Leo Tolstoy

Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy 1848

Ge Sophia Tolstaya

Leon tolstoi

L.N.Tolstoy Prokudin-Gorsky

Gandhi Tolstoy Farm

Tolstoy organising famine relief in Samara, 1891

Leo Tolstoy, also known as Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (9 September 1828 – 20 November 1910), was a Russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time. Born to an aristocratic Russian family in 1828, he is best known for his novels War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1877), which are often cited as pinnacles of realist fiction. Tolstoy's works have had a profound and lasting impact on literature, philosophy, and ethics. His ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in works such as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, had a significant influence on 20th-century figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr..

Early Life and Education

Tolstoy was born at Yasnaya Polyana, his family's estate in the Tula Province of Russia. He was the fourth of five children in a wealthy family of Russian nobility. After losing his mother at the age of two and his father at the age of nine, Tolstoy was raised by relatives. In 1844, he began studying law and oriental languages at Kazan University but left without completing his degree, disillusioned by the standard of education. He returned to Yasnaya Polyana, determined to educate himself and manage his estate, but was largely unsuccessful in both endeavors.

Literary Career

Tolstoy's early works were autobiographical in nature, a trilogy of novels that include Childhood (1852), Boyhood (1854), and Youth (1856), which were well received and marked the beginning of his literary career. However, it was his later works, War and Peace and Anna Karenina, that cemented his reputation as a giant of Russian literature. These novels explored a wide range of human emotions and the complexities of life in Russian society, showcasing Tolstoy's skill in character development and his philosophical questioning of life and war.

Philosophical and Religious Beliefs

In the 1870s, Tolstoy experienced a profound moral crisis, followed by a spiritual awakening, which led him to develop a radical anarcho-pacifist Christian philosophy. He rejected the Russian Orthodox Church, criticizing its hypocrisy and the state's use of violence. He advocated for nonviolence, vegetarianism, and the abolition of private property, and he became a vocal critic of the injustices of society. His philosophical essays, such as What I Believe (1884) and The Kingdom of God Is Within You (1894), outlined his beliefs and criticized both church and state for their role in perpetuating violence.

Legacy

Tolstoy's influence extends beyond literature and philosophy. His advocacy for nonviolence directly influenced the nonviolent resistance movements of the 20th century. Despite facing excommunication from the Russian Orthodox Church, his works and ideas have continued to resonate with readers and thinkers around the world. His estate, Yasnaya Polyana, has been preserved as a museum where visitors can explore his life and works.

Tolstoy's contributions to literature, philosophy, and social reform have made him a towering figure in world history. His exploration of moral and spiritual questions remains relevant, inspiring discussions on ethics, religion, and nonviolent resistance.