Alexey Tolstoy 200th birthday. Emperor Alexander Nikolaevich, Zhukovsky’s pupil, did not become a connoisseur of high literature... He had no idea about the scale of his friend’s talent in childhood games
Graph Alexey Konstantinovich Tolstoy(24 August (5 September) 1817 year, St. Petersburg - September 28 (October 10), 1875, village of Krasny Rog, Chernigov province - Russian writer, poet, playwright, translator, satirist from the Tolstoy family. Corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.
Alexey Konstantinovich Tolstoy- classic of Russian literature, one of our greatest poets half of the 19th century centuries, a brilliant playwright, translator, creator of a magnificent love lyrics, a satirist poet unsurpassed to this day, who wrote his works both under his real name and under the name of Kozma Prutkov, invented by Tolstoy together with the Zhemchuzhnikov brothers; finally, Tolstoy is a classic of Russian " scary literature", his stories "The Ghoul" and "The Family of the Ghoul" are considered masterpieces of Russian mysticism. The works of A.K. Tolstoy are familiar to us from school. But, paradoxically, little is known about the life of the writer himself. The fact is that most of the writer’s archives were lost in fires, and a significant part of the correspondence was destroyed after Tolstoy’s death by his wife. Researchers of the writer’s work had to reconstruct the facts of his life literally bit by bit.
Written in folk style the poems with which Tolstoy made his debut were especially liked by the Moscow Slavophile circle; In his organ, "Russian Conversation", two poems by Tolstoy appeared: "The Sinner" (1858) and "John of Damascus" (1859). With the cessation of the "Russian Conversation" Tolstoy became an active contributor to the Katkovsky "Russian Bulletin", where the dramatic poem"Don Juan" (1862), historical novel"Prince Silver" (1863) and a number of archaic satirical poems making fun of the materialism of the 60s. In "Notes of the Fatherland" in 1866, the first part of Tolstoy's dramatic trilogy - "The Death of Ivan the Terrible" - was published.
In old Rus', Tolstoy is attracted, however, not by the Moscow period, darkened by the cruelty of Ivan the Terrible, but by Kievan Rus', the veche. When Potok the hero, waking up after a five-century sleep, sees the servility of the crowd before the king, he is “surprised by the parable” like this: “if he is a prince, or a king in the end, why do they sweep the ground before him with their beard? We honored princes, but not like that! Yes "And finally, am I really in Russia? God forbid us from the earthly God! We are commanded by Scripture to strictly recognize only the heavenly God!" He “tortures the fellow he meets: where is the veche meeting here, uncle?” In “The Snake Tugarin” Vladimir himself proclaims the following toast: “to the ancient Russian veche, to the free, to the honest Slavic people, I drink to the bell of Novgrad, and even if it falls to dust, let its ringing live in the hearts of descendants." With such ideals, which do not in the least echo "conservatism", Tolstoy, however, was enrolled in the mid-60s category of openly retrograde writers. This happened because, having abandoned the “banner of beauty,” he rushed into the struggle social movements and began to touch the “children” of Bazarov’s type very sensitively.
He didn’t like them mainly because “they can’t stand the ringing of the psaltery, give them market goods, everything that they can’t weigh or measure, they all scream, you have to throw it away.” To fight against this “dirty teaching,” Tolstoy called on “Panteleus the Healer”: “and against these people, Lord Panteley, do not spare your knotty sticks.” All this caused many to have a hostile attitude towards Tolstoy, and he soon felt in the position of a writer driven by criticism. But even in such a situation, he defended his opinion.
All works reveal inner world the writer's works, the very essence, the very inner world of Tolstoy as a “singer of beauty” is revealed. In 1862 he published the dramatic poem "Don Juan"; in 1866 - 70 - historical trilogy, which included the tragedies “The Death of Ivan the Terrible”, “Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich”, “Tsar Boris”.
IN last years turned to poetry (wrote ballads and political satires in verse). After retiring, he lived mainly on his estates, paying little attention to farming, and gradually went bankrupt. His health condition worsened. At the age of 58, A. Tolstoy died on September 28 (October 10, n.s.) 1875 in the Krasny Rog estate, Chernigov province.
A.K. Tolstoy is truly a creator by nature. He left a great legacy for future generations.
Brief description of the document:
ALEXEY KONSTANTINOVICH TOLSTOY
(1817 – 1875)
Slide No. 1
The name of Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy is known to every lover of Russian literature. This is the historical adventure novel “Prince Silver” and the aphorisms of Kozma Prutkov, and the dramatic trilogy, and, of course, the unforgettable lines of his poems.
Slide No. 2
Alexey was born on August 24 (September 5, n.s.) in St. Petersburg into a noble noble family. The parents separated immediately after the birth of their son. Future writer was raised by his mother, Anna Alekseevna Perovskaya, and her brother, the writer Alexei Alekseevich Perovsky, famous prose writer 20-30s of the XIX century. They opened the world of literature to the gifted boy and encouraged his first attempts to create. From the age of six, A.K. Tolstoy began to try his hand at poetry. A. S. Pushkin spoke approvingly of his early poetic experiments.
Slide No. 3
As a child, the future poet lived in Krasny Rog, and until the age of seventeen he traveled constantly with his family... but constantly returned to the estate. As Tolstoy later recalled, his penchant for poetry was influenced by Bryansk nature: “...The air and the sight of our large forests, which I passionately loved, made a deep impression on me, which left an imprint on my character and my whole life...”
Slide No. 4
He returned here, to Krasny Rog, leaving service at the end of the 50s, and here he died on September 28, 1875, and was buried near the village church.
How he loved his peaceful corner,
Having cultivated sublime feelings in him,
Where in silence, far from the bustle,
He went into his wonderful world of art.
... And to the end he could admire
Their forests, their favorite lands:
And the darling Red Horn overshadowed
His end is cloudless dreams.
Slide No. 5
In 1823, at the Krasny Rog estate, Alyosha’s uncle Alexei Perovsky wrote the now beloved fairy tale “The Black Hen”. He published it under the pseudonym Antony Pogorelsky. The first captivated listener was Alyosha. This fairy tale was dedicated to him. Later, being already famous writer, A.K. Tolstoy will put this work on a par with those works that made a strong impression on him in childhood.
Slide No. 6
When Tolstoy was 8 years old, the family moved to St. Petersburg. There the young count was introduced to the Tsarevich, the future Emperor Alexander II.
The boys became friends. The sovereign and the poet preserved for many years good relations.
Slide No. 7
Proximity to the court allowed Alexei Konstantinovich to stand up for writers close to him who were persecuted by the authorities. In the Tolstoys' house they arranged charity concerts. The repertoire consisted mainly of vocal works based on the poems of Alexei Tolstoy. Tolstoy's lyrics turned out to be fertile material for musical processing. Most of his poems are set to music.
“Tolstoy is an inexhaustible source for lyrics to music. This is one of the most sympathetic poets to me,” wrote Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Music for Alexei Tolstoy's poems was written by Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Rubenstein, and Rachmaninov.
(Text of this wonderful work Pyotr Tchaikovsky taken from Alexei Tolstoy's poem “John of Damascus And n").
Slide number 8
In the early fifties, Russian readers were amazed by Kozma Prutkov.
This is not just a pseudonym, but a satirical mask created by Tolstoy and his cousins Alexei and Vladimir Zhemchuzhnikov. On behalf of Kozma Prutkov, they wrote fables, poems, epigrams, parodies, plays, aphorisms, and anecdotes, ridiculing the emptiness and meaninglessness of everyday, spiritual life and literature.
Slide No. 9
During the Crimean War, Tolstoy entered military service and was appointed aide-de-camp. He never had time to take part in hostilities, having contracted typhus. Many of his fellow soldiers died from this disease. And Tolstoy himself was in a very difficult condition, one might say, hanging by a thread between life and death.
Tolstoy was married to the wife of the Horse Guards Colonel Sofya Andreevna Miller, nee Bakhmetyeva. And Alexey Tolstoy fell in love with his savior for the rest of his life.
But Tolstoy’s letters to Sofya Andreevna, written in mature age amaze with their indescribable tenderness. Everyone who knew this couple said that their marriage was happy from first to last day.
They were not immediately destined to reunite. Sofia Andreevna’s husband did not give her a divorce, and getting a divorce in those days was very problematic. Tolstoy’s mother also did not want him to marry Sofya Andreevna. Of course, she dreamed of a completely different bride for her only son. Their marriage was officially formalized only in 1863.
Slide No. 10
In 1835, A.K. Tolstoy passed exams in the verbal department of Moscow University for the right to receive a rank and was “recognized worthy to join the first rank of civil service officials.” Long years creative activity A.K. Tolstoy was forced to combine government and military service and was very burdened by this. He sought to return to his beloved Red Horn and completely devote himself to literature.
In 1861, Tolstoy finally retired. Now he can do what he loves. The novel “Prince Silver” has been completed, which A.K. I wrote for almost 20 years. The famous dramaturgical trilogy “The Death of Ivan the Terrible”, “Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich” and “Tsar Boris” was written. The tragedy “Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich” opened in 1898 in Moscow. Art Theater. And until now the creations have not left the stage and the silver screen.
Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Count Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy. Outstanding poet and writer and simply wonderful person(according to his contemporaries). There was already a diary here once, and it turned out that his talent had enough admirers.
Did you know that “Count Alexei Tolstoy was... a handsome young man, with beautiful blond hair and a blush all over his cheek. He looked like a red maiden; to such an extent tenderness and delicacy permeated his entire figure.” and at the same time: “Tolstoy had remarkable strength and health. On the dimometer he showed 17 pounds, lifted an adult man with one hand, rolled up rubles, broke sticks on the muscles of his arm... T[olstoy] was a passionate hunter and a wonderful shooter.
He did not remember the exact number of bears he killed, but it was significantly over 40 (he recalled going to the fortieth). Next to this hunt, he put the hunt for capercaillie on a lek and talked about it with enthusiasm. Already in recent years, taking advantage of the respite from the illnesses that tormented him, he was in a hurry to hunt.” In his youth he was an officer in the Rifle Regiment. And since childhood he was friends with Emperor Alexander II.
“But because of this excess of strength, Tolstoy did not pay attention to his health until painful illnesses took possession of him. In recent years he suffered from asthma and neuralgia, which rarely left him a calm day. But the disease never conquered him - he continued to be himself and died, maintaining his freshness of mind and feelings.
“It is remarkable that three days before his death, his capercaillie - a very wild and fearful bird - flew into the garden during the day. They shot at him and missed. “It was my death that came for me,” Tolstoy said jokingly, “after all, this is my bird.”
All his life he loved and admired only one woman, Sofia Andreevna Miller, the story of their love and the creation of poetic and musical masterpiece"Among the noisy ball." “Tolstoy called it his Encyclopedia. He said that when he needed some kind of information, there was no need to rummage through books, he just had to ask Sophia.
But Sophia never trumped her scholarship, and Tolstoy was proud of his Sophia, loved her selflessly, and willingly showed off in front of her.” True, according to the recollections of relatives, in the last years of her life she was somewhat burdened by her assertive and domineering character.
“Listening carefully and reading criticism of his works, willingly consulting on form, Tolstoy never made concessions public opinion, did not bargain with his conscience, did not pursue fame - and regarding the public, as well as regarding the court, he wanted to maintain complete independence.”
“To the sovereign’s question what was happening in literature, and whether he, Tolstoy, had written anything new, A[lexey] K[onstantinovich] replied that “Russian literature has put on mourning - regarding the unjust condemnation of Chernyshevsky” ...
“This is a warm-hearted man who aroused in me a great feeling of respect and gratitude,” I. S. Turgenev wrote about him. “...I consider myself lucky that I met in life such a morally healthy, widely educated, chivalrously noble and feminine gentle person, what the late Count Alexei Konstantinovich was like,” A. Fet shared with his contemporaries. True, Leo Tolstoy disliked him. Once, someone mixed up and attributed “Prince Serebryany” to Lev Nikolayevich, who lost his temper and replied: “I don’t write that kind of rubbish.”
He was very sick; a terrible headache did not leave him for almost a minute in recent years. And so one of the doctors prescribed him morphine to relieve his suffering. This drug brought the count to his grave. The pain became more and more unbearable, and the doses became more and more. Until eventually the inevitable “overdose” happened.
"Even last illness did not affect the abilities of the gr. T[olstoy]. He completed his last and unpublished poem, “The Earth Blossomed,” by dictating it during his illness. His liveliness, gaiety... remained the same. Despite the debilitating pain - constant neuralgia of the head and attacks of suffocation - Tolstoy found the strength to joke like Prutkov about the treatment methods of foreign doctors. “Two doctors... found that I had gout in my head. It may be more honorable than simple neuralgia, but I am not ambitious and would exchange it for the most modest runny nose or diarrhea.” As before, he listened with pleasure to his favorites, and they read “Westers Leiden”, “Onegin”, and much from Gogol to him. Before last minute he remained true to himself, thought and cared about others; I was afraid to be a burden or disturb those around me.”
Sorry for the “lot” of text)) I just deeply like this person, and the day of his 200th birthday is an opportunity to talk about my favorite poet.))
We say “Tolstoy” and mean “Lev”. And maybe in vain. And chronologically Alexey Konstantinovich Tolstoy is the first. And for Russian literature, he is not only a prose writer, a historical novelist, a romantic science fiction writer, a poet and a satirist. He is one of the fathers of Kozma Prutkov, the most important figure for Russian literature. Due primarily to relevance and political incorrectness. During the years of gloomy tsarism, all this somehow slipped through, but now... Now he would be accused of insulting the feelings of believers, and of inciting “hatred or enmity.” And God knows what else. He even died quite in the spirit of today - from an overdose of morphine (although he took it as prescribed by a doctor).
If you want to say about Russia in one word, remember Karamzin. According to Vyazemsky, he “said that if he could answer the question in one word: “What is going on in Russia? - then you would have to say: “They are stealing.” What if in poetry? Then, in addition to Tyutchev’s “You can’t understand Russia with your mind,” there are perhaps variations from “The History of the Russian State from Gostomysl to Timashev”:
And he began to reign strongly,
Reigned for seventeen years
The land was abundant
There is no order!
At that time it was very
The color of Russia has blossomed,
The land was abundant
There is no order...
August 24, or September 5 according to the old style, marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy. The figure is both round and generally mind-blowing, but the anniversary hype is somehow missing. But in the 80s of the last century, the volume of “Prince Silver” was in many home libraries - the circulation was large... And yet - here it is. A book has been published. A thorough monograph.
For the counter-title, the author brought out an eight-line verse from our Tolstoy: “He is not a fighter of two camps, but only a casual guest...” But he brought it out, I think, not because of the celebrity of this octave and, of course, not because of its correspondence with the current ambivalent bogeymen of tolerance and political correctness. No, Alexey Fedorov, apparently, decided to test this author’s declaration for strength, to figure out what the strength of Tolstoy’s talent was, why even in our rich literature it remains not only textbook-literal (“My bells, steppe flowers...” ), but also a writer who is simply readable without coercion. After all, why bother us with how the author perceives himself?! The main thing is why it is attractive to us.
Very soon after "Bells", at the time of youthful self-determination, we discover Tolstoy the satirist (along with the aforementioned "History of the Russian State..." "Popov's Dream" remains eternal, and not only this poem), he forever becomes our companion the unimaginable Kozma Prutkov. At the same time, Prince Silver entered into successful competition with modern historical reading, and with the current numerous surrogates of the good old Gothic - The Ghoul and The Ghoul Family. Then comes the time for Tolstoy’s love lyrics: “I liked your thin figure, and your powerless will struggled with the growing storm of desire...”
But Alexey Fedorov does not set out to explain why reading Alexey K. Tolstoy is still cool and cool today. He spends exactly Scientific research and, probably for the first time, without any ideological blinders or embarrassment, he understands why Tolstoy was so unkindly perceived by contemporary critics, and what difficulties arose in interpreting his multi-genre works in Soviet times.
On the other hand (and this is obviously the main advantage of the monograph), Fedorov does not unfold before us the history of the issue; by the way, in full accordance with the title, he shows Tolstoy’s creative activity as part of the literary movement of that wonderful time Russian history, which is associated with the broad reforms of Emperor Alexander II. More precisely, it does not just show, but restores, clarifies, and even refutes many of the wrong things that were piled up around Russian literature of the imperial era and even piled on it during the period of literary criticism in the communist style. Therefore, the book, while maintaining the main features and qualities scientific work, should also attract a thinking reader who wants to perceive any work that comes into his hands not just as entertainment, but as a diverse phenomenon of his native and eternal culture.
In addition to an analytical review of how things worked out, but things couldn’t work out a.k. Tolstoy studies, Alexei Fedorov should be given credit for attempting to look at the phenomenon of nihilism from a modern perspective (today, even more so in 2017, it is read as a synonym for social radicalism, terrorism, as the soil for the totalitarianism of the twentieth century). Moreover, look, essentially, with artistic insight: the second chapter of the book is remarkable, where in analytical connection they find themselves famous theory Darwin, nihilism and the image of Don Juan, snatched by Tolstoy from literary tradition and creatively transformed by it under the control of time.
If the named chapter delights with the wealth of comparisons and a cascade of ideas that can inspire future writers to a new appeal to the phenomenon of Don Juanism, the chapter devoted to Tolstoy’s prose and dramaturgy historical topics, is distinguished by its desire to scrupulously reconstruct Tolstoy’s complex views on the prospects for the development of Russia. And the main thing is that the author managed to show here, sincerely loving creatures his hero, Tolstoy: a writer cannot and is not obliged to act as a pragmatic designer of ideal systems. But the writer can, is obliged - and Tolstoy did this - to show under what conditions systems are never ideal, even softened ones. government controlled will not be able to be realized. And it’s an amazing thing! – For this, Fedorov did not even need to refer in detail to the brilliant (and, alas, still relevant) satirical poetry of Tolstoy. And then to say: everything is available - take it and read it! Moreover, in his work Fedorov generously quotes hard-to-find judgments, letters, and testimonies of Tolstoy’s contemporaries, and finally gifts us with extracts from the archive Historical Museum a poem about the era of the Crimean (Eastern) War, which, although he does not attribute to Alexei K. Tolstoy, he confidently connects with the general context of Russian poetry of those years: it is on the soil of such multitudes that masterpieces, including Tolstoy’s, grow.
One more thing. For many years one of us went to his historical homeland by car. Worked out quickly close to the soul road: Moscow – Bryansk – the famous “Three Sisters” – Chernigov – Kyiv – Bila Tserkva – Kremenchug – Kozelshchyna. Naturally, it happened naturally: on this route it was impossible not to stop at the estate of the writer Krasny Rog. Not only to his museum, not only to his tomb in the churchyard of the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God... Just walk along the grass in this park among the maples, ash trees, linden trees, elderberries, blackberries - under this “calm movement of transparent clouds”, here where Alexey Konstantinovich in the end, at the end of his life, he still found the most exact words to express the main thing in one’s own destiny: “The singer who held the banner in the name of beauty”... Inheriting Pushkin: “I awakened good feelings with the lyre.”
We are re-reading the “first Tolstoy” with the hope that the power of his Russian-Ukrainian blood, created through it, in an inexplicable way, in spite of all the political fuss, will continue to build our lives precisely in the name of beauty - opposing everything else, pseudo-geopolitical and opportunistic-strategic. The book of Alexei Fedorov also convinces us that our hopes are not unfounded - perhaps for the first time, it so convincingly and comprehensively showed the intellectualized world, in particular, that simply readers were and are attracted to Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy without any external influence– both pre-television and current, total media.
Not the banners of friends and enemies, not even “my good sword.” Only: “a banner in the name of beauty.” There is a place for everyone under it and it will never be crowded. And it will be warm.
And one last thing.
Not everyone knows who Alice Liddell and Charles Lutwidge Dodgson are, but everyone knows Alice from Wonderland (her prototype was Alice Liddell) and Lewis Carroll (Dodgson's pseudonym). Alexei K. Tolstoy, like the aforementioned Alice Liddell, also enriched literature when he was a child. He was raised not by his father, but by his maternal uncle, Alexey Perovsky. This uncle (under the pseudonym Antony Pogorelsky) composed for his nephew famous fairy tale"Black chicken, or Underground inhabitants"(1829). For this alone, monuments can be erected to both of them throughout Russia.
Alexey Konstantinovich Tolstoy - Russian writer,
poet and playwright from the Tolstoy family.
Alexey Konstantinovich Tolstoy (1817- 1875) “And everywhere there is sound, and everywhere there is light, And all the worlds have one beginning, And there is nothing in nature Whatever breathes love.” A. K. Tolstoy
Born on September 5, 1817 in St. Petersburg in the family of Count Konstantin Petrovich Tolstoy. When the boy was only 6 weeks old, his parents’ marriage broke up, and Anna Alekseevna took her son to Ukraine to the estate of her brother Alexei Perovsky. In practice, the uncle became the main educator of Alexei Konstantinovich. Since he himself was a famous fiction writer, he was able to instill in his nephew from an early age a love of books and literary creativity. It was Perovsky (pseudonym Anton Pogorelsky) who composed the fairy tale “ Black chicken"about the adventures of the boy Alyosha.
From the age of six, Alexey learned to read, fell in love with poetry, memorized them and already tried to write himself. He's still in childhood met Pushkin, during a trip with his mother and uncle to Germany - with Goethe, and the trip to Italy was connected with his acquaintance with the great artist Karl Bryullov (who would later paint a portrait of the young Tolstoy). The heir to the throne became Tolstoy's playmate, future emperor Alexander II. In 1834, Tolstoy was enrolled as a “student” in the Moscow Main Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In December 1835, he took exams at Moscow University to obtain a certificate for entry into the first category of civil service officials. Civil service Tolstoy is deeply disgusted, he wants to become a poet, but does not find the strength to break with the service, fearing to upset his family.
In 1836, Tolstoy takes a four-month vacation to accompany the seriously ill Perovsky to Nice for treatment, but on the way, in a Warsaw hotel, Perovsky dies. He leaves his entire fortune to Alyosha.
At the end of the same year, Tolstoy was transferred to a department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was soon appointed to the Russian mission at the German Diet in Frankfurt am Main. In Frankfurt Tolstoy most Like any young socialite, he spends his time in entertainment.
From 1838 - 1839 Tolstoy lives abroad - in Germany, Italy, France. At the same time he wrote his first stories (on French) "The Family of the Ghoul" and "Meeting after Three Hundred Years" (which will be published only after the death of the author). Tolstoy's first stories are vivid examples of mysticism. Returning to Russia, Tolstoy continues to live " social life": he hits on young ladies at St. Petersburg balls, spends money in style, hunts on his estate Krasny Rog, which was inherited by him. Hunting becomes a passion for Tolstoy; he repeatedly risked his life to hunt a bear with a spear. In general, Alexey Konstantinovich was distinguished by an amazing physical strength- screwed in silver forks and spoons, unbent horseshoes.
In 1841, Tolstoy made his literary debut - under the pseudonym "Krasnorogsky" he published mystical story"Ghoul", first Russian work on a "vampire" theme. The story earned an approving review from Belinsky. In 1850, Tolstoy, together with his cousin Alexei Zhemchuzhnikov, hiding behind the pseudonyms “Y” and “Z,” sent the one-act comedy “Fantasia” to censorship. Although the censor made amendments to the work, on the whole he did not find anything reprehensible in it. The play premiered on January 8, 1851 at the Alexandria Theater and ended in a huge scandal, after which the production was banned.
In the same 1851, Alexei Tolstoy was awarded the title of master of ceremonies of the court, and also happens most important event in his personal life- the poet meets his future wife Sophia Miller. They were not immediately destined to reunite.
Sofia Andreevna’s husband did not give her a divorce, and getting a divorce in those days was very problematic. Tolstoy’s mother also did not want him to marry Sofya Andreevna. Of course, she dreamed of a completely different bride for her only son. Their marriage was officially formalized only in 1863.
Letters from Tolstoy to Sofya Andreevna, written in adulthood, amaze with their indescribable tenderness. Everyone who knew this couple said that their marriage was happy from the first to the last day.
The resulting feeling for Miller inspires Tolstoy. Since 1854, he systematically published his poems, including under the name of Kozma Prutkov, a writer he invented together with the Zhemchuzhnikov brothers. During the Crimean War, Tolstoy joined the army as a major, but did not participate in hostilities: he fell ill with typhus near Odessa and barely survived. After recovery, he participated in the coronation of Alexander II, on the day of the coronation celebrations he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed aide-de-camp to the emperor. Military service weighed heavily on him, and in 1861 he sought his resignation. Comes literary fame- his poems are a success.
The poet is also fascinated by Russian history - “ Time of Troubles"and the era of Ivan the Terrible - and he creates the historical novel "Prince Silver" and the "Dramatic Trilogy", but Tolstoy is especially interested in pre-Mongol Rus', which he idealizes in many ballads and epics.
At this time, he wrote three plays that made up a dramatic trilogy: “Tsar Boris”, “Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich” and “The Death of Ivan the Terrible” (1862-1869). By the early 70s, the writer came up with the idea of the drama “Posadnik”, which tells about an episode from the history of ancient Novgorod, but, unfortunately, the author was unable to finish it.
In the last years of his life, Tolstoy was seriously ill. Unable to find relief from terrible headaches, he begins to use morphine injections. Morphine addiction develops. On September 28, 1875, Tolstoy dies in Krasny Rog from too much morphine. He was buried near the village church. His widow, Sofya Andreevna returned to the capital, bequeathing to bury herself in Krasny Rog.
Alexey Konstantinovich Tolstoy was a writer of great natural talent. His best works are included in the golden fund of poetry, prose and drama. The strong and noble personality of Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy, who embodied best qualities Russian man - as if a real life continuation of those principles and ideals that he sang in his artistic creativity. And, of course, not mentioning the most famous Russian sage, Kozma Prutkov, would be an unforgivable mistake. The most brilliant aphorisms of the “chairman of the Assay Office” belong precisely to the pen of Tolstoy. “Look at the root!”, “Be vigilant!”, “If you want to be happy, be happy,” “Where is the beginning of the end with which the beginning ends?”, “Not everything that grows is sheared.” And eternally relevant for our birch forests: “Sticking to the people’s party is both modern and profitable.”
A courtier, poet, patriot, historian, writer, satirist, mocker, mystic, adventurer, strongman and handsome man. How is it going with Kozma Prutkov? “No one will embrace the immensity”? Paradoxically, the author of the saying, Count Alexei Tolstoy, almost succeeded.
Do you know that
Alexei Tolstoy was physically very strong. As they say historical documents, he could straighten horseshoes with just his hands, and he could also drive a nail into a wall with just one finger.
Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy and his wife Sophia had no children.
Tolstoy's wife, despite the fact that she was born in the provinces, was very educated and had an inquisitive mind. She knew fourteen foreign languages. . Alexey Konstantinovich was an avid hunter; more than once he went alone with a spear to hunt a bear. . In 2014, the Ministry of Culture allocated 40 million rubles to recreate original interior museum-estate. Some of the 19th century interior items were purchased from private collections. Director Elena Lovyago noted that it is not known for certain how the writer’s house was furnished, so museum workers focus on the typical appearance noble estate that time. . Of Tolstoy’s works, fantasy, in addition to mystical prose (“The Ghoul”, “The Family of the Ghoul”, Meeting after Three Hundred Years”, “Amena”), includes many poetic works- the poem “Dragon”, ballads and epics “The Tale of the King and the Monk”, “Whirlwind Horse”, “Wolves”, “Prince Rostislav”, “Sadko”, “The Bogatyr”, “The Stream-Bogatyr”, “The Serpent Tugarin” ", dramatic poem "Don Juan". Fantastic elements are also present in some of the writer’s other works.