo Uralskaya station railway. He spent the last week of his life in the house of the local station master, where he died.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy born on September 9, 1828 in the Krapivensky district of the Tula province, on his mother’s hereditary estate - Yasnaya Polyana. For the birthday of one of the greatest writers in the world, we present to your attention a set of postcards “L. N. Tolstoy in photographs of his contemporaries” with some comments...

Lev Nikolaevich, being the fourth child in the family, was born in 1828 in Yasnaya Polyana - the estate of his mother Maria Nikolaevna. Quite early on, the children were left without parents and were taken care of by their father's relatives. However, very little information about the parents has been preserved. bright feelings. My father, Nikolai Ilyich, was remembered as honest and never humiliated himself before anyone, a very cheerful and bright person, but with eternally sad eyes. About his mother, who died very early, I would like to note one quote found from the memoirs of Lev Nikolaevich:

“She seemed to me such a high, pure, spiritual being that often in the middle period of my life, during the struggle with the temptations that beset me, I prayed to her soul, asking her to help me, and this prayer always helped me.”

P. I. Biryukov. Biography of L. N. Tolstoy.

Moscow, 1851. Photo from Mather's daguerreotype.

This biography is also notable for the fact that L.N. himself took part in its editing and writing.

In the photo above, Tolstoy is 23 years old. This is the year of the first literary attempts, the usual revelry of that time, cards and random companions in life, which was subsequently described in “War and Peace”. However, the first school for serfs was opened by him four years earlier. Also, 1851 is the year of entry into military service in the Caucasus.

Tolstoy the officer was very successful and, if not for the reaction of his superiors to a sharp pamphlet in 1855, the future philosopher would have been under stray bullets for a long time.

1854 Photograph from a daguerreotype.

A brave warrior who showed himself with the best side During the Crimean War, he finished writing “Sevastopol Stories” already in the rear, in St. Petersburg. Acquaintance with Turgenev brought Tolstoy close to the editorial board of the Sovremennik magazine, where some of his stories were also published.

Editorial Board of the Sovremennik magazine, St. Petersburg. Standing from left to right: L.N. Tolstoy, D.V. Grigorovich. Seated: I.A. Goncharov, I.S. Turgenev, A.V. Druzhinin, A.N. Ostrovsky. Photo by S.L. Levitsky.

1862, Moscow. Photo by M.B. Tulinov.

Perhaps, Tolstoy is characterized in an important way by the fact that while in Paris, he, a participant in the heroic defense of Sevastopol, was unpleasantly struck by the cult of Napoleon I and the guillotining, which he happened to be present at. Later, a description of the order that reigned in the army will emerge in 1886, in the famous “Nikolai Palkin” - the story of an old veteran will again shock Tolstoy, who served only in the active army and was not faced with the senseless cruelty of the army as a means of punishing the rebellious poor. The vicious judicial practice and one’s own inability to protect the innocent will also be mercilessly criticized in “Memoirs of the Trial of a Soldier,” which tells the story of 1966.

But sharp and irreconcilable criticism of the existing order is still to come; the 60s became the years of enjoying a happy family life with a loving and beloved wife, who did not always accept, but always understood her husband’s way of thinking and actions. At the same time, “War and Peace” was written - from 1865 to 68.

1868, Moscow.

It is difficult to find an epithet for Tolstoy’s activities before the 80s. Anna Karenina is written, and there are many other works that subsequently earned a low rating from the author in comparison with his later work. This is not yet formulating answers to fundamental questions, but preparing the foundation for them.

L. N. Tolstoy (1876)

And in 1879, A Study of Dogmatic Theology appeared. In the mid-80s, Tolstoy organized the publishing house of books for popular reading, “Mediator,” and many stories were written for him. One of the milestones in the philosophy of Lev Nikolaevich comes out - the treatise “What is my faith?”

1885, Moscow. Photo of the company Scherer and Nabholz.

L.N. Tolstoy with his wife and children. 1887

The 20th century was marked by intense polemics with the Orthodox Church and excommunication from it. Tolstoy took an active part in public life, criticizing the Russo-Japanese War and the social structure of the empire, which was already beginning to burst at the seams.

1901, Crimea. Photo by S.A. Tolstoy.

1905, Yasnaya Polyana. Leo Tolstoy returns from swimming on the Voronka River. Photo by V.G. Chertkov.

1908, Yasnaya Polyana. Leo Tolstoy with his favorite horse Delir. Photo by K.K. Bulla.

1908, Yasnaya Polyana. At the terrace of a Yasnaya Polyana house. Photo by S.A. Baranov.

1909 In the village of Krekshino. Photo by V.G. Chertkov.

1909, Yasnaya Polyana. Leo Tolstoy in his office at work. Photo by V.G. Chertkov.

All large family Tolstoy often gathered at the family estate Yasnaya Polyana.

1908 House of Leo Tolstoy in Yasnaya Polyana. Photo by K.K. Bulla.

1892, Yasnaya Polyana. Leo Tolstoy with his family at the tea table in the park. Photo by Scherer and Nabholz.

1908, Yasnaya Polyana. L.N. Tolstoy with his granddaughter Tanya. Photo by V. G. Chertkov.

1908, Yasnaya Polyana. L.N. Tolstoy plays chess with M.S. Sukhotin. From left to right: T.L. Tolstoy-Sukhotina with M.L. Tolstoy’s daughter Tanya Tolstoy, Yu.I. Igumnova, L.N. Tolstoy, A.B. Goldenweiser, S.A. Tolstoy, son of M.L. Tolstoy Vanya Tolstoy, M.S. Sukhotin, M.L. Tolstoy, A.L. Tolstoy. Photo by K.K. Bulla.

L. N. Tolstoy tells a tale about a cucumber to his grandchildren Ilyusha and Sonya, 1909,

Despite the pressure from the church, many famous and respected people maintained close relations with Lev Nikolaevich.

1900, Yasnaya Polyana. L.N. Tolstoy and A.M. Gorky. Photo by S.A. Tolstoy.

1901, Crimea. L.N. Tolstoy and A.P. Chekhov. Photo by S.A. Tolstoy.

1908, Yasnaya Polyana. L.N. Tolstoy and I.E. Repin. Photo by S.A. Tolstoy.

In the last year of his life, Tolstoy secretly left his family in order to live the remaining time according to his own worldview. On the way, he fell ill with pneumonia and died at the Astapovo station in the Lipetsk region, which now bears his name.

Tolstoy with his granddaughter Tanya, Yasnaya Polyana, 1910

1910 In the village of Zatishye. Photo by V.G. Chertkov.

Most of the photographs presented above were taken by Karl Karlovich Bulla, Vladimir Grigorievich Chertkov and the writer’s wife Sofia Andreevna. Karl Bulla is a famous photographer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who left a colossal legacy that today largely determines the visual understanding of that long-gone era.

Karl Bulla (from Wikipedia)

Vladimir Chertkov is one of Tolstoy’s closest friends and like-minded people, who became one of the leaders of Tolstoyism and the publisher of many of Lev Nikolaevich’s works.

Leo Tolstoy and Vladimir Chertkov

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy. First color photograph. First published in “Notes of the Russian Technical Society.”

In the memoirs of another like-minded Tolstoy - Pavel Aleksandrovich Boulanger - a mathematician, engineer, writer, who introduced Russian readers to the biography of Buddha (published to this day!) and the main ideas of his teaching, Tolstoy’s words are quoted:

God gave me the highest happiness - he gave me such a friend as Chertkov.

Sofya Andreevna, née Bers, was a faithful companion to Lev Nikolaevich and it is difficult to overestimate all the support she gave him.

S. A. Tolstaya, ur. Bers (from Wikipedia)

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy (1828-1910) - Russian writer, publicist, thinker, educator, was a corresponding member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. Considered one of the world's greatest writers. His works have been filmed many times at world film studios, and his plays are staged on stages around the world.

Childhood years

Leo Tolstoy was born on September 9, 1828 in Yasnaya Polyana, Krapivinsky district, Tula province. Here was his mother's estate, which she inherited. The Tolstoy family had very extensive noble and count roots. In the highest aristocratic world there were relatives of the future writer everywhere. There was everyone in his family - a brethren-adventurer and an admiral, a chancellor and an artist, a lady-in-waiting and the first social beauty, a general and a minister.

Leo's dad, Nikolai Ilyich Tolstoy, was a man with a good education, took part in the foreign campaigns of the Russian military against Napoleon, was captured in France, from where he escaped, and retired as a lieutenant colonel. When his father died, he inherited a lot of debts, and Nikolai Ilyich was forced to take a bureaucratic job. In order to save his upset financial component of the inheritance, Nikolai Tolstoy was legally married to Princess Maria Nikolaevna, who was no longer young and came from the Volkonskys. Despite the small calculation, the marriage turned out to be very happy. The couple had 5 children. The brothers of the future writer Kolya, Seryozha, Mitya and sister Masha. Leo was fourth among all.

After her last daughter, Maria, was born, her mother began to experience “childbed fever.” In 1830 she died. Leo was not yet two years old at that time. And what a wonderful storyteller she was. Perhaps this is where Tolstoy’s early love for literature came from. Five children were left without a mother. Their upbringing had to be done by a distant relative, T.A. Ergolskaya.

In 1837, the Tolstoys left for Moscow, where they settled on Plyushchikha. The older brother, Nikolai, was going to go to university. But very soon and completely unexpectedly, the father of the Tolstoy family died. His financial affairs were not completed, and the three youngest children had to return to Yasnaya Polyana to be raised by Ergolskaya and their paternal aunt, Countess Osten-Sacken A.M. It was here that Leo Tolstoy spent his entire childhood.

The writer's early years

After the death of Aunt Osten-Sacken in 1843, the children had to move again, this time to Kazan under the guardianship of their father’s sister P. I. Yushkova. Yours primary education Leo Tolstoy received his education at home; his teachers were the good-natured German Reselman and the French tutor Saint-Thomas. In the autumn of 1844, following his brothers, Lev became a student at the Kazan Imperial University. At first he studied at the Faculty of Oriental Literature, later transferred to the Faculty of Law, where he studied for less than two years. He understood that this was absolutely not the occupation to which he would like to devote his life.

In the early spring of 1847, Lev abandoned his studies and went to Yasnaya Polyana, which he inherited. At the same time, he began keeping his famous diary, having adopted this idea from Benjamin Franklin, whose biography he became well acquainted with at the university. Just like the wisest American politician, Tolstoy set himself certain goals and tried with all his might to fulfill them, analyzed his failures and victories, actions and thoughts. This diary went with the writer throughout his life.

In Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoy tried to build new relationships with the peasants, and also took up:

• studying English language;
• jurisprudence;
• pedagogy;
• music;
• charity.

In the fall of 1848, Tolstoy went to Moscow, where he planned to prepare for and pass the candidate exams. Instead, a completely different social life with its excitement and card games opened up for him. In the winter of 1849, Lev moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg, where he continued to lead revelries and a riotous lifestyle. In the spring of this year, he began taking exams to become a candidate of rights, but, having changed his mind about taking the final exam, he returned to Yasnaya Polyana.

Here he continued to lead an almost metropolitan lifestyle - cards and hunting. However, in 1849, Lev Nikolaevich opened a school for peasant children in Yasnaya Polyana, where he sometimes taught himself, but mostly the lessons were taught by the serf Foka Demidovich.

Military service

At the end of 1850, Tolstoy began work on his first work, the famous trilogy “Childhood”. At the same time, Lev received an offer from his older brother Nikolai, who served in the Caucasus, to join the military service. The elder brother was an authority for Leo. After the death of his parents, he became the writer’s best and most faithful friend and mentor. At first, Lev Nikolaevich thought about the service, but a large gambling debt in Moscow accelerated the decision. Tolstoy went to the Caucasus and in the fall of 1851 he entered service as a cadet in an artillery brigade near Kizlyar.

Here he continued to work on the work “Childhood”, which he finished writing in the summer of 1852 and decided to send to the most popular literary magazine at that time, “Sovremennik”. He signed with the initials “L.” N.T.” and along with the manuscript he enclosed a small letter:

“I will eagerly await your verdict. He will either encourage me to write more or make me burn everything.”

At that time, the editor of Sovremennik was N. A. Nekrasov, and he immediately recognized the literary value of the Childhood manuscript. The work was published and was a huge success.

The military life of Lev Nikolaevich was too eventful:

• more than once he was in danger in skirmishes with the mountaineers commanded by Shamil;
• when the Crimean War began, he transferred to the Danube Army and took part in the battle of Oltenitz;
• participated in the siege of Silistria;
• in the battle of Chernaya he commanded a battery;
• during the assault on Malakhov Kurgan, he came under bombardment;
• held the defense of Sevastopol.

For military service, Lev Nikolaevich received the following awards:

• Order of St. Anne, 4th degree “For Bravery”;
• medal "In memory of the war of 1853-1856";
• medal "For the defense of Sevastopol 1854-1855".

The brave officer Leo Tolstoy had every chance to military career. But he was only interested in writing. During his service, he did not stop composing and sending his stories to Sovremennik. Published in 1856, “Sevastopol Stories” finally established him as a new literary trend in Russia, and Tolstoy left military service forever.

Literary activity

He returned to St. Petersburg, where he made close acquaintances with N. A. Nekrasov, I. S. Turgenev, I. S. Goncharov. During his stay in St. Petersburg, he released several of his new works:

• "Blizzard",
• "Youth",
• "Sevastopol in August"
• "Two Hussars"

But very soon he became disgusted with social life, and Tolstoy decided to travel around Europe. He visited Germany, Switzerland, England, France, Italy. He described all the advantages and disadvantages he saw, the emotions he received in his works.

Returning from abroad in 1862, Lev Nikolaevich married Sofya Andreevna Bers. The brightest period of his life began, his wife became his absolute assistant in all matters, and Tolstoy could calmly do his favorite thing - composing works that later became world masterpieces.

Family, death and memory

Lev Nikolaevich lived in marriage and love with his wife for almost 50 years, they had 13 children, five of whom died while still young. There are many descendants of Lev Nikolaevich all over the world. Once every two years they gather in Yasnaya Polyana.

In life, Tolstoy always adhered to his certain principles. He wanted to be as close to the people as possible. He loved ordinary people very much.

In 1910, Lev Nikolaevich left Yasnaya Polyana, setting off on a journey that would correspond to his life views. Only his doctor went with him. There were no specific goals. He went to Optina Monastery, then to the Shamordino Monastery, then went to visit his niece in Novocherkassk. But the writer became ill; after suffering from a cold, pneumonia began.

In the Lipetsk region, at the Astapovo station, Tolstoy was taken off the train, admitted to the hospital, six doctors tried to save his life, but to their proposals Lev Nikolaevich quietly replied: “God will arrange everything.” After a whole week of heavy and painful breathing, the writer died in the house of the station master on November 20, 1910 at the age of 82 years.

The estate in Yasnaya Polyana, together with the natural beauty that surrounds it, is a museum-reserve. Three more museums of the writer are located in the village of Nikolskoye-Vyazemskoye, in Moscow and at the Astapovo station. Moscow also has state museum L. N. Tolstoy.

TOLSTOY L.N.

Russian writer, count, public figure, Russian classic literature of the 19th century V.

Tolstoy House-Museum in Yasnaya Polyana:

Russia. Large linguistic and cultural dictionary. - M.: State Institute Russian language named after. A.S. Pushkin. AST-Press. T.N. Chernyavskaya, K.S. Miloslavskaya, E.G. Rostova, O.E. Frolova, V.I. Borisenko, Yu.A. Vyunov, V.P. Chudnov. 2007 .

See what "TOLSTOY L.N." is in other dictionaries:

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Leo Tolstoy is a Russian classic, one of the most revered writers on the world literary stage, creator of the large-scale epic novel “War and Peace”, laureate Nobel Prize, participant in military operations in the Caucasus and near Sevastopol, thinker and educator.

Leo Tolstoy is a famous Russian writer.

His literary and journalistic works total 90 volumes, and Tolstoy’s life and work served as the basis for the ethical and religious movement - Tolstoyism, which has many followers around the world.

Brief information

Leo Tolstoy was already a recognized literary figure during his lifetime. His creativity opens new stage Russian and world realism. His novels and stories have been filmed many times feature films and performances were staged all over the world. He was the most widely read writer in Soviet times. For the period 1918-1986. the total circulation of his works amounted to 436.261 million copies.

Brief biography of Tolstoy

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy was born in 1928 in noble estate Yasnaya Polyana. Its heyday literary activity occurred in the 1960-1970s. At this time he created the novels “War and Peace”, “Anna Karenina”. In total he wrote 174 literary works and more than 300 journalistic articles.

Tolstoy placed moral service at the forefront of his creativity and way of life. The writer devoted his entire life to educational work and charity. He opened a school for children from peasant families and helped the poor during the famine.

He was married to one of the Burns sisters, Sofya Andreevna. The couple had 13 children. He was anathematized for his radical views and was subject to secret surveillance by the state. He died at the age of 82 from a long serious illness in a house near the Astapovo railway station on November 20, 1910. He was buried near his estate.

Parents and the first years of life

Lev Nikolaevich was born on September 9, 1928, 14 km from Tula on the family estate Yasnaya Polyana. The main contribution to the arrangement of the estate was made by the writer’s grandfather N. S. Volkonsky. Lev Nikolaevich was the 4th child in the family. His father, Count Tolstoy, belonged to the ancient noble family. Mother - Maria Nikolaevna Tolstaya, nee Princess Volkonskaya, was a descendant of the Ruriks.

Tolstoy had family ties with many Russian aristocrats and even had a common ancestor with Pushkin - Admiral Ivan Golovin. Some of the author's famous relatives later became prototypes for the characters in his novels.

The writer's parents died early, and he, along with the other children of Count Tolstoy, remained in the care of a relative T. A. Ergolskaya, and then Countess A. I. Osten-Sacken. When the latter died in 1841, the children moved to their aunt P.I. Yushkova in Kazan.

The home education of young Tolstoy was carried out by Saint-Thomas, a tutor whose image was reflected in the autobiographical story “Childhood,” and then by the German Reselman. After young Lev settled with the Yushkov family, he set out to enter the Imperial Kazan University, which was considered prestigious in those years.

Lev never received higher education.

In 1844, Tolstoy passed the entrance exams and was enrolled in the Faculty of Oriental Literature. At the end academic year Based on the exam results, he did not pass to the next course, so he transferred to the law department, where he studied for another 2 years and then left the university without receiving an academic degree.

In 1847, the writer returned to the family estate, where he began self-education. Many facts from the writer’s life still remain a mystery. It is not known for certain how many languages ​​Tolstoy knew, but, according to the testimony of his contemporaries, there were more than 15 of them.

At this time, he begins to rethink the relationship between the landowner and the peasants. Tolstoy became involved in charity work and opened his first school for peasant children, where he often taught classes independently.

Hobbies and military service

In 1848, the future writer went to Moscow. There he intended to prepare for the candidate's exam, but instead he plunged headlong into social life and became interested in card games. Lev Nikolaevich was a gambling person and often lost. In the winter of 1849, he left for St. Petersburg, where he spent time in continuous revelry and entertainment with his friend K. A. Islavin.

During these same years, he became passionate about music. He attended concerts and enjoyed listening to works by Bach, Chopin and Handel. The writer loved to play the piano and settled in his estate a musician named Rudolf, with whom he played four hands. In collaboration with his friend Zybin, he composed a waltz, the musical notation of which was made by composer S.I. Taneyev in the early 1900s.

In order to pay off his gambling debts, in the spring of 1851 Tolstoy left for the Caucasus. There, at the insistence of his older brother Nikolai Tolstoy, he entered military service. In the fall he passed the exam and received the rank of cadet. For 2 years he participated in military skirmishes in the Caucasus. Then he transferred to the Danube Army in Crimea. In 1854-1855 participated in the battles near Sevastopol, for the defense of which he was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 4th degree and medals.

Inspired by his military service, Tolstoy wrote the Sevastopol Stories trilogy. He sends the first part of the trilogy for publication to Sovremennik magazine. This work was highly appreciated by Emperor Alexander. During these same years, Tolstoy began work on the stories “Childhood” and “Adolescence”, which were then included in the autobiographical trilogy.

He writes the story “Cutting Wood” and begins work on the story “Cossacks.” In 1856, the writer graduated from service with the rank of lieutenant and plunged into literary creativity.

Traveling around Europe

After completing his service, Tolstoy was already accepted in the literary circles of St. Petersburg, circles and social salons. There he meets and begins to make friends with eminent writers N.A. Nekrasov, I.S. Goncharov, A.V. Druzhinin, V.A. Sollogub. At this time, he was finishing work on the last part of the “Youth” trilogy, writing “Blizzard” and “Two Hussars”.

Despite his busy social life, in 1857 Tolstoy experienced an internal crisis and a disagreement with the writers' circle. He leaves St. Petersburg and goes on a trip to Europe.

During trips to France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and England, he becomes disillusioned with European life. Tolstoy notices the gap between rich and poor that was hidden under the pompous veneer of European culture. He expressed his critical thoughts about the European way of life in the story “Lucerne”.

Pedagogical activity

In 1859, Tolstoy returned to his native estate and founded peasant schools in Yasnaya Polyana. And a year after that, he again goes on a 9-month trip around Europe in order to learn about public education in other countries. When he returned, he abolished disciplinary rules and programs in the schools he created. In 1862, he began publishing a magazine about pedagogy, Yasnaya Polyana.

Leo Tolstoy in Nikolaev.

Later, Tolstoy created “ABC” and “New ABC”, which contain both his own stories for children primary classes, and transcriptions folk tales and fables.

Early publications

Tolstoy took his first literary steps even before serving in the Caucasus. In 1847, he begins to keep a diary, which he will supplement for the rest of his life, and occasionally writes poems. One of them was applied to the monument at the grave of his aunt and guardian A.I. Osten-Sacken. During the period 1850-1851. begins to write the story “Childhood”, but actively takes up creativity only after during military service.

In 1852, he sent “Childhood” for publication in the leading magazine “Sovremennik”, which was published by N. A. Nekrasov. After the publication of his debut, he immediately received recognition in literary circles.

During these years, Tolstoy created:

• “Sevastopol Stories” (1855-1856);
• "Childhood. Adolescence. Youth" (1852-1857);
• "Raid" (1653);
• "Cutting Wood" (1855);
• "Blizzard" (1856);
• “Two Hussars” (1856);
• "Lucerne" (1857).

After the writer left Paris, the literary elite lost interest in Tolstoy. He himself does not strive for communication; A. Fet becomes his only friend during this period of his life.

In his diary entries of these years, he expresses dissatisfaction with life and describes a creative crisis: “Indecision, idleness, melancholy, thoughts of death. We need to get out of this. One remedy. Effort on yourself to work.” In 1862, Tolstoy married 18-year-old Sophia Burns. His marriage marked the heyday of his creativity.

Major Novels

After marriage, the writer begins to experience creative growth. He writes the novels “War and Peace”, “Anna Karenina”. First excerpt from epic novel“War and Peace” was published in 1865 in the magazine “Russian Messenger”. By the time work on the work was completed in 1869, the book was a great success.

In the 1870s, Tolstoy became a recognized writer. He is called the greatest Russian author. Lev Nikolaevich was pleased with his work, but at the same time, in a letter to Fet, he spoke of the novel as “wordy rubbish.”

In 1873, Lev Nikolaevich went to the Samara province with his family and there he began work on Anna Karenina. This novel is considered the transition to the dramatic period of his work. There is no simplicity or idyll in it, and the characters’ characters are complicated.

Conversion

Lev Nikolaevich with his wife Sofya Andreevna.

In the early 1880s, the writer began a period of spiritual and moral search. During these years, he wrote philosophical treatises in which he asked questions about religion, art and life.

While working on “Confession,” he begins to worry about questions about morality and the meaning of existence. Thoughts about suicide creep into his diary entries.

In search of an answer, Tolstoy turns to theology. He reads religious treatises, communicates with monks from Optina Pustyn, talks with elders, and visits many churches.

During these years, the writer studied Hebrew and Ancient Greek in order to read Christian primary sources. He becomes close to the Moscow Jew Shlomo Minor. At the same time, he begins to communicate with Old Believers, peasant preachers, and Muslims.

Over time, Tolstoy became disillusioned with Christianity and in 1880-1881. writes the “Four Gospels,” in which he rewrites the sacred texts and removes from them what he considers redundant and incorrect.

Due to his radical views, some of his works of these years were banned by spiritual and government censorship. On February 24 (old style), 1901, the synod published a statement excommunicating Tolstoy. In his text “Response to the Synod,” the writer talks in detail about the discrepancy between his views on the teachings of Christ and the dogmas of the Orthodox Church.

The result of his spiritual search is the rejection of the comforts and benefits of a rich life. He engages in more and more manual labor, becomes a vegetarian, wears simple clothes, and renounces copyright to his works. Many of his actions were considered eccentricities and became the basis for jokes. So, Daniil Kharms has a cycle of poems in which he ridicules Tolstoy’s passions.

This asceticism and desire for morality opens the third stage of his work. Distinctive feature stage is the denial of most of the foundations of state and secular life. Since September 1882, Emperor Alexander 3 established secret supervision over the writer. Tolstoy's ideas are gradually beginning to penetrate the social life of Russia. From them a new religious and ethical movement is formed - Tolstoyism.

Late fiction

The turning point in Tolstoy’s consciousness and religious and moral quest were reflected in his later works.

During these years he writes:

• “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” (1884-1886);
• "Confession" (1879-1880);
• “Notes of a Madman” (1884-1903);
• "Kreutzer Sonata" (1887-1889);
• novel “Resurrection” (1889-1899);
• story “Hadji Murat” (1896-1904).

The attitude towards the author's later works was twofold. Fans believed that during these years he reached the pinnacle of his creativity. Others reproached Tolstoy for turning from a writer into a preacher. The Kreutzer Sonata also caused conflicting reviews; the work almost completely escaped censorship, but was published in a truncated form through the efforts of the writer’s wife, who achieved a meeting with the emperor.

The last major literary work Tolstoy’s novel “Resurrection”, in which he criticizes the justice system, secular life and the rapprochement of the clergy with state power. In his later diary entries, Tolstoy complains that he latest works underestimated by the public and critics.

He writes: “People love me for those trifles - “War and Peace”, etc., which seem important to them.” The writer himself attached greater importance to his non-fiction texts.

Personal life

Leo Tolstoy with his family.

From his youth, Leo Tolstoy was friends with Lyubov Alexandrovna Islavina, married to Bers, and often spent time with her family. When the Bersov daughters grew up, he decided to marry the eldest Lisa, but could not find a common language with her and chose in favor of his middle sister Sophia. On September 23, 1962, the 34-year-old writer married his 18-year-old beloved.

The wife becomes the writer's assistant. She not only runs the household, but also serves as a personal secretary, rewriting the writer’s drafts. Over time, the relationship between the spouses deteriorates, and disagreements occur between them. One of the reasons for the discord was jealousy. Tolstoy was jealous of his wife towards the composer Taneyev, who often visited their house.

Another reason for the quarrels was Tolstoy’s desire to get rid of the property that burdened him. He gave part of his income to the poor or for the needs of the village school, and gave away what he considered surplus: a piano, furniture, carriage, etc. Under pressure from his wife, in 1892 the writer signed a deed transferring real estate to his wife and children.

From the marriage of Lev Nikolaevich with Sofia Andreevna, 9 sons and 4 daughters were born, 5 children died in childhood. In addition, Tolstoy had illegitimate son from the Yasnaya Polyana peasant woman Aksiniya Bazykina. Tolstoy's most trusting relationship was with youngest daughter Sasha. At the age of 16 she became Lev Nikolaevich’s little girlfriend.

She mastered typing, acted as a secretary, and copied her father's works. The daughter was the only person to whom Tolstoy informed about his plans and location when he decided to leave home.

Old age of the writer

Tolstoy devoted his entire life to searching moral ideals and following them. Over the years, his views took shape in a religious and ethical teaching called Tolstoyism. The main postulates of this teaching are moral self-improvement, love of peace, equality of religions and nationalities, simplification (the term was introduced by Tolstoy himself).

Lev Nikolaevich led an ascetic life in his old age. He walked barefoot, wore a linen shirt, did not eat meat, refused luxury goods, worked in the fields himself, communicated with peasants and tried to help them in difficult years.

Due to his fanatical adherence to the idea of ​​simplification, Tolstoy’s relationship with his wife worsened. Sofya Andreevna did not support her husband’s desire to renounce copyright, land and estate. Ultimately, the writer’s conflict with his family became the reason for his leaving home.

Death and legacy

Over the years, Tolstoy became increasingly captivated by his ascetic lifestyle. He was sick of the landowner's life; he considered it too luxurious. On November 13, 1910, he packed his things and left Yasnaya Polyana together with his doctor D.P. Makovetsky. He began his journey from Shchekino station and went from there to the Shamordino Monastery.

Fellow travelers testified that Tolstoy had no travel plan, and his journey was more like an escape. On the way, Lev Nikolaevich felt unwell and was diagnosed with pneumonia. Those accompanying him carried Tolstoy to the Astapovo station, where, after a serious illness, he died in the house of the station chief on November 20, 1910.

Grave of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy.

On the day of the burial, several thousand people came to Yasnaya Polyana. In addition to relatives and friends, peasants and government officials gathered at the estate.

This was the first public funeral in Russia not held according to church rites. The authorities feared that they could turn into a demonstration. But contrary to fears, everything went quietly and without incident.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy was buried in a clearing near the forest in the Yasnaya Polyana estate on November 10, 1910. When the coffin with the writer’s body was lowered into the grave, everyone present knelt down.

After his death, the estate was turned into a house museum. Every year, on Tolstoy’s birthday, a holiday is held here, during which literary readings, performances based on the works of Lev Nikolaevich. Tolstoy's books, diaries and journalistic articles are published all over the world in large numbers. The pedagogical and philosophical legacy continues in the works of his followers.

Quotes by Leo Tolstoy

Here are the main ones:

1. “Everyone wants to change humanity, but no one thinks about how to change themselves.”
2. “The greatest truths are the simplest.”
3. “The rational and the moral always coincide.”
4. “A scientist is one who knows a lot from books; educated - one who has mastered all the most common knowledge and techniques of his time; enlightened is one who understands the meaning of his life.”
5. “People live by love; self-love is the beginning of death, love for God and people is the beginning of life.”

During his lectures on literature, V. Nabokov loved to demonstrate the greatness of Tolstoy. He closed the curtains, turned off the lights, pronounced the names of Russian writers and at the same time lit a light bulb, like a star in the sky. When Nabokov reached the name of Leo Tolstoy, he raised all the curtains and the light, personifying the greatness of the writer, flooded the entire audience.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy by I.N. Kramskoy. 1873

Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich (1828, Yasnaya Polyana estate Tula lips - 1910, Astapovo station of the Ryazan-Ural railway) - writer. Born into an aristocratic count family. Early on he was left without parents and lived with relatives. In 1844 he entered the East. Faculty of Kazan unta, but did not actually study and, not being able to pass the exams, transferred to legal department, where he continued to lead a secular lifestyle. In 1847 he left the university and, returning to Yasnaya Polyana, was engaged in self-education; in 1848 he left for Moscow, where, in his own words, he lived “very carelessly.” But all this time, intense spiritual work took place in him: Tolstoy tried to understand the world and his place in it. In 1851 he entered military service in the Caucasus and began to seriously study literature: “Childhood”, “Adolescence”, and short stories were written. In 1854 Tolstoy took part in the defense of Sevastopol. In 1856, with the rank of lieutenant, he left military service and traveled around Western Europe. Returning to Russia, he became a peace mediator, taking part in the peasant reform, but aroused the hostility of the landowners by defending peasant interests and was relieved of his post.

In the 60s opened a number of schools in his district, the main center of which was the first experimental Yasnaya Polyana school in Russia, which for Tolstoy became “a poetic, charming thing that you cannot tear yourself away from.” He taught children without coercion, seeing them as free people like himself; created an original technique that has not lost its significance. In 1862 Tolstoy married S.A. Bers settled in Yasnaya Polyana, where he wrote the novels “War and Peace”, “Anna Karenina” and others. In 1884 he moved to Moscow, where he participated in the population census. Social, religious and philosophical quests led Tolstoy to the creation of his own religious and philosophical system (Tolstoyism), which he set out in the articles “Criticism of Dogmatic Theology”, “What is My Faith”, etc. Tolstoy preached in life and works of art(“Resurrection”, “Death of Ivan Ilyich”, “Kreutzer Sonata”, etc.) the need for moral improvement, universal love, non-resistance to evil through violence, for which he was attacked both by revolutionary democratic figures and by the church, from Tolstoy was excommunicated by the decision of the Synod in 1901. Never remaining indifferent to the suffering of people, he fought against famine in 1891, published the article “I Can’t Be Silent”, protesting against the death penalty in 1908, etc. Tormented by his belonging to high society , the opportunity to live better than the peasants nearby, Tolstoy in Oct. 1910, fulfilling his decision to live recent years in accordance with his views, he secretly left Yasnaya Polyana, renouncing the “circle of the rich and learned.” He fell ill on the way and died. He was buried in Yasnaya Polyana. A.M. Bitter said about him: " This man did a truly enormous job: he gave a summary of what he had experienced over a whole century and gave it with amazing truthfulness, strength and beauty.".

Book materials used: Shikman A.P. Figures national history. Biographical reference book. Moscow, 1997