On November 20, 1910, Russia’s extraordinary literary figure, Leo Tolstoy, passed away. His works, which deeply explore human psychology and society, continue to inspire countless people worldwide.
Tolstoy was born on September 9, 1828, into an aristocratic family in Russia. From a young age, he displayed remarkable literary talent and later enrolled at Kazan University, where he studied law and Oriental languages. However, he found literature far more engaging than academics. In his youth, he enjoyed the lavish lifestyle of the nobility but gradually became deeply contemplative about the meaning and value of life.
Tolstoy’s participation in the Crimean War exposed him to the suffering and death caused by war, leading him to recognize the hypocrisy and contradictions of aristocratic society. These experiences were the foundation for masterpieces such as War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Set against significant events in Russian history, these works profoundly depicted themes of love, death, happiness, and society.
Tolstoy’s literature, rooted in realism, strongly explores the psychological world of the human inner world. While faithfully portraying life as it is, he also offered a critical perspective on moral and social issues.
Beyond being a novelist, Tolstoy was also a philosopher and religious thinker. He advocated for nonviolent resistance and emphasized the belief that all humans are equal. His ideas inspired figures such as Gandhi and continue to resonate with those seeking solutions to modern societal challenges.
In his later years, Tolstoy faced conflicts with the Catholic Church and experienced discord within his family, leading to a life of solitude. Declaring himself a revolutionary, he fought against social injustice. Ultimately, in 1910, he secretly left his family home and succumbed to pneumonia at a railway station, passing away shortly after that. His death sent shockwaves around the world.