Resurrection (Tolstoy novel)
 Front page of Resurrection, first edition, 1899 (Russian) | |
| Author | Leo Tolstoy |
|---|---|
| Original title | Воскресеніе |
| Country | Russia |
| Language | Russian |
| Genre | Philosophical novel, political fiction |
| Publisher | Niva |
Publication date | 1899 |
Published in English | 1900 |
| Media type | |
Original text | Воскресеніе at Russian Wikisource |
| Translation | Resurrection at Wikisource |
Resurrection (Russian: Воскресение, Voskreseniye) is the last novel written by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. First published in 1899, it was the final major book he released during his lifetime.
The novel is a wide-reaching look at Russian society at the end of the 19th century. Tolstoy used the story to criticize the unfairness of laws made by men and what he saw as the dishonesty of the organized church. The book was very popular and sold more copies than his more famous works, War and Peace and Anna Karenina, when it was first released. However, its criticism of the church led to Tolstoy being kicked out (excommunicated) of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1901.
Background
[change | change source]The idea for the book came from a true story told to Tolstoy by his friend, Anatoly Koni. Koni told him about a man who had seduced a young girl. After she became pregnant, she was kicked out of her home and eventually became a prostitute. Years later, the man who had seduced her sat on the jury during her trial for a crime.
Tolstoy felt a personal connection to this story because he had committed a similar act when he was younger. He also used the money earned from the book to help a group of peaceful Christians called the Doukhobors move from Russia to Canada to escape persecution.
Plot
[change | change source]The story follows a nobleman named Dmitri Ivanovich Nekhlyudov. When he was young, he seduced a servant girl named Katyusha Maslova and then abandoned her.
Ten years later, Nekhlyudov is serving on a jury. He is shocked to see Katyusha is the person being tried. She is accused of murder, a crime she did not actually commit. Because of a mistake by the jury, she is sentenced to hard labor in Siberia.
Feeling deep guilt, Nekhlyudov decides to help her. As he visits her in prison and travels to Siberia, he sees the terrible way prisoners are treated and the poverty of the Russian people. He decides to give up his land to his peasants and eventually asks Katyusha to marry him to make up for his past sins. In the end, Katyusha finds love with another prisoner, and Nekhlyudov finds a new sense of spiritual peace.
Themes
[change | change source]The main themes of the book are:
- Justice: Tolstoy shows how the legal system often punishes the poor while protecting the rich.
- Religion: The book criticizes the official church but promotes a personal, spiritual "resurrection" of the soul.
- Georgism: Tolstoy explains his belief that land should belong to everyone rather than private owners.
Adaptations
[change | change source]The novel has been turned into many different forms of art, including:
- Operas: The most famous is Risurrezione (1904) by Franco Alfano.
- Films: There have been many versions, including a famous 1934 American film called We Live Again.
- TV and Radio: The BBC has produced several versions for radio and television.
Other websites
[change | change source]
Media related to Resurrection (Leo Tolstoy) at Wikimedia Commons- Resurrection at Project Gutenberg translated by Louise Maude
- Resurrection, from Marxists.org
Resurrection public domain audiobook at LibriVox
