About
Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, known in English as Leo Tolstoy, is a major figure of Russian literature. Born in 1828 at Yasnaya Polyana, he authored monumental novels such as War and Peace and Anna Karenina. After a spiritual crisis in the 1870s, he embraced Christian anarchism and pacifism, influencing figures like Gandhi. He died in 1910 at a railway station, fleeing his family life.
Major works
- War and Peace (1869)novel
- Anna Karenina (1877)novel
- The Death of Ivan Ilyich (1886)novella
- Childhood (1852)novel
- Resurrection (1899)novel
Key milestones
- 1862Married Sofia Andreevna Behrs; they had 13 children.
- 1870Experienced a profound spiritual crisis leading to Christian anarchism and pacifism.
- 1910Died of pneumonia at Astapovo station after fleeing his estate.
Themes
NonviolenceSpiritualityDeath and meaning of lifeSocial critiqueFamily and marriage
Sources: britannica.com · oxfordbibliographies.com · catdir.loc.gov