Leo Tolstoy was left without early. A short biography of Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich - childhood and adolescence, the search for his place in life. The tragedy of Leo Tolstoy. Documentary

TOLSTOY L.N.

Russian writer, count, public figure, classic of Russian literature of the 19th century.

Tolstoy House-Museum in Yasnaya Polyana:

Russia. Large linguistic and cultural dictionary. - M.: State Institute Russian language named after. A.S. Pushkin. AST-Press. T.N. Chernyavskaya, K.S. Miloslavskaya, E.G. Rostova, O.E. Frolova, V.I. Borisenko, Yu.A. Vyunov, V.P. Chudnov. 2007 .

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Tolstoy L. N.- Tolstoy L.N. TOLSTOY Lev Nikolaevich (1828 1910). I. Biography. R. in Yasnaya Polyana, formerly Tula lips. Came from ancient noble family. T.’s grandfather, Count Ilya Andreevich (prototype of I. A. Rostov from “War and Peace”), went bankrupt towards the end of his life.… … Literary encyclopedia

TOLSTOY- Lev Nikolaevich (born September 9, 1828, Yasnaya Polyana - died November 20, 1910, Astapovo, Ryazan province) - Russian. writer and thinker. IN autobiographical trilogy“Childhood”, “Adolescence” and “Youth” (1852 – 1857), exploring the “dialectics of the soul”, expressed... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

Tolstoy A.K.- Tolstoy A.K. TOLSTOY Alexey Konstantinovich, count (1817 1875) poet, playwright and fiction writer. Early childhood spent in Ukraine, on the estate of his uncle A. Perovsky, a writer famous in the 20s. under the pseudonym Pogorelsky. Got homemade... ... Literary encyclopedia

Tolstoy A. N.- Tolstoy A. N. TOLSTOY Alexey Nikolaevich (January 11, 1883) one of the largest Soviet writers. R. in Sosnovka, a steppe farm in Samara province. He was brought up in the family of a stepfather of a bankrupt landowner. Mother is a writer, published under a pseudonym... ... Literary encyclopedia

Tolstoy- D. A., Count (1823 1889) Minister of Education and Internal Affairs of Tsarist Russia. He began his career in the Department of Spiritual Affairs. In 1865 he was appointed chief prosecutor of the synod, and in 1866 minister of public education. On this post... ... 1000 biographies

Tolstoy L.N.- Tolstoy L.N. Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich (1828 1910) Russian writer Aphorisms, quotes by Tolstoy L.N. biography All thoughts that have huge consequences are always simple. Our good qualities harm us more in life than bad ones. Human… …

Tolstoy A.K.- Tolstoy A.K. Tolstoy Alexey Konstantinovich (1817 1875) Russian writer, poet, playwright. Aphorisms, quotes Prince Silver: The Tale of the Times of Ivan the Terrible, late 1840 x 1861 The Tsar, preparing to go to Suzdal on a pilgrimage, announced in advance that... ... Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms

Tolstoy A.N.- Tolstoy A.N. Tolstoy Alexey Nikolaevich (1882 1945) Russian writer. Aphorisms, quotes The Golden Key, or the adventures of Pinocchio, 1936 *) This teaching will not bring you any good... So I studied, studied, and look, I walk on three legs. (fox… … Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms

thick - great writer Russian land, Yasnaya Polyana sage Dictionary of Russian synonyms. Tolstoy noun, number of synonyms: 2 great writer of the Russian land... Synonym dictionary

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy is the greatest Russian writer, writer, one of the world's greatest writers, thinker, educator, publicist, corresponding member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. Thanks to him, not only works appeared that are included in the treasury of world literature, but also an entire religious and moral movement - Tolstoyism.

Tolstoy was born on the Yasnaya Polyana estate, located in the Tula province, on September 9 (August 28, O.S.) 1828. Being the fourth child in the family of Count N.I. Tolstoy and Princess M.N. Volkonskaya, Lev was left an orphan early and was raised by a distant relative T. A. Ergolskaya. Childhood years remained in the memory of Lev Nikolaevich as a happy time. Together with his family, 13-year-old Tolstoy moved to Kazan, where his relative and new guardian P.I. lived. Yushkova. After receiving home education, Tolstoy became a student at the Faculty of Philosophy (Department of Oriental Languages) at Kazan University. Studying within the walls of this institution lasted less than two years, after which Tolstoy returned to Yasnaya Polyana.

In the fall of 1847, Leo Tolstoy moved first to Moscow, later to St. Petersburg - to take university candidate exams. These years of his life were special, priorities and hobbies replaced each other like in a kaleidoscope. Intense study gave way to revelry, gambling in cards, a passionate interest in music. Tolstoy either wanted to become an official, or saw himself as a cadet in a horse guards regiment. At this time, he incurred a lot of debts, which he managed to pay off only after many years. Nevertheless, this period helped Tolstoy better understand himself and see his shortcomings. At this time, for the first time he had a serious intention to engage in literature, he began to try himself in artistic creativity.

Four years after leaving the university, Leo Tolstoy succumbed to the persuasion of his older brother Nikolai, an officer, to leave for the Caucasus. The decision did not come immediately, but a large loss in cards contributed to its adoption. In the fall of 1851, Tolstoy found himself in the Caucasus, where for almost three years he lived on the banks of the Terek in a Cossack village. Subsequently, he was accepted into military service and participated in hostilities. During this period, the first published work appeared: the Sovremennik magazine published the story “Childhood” in 1852. It was part of a planned autobiographical novel, for which the stories “Adolescence” (1852-1854) and composed in 1855-1857 were subsequently written. "Youth"; Tolstoy never wrote the “Youth” part.

Having received an appointment in Bucharest, in the Danube Army, in 1854, Tolstoy, at his personal request, was transferred to the Crimean Army, fought as a battery commander in besieged Sevastopol, receiving medals and the Order of St. for valor. Anna. The war did not prevent him from continuing his studies in the literary field: it was here that he was written throughout 1855-1856. “Sevastopol Stories” were published in Sovremennik, which had enormous success and secured Tolstoy’s reputation as a prominent representative of the new generation of writers.

As the great hope of Russian literature, as Nekrasov put it, he was greeted in the Sovremennik circle when he arrived in St. Petersburg in the fall of 1855. Despite the warm welcome, active participation in readings, discussions, and dinners, Tolstoy did not feel like he belonged in the literary environment. In the fall of 1856, he retired and after a short stay in Yasnaya Polyana, he went abroad in 1857, but in the fall of that year he returned to Moscow, and then to his estate. Disappointment in the literary community, social life, dissatisfaction creative achievements led to the fact that at the end of the 50s. Tolstoy decides to leave writing and gives priority to activities in the field of education.

Returning to Yasnaya Polyana in 1859, he opened a school for peasant children. This activity aroused such enthusiasm in him that he even made a special trip abroad to study advanced pedagogical systems. In 1862, the count began publishing the Yasnaya Polyana magazine with pedagogical content with supplements in the form of children's books for reading. Educational activities were suspended due to important event in his biography - his marriage in 1862 to S.A. Bers. After the wedding, Lev Nikolaevich transported his young wife from Moscow to Yasnaya Polyana, where he was completely absorbed family life and household chores. Only in the early 70s. he will briefly return to educational work, write “The ABC” and “The New ABC.”

In the fall of 1863, he conceived the idea of ​​a novel, which in 1865 would be published in the Russian Bulletin as “War and Peace” (the first part). The work caused a huge resonance; the skill with which Tolstoy painted a large-scale epic canvas, combining it with amazing accuracy, did not escape the public. psychological analysis, entered privacy heroes into the outline of historical events. Lev Nikolaevich wrote the epic novel until 1869, and during 1873-1877. worked on another novel that was included in the golden fund of world literature - “Anna Karenina”.

Both of these works glorified Tolstoy as greatest artist words, but the author himself in the 80s. loses interest in literary work. A very serious change occurs in his soul and in his worldview, and during this period the thought of suicide comes to him more than once. The doubts and questions that tormented him led to the need to begin with the study of theology, and works of a philosophical and religious nature began to appear from his pen: in 1879-1880 - “Confession”, “Research dogmatic theology"; in 1880-1881 - “Connection and translation of the Gospels”, in 1882-1884. - “What is my faith?” In parallel with theology, Tolstoy studied philosophy and analyzed the achievements of the exact sciences.

Outwardly, the change in his consciousness manifested itself in simplification, i.e. in refusing the opportunities of a prosperous life. The Count dresses in common clothes, refuses food of animal origin, the rights to his works and his fortune in favor of the rest of the family, and works a lot physically. His worldview is characterized by a sharp rejection of the social elite, the idea of ​​statehood, serfdom and bureaucracy. They are combined with the famous slogan of non-resistance to evil by violence, the ideas of forgiveness and universal love.

The turning point was also reflected in Tolstoy’s literary work, which takes on the character of denouncing the existing state of affairs with a call on people to act according to the dictates of reason and conscience. His stories “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, “The Kreutzer Sonata”, “The Devil”, dramas “The Power of Darkness” and “Fruits of Enlightenment”, and the treatise “What is Art?” belong to this time. Eloquent testimony critical attitude The novel “Resurrection”, published in 1899, became a reference to the clergy, the official church and its teachings. Complete divergence from the position of the Orthodox Church resulted in Tolstoy’s official excommunication from it; this happened in February 1901, and the decision of the Synod led to a loud public outcry.

On turn of the 19th century and 20th centuries V works of art Tolstoy’s theme is dominated by the theme of radical life changes, departure from the previous way of life (“Father Sergius”, “Hadji Murat”, “The Living Corpse”, “After the Ball”, etc.). Lev Nikolaevich himself also came to the decision to change his way of life, to live the way he wanted, in accordance with his current views. Being the most authoritative writer, head national literature, he breaks with his environment, worsens relationships with his family and loved ones, experiencing a deep personal drama.

At the age of 82, secretly from his household, on an autumn night in 1910, Tolstoy left Yasnaya Polyana; his companion was his personal physician Makovitsky. On the way, the writer was overtaken by illness, as a result of which they were forced to get off the train at Astapovo station. Here he was sheltered by the station chief, and the last week of the life of a world-famous writer, known among other things as a preacher of a new teaching, passed in his house. religious thinker. The whole country monitored his health, and when he died on November 20 (November 7, O.S.), 1910, his funeral turned into an all-Russian event.

The influence of Tolstoy, his ideological platform and artistic manner on the development of realistic direction in world literature is difficult to overestimate. In particular, its influence can be traced in the works of E. Hemingway, F. Mauriac, Rolland, B. Shaw, T. Mann, J. Galsworthy and others prominent figures literature.

Count, Russian writer, corresponding member (1873), honorary academician (1900) of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Starting with the autobiographical trilogy "Childhood" (1852), "Adolescence" (1852 54), "Youth" (1855 57), a study of "fluidity" inner world, the moral foundations of the individual have become main theme works of Tolstoy. The painful search for the meaning of life, moral ideal, hidden general laws of existence, spiritual and social criticism, revealing the “untruth” of class relations, run through all of his work. In the story “Cossacks” (1863), the hero, a young nobleman, seeks a way out by connecting with nature, with the natural and integral life of a common man. The epic "War and Peace" (1863 69) recreates the life of various layers of Russian society in Patriotic War 1812, the patriotic impulse of the people, which united all classes and led to victory in the war with Napoleon. historical events and personal interests, ways of spiritual self-determination of a reflective personality and the elements of Russian folk life with its “swarm” consciousness are shown as equivalent components of natural-historical existence. In the novel “Anna Karenina” (1873 77) about the tragedy of a woman in the power of destructive “criminal” passion Tolstoy exposes the false foundations secular society, shows the collapse of the patriarchal structure, the destruction of family foundations. He contrasts the perception of the world by an individualistic and rationalistic consciousness with the intrinsic value of life as such in its infinity, uncontrollable variability and material concreteness (“the seer of the flesh” D. S. Merezhkovsky). Since the late 1870s, experiencing a spiritual crisis, later captured by the idea of ​​moral improvement and “simplification” (which gave rise to the “Tolstoyism” movement), Tolstoy came to an increasingly irreconcilable criticism of the social structure - modern bureaucratic institutions, the state, the church (in 1901 he was excommunicated from Orthodox Church), civilization and culture, the entire way of life of the “educated classes”: the novel “Resurrection” (1889 99), the story “The Kreutzer Sonata” (1887 89), the dramas “The Living Corpse” (1900, published in 1911) and “ The Power of Darkness" (1887). At the same time, attention to the themes of death, sin, repentance and moral rebirth is increasing (the stories “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, 1884 86; “Father Sergius”, 1890 98, published in 1912; “Hadji Murat”, 1896 1904, published . in 1912). Journalistic works of a moralizing nature, including “Confession” (1879 82), “What is my faith?” (1884), where the Christian teaching about love and forgiveness is transformed into a preaching of non-resistance to evil through violence. the desire to harmonize the way of thinking and life leads to Tolstoy leaving his home in Yasnaya Polyana; died at Astapovo station.

Biography

Born on August 28 (September 9 n.s.) in the Yasnaya Polyana estate, Tula province. By origin he belonged to the oldest aristocratic families in Russia. He received home education and upbringing.

After the death of his parents (mother died in 1830, father in 1837) future writer with three brothers and a sister he moved to Kazan, to his guardian P. Yushkova. As a sixteen-year-old boy, he entered Kazan University, first to the Faculty of Philosophy in the category of Arabic-Turkish Literature, then studied at the Faculty of Law (1844 47). In 1847, without completing the course, he left the university and settled in Yasnaya Polyana, which he received as property as his father's inheritance.

The future writer spent the next four years in search: he tried to reorganize the life of the peasants of Yasnaya Polyana (1847), lived social life in Moscow (1848), took exams for the degree of candidate of law at St. Petersburg University (spring 1849), decided to serve as a clerical employee in the Tula Noble Deputy Assembly (autumn 1849).

In 1851 he left Yasnaya Polyana for the Caucasus, the place of service of his older brother Nikolai, and volunteered to take part in military operations against the Chechens. Episodes Caucasian War described by him in the stories “Raid” (1853), “Cutting Wood” (1855), and in the story “Cossacks” (1852 63). Passed the cadet exam, preparing to become an officer. In 1854, being an artillery officer, he transferred to the Danube Army, which operated against the Turks.

In the Caucasus, Tolstoy began to study seriously literary creativity, writes the story "Childhood", which was approved by Nekrasov and published in the magazine "Sovremennik". Later the story “Adolescence” (1852 54) was published there.

Soon after the outbreak of the Crimean War, Tolstoy, at his personal request, was transferred to Sevastopol, where he participated in the defense of the besieged city, showing rare fearlessness. Awarded the Order of St. Anna with the inscription "For bravery" and medals "For the defense of Sevastopol". In "Sevastopol Stories" he created a mercilessly reliable picture of the war, which made a huge impression on Russian society. During these same years, he wrote the last part of the trilogy “Youth” (1855 56), in which he declared himself not just a “poet of childhood”, but a researcher human nature. This interest in man and the desire to understand the laws of mental and spiritual life will continue in his future work.

In 1855, having arrived in St. Petersburg, Tolstoy became close to the staff of the Sovremennik magazine and met Turgenev, Goncharov, Ostrovsky, and Chernyshevsky.

In the fall of 1856 he retired (" Military career not mine..." he writes in his diary) and in 1857 he went on a six-month trip abroad to France, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany.

In 1859 he opened a school for peasant children in Yasnaya Polyana, where he himself taught classes. Helped open more than 20 schools in surrounding villages. In order to study the organization of school affairs abroad, in 1860 1861 Tolstoy made a second trip to Europe, inspecting schools in France, Italy, Germany, and England. In London he met Herzen and attended a lecture by Dickens.

In May 1861 (the year of the abolition of serfdom) he returned to Yasnaya Polyana, took office as a peace mediator and actively defended the interests of the peasants, resolving their disputes with the landowners about land, for which the Tula nobility, dissatisfied with his actions, demanded his removal from office. In 1862, the Senate issued a decree dismissing Tolstoy. Secret surveillance of him began from Section III. In the summer, the gendarmes carried out a search in his absence, confident that they would find a secret printing house, which the writer allegedly acquired after meetings and long communications with Herzen in London.

In 1862, Tolstoy’s life and his way of life were streamlined into long years: he married the daughter of a Moscow doctor, Sofya Andreevna Bers, and began patriarchal life on his estate as the head of an ever-increasing family. The Tolstoys raised nine children.

The years 1860 and 1870 were marked by the publication of two works by Tolstoy, which immortalized his name: “War and Peace” (1863 69), “Anna Karenina” (1873 77).

In the early 1880s, the Tolstoy family moved to Moscow to educate their growing children. From this time on, Tolstoy spent winters in Moscow. Here in 1882 he took part in the census of the Moscow population and became closely acquainted with the life of the inhabitants of the city slums, which he described in the treatise “So what should we do?” (1882 86), and concluded: “...You can’t live like that, you can’t live like that, you can’t!”

Tolstoy expressed his new worldview in his work “Confession” (1879㭎), where he spoke about a revolution in his views, the meaning of which he saw in a break with the ideology of the noble class and a transition to the side of the “simple working people.” This turning point led Tolstoy to the denial of the state, the state-owned church and property. The awareness of the meaninglessness of life in the face of inevitable death led him to faith in God. He bases his teaching on the moral commandments of the New Testament: the demand for love for people and the preaching of non-resistance to evil through violence constitute the meaning of the so-called “Tolstoyism,” which is becoming popular not only in Russia, but also abroad.

During this period, he came to a complete denial of his previous literary activity, took up physical labor, plowed, sewed boots, and switched to vegetarian food. In 1891 he publicly renounced copyright ownership of all his works written after 1880.

Under the influence of friends and true admirers of his talent, as well as personal need for literary activity, Tolstoy changed his negative attitude towards art in the 1890s. During these years he created the drama "The Power of Darkness" (1886), the play "The Fruits of Enlightenment" (1886 90), and the novel "Resurrection" (1889 99).

In 1891, 1893, 1898 he participated in helping peasants in starving provinces and organized free canteens.

In the last decade, as always, I have been engaged in intense creative work. The story "Hadji Murat" (1896 1904), the drama "The Living Corpse" (1900), and the story "After the Ball" (1903) were written.

At the beginning of 1900 he wrote a number of articles exposing the entire system government controlled. The government of Nicholas II issued a resolution according to which the Holy Synod (the highest church institution in Russia) excommunicated Tolstoy from the church, which caused a wave of indignation in society.

In 1901, Tolstoy lived in Crimea, was treated after a serious illness, and often met with Chekhov and M. Gorky.

IN last years life, when Tolstoy made his will, he found himself in the center of intrigue and contention between the “Tolstoyites,” on the one hand, and his wife, who defended the well-being of her family and children, on the other. Trying to bring his lifestyle into line with his beliefs and being burdened by the lordly way of life on the estate. Tolstoy secretly left Yasnaya Polyana on November 10, 1910. The health of the 82-year-old writer could not withstand the journey. He caught a cold and, falling ill, died on November 20 on the way at the Astapovo station in Ryazansko-Uralskaya railway.

He was buried in Yasnaya Polyana.

The great Russian writer Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy is known for the authorship of many works, namely: War and Peace, Anna Karenina and others. The study of his biography and creativity continues to this day.

Philosopher and writer Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy was born in noble family. He inherited from his father count's title. His life began on a large family estate in Yasnaya Polyana, Tula province, which left a significant imprint on his future fate.

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Life of L. N. Tolstoy

He was born on September 9, 1828. While still a child, Leo experienced many difficult moments in life. After his parents died, he and his sisters were raised by their aunt. After her death, when he was 13 years old, he had to move to Kazan to be under the care of a distant relative. Lev's primary education took place at home. At the age of 16 he entered the philological faculty of Kazan University. However, it was impossible to say that he was successful in his studies. This forced Tolstoy to transfer to an easier, law faculty. After 2 years, he returned to Yasnaya Polyana, having never fully mastered the granite of science.

Due to Tolstoy's changeable character, he tried himself in different industries, interests and priorities often changed. The work was interspersed with protracted sprees and revelry. During this period, they incurred a lot of debts, which they had to pay off for a long time. The only passion of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, which remained stable throughout his life, was conducting personal diary. From there he later drew the most interesting ideas for your works.

Tolstoy was partial to music. His favorite composers are Bach, Schumann, Chopin and Mozart. At a time when Tolstoy had not yet formed a main position regarding his future, he succumbed to his brother’s persuasion. At his instigation, he went to serve in the army as a cadet. During his service he was forced to participate in 1855.

Early works of L. N. Tolstoy

Being a cadet, he had enough free time to start his creative activity. During this period, Lev began to study history of an autobiographical nature called Childhood. For the most part, it outlined the facts that happened to him when he was still a child. The story was sent for consideration to Sovremennik magazine. It was approved and released into circulation in 1852.

After the first publication, Tolstoy was noticed and began to be equated with significant personalities of that time, namely: I. Turgenev, I. Goncharov, A. Ostrovsky and others.

During those same army years, he began work on the story Cossacks, which he completed in 1862. The second work after Childhood was Adolescence, then Sevastopol Stories. He was engaged in them while participating in the Crimean battles.

Euro-trip

In 1856 L. N. Tolstoy left military service with the rank of lieutenant. I decided to travel for a while. First he went to St. Petersburg, where he was given a warm welcome. There he established friendly contacts with popular writers of that period: N. A. Nekrasov, I. S. Goncharov, I. I. Panaev and others. They showed genuine interest in him and took part in his fate. The Blizzard and Two Hussars were written at this time.

Having lived a cheerful and carefree life for 1 year, having ruined relations with many members of the literary circle, Tolstoy decides to leave this city. In 1857, his journey through Europe began.

Leo did not like Paris at all and left a heavy mark on his soul. From there he went to Lake Geneva. Having visited many countries, he returned to Russia with a load of negative emotions. Who and what amazed him so much? Most likely, this is too sharp a polarity between wealth and poverty, which was covered with feigned splendor European culture. And this could be seen everywhere.

L.N. Tolstoy writes the story Albert, continues to work on the Cossacks, wrote the story Three Deaths and Family Happiness. In 1859 he stopped collaborating with Sovremennik. At the same time, Tolstoy began to notice changes in his personal life, when plans include marriage to peasant woman Aksinya Bazykina.

After the death of his older brother, Tolstoy went on a trip to the south of France.

Homecoming

From 1853 to 1863 his literary activity was suspended due to his departure to his homeland. There he decided to start farming. At the same time, Leo himself carried out an active educational activities among the village population. He created a school for peasant children and began teaching according to his own methods.

In 1862, he himself created a pedagogical magazine called Yasnaya Polyana. Under his leadership, 12 publications were published, which were not appreciated at the time. Their nature was as follows: he alternated theoretical articles with fables and stories for children at the primary level of education.

Six years from his life from 1863 to 1869, went to write the main masterpiece - War and Peace. Next on the list was the novel Anna Karenina. It took another 4 years. During this period, his worldview was fully formed and resulted in a movement called Tolstoyism. The foundations of this religious and philosophical movement are set out in the following works of Tolstoy:

• Confession.
• Kreutzer Sonata.
• A Study of Dogmatic Theology.
• About life.
• Christian teaching and others.

Main accent they focus on the moral dogmas of human nature and their improvement. He called for forgiveness of those who bring us harm and renunciation of violence when achieving our goals.

The flow of admirers of L.N. Tolstoy’s work did not stop coming to Yasnaya Polyana, looking for support and a mentor in him. In 1899, the novel Resurrection was published.

Social activity

Returning from Europe, he received an invitation to become the bailiff of the Krapivinsky district of the Tula province. He actively joined the active process of protecting the rights of the peasantry, often going against the tsar's decrees. This work broadened Leo's horizons. Closer encounter with peasant life, he began to understand all the subtleties better. The information received later helped him in his literary work.

Creativity flourishes

Before starting to write the novel War and Peace, Tolstoy began writing another novel, The Decembrists. Tolstoy returned to it several times, but was never able to complete it. In 1865, a small excerpt from War and Peace appeared in the Russian Bulletin. After 3 years, three more parts were released, and then all the rest. This created a real sensation in Russian and foreign literature. In the novel the most in detail different segments of the population are described.

TO latest works writers include:

• stories Father Sergius;
• After the ball.
• Posthumous notes of Elder Fyodor Kuzmich.
• drama Living Corpse.

In his character latest journalism traceable conservative attitude. He harshly condemns idle life upper strata who do not think about the meaning of life. L.N. Tolstoy harshly criticized state dogmas, rejecting everything: science, art, court, and so on. The Synod itself reacted to such an attack and in 1901 Tolstoy was excommunicated from the church.

In 1910, Lev Nikolaevich left his family and fell ill on the way. He had to get off the train at the Astapovo station of the Ural Railway. He spent the last week of his life in the house of the local station master, where he died.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy was born on August 28, 1828 in Yasnaya Polyana (Krapivensky district, Tula province), into a rich and noble family, a count's family. Children left without a mother early (Leo had three older brothers and younger sister) was raised by a distant relative.

The family moved to Moscow by 1837 - Nikolai, the eldest, needed to go to university. Sudden death father, who left his affairs in a deplorable state, forced the younger children to return to Yasnaya Polyana. Elementary education little lion received from a French tutor, who was replaced by a German teacher.

In 1843, Tolstoy, following his brother, entered Kazan University, where he turned out to be the best student in the preparation course for the Oriental Faculty (category of Arabic-Turkish literature). But his family’s conflict with one of the teachers, and, as a result, poor grades in a couple of subjects, led to the need to transfer to the Faculty of Law (in order not to repeat the entire first year). Continuing problems caused Leo to completely lose interest in his studies.

In 1847, he again settled in Yasnaya Polyana - caroused, hunted, played... To reduce expenses and pay off debts, on the advice of his brother, in 1851 Tolstoy went to the Caucasus. By the beginning of the Crimean War, he had already become an officer, as part of the Danube Army he fought at Silistria and Oltenitsa, and participated in the defense of Sevastopol.

Having been sent to St. Petersburg after the assault (in 1855), Lev Nikolaevich again began to noisily revel and play. During this period, he met Goncharov, Nekrasov, Chernyshevsky, Turgenev, who worked in the Sovremennik magazine.

Since 1857, Tolstoy has been traveling abroad - Germany, Switzerland, England, Italy, France... But the year and a half trip does not bring him pleasure. Having returned, Tolstoy is engaged in the improvement of schools in his native Yasnaya Polyana.

By the end of the 1850s, he met 17-year-old Sofia Andreevna Bers. The 40-year-old writer at that time was alarmed by such a difference, but in 1862 they still got married. Talent is already enough famous writer blossoms even more strongly during this period: “Anna Karenina”, “Cossacks”, “War and Peace” are created.

His passion for theology led to doubts and conflict with the clergy - Tolstoy, who joined the sectarians, was excommunicated from Orthodoxy in 1900. Towards the end of his life, he strives to simplify it, renounces his fortune, becomes a hermit and a vegetarian. The secret departure from Yasnaya Polyana, accompanied by severe illness, led to the death of Lev Nikolaevich on November 20, 1910.