The death of Leo Tolstoy shocked the whole world. The 82-year-old writer died not in his own house, but in the house of a railway employee, at Astapovo station, 500 km from Yasnaya Polyana. Despite his advanced age, in the last days of his life he was determined and, as always, was in search of truth. Leo Tolstoy's death overtook on the road to Rostov-on-Don. Why did the writer suddenly leave the house? What preceded the event that took place in Astapovo?
The whole world learned about the death of a Russian prose writer in November 1910. It is worth considering: in those days, the media did not work as fast as today. Astapovo Station, later named after the great humanist, has become a pilgrimage site for journalists from around the world. The years of birth and death of Leo Tolstoy - 1828-1910. It is very difficult to summarize a detailed biography of one of the most influential personalities at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. But here are the basic facts from the life of the great classic.
Many people remember from school times, thanks to the story "Childhood", about some of the events from an early period in the biography of Leo Tolstoy. The following is known about death: the writer left the house, took the train, suddenly felt bad on the way, went to Astapovo, died in the house of a station clerk. Tolstoy was a unique person, and therefore the last days of his life raise many questions. Why did he go on a long journey at the 83rd year of his life? What was it - the whim of the old genius or the indefatigable passion for change?
Childhood and youth
Ancestral fever is a concept that was common in those days when Leo Tolstoy was born. The date of death of the writer's mother is August 4, 1830. She died when he was not even two years old. He was a late child. Maria Nikolaevna Volkonskaya November 10, 1790 was supposed to be forty years old.
The upbringing relative of Count Tolstoy took up the children. Soon, his father died. The early years of Leo Tolstoy passed in Yasnaya Polyana, where he lived until 1840. Then the children were taken to the guardian Yushkov in Kazan.
The young man wanted to shine in society. But he was shy, did not have an attractive appearance. In addition, in his early years he was visited by thoughts about the meaning of life, which, as you know, kill everything in a person that is carefree, easy.
University
In 1844, the future writer entered the Faculty of Mathematics. He showed no special abilities and, according to the results of the first academic year, had to take a second course. Then Tolstoy transferred to the law faculty. But here he did not become the best student. He did not graduate from the law faculty. Two years later, he quit university.
The beginning of the literary path
In 1847, Tolstoy returned to Yasnaya Polyana, where he wrote his first works. One of them is Landowner's Morning. In 1848, the young writer left for Moscow, settled in a house on the Arbat. He planned to start preparing for the candidate exams. But failed. Secular life distracted the count from studies. In addition, during this period, Tolstoy became interested in a card game.
He was a very gambling man, and therefore often found himself in a difficult financial situation. Leo Tolstoy loved music, played well on the piano. Not for nothing that one of his famous works is called “The Kreutzer Sonata”. True, most of the time was still spent not on playing music, but on the game, revelry and hunting.
Tolstoy has been working on the story Childhood since 1850. It took a year to write this work. Then a break came in Tolstoy's literary activity. Brother of Lev Nikolaevich, who served in the Caucasus, arrived in Yasnaya Polyana. He invited him to join the military service. He agreed, but not because he was looking for thrills, but because of card debts, which by that time had accumulated a lot.
In the Caucasus
So, the young writer, the future author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, became a cunker. He spent two years in the Caucasus. The death of Leo Tolstoy awaited at every turn. He participated in numerous skirmishes with the highlanders, almost every day was exposed to the dangers of military life. He could have received the St. George Cross, but refused an honorary award in favor of a colleague.
During the Crimean War, Tolstoy was transferred to the Danube Army, where he participated in the battle of Oltenitsa. He spent almost a year in Sevastopol, here he witnessed the events that formed the basis of the famous storybook. In 1855, Tolstoy commanded a battery at the battle of Chernoy. Despite the horrors of the siege and the hardships of military life, he managed to write the story “Logging in the forest” during this period. He sent this work to the journal Sovremennik, whose editor-in-chief already knew him from his novel Childhood. The story was published, he read all of Russia. The work “Logging” was appreciated by Alexander II himself. For participation in the defense of Sevastopol, Leo Tolstoy received the Order of St. Anne of the 4th degree.
He had every chance to make a brilliant military career. However, Lev Nikolayevich was reckless to write several soldierly songs in a sharp satirical spirit that offended prominent generals.
“Sevastopol Stories” was published in 1855, after which Tolstoy strengthened his reputation as a representative of the new literary generation. He resigned as a lieutenant.
In Europe
Lieutenant Tolstoy spent some time in Petersburg. Here he met with Ivan Turgenev. Friendship struck up between the writers. However, Tolstoy had a difficult character. Once between the colleagues there was a serious quarrel.
Turgenev was reckless to brag about the generosity of his daughter, who was darning clothes for the poor. Tolstoy commented on this as: "A dressed-up girl looks absurd when she holds a miserable rag in her tender hands." The writer hinted at the ostentatious virtue of Turgenev’s daughter, which, of course, did not like. Russian classics did not speak after this quarrel for many years. However, this story happened later. And in the late fifties, Tolstoy went on a trip to Europe, from where he wrote to a friend letters full of warmth and participation.
First of all, a retired lieutenant went to France. In Paris, he was struck by the cult of Napoleon. However, he liked a lot in the way of life of the French aristocrats. He enjoyed visiting museums, balls and enjoying the "sense of social freedom." At the same time, in France, and in Germany, and in England, he managed to see through the brilliant cover of European culture the deep contrast between wealth and poverty.
Tolstoy returned to Russia. But not for long. The next trip to Europe was no longer so idle. This time, Tolstoy was seriously concerned about the education of Germany and France. He watched, talked with experts. The ideas of rapprochement with the people of Tolstoy began to be visited already in the late fifties. He even started an affair with a peasant woman and was going to marry her. But these plans were not destined to come true.
During his stay in France, Nikolai, the brother of Leo Tolstoy, died of tuberculosis. The death of the closest person made a strong impression on the young writer.
In 1860, Tolstoy worked hard, but the criticism for him got cold. The writer could regain interest only after the release of Anna Karenina. However, Tolstoy did not seek communication with colleagues. He made an exception only for the poet Athanasius Fet. In the early sixties, the aforementioned quarrel with Turgenev occurred, which ruined the relationship between the writers for a long seventeen years.
Karalyk
In 1862, Tolstoy married Sofya Andreevna. In the same year, he arrived at the Karalyk farm located in the Samara region. The writer suffered from depression, and doctors recommended him koumissotherapy. It is not known what helped - the use of a dairy product or Bashkir air, but the writer’s mental state improved. Ten years later, when the novel War and Peace was already published, Tolstoy bought the estate here.
School of Leo Tolstoy
The writer took up public education before the Peasant Reform. First of all, he organized a school in Yasnaya Polyana. It was an institution unusual for 19th century Russia. Tolstoy rejected strict discipline. Children at his school sat as they liked. There was no specific educational program. The task of the teacher was to interest their wards. Classes at school were successful. In 1862, the writer began to publish the journal "Yasnaya Polyana", dedicated to pedagogy.
However, schools had to close. Tolstoy had children, in addition, he began work on the novel War and Peace. Ten years later, he returned to pedagogy, created his own alphabet and released a series of "Russian books to read."
The heyday of literary creativity
For twelve years, novels were written that glorified the author not only in Russia, but also abroad. These are works “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina”. The first was preceded by work on Decembrists. This novel was never completed.
In 1861, an excerpt from War and Peace was published in the journal Russian Bulletin. The release of the full version of the novel resonated in society. The book has become a unique phenomenon in world literature. With equal pleasure, critics and readers met Anna Karenina.
Spiritual crisis
Every year, Tolstoy asked himself more and more questions. What will happen if he surpasses Gogol, Pushkin, Moliere? What will change in his life if he acquires six thousand tithes in the Samara province? Why you need to think about parenting? To find answers to these questions, he set about studying theology. Tolstoy talked with priests, monks, elders, visited Optina deserts, which gained wide popularity in Russia in the second half of the XIX century. But all this did not help him find answers to exciting questions.
Gradually he renounced the comfort of a rich life. He did a lot of physical work, dressed in simple clothes, became a vegetarian. Moreover, he refused the rights to literary property. In the 70s, a new period began in his work. Most of the works written during these years are journalism, reflections on religion, morality, and family.
Tolstoy turned to Alexander III with a request to have mercy on the terrorist Narodovoltsy who participated in the organization of the murder of Alexander II. But he refused. Active social activity led to the fact that in the fall of 1882 Tolstoy was established undercover surveillance. However, by that time his ideas managed to penetrate into society. His works were banned, but they continued to publish underground.
Excommunication
In adulthood, Leo Tolstoy actively attended services, fasted. But over the years he began to oppose the Church. In 1901, the Synod publicly condemned the writer. Theologians claim that this was not an anathema, but a statement of the fact that Tolstoy voluntarily ceases to be a member of the Church.
The writer in “Response to the Synod” said that he really renounces the church, but does not do this because he rebels against the Lord, but on the contrary, because he desires to serve him with all his strength.
The departure and death of Leo Tolstoy
On November 10, 1910, the writer left Yasnaya Polyana, and he did it secretly. He decided to spend the rest of his life in harmony with his views. However, he did not have a clear plan of action.
He went to the Shchekino station, drove to Gorbachevo, there he transferred to another train. He made another transplant, got to Kozelsk, from there went to Optina deserts. But he did not dare to enter the monastery. Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy did not have a specific purpose of travel.
The cause of the death of the writer was pneumonia, which led to a seemingly innocuous cold. On the way, he felt bad. His condition worsened so much that they carried him out at Astapovo station. Doctors immediately arrived here. They fought for the life of the writer, but he only answered, "God will arrange everything."
September 9, 1828 - November 20, 1910 - the dates of the life and death of Leo Tolstoy. He died at the age of 82. The circumstances of the death of Leo Tolstoy were briefly described in all Russian and foreign newspapers. But the demise itself was not a surprise. The whole world knew about his serious illness.
In an inconspicuous house in Astapovo, Leo Tolstoy was overtaken by death. In the biography of the station chief, this short period became the most remarkable. His name was Ivan Ozolin. Seven days around his house, journalists gathered to collect information about what was happening and write first about the death of Leo Tolstoy. Shortly before his death, the elder Barsanuphius tried to talk with the writer. The Optina clergyman hoped to reconcile Tolstoy with the Church. But he was not allowed to the dying writer.
The death of Leo Tolstoy at Astapovo station did not leave anyone indifferent. Fans of his work, Moscow students, and local peasants gathered at the funeral. In Russia, this was the first public farewell to a celebrity. The authorities were afraid of the rally, and therefore representatives of state bodies were sent to Yasnaya Polyana.
Shortly before his death, Leo Tolstoy briefly stated in his will how the funeral should be held. He was against the funeral service, but this was not a categorical requirement. At the same time, Leo Tolstoy insisted in his will that his funeral should be held as simply and cheaply as possible.
The house of the station chief, in which the great writer died, is today included in the list of monuments of federal significance. The station was renamed in honor of Leo Tolstoy eight years after his death.