Leo Tolstoy: The Russian novelist, playwright, and moral philosopher, Leo Tolstoy was one of the greatest rebels of all time. He was a celebrated author, who rejected his aristocratic life and was at odds with the Church, government and mythical tradition.
Leo Tolstoy was born in September 9, 1828 in Tula Province of Russia. He was the youngest of five siblings descending from one of the most privileged and upper class families of the 19th century Russia. Both Leo’s father, Prince Nikolay Tolstoy, and his grandfather had a great passion for gambling and had almost lost all families’ wealth. However, Nikolay saved it by marrying Leo’s mother, Princes Maria Volkonsky who then brought with a significant amount of wealth to his family. Leo’s mother died when he was two and his father died when he was eight. Becoming an orphan at
…show more content…
Leo Tolstoy was a melancholy and self-centered child, who grew up on his parent’s privately owned estate, Yasnaya Polyana, a beautiful mansion, located about 130 miles from Moscow. Tolstoy was homeschooled throughout his secondary studies and was tutored by German and French teachers. Leo in order to pursue a higher education in oriental languages to become a diplomat joined the Kazan University in Russia in 1843. However, not being particularly a dedicated student, when finding the lessons a bit demanding and time consuming, Leo changed his focus into law after two
PI never quite makes the transition to the true understanding of the nature of life that Ivan had made and Gerasim as well. Even though upon leaving Ivan’s funeral PI evokes the observation that it is God’s will that everybody dies someday. His receptivity and consciousness make him stand out amongst society. If one looks at PI’s last name of Ivan...
In the early eighteenth-century, a letter from Peter the Great’s court was sent to Russian publishers declaring that all material must be printed with the intention to maintain “The glory of the great sovereign and his tsardom and for the general usefulness and profit of the nation” (The Cambridge History of Russia). The effects of this proclamation reverberated throughout Russia for centuries and laid the foundation on which future rulers such as Catherine the Great and later Alexander III fortified the position of the censor. The strengthening of the Russian censor, consequently, manipulated and stifled the country’s most influential wordsmiths. No Russian writer was safe from the censor, not even a master like Leo Tolstoy. Specifically,
The short story “The Death of Ivan Ilych” is about a man who realizes he is dying and that no one in his life cares about him. Even more disappointing for Ivan is the realization that besides his success as a high court judge, he has done nothing else to make his life worth saving. The death of Ivan Ilyich, sadly, comes as a release of stress to all. In the end, Ivan is soothed by the release of death, his family and friends are relieved of having responsibility of Ivan taken off their shoulders, and the reader is released from the stressful journey. Tolstoy teaches the audience through the structural elements of the “black sack” metaphor and pathos about the unavoidability of death and the relief of accepting it.
“The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” (Chris McCandless) This was said by McCandless because he could not find happiness from his family so he went out to go find happiness. The book Into the Wild, by John Krakauer, was a book about a person named Chris McCandless, who could not find happiness from his family because they always provided him with all the materials he needed. This caused him to go out for an adventure or to the wild in Alaska. While on his journey, he had read books finding self- definition and so he used the authors from the book as literary heroes to get him past the journey. He was really inspired by the writers. With the inspiration he was set out to find happiness, and so he went into the wild. It is where he spent the rest of his days until he died because of poisoning. Many of his literary heroes inspired him to do what he did, but one stands out the most. Leo Tolstoy, who is considered to be one of the best novelists, Leo really inspired Chris because they had a life that they could relate. He also appreciated him because he had realistic views of the life. Chris McCandless needed inspiration for his adventure, so he looked up to the literary heroes as his guidance to the wild.
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.
Fear is only one of the emotions that drive people. Society and even religion uses fear in the form of consequences to persuade people to control their EGO. The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy allows the readers to learn the consequences of living a completely selfish, non-Christian life without actually having to make Ivan’s mistakes. At face value, The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy is not a Christian novel. There is no mention of spirituality until the final chapter of the book, ****** there are only vague references to life after death with no mention of Christianity. However, fiction is about telling a story; it is about leaving the reader changed by the end of the book. In this regard, Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich is a masterpiece and should be celebrated by Christians as a work of art.
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 was born in Taganrog, Russia in 1860 to a woman named Yevgeniya and a man named Pavel. His father, who shares the name of the bishop, is described as being “severe” and sometimes went as far as to chastise Chekhov and his siblings (Letters
In 1919, at the age of thirteen, he was allowed to enter the Petrograd Conservatory in Saint Petersburg and studied piano with Leonid Nikolayev. Because the conservatory was poorly funded, it did not have heat; the students had to wear coats, hats and gloves constantly only taking off their gloves when composing. Because of these poor living conditions Dmitri developed tuberculosis of the lymph glands in spring 1923 and had to have an operation. Nevertheless, he completed his final piano examinations at the conservatory in June with his neck still bandaged. Shostakovich, though very intelligent and talented, was seen as immature in his fin...
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky was a mid-1800’s Russian composer. Tchaikovsky was born on May 7, 1840 in Votinsk, Russia. He showed interest in the piano when young and began lessons at five, but his tutors and parents did not consider him a prodigy (Masha). Tchaikovsky was sent to school to be a clerk at the age of nine, and many believe Tchaikovsky took a serious interest in composing when he was fourteen after his beloved mother died of cholera (Ewen 375). Tchaikovsky work was criticized by others and himself during his life and most of Tchaikovsky’s life is characterized by an emotional turmoil that influenced his music, but his work has had an enduring popularity entitling him a successful composer.
The opposing tyrant, Imam Shamil, acquires a few favorable characteristics that Hadji Murat fails to demonstrate. Shamil’s blunt and direct attitude prove to be effective throughout some parts of this novel. His attitude makes people frightened of him and therefore “people were afraid to disobey Shamil” (7). Tolstoy also introduces Tsar Nicholas, a ignorant and petty leader that is driven more by flattery and lust than any consideration for the citizens that obey his every
Name: Britney Shaw Major Works Data Sheet This form must be typed. Title of the Work: Resurrection Author: Leo Tolstoy Date of Publication: 1994 (1899)
· Nitze, Paul H. & Foreword. The Complete Idiots Guide to Leo Tolstoy. London: Henry Z. Walck, 1994. This book was helpful to explain Tolstoy's theories and psychological information in Tolstoy's works.
Ernest Hemingway’s writings emerged through the 1920’s. His novels and stories were direct and simple, although it had many abstract and complex meanings. In one of his greatest works, “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”, Hemingway tells a story about a lonely old man who drinks in a bar, one night. At first, readers are led to believe the story is about the old man. The two waiters watch and discuss about the old man, which gives the readers a sense of their characters.
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.