The surname Tolstoy in our view is closely connected with literary work, and this is no coincidence. In Russian prose and poetry there were as many as three well-known authors who wore it: Lev Nikolaevich, Alexei Konstantinovich, and Alexei Nikolaevich Tolstoy. The works written by them are unrelated, but the authors themselves are united by consanguineous, albeit distant. All of them are representatives of a large noble branch. Tatyana Tolstaya, a modern writer, by the way, also belongs to this genus. Although the most famous representative of this noble branch is, of course, Lev Nikolaevich, today we invite you to get acquainted with the work of Alexei Konstantinovich. The works of Alexei Nikolaevich Tolstoy also deserve close attention. However, this is the topic of a completely different article. So, for example, the namesake of the poet and writer Aleksey Tolstoy of our interest created works for children, which to this day are very popular and fascinating.
Biography of Tolstoy Alexei Konstantinovich
Alexey Konstantinovich Tolstoy (years of life - 1817-1875) - poet, writer, playwright. He was born in Petersburg. He came from the Razumovsky family on the maternal side (his great-grandfather - the last hetman of Little Russia K. Razumovsky, and his grandfather, A.K. Razumovsky - the Minister of Education under Tsar Alexander I). The father of the future writer is Count K.P. Tolstoy, with whom his mother broke up immediately after the birth of the boy. Aleksey Konstantinovich was brought up under the guidance of his parent and her brother, A. A. Perovsky, a writer who encouraged the poetic experiences of young Tolstoy.
In 1834, he was hired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the Moscow Archive. After that he was in the diplomatic service. Tolstoy Alexei, whose works we will present to you below, received in 1843 the title of chamber junker.
Fantastic novels and romantic prose
In the late 1830s - early 1840s, he created fantastic novels gravitating to the Gothic novel, as well as romantic prose: "A Meeting After Three Years", "The Ghoul's Family". His first published work is the novel “Ghoul” written in 1841, created under the pseudonym Krasnorogsky. Also in the 1840s, Aleksey Konstantinovich began work on a historical novel called “Prince of Silver” (completed in 1861), at the same time a whole series of lyrical ballads and poems were published, which appeared later (in the 1850-60s years). Many works by Alexei Tolstoy gained great popularity. Their list is as follows: "Barrow", "My bells", "Prince Mikhailo Repnin", as well as "Vasily Shibanov" and others.
Collaboration in Sovremennik
In the early 1850s, Tolstoy came closer to N. A. Nekrasov, I. S. Turgenev and other writers. Beginning in 1854, Sovremennik published its literary parodies and poems. Co-authored with V. M. and A. M. Zhemchuzhnikovs (their cousins) in the department of this journal "Literary Yeralash" satirical-parody works were published under the pseudonym Kozma Prutkov. The creativity of this fictional author became a mirror of phenomena obsolete in literature and at the same time created a satirical picture of a bureaucrat who claims to be a legislator of artistic taste.
Tolstoy Alexei, whose works by that time were already numerous, having departed from participation in Sovremennik, began to appear in Russian Talk in 1857, and later, in the 1860-70s, mainly in Vestnik Evropy, as well as the Russian Herald. At this time, he defended the principles of the so-called "pure art", that is, independent of any political ideas, including "progressive" ones.
In 1861, Tolstoy Aleksey Konstantinovich, whose works are considered in this article, finally leaves the service, which greatly weighed him, and completely focuses on literary work.
In 1862, his poem "Don Juan" was published, the next - "Prince of Silver" (novel). In 1866, the first part of a large creation, the historical trilogy The Death of Ivan the Terrible, comes out, two years later, the second, Tsar Fedor Ioannovich, and in 1870, the final, Tsar Boris.
Lyrical heritage
When answering the question about what works Alexey Tolstoy wrote, it is impossible not to note his lyrics. In 1867, the first poetry collection of this author appears. In the last ten years of his life, he wrote ballads (1868 - “Serpent Tugarin”, 1869 - “Song of Harald and Yaroslavna”, 1870 - “Roman Galitsky”, 1871 - “Ilya Muromets”, etc.). There were also political satire in verses ("History of the Russian State ...", published in 1883, "Popov's Dream" - in 1882, etc.), lyric poems and poems (1874 - "Portrait", 1875 - "Dragon" )
General characteristics of creativity
The work of Alexei Konstantinovich is imbued with the unity of philosophical ideas, motives, lyrical emotions. One can note an interest in such problems as the philosophy of history, national antiquity, love of nature, rejection of tsarist tyranny - these features of Tolstoy’s creativity are reflected in many of his works relating to various genres. The ideal structure of the country, corresponding to the Russian national character, Alexei Konstantinovich considered ancient Novgorod and Kievan Rus. The way of life of Russia of that time seemed to him as follows: the high level of development of various arts, the importance of such a cultural layer as the aristocracy, the prince’s respect for the freedom and personal dignity of citizens, the simplicity of morals, the diversity and breadth of international relations, especially with Europe.
Ballads
The ballads depicting the images of Ancient Rus are permeated with lyricism, they reflect their creator’s passionate dream of spiritual independence, as well as admiration for the heroic whole natures that Alexei Tolstoy portrayed in folk epic poetry. The works, the list of which is offered to you (“Matchmaking”, “Ilya Muromets”, “Kanut”, “Alyosha Popovich” and other ballads) are marked by the fact that the images of legendary heroes in them, plots of historical events illustrate the author’s thought, embody his ideals (to for example, Prince Vladimir of Kiev). By their artistic means, they are close to some other lyric poems by Aleksei Konstantinovich (“You'll be mine ...”, “If you love me without reason,” “Blagovest”, etc.).
Tolstoy's ballads depicting the era of strengthening statehood in Russia are permeated through with a dramatic beginning. Their plots are the events of the reign of Ivan the Terrible, whom the poet considered the most vivid exponent of the principle of absorption by the state of the individual and unlimited autocracy.
Ballads are "dramatic" in their form more traditional than "lyric", which relate mainly to the late 1860s - early 1870s. However, these works of Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy are marked by the fact that he acted as an original poet, able to modify the structure of the genre.
For example, in one of the ballads, “Vasily Shibanov,” he revises the classic situation of a dispute with the king of a freedom-loving subject, which became widespread under the influence of the works of F. Schiller. Passing on how Kurbsky exposes Ivan the Terrible, Tolstoy in the participants in this dramatic conflict - the rebellious boyar and the tsar - emphasizes the general: ingratitude, inhumanity, pride. The readiness to suffer for the truth, the ability to sacrifice, Alexey Konstantinovich finds in a simple man who is sacrificed to this dispute by the powers that be. Thus, a slave wins a moral victory over the king and restores with his feat the triumph of the true greatness of man over the imaginary. Like other "dramatic" ballads of this author, "Vasily Shibanov" in terms of his and the psychological complexity of the images of the heroes, as well as the creator's ethical approach to historical events, draws close to the works of large genres written by Alexey Tolstoy. These works we will now consider.
Tolstoy's novels
Alexey Konstantinovich in his novel "Prince of Silver" depicts violent clashes in an environment of unbridled tyranny of strong people and shows that arbitrariness has a detrimental effect on the personality of the monarch and on his environment. In this work, it is noted that, aloof from the already ruined court circle, sometimes even gifted people belonging to different sectors of society, who are even forced to hide from social oppression and persecution, nevertheless “make history”, protect the country from attacks by external enemies, master and open new lands (Ermak Timofeevich, Mitka, Ivan Ring, Prince Serebryany, etc.). The style of this work is associated with the traditions of the novel and the historical novel of the 1830s, including those coming from such stories by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol as Taras Bulba and Terrible Revenge.
Dramatic work
In the aforementioned dramatic trilogy, the author depicted Russian life of the late 16th century - early 17th. And in these plays, it is more important for him to solve various historical and philosophical problems than to strictly follow historical facts. Aleksey Konstantinovich depicts the tragedy of three reigns, three autocrats: Ivan the Terrible, obsessed with the idea that his power is of divine origin, the kind-hearted ruler of Fedor and the wise Boris Godunov, a "brilliant ambitious man."
Tolstoy Alexey, whose works often depicted past eras, devoted much attention to creating original, individual and vivid portraits of historical persons. His great achievement is the image of Sovereign Fedor, which indicates that in the 1860s the writer adopted the principles of psychological realism. In 1898, the Moscow Art Theater was opened by staging the tragedy of this author - "Tsar Fedor Ioannovich." These are the main dramatic works of Alexei Tolstoy. The list of them can be continued, since we have listed only the main ones.
Political satire
Features of the historical worldview of Alexei Konstantinovich are reflected in his political satire. For example, behind such an anecdotal plot that was in the work of "Popov's Dream", the author's mockery of the liberals was hidden. The verses with the nihilists were reflected in verses Against the Current or, for example, Sometimes Happy May ... and others. In "History of the State ..." Alexey Konstantinovich subjected historical phenomena to merciless ridicule, he believed that they prevented Russia from living.
Intimate Lyrics
Unlike ballads and dramaturgy, the author’s intimate lyrics were alien to the high tone. Sincere and simple lyrical works of Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy. Many of them are, as it were, psychological poetic short stories (“That was in the early spring”, “In the midst of a noisy ball, by chance ...”).
Music created based on the works of Alexey Konstantinovich
Alexey Konstantinovich introduced elements of a folk poetic style into his work, often his poems are close to the song. Many of the creations that Alexey Tolstoy created were put to music. The works (the list includes more than 70 poems) became the basis for romances that were written in his words by P.I. Tchaikovsky, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, S.I. Taneev, M.P. Musorgsky and others.