Nikolai Tolstoy in the A. Belousenko library. Lev Tolstoy

Distinctive feature The life and work of the great Russian writer and thinker Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy is a constant moral quest. What is the true purpose of a person, how to relate to other people and generally accepted “truths” - all these questions are touched upon to one degree or another in his works. The writer speaks about them especially sharply and uncompromisingly in the novels, stories and short stories he created after spiritual crisis, experienced in the late 70s of the XIX century. The story “After the Ball” is one of these.

History of creation

At the beginning of April 1903 in the city of Chisinau, Bessarabia province Russian Empire There was a major pogrom against Jews. L.N. Tolstoy sharply condemned the pogromists and the inactive authorities. The Committee to Help Victims of the Pogrom organized a fundraiser. At the end of April, the famous Jewish writer Sholom Aleichem asked Leo Tolstoy to “give something” for a literary collection he was preparing for the same purpose. In his response letter, Lev Nikolaevich promised to fulfill his request.

On June 9, Tolstoy decided to write a story about an incident in the life of his brother Sergei Nikolaevich, which evokes certain associations with the Chisinau pogrom. 75-year-old Lev Nikolaevich remembered this story from his student days spent with his brothers in Kazan.

The plan for the future story was sketched out in diary entry dated June 18, 1903. The first version of the story, entitled “Daughter and Father,” was written on August 5-6. Then Tolstoy changed the title to “And you say.” The final edition of the story entitled “After the Ball” was completed on August 20, 1903. The work was published after the writer’s death in “Posthumous works of art L.N. Tolstoy" in 1911

Description of the work

The narration is told on behalf of the main character - Ivan Vasilyevich. In familiar surroundings, he told two incidents from his life when he was a student at a provincial university. They were supposed to illustrate his statement that what determines a person’s fate is not the environment, but chance.

Most of the story is occupied by the experiences of the hero, who attended the provincial leader’s ball on the last day of Maslenitsa. All the “cream” of provincial society gathered there, including Varenka B., with whom the student was madly in love. She became the queen of the ball, and was admired not only by men, but also by women whom she pushed into the background. So, at least, it seemed to the student Vanya. The beautiful girl favored him and gave him most of the dances with her.

Varenka was the daughter of Colonel Pyotr Vladislavovich, who was also at the ball with his wife. At the end, those present persuaded the colonel to dance with his daughter. The couple found themselves in the spotlight. Pyotr Vladislavovich remembered his former daring and danced dashingly like a young man. Vanya watched the couple with increased attention. The old-fashioned colonel's boots especially touched his soul. They were seen to be saving on themselves so as not to deny their beloved daughter anything.

After the dance, the colonel said that he had to get up early tomorrow and did not stay for dinner. And Ivan danced with Varenka for a long time. An unearthly feeling of happiness and absolute harmony of existence gripped the main character. He loved not only Varenka, her father, but the whole world, in which, as it seemed to him at those moments, there was nothing bad.

Finally, the ball was over. Returning home in the morning, Ivan realized that he would not be able to sleep from the excess of feelings. He went out into the street and his feet carried him to Varenka’s house, located on the outskirts of the city. As we approached the field adjacent to the house, drumming and unpleasant, shrill sounds of a flute began to sound, drowning out the dance melodies that were still sounding in Ivan’s soul. There they passed a fugitive Tatar soldier through the line. Other soldiers from both sides hit the unfortunate man on his bare back, and he only muttered exhaustedly: “Brothers, have mercy.” His back had long ago turned into a bloody mess.

And Varenka’s father led the execution, and he did it as diligently as he had danced with his daughter the day before. When one short soldier did not hit the Tatar hard enough, the colonel, his face twisted with anger, began to hit him in the face for this. Ivan was shocked to the point of nausea by what he saw. His love for Varenka began to wane. The bloody back of the soldier tortured by her father stood between them.

Main characters

The hero of the story, Ivan Vasilyevich, is endowed with a sense of compassion and the ability to put himself in the place of another person. Human misfortunes did not become simple life decorations for him, as they were for the vast majority of representatives of the privileged classes. Ivan Vasilyevich’s conscience is not drowned out by false life expediency. These qualities are in highest degree were inherent in Tolstoy himself.

Colonel Pyotr Vladislavovich is a caring father and a good family man. Most likely, he considers himself true Christian serving God, the sovereign and the fatherland. But he, like most people at all times, is absolutely deaf to the main thing in Christianity - the great moral law Christ. According to this law, you must treat people the way you would like them to treat you. Regardless of class and property barriers.

Difficult to compose psychological picture beautiful Varenka. Most likely, it is unlikely that her external attractiveness was combined with the same soul. After all, she was raised by her father, who turned out to be a real fanatic in the public service.

Story Analysis

The compositional dominant of the story is the opposition of its two parts, which describe the events at the ball and after it. Sparkling first light colors the ball is a celebration of youth, love and beauty. It takes place on the last day of Maslenitsa - Forgiveness Sunday, when believers must forgive each other mutual sins. Then - dark colors, “bad music” hitting the nerves, and cruel reprisals against the unfortunate soldiers, among whom the main victim is a non-religious (like the Chisinau Jews).

There are several main ideas in the story. First of all, it is an absolute rejection of any violence, including that justified by state necessity. Secondly, the division of people into those worthy of respect and those likened to cattle is contrary to the will of God.

Other motives are less obvious. In torturing a non-believer on Forgiveness Sunday, Tolstoy allegorically continues to reproach the official church for justifying state violence, from which he was excommunicated two years earlier.

The image of the loving and carefree Ivan Vasilyevich reminds Tolstoy of his own youth, which the writer was critical of. Oddly enough, but young Tolstoy had common features and with the colonel. In another of his works (“Youth”), the writer writes about his own division of people into worthy and despised.

In one of " Sevastopol stories" - “Sevastopol in December" Leo Tolstoy assessed the events of 1853-1855 as follows:

This epic of Sevastopol, of which the Russian people were the hero, will leave great traces in Russia for a long time.

Tolstoy was a witness and participant in this epic of Sevastopol.

Tolstoy entered military service in the Caucasus when he was visiting his older brother Nikolai, who was an artillery officer in the Caucasian troops. In February 1852, he passed the exam for the rank of cadet and was enlisted as a volunteer fireworker (non-commissioned officer rank) of the 4th class in the 4th battery of the 20th artillery brigade. At the end of 1853, Tolstoy turned to General M.D. Gorchakov, who was a distant relative of him, with a request to transfer him to the active army on the Danube, and was soon transferred there.

After the enemy landed in the Crimea, Lev Nikolaevich, as true patriot, filed a report on his transfer to Sevastopol. He wanted to test himself with Sevastopol, to make sure of his own spiritual powers.

It was the second month of the heroic defense of Sevastopol when Leo Tolstoy arrived in the besieged city on November 7 (19), 1854. He traveled to Crimea through Odessa, Nikolaev, Kherson and Perekop. The roads were loaded with troops and convoys, drowning in opaque mud. Crowds of prisoners were coming towards them, carts with the wounded were pulling, and there were not enough horses at the road stations. With great difficulty we managed to get a place on the postal carriage. And finally, Tolstoy in Sevastopol. Recalling the feelings that possessed him in those minutes, the writer said in the story “Sevastopol in December”:

It cannot be that, at the thought that you are in Sevastopol, a feeling of some kind of courage, pride does not penetrate your soul, and that the blood does not begin to circulate faster in your veins...

In Sevastopol, “...a strange mixture of camp and city life, a beautiful city and a dirty bivouac” did not hide from the observant gaze of the writer. And the people seemed to be no different from other Russian people. Neither any particular enthusiasm or heroism, nor fussiness and confusion were visible in them. Everyone calmly went about their business.

On November 10 (22), 1854, 26-year-old artillery second lieutenant Lev Tolstoy was appointed junior officer in the 3rd light battery of the 14th artillery field brigade. The battery at this time was in reserve and did not take part in the battles. Tolstoy appeared free time. The writer appeared in many places where his work did not require him to be, and with the passion of an artist he absorbed impressions that were new to him. In just a few days, he was able to explore the entire city, visit bastions and various fortifications, and talk with ordinary soldiers and defense leaders. Your opinion about Sevastopol, the morale of the Russian troops, their stamina, historical significance Sevastopol defense Tolstoy stated in a letter to his brother Sergei Nikolaevich in November 1854:

The spirit in the troops is beyond description. During times ancient Greece there wasn't so much heroism. I was not able to be in action even once, but I thank God that I saw these people and live in this glorious time.

On November 15 (27), 1854, the battery in which Lev Nikolaevich served was withdrawn to rear positions near Simferopol in the Tatar village of Eski-Orda (now Lozovoye). Tolstoy stayed here for about two months.

In 1855, shortly after the New Year, Tolstoy was transferred from the 3rd battery of the 14th artillery brigade to the 3rd light battery of the 11th brigade, which was stationed at the Belbek positions, near Sevastopol. Lev Nikolaevich was disappointed with his translation. He was eager to fight, thirsted for activity, sought the use of his strength and energy, but ended up in the rear and did not participate in battles.

But Tolstoy often visited Sevastopol. Lev Nikolaevich saw his comrades there, went to the front lines, talked with prisoners of war and generally was aware of all the events taking place in the city.

On one of his trips to Sevastopol, on the night of March 10 (22) to March 11 (23), 1855, Tolstoy voluntarily, without permission from his superiors, took part in a night raid from the Kamchatka lunette under the leadership of General S. A. Khrulev.

In the spring of 1855, when the enemy was preparing for an assault and the fiercest battles were taking place for the 4th bastion, the 3rd light battery of the 11th artillery brigade, in which Tolstoy served, was transferred here. Appointed quartermaster, he arrived in Sevastopol 2 days earlier than his colleagues. On April 1 (13), 1855, he met the battery, transported across the Northern Bay, and was concerned about its placement in a new place - Yazonovsky redoubt (strengthening the left flank of the 4th bastion). This, according to Tolstoy, was a large, dug-out area, surrounded on all sides by turas (baskets with earth for constructing protective embankments), embankments, cellars, dugouts and platforms on which cast-iron guns stood.

Three hundred steps from the Yazonovsky redoubt was the most scary place- front line of the 4th bastion. Here, on an earthen rampart, large naval guns were installed. Around them are the same rounds of earth, and in front of them are rope barriers that protected the gun personnel from enemy bullets and shrapnel.

Tolstoy describes the 4th bastion:

Ahead of you on a steep mountain you see some kind of black, dirty space, pitted with ditches, and this ahead is the 4th bastion.

Second Lieutenant L. Tolstoy was on duty at the Yazonovsky redoubt for a month and a half: from April 1 (13) to May 14 (26), 1855, changing every four days with other battery officers. Sometimes, due to attrition of officers, it was necessary to stand two watches in a row.

For being on the Yazonovsky redoubt of the fourth bastion during the bombardment, for his composure and orderly actions against the enemy, he was awarded the Order of St. Anna 4th degree with the signature “For bravery.” Later he received a silver medal “For the Defense of Sevastopol” and a bronze medal “In Memory of the War of 1853-1856.”

In the conditions of intense combat life, Tolstoy experienced a huge elation, a surge of strength and energy. In between shifts, he worked on the story “Youth” and wrote the first Sevastopol story, “Sevastopol in December.” The story was published in the Sovremennik magazine in June 1855.

Soon two other Sevastopol stories were published: “Sevastopol in May”, “Sevastopol in August 1855”. The stories were an extraordinary success among readers. And now there is probably not a single schoolchild who has not read them. One of the reasons for the popularity of “Sevastopol Stories” is the truth, which became the main character in the works of the great Tolstoy.

Olga Zavgorodnyaya

Nikolai Nikolaevich TOLSTOY
(1823-1860)

Nikolai Nikolaevich Tolstoy (1823-1860) - older brother of L.N. Tolstoy.
Of the brothers, Nikolai was more like his mother than others; he inherited from her not only character traits: “indifference to people’s judgments and modesty...” (L.N. Tolstoy, vol. 34, p. 350), tolerance towards others. “The most dramatic expression of a negative attitude towards a person was expressed by his brother with subtle, good-natured humor and the same smile” (L.N. Tolstoy, vol. 34, p. 350).
Like his mother, he had an inexhaustible imagination, the gift of telling extraordinary stories. About Nikolai Nikolaevich I.S. Turgenev said that “he did not have the shortcomings that are needed to be a great writer...” (L.N. Tolstoy, vol. 34, p. 350). Nikolai told this younger brothers, “that he has a secret, through which, when it is revealed, all people will become happy, there will be no illnesses, no troubles, no one will be angry with anyone and everyone will love each other...
...Main secret... was, as he told us, written on a green stick, and this stick was buried by the road, on the edge of the Old Order ravine...” (L.N. Tolstoy, vol. 34, p. 386).
Nikolai Nikolaevich studied at the Faculty of Mathematics of Moscow University, and in 1844 he graduated from Kazan University. In 1846 he entered military service and was enlisted in an artillery brigade going to the Caucasus. In 1858, he retired with the rank of staff captain and spent time in his small house in Moscow and Nikolskoye-Vyazemsky.
In May 1860 he went for treatment to Soden, Germany, then moved to the south of France, to Gier, where he died of tuberculosis on September 20, 1860 at the age of 37 years.
(From the project "Leo Tolstoy")

N.N. Tolstoy - the eldest, beloved, early deceased brother of L.N. Tolstoy. Lev Nikolaevich noted more than once in his diaries and letters that he was greatly influenced by the versatile mind, charming character and literary talent of his older brother-friend. ABOUT literary talent Nikolai Nikolaevich L.N. Tolstoy responded like this: “...the qualities of a writer that he had were, first of all, a subtle artistic sense, an extreme sense of proportion, good-natured, cheerful humor, an extraordinary, inexhaustible imagination...”.
In 1851-1854. The Tolstoy brothers served together in the Caucasus: Nikolai Nikolaevich - as an artillery officer, Lev Nikolaevich - as a cadet.
In 1857, in Nekrasov’s magazine “Sovremennik” (No. 2), a series of essays by N.N. appeared in first place. Tolstoy "Hunting in the Caucasus". Nekrasov expressed his impressions of the essays in a letter to Turgenev on April 22, 2857: “The task that the author set himself, he completed masterfully and, in addition, discovered himself to be a poet. Poetry is in place here and pops up on its own in passing... the talent for observation and description, in my opinion, is enormous - the figure of the old Cossack is at first slightly touched, but, what is important, not shrunken, the love for nature itself and the bird is visible, and not a description of both . This is a good thing...”
Turgenev also highly praised “Hunting in the Caucasus.”
Essays by N.N. Tolstoy - a colorful description of Caucasian nature and hunting (and partly life and people). The essays are written in a free, easy and figurative language, are full of great lyrical feeling.
“Hunting in the Caucasus” is also interesting as a document characterizing the situation and environment in which the Tolstoy brothers lived and moved.
“Hunting in the Caucasus” is not the only work by N.N. Tolstoy. In 1926, a long story by N.N. was published in the magazine “Krasnaya Nov” (No. 5 and No. 7). Tolstoy “Plastun”, and in 1927 in the collection “Hunter’s Heart” - “Hunting Notes”.
The story “Plastun” (from the life of the Greben Cossacks) is remarkable for the fact that it was written in the artistic adventure genre, which was almost not typical of Russian literature of that time. It is very plot-driven, entertaining and heroic. “Hunting Notes” in its form is close to the type of Aksakov’s monographs.
(From the project "St. Petersburg Hunter")

Ivan Bunin about Nikolai Tolstoy

After thinking a little, he continued: “And while re-reading “The Cossacks,” I regretted only one thing: that at the same time I could not read “Hunting in the Caucasus” again, which you probably have never heard of. We know you..."
I muttered something incomprehensible, because I guessed what Ivan Alekseevich was talking about, although, in fact, I had never read the essay he named.
“But this is a truly beautiful thing, as if trying to convince me of something,” Bunin exclaimed almost with excitement in his voice. - Could it have been otherwise, if its author was such amazing person like Nikolai Tolstoy. If you get the chance, be sure to read this story, even if you don’t know anything about hunting. When I wrote my book about Tolstoy, I wanted to devote at least a few pages to his brother Nikolai, but I did not have enough materials at hand. After all, Nikolai Tolstoy died long before I was born. My father met him once or twice, and speaking about him, he could hardly hold back tears, but my father was not distinguished by sentimentality. Who remembers Nikolai Tolstoy now? Just read what Turgenev and Fet thought about him, who in his very unpretentious memoirs wrote that “Nikolai Tolstoy was wonderful person, about whom it is not enough to say that all his acquaintances loved him - they adored him.” Nicholas, in fact, quietly put into practice many of the ideas that his brother developed in his theoretical constructs. And Turgenev argued that Nikolai did not become a writer because he was deprived of the shortcomings that are needed to become one. You, of course, have no idea that Tolstoy cites these Turgenev words somewhere in his diaries and you have no idea how often I think about them...<...>
“Don’t distract me from what I still want to say about The Hunt,” he smiled. - I repeat, try to read it and you will see how amazingly transparent it is written, with such light humor that, by all means, it’s worth “Notes of a Hunter.” Any professional can learn from this amateur. Without further ado, he writes about what he saw, but how poetically all this is conveyed, and his Epishka, of course, is the prototype of the more colorful Uncle Eroshka, to whom Lev Nikolaevich, after all, gave a certain tendentiousness, wanting to portray him as a representative of the natural principle. After all, it was not for nothing that both brothers lived for some time together in the same Grebenskaya village, met the same people - so coincidences are inevitable.
Well done were the editors of Sovremennik,” Bunin reassured himself, “that a hunting essay is of no use to anyone.” famous Nicholas Tolstoy was placed in first place in one of the issues of their magazine. It was not entirely in vain that Nekrasov admitted that “the hand of Nikolai Tolstoy has a stronger command of the language than the hand of his brother” and that “far from literary circles has its advantages." What a clever girl Nekrasov is, whom you, of course, don’t like. Where are you? All you have to do is launch a pineapple into the sky! (This was Bunin’s favorite refrain when talking to me).
(From the page)

Works: (sent by David Titievsky)

Collection of essays "Hunting in the Caucasus" - April 2009

Excerpts from the book:

“During the grape harvest, you will certainly find the owner in each garden. All the Kizlyars, as a rule, move into the gardens. In general, they are very hospitable, but at this time, surrounded by an abundance of earthly fruits, when the grape harvest promises good profits, they receive with special cordiality everyone.
It must be said that the owners of the gardens are very happy when they hunt: since abreks hide in the gardens, often for several days, the presence of well-armed people and, in addition, good shooters, in some way, provides the owner of the garden...
One of my friends, a good hunting acquaintance, lived for several years in the Kizlyar gardens, now with one or another owner, who simply tried to lure him to themselves, gave him full content, i.e. tea, sugar, table, wine, dog food - in a word, everything he needed just so that he could live and hunt in their gardens."

“In his youth, Mamonov served in Russia as a cadet, - then, for some prank, he was demoted to non-commissioned officer and moved to the Caucasus, where he served for eleven years in the lower ranks. Despite the fact that Mamonov was really very brave and, to besides, very a kind person, despite several wounds he received, he did not serve anything and retired the same as he was; i.e. “from the nobility.” But he acquired a reputation as a desperate brave man, which is not very easy in the Caucasus, and as an excellent hunter. “Mamon himself said this,” the hunters said among themselves, “and this often resolved disputes. Mamonov's passion for hunting, over the years, took on incredible proportions: he resolutely lived for one hunt, risked his life for it, spoiled his service, quarreled with his superiors. Both the soldiers and the commanders loved him in the regiment; but both of them looked at him, it is true, as a truly brave man, but the most careless and useless for service. In a word, he fought off all hands, even from the Tatars, who were afraid of him and called Sheitan-agach (forest devil). Mamonov walked with his dogs along the most dangerous places alone, met with the mountaineers several times and always happily got rid of them. One day, while hunting, his ear was shot off; But this time he killed two or three people."

The story "Plastun. From the memories of a prisoner" - April 2009

Fragments from the story:

"I've never shot it; I don't like guns, I'm used to a bow. But now that everyone has a gun, remember that it's the main thing is yours weapons, and use them rarely. Don't shoot far, don't shoot close. When the enemy is close, take out your saber and cut, but remember that when you are on a horse, it is a shame to cut at the horse: try to hit the rider and always cut backhand from left to right, then the enemy will always remain under you right hand; if he remains behind, try to turn sharply to the left and shoot while he also turns his horse. In general, whether you shoot or chop, never let go of the reins. If you are on foot and the enemy is on horseback, cut down the horse; if you hit her, she herself will throw off the rider, then take out the dagger - this is the last weapon. However, Cossacks prefer to meet rams or cattle than Circassians; they go to steal, not to fight. Just be careful. Good man You must always be on your guard, and in the wrong direction be afraid of every bush. “Whoever is afraid of everything before a battle is afraid of nothing during a battle,” old people say.”

“From a young age, I began to hunt with Atalik, who was a hawk-watcher: he always had 5 or 6 wonderful hawks, hunters, balabans and Kyrgyz. At first I caught larks and various birds, catching them with a hawk, then I began to put springs and kalevs4 and catch pheasants, hares and partridges. I, I think, was no more than 8 years old when I started hunting, and I already spent entire nights sitting alone in the steppe. After that I hunted a lot, killed a lot of wild boars, wild goats, saigas, deer, aurochs, foxes and various animals, but even now I remember with pleasure how I guarded the pheasants then."

To the question Where and with whom did L.N. Tolstoy serve in the Russian army? Works that reflected his impressions of military service? given by the author Apricot the best answer is Tolstoy remained in the Caucasus for two years, participating in many skirmishes with the mountaineers and being exposed to all the dangers of combat. Caucasian life. He had rights and claims to the St. George Cross, but did not receive it, which apparently upset him. When the Crimean War broke out at the end of 1853, Tolstoy transferred to the Danube Army, participated in the battle of Oltenitsa and the siege of Silistria, and from November 1854 to the end of August 1855 he was in Sevastopol.
Tolstoy lived for a long time on the terrible 4th bastion, commanded a battery in the battle of Chernaya, and was during the hellish bombardment during the assault on Malakhov Kurgan. Despite all the horrors of the siege, Tolstoy at this time wrote a battle story from Caucasian life, “Cutting Wood,” and the first of three “Sevastopol stories,” “Sevastopol in December 1854.” . This last story he sent it to Sovremennik. Immediately printed, the story was eagerly read throughout Russia and made a stunning impression with its picture of the horrors that befell the defenders of Sevastopol. The story was noticed by Emperor Nicholas; he ordered to take care of the gifted officer, which, however, was impossible for Tolstoy, who did not want to become the hated “staff officer.”
Stele in memory of a participant in the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855. L. N. Tolstoy at the fourth bastion
For the defense of Sevastopol, Tolstoy was awarded the Order of St. Anne with the inscription “For bravery” and the medals “For the defense of Sevastopol 1854-1855” and “In memory of the war of 1853-1856.” . Surrounded by the brilliance of fame and enjoying the reputation of a very brave officer, Tolstoy had every chance of a career, but he “ruined” it for himself. Almost the only time in my life (except for the “Connection” made for children different options epics in one" in his pedagogical works) he dabbled in poetry: he wrote a satirical song, in the manner of soldiers, about the unfortunate case of August 4 (16), 1855, when General Read, misunderstanding the order of the commander-in-chief, unwisely attacked the Fedyukhinsky heights. The song (Like the fourth, it was not easy for us to take away mountains), which affected a number of important generals, had great success and, of course, harmed the author. Immediately after the assault on August 27 (September 8), Tolstoy was sent by courier to St. Petersburg, where he completed “Sevastopol in May 1855” and wrote “Sevastopol in August 1855.”

Answer from Soon[guru]
I think that his military impressions were reflected not only in the Sevastopol stories - following fresh tracks, but also later in the novel "War and Peace", although this is a completely different war.

Answer from Flush[guru]
Having entered the army as a cadet, he later passed the exam for junior officer rank. The writer's impressions of Caucasian War reflected in the stories “Raid” (1853), “Cutting Wood” (1855), “Demoted” (1856), and in the story “Cossacks” (1852-1863). In the Caucasus, the story “Childhood” was completed, published in the magazine “Sovremennik” in 1852. Having entered the army as a cadet, he later passed the exam for the junior officer rank. The writer's impressions of the Caucasian War were reflected in the stories "Raid" (1853), "Cutting Wood" (1855), "Demoted" (1856), and in the story "Cossacks" (1852-1863). In the Caucasus, the story “Childhood” was completed, published in 1852 in the magazine “Sovremennik”.
When the Crimean War began, Tolstoy was transferred from the Caucasus to the Danube Army, which was operating against the Turks, and then to Sevastopol, which was besieged by the combined forces of England, France and Turkey. Commanding the battery on the 4th bastion, Tolstoy was awarded the Order of Anna and the medals “For the Defense of Sevastopol” and “In Memory of the War of 1853-1856.” More than once Tolstoy was nominated for the military Cross of St. George, but he never received the “George.” In the army, Tolstoy wrote a number of projects - about the reformation of artillery batteries and the creation of artillery battalions armed with rifled guns, about the reformation of the entire Russian army. Together with a group of officers of the Crimean Army, Tolstoy intended to publish the magazine "Soldier's Bulletin" ("Military Leaflet"), but its publication was not authorized by Emperor Nicholas I.
Later, turning to the memories of this period of his life, Tolstoy created the story “Hadji Murad”.
L. N. Tolstoy lived long life and have never been seriously ill. The secret is very simple - physical exercise.
L.N. Tolstoy was fond of cycling and horseback riding. At 82, he rode 20 kilometers or more a day on horseback.
He loved to mow, dig, saw. At the age of 70, L.N. Tolstoy won the ice skating race against the youth who were visiting Yasnaya Polyana. About his passion for physical activities, he wrote that “... with assiduous mental work without movement, there is real grief. Don’t walk, don’t work with your legs and arms for at least one day, in the evening I’m no longer fit for anything: I can’t read, write, or even listen carefully to others, my head is spinning, and there are some stars in my eyes, and the night is spent without sleep. "

Lev Tolstoy is one of the most famous writers and philosophers in the world. His views and beliefs formed the basis of an entire religious and philosophical movement called Tolstoyism. Literary heritage the writer amounted to 90 volumes of fiction and journalistic works, diary notes and letters, and he himself was more than once nominated for Nobel Prize in Literature and the Nobel Peace Prize.

“Do everything that you have determined to be done.”

Family tree of Leo Tolstoy. Image: regnum.ru

Silhouette of Maria Tolstoy (nee Volkonskaya), mother of Leo Tolstoy. 1810s. Image: wikipedia.org

Leo Tolstoy was born on September 9, 1828 in the Yasnaya Polyana estate in the Tula province. He was the fourth child in a large noble family. Tolstoy was orphaned early. His mother died when he was not yet two years old, and at the age of nine he lost his father. Aunt Alexandra Osten-Saken became the guardian of Tolstoy's five children. The two older children moved to their aunt in Moscow, while the younger ones remained in Yasnaya Polyana. The most important and dear memories are associated with the family estate early childhood Lev Tolstoy.

In 1841, Alexandra Osten-Sacken died, and the Tolstoys moved to their aunt Pelageya Yushkova in Kazan. Three years after moving, Leo Tolstoy decided to enter the prestigious Imperial Kazan University. However, he did not like studying, he considered exams a formality, and university professors as incompetent. Tolstoy did not even try to get a scientific degree; in Kazan he was more attracted to secular entertainment.

In April 1847, Leo Tolstoy's student life ended. He inherited his share of the property, including his beloved Yasnaya Polyana, and immediately went home without receiving higher education. IN family estate Tolstoy tried to improve his life and start writing. He drew up his education plan: study languages, history, medicine, mathematics, geography, law, Agriculture, natural Sciences. However, he soon came to the conclusion that it is easier to make plans than to implement them.

Tolstoy's asceticism was often replaced by carousing and card games. Wanting to start what he thought was the right life, he created a daily routine. But he didn’t follow it either, and in his diary he again noted his dissatisfaction with himself. All these failures prompted Leo Tolstoy to change his lifestyle. An opportunity presented itself in April 1851: the elder brother Nikolai arrived in Yasnaya Polyana. At that time he served in the Caucasus, where there was a war. Leo Tolstoy decided to join his brother and went with him to a village on the banks of the Terek River.

Leo Tolstoy served on the outskirts of the empire for almost two and a half years. He whiled away his time by hunting, playing cards, and occasionally participating in raids into enemy territory. Tolstoy liked such a solitary and monotonous life. It was in the Caucasus that the story “Childhood” was born. While working on it, the writer found a source of inspiration that remained important to him until the end of his life: he used his own memories and experiences.

In July 1852, Tolstoy sent the manuscript of the story to Sovremennik magazine and attached a letter: “...I look forward to your verdict. He will either encourage me to continue my favorite activities, or force me to burn everything I started.”. Editor Nikolai Nekrasov liked the work of the new author, and soon “Childhood” was published in the magazine. Inspired by the first success, the writer soon began the continuation of “Childhood”. In 1854, he published a second story, “Adolescence”, in the Sovremennik magazine.

“The main thing is literary works”

Leo Tolstoy in his youth. 1851. Image: school-science.ru

Lev Tolstoy. 1848. Image: regnum.ru

Lev Tolstoy. Image: old.orlovka.org.ru

At the end of 1854, Leo Tolstoy arrived in Sevastopol - the epicenter of military operations. Being in the thick of things, he created the story “Sevastopol in December.” Although Tolstoy was unusually frank in describing battle scenes, the first Sevastopol story was deeply patriotic and glorified the bravery of Russian soldiers. Soon Tolstoy began working on his second story, “Sevastopol in May.” By that time, there was nothing left of his pride in the Russian army. The horror and shock that Tolstoy experienced on the front line and during the siege of the city greatly influenced his work. Now he wrote about the meaninglessness of death and the inhumanity of war.

In 1855, from the ruins of Sevastopol, Tolstoy traveled to sophisticated St. Petersburg. The success of the first Sevastopol story gave him a sense of purpose: “My career is literature - writing and writing! Starting tomorrow, I work all my life or give up everything, rules, religion, decency - everything.”. In the capital, Leo Tolstoy finished “Sevastopol in May” and wrote “Sevastopol in August 1855” - these essays completed the trilogy. And in November 1856, the writer finally left military service.

Thanks to true stories O Crimean War Tolstoy entered the St. Petersburg literary circle magazine "Contemporary". During this period, he wrote the story “Blizzard”, the story “Two Hussars”, and finished the trilogy with the story “Youth”. However, after some time, relations with the writers from the circle deteriorated: “These people disgusted me, and I disgusted myself.”. To unwind, at the beginning of 1857 Leo Tolstoy went abroad. He visited Paris, Rome, Berlin, Dresden: he met famous works art, met artists, observed how people live in European cities. The journey did not inspire Tolstoy: he created the story “Lucerne”, in which he described his disappointment.

Leo Tolstoy at work. Image: kartinkinaden.ru

Leo Tolstoy in Yasnaya Polyana. Image: kartinkinaden.ru

Leo Tolstoy tells a fairy tale to his grandchildren Ilyusha and Sonya. 1909. Krekshino. Photo: Vladimir Chertkov / wikipedia.org

In the summer of 1857, Tolstoy returned to Yasnaya Polyana. At his native estate, he continued to work on the story “Cossacks”, and also wrote the story “Three Deaths” and the novel “Family Happiness”. In his diary, Tolstoy defined his purpose for himself at that time: "Main - literary works, then - family responsibilities, then - farming... And so to live for yourself - according to good deed a day and that's enough".

In 1899, Tolstoy wrote the novel Resurrection. In this work, the writer criticized the judicial system, the army, and the government. The contempt with which Tolstoy described the institution of the church in his novel “Resurrection” provoked a response. In February 1901, in the journal Tserkovnye Vedomosti, the Holy Synod published a resolution excommunicating Count Leo Tolstoy from the church. This decision only increased Tolstoy's popularity and attracted the public's attention to the writer's ideals and beliefs.

Literary and social activity Tolstoy became known abroad. The writer was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901, 1902 and 1909 and for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1902–1906. Tolstoy himself did not want to receive the award and even told the Finnish writer Arvid Järnefelt to try to prevent the award from being awarded because, “if this happened... it would be very unpleasant to refuse” “He [Chertkov] took the unfortunate old man into his hands in every possible way, he separated us, he killed the artistic spark in Lev Nikolaevich and kindled condemnation, hatred, denial, which can be felt in Lev Nikolaevich’s articles recent years, which his stupid evil genius egged him on".

Tolstoy himself was burdened by the life of a landowner and family man. He sought to bring his life into line with his beliefs and in early November 1910 secretly left the Yasnaya Polyana estate. The road turned out to be too much for the elderly man: on the way he became seriously ill and was forced to stay in the house of the caretaker of the Astapovo railway station. Here the writer spent last days own life. Leo Tolstoy died on November 20, 1910. The writer was buried in Yasnaya Polyana.