Аннотация: An another variant (the interesting one) biography of Leo Tolstoy. Review of the book by Henri Troyat "Leo Tolstoy"
An another variant (the interesting one) biography of Leo Tolstoy. Review of the book by Henri Troyat "Leo Tolstoy"
At the beginning of the 17th century in Russia (after the the Rurik dynasty and after the so-called Time of Troubles) the Romanov dynasty came to power. And simultaneously with beginning period of her ruling, many energetic, free people began the development of Siberia, the Far East, and the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
There was no railway from European Russia up to the Pacific Ocean at that time. But such an expansion, such a territorial increasing of the kingdom-empire, even without the railway, created a geopolitical rent (a geopolitical advantages) for the Romanov dynasty.
The rulers of the kingdom-empire felt their advantages.
How many times the word "Kamchatka" is used in the book by Henri Troyat "Alexander I"?
Once.
The Patriotic War of 1812 was approaching.
"During a farewell audience, Alexander declares to Caulaincourt:" ... If military happiness turns away from me, I would rather retreat to Kamchatka itself than give up my provinces or sign a peace treaty in my capital ... "... In a few weeks, Alexander would say almost the same thing to Napoleon"s adjutant Narbonne: "... Space and time are on my side." ... And, opening the map of the Russian Empire and indicating the most distant point on its outskirts, he adds: "If Napoleon will start a war and happiness will smile for him, although justice will be on the Russian side in this war, he will have to sign peace at the Bering Strait."
So, energetic, free people created the potential that the Romanov dynasty had used for 300 years.
Serfs and doubles of Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin during these three hundred years in Russia have become relatively numerous, and free, energetic people have become relatively few.
How did creative people feel? In different ways ... You can get acquainted with the biography of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky ... Survival, poverty, researchs in the advanced scientific direction for the salary of a teacher of some school ... We will not be too critical ... Creative people at different times and in different countries had no comfort conditions...
Imperial Russia was increasingly lagging behind Western Europe culturally and civilizationally.
With what did the Russial elite come to 1895?
Lines from an article by Leo Tolstoy "Meaningless aspirations" (1895):
"January 17 of this 1895." "... the hints of old, smart, experienced people who wanted to make it possible for the Tsar to make some kind of prudent government, because, not knowing how people live, what they need, it's impossible to rule - to these words, the young Tsar, who understood nothing in management or in life, replied that these were meaningless aspirations. When the speech ended, there was silence. But the courtiers interrupted him with shouts of "Hurray," and almost all those present shouted "Hurray," too .... Four months passed, and neither the Tsar found it necessary to renounce his words, nor the society expressed their condemnation of his action (except for one anonymous letter). And as if everyone had decided that it should be so. And the delegations continue to visiting the Tsar, and the Tsar also takes their [delegations] meanness [a despicables] for granted (as a natural thing). Not only has everything returned to its former position, everything has entered into a much worse position than before."
Leo Tolstoy, as a person with experience and a man capable of thinking, understood the enormous danger of this state of affairs.
Perhaps he understood that in order to change the nature of people, the population, the citizens, a coincidence of factors - history, religion, culture, and others - was necessary. A sea had an impact on British society. The captain and the crew of the ship do not have during the voyage a colossal bureaucratic superstructure. On the contrary, there is a need for initiative, independence, the ability to act, think ... The book "Robinson Crusoe" was not accidentally written by the British - Daniel Defoe.
And what to do?
"... just it's impossible to live quietly."
Leo Tolstoy made efforts to change society and public views, to change each individual person.
Both the general strike and the Manifesto of 1905 showed that his efforts were not in vain.
But a possibilities of an individual are limited.
It necessary, because of situation, to move to a names. In his autobiographical work, Henri Troyat spoke about the enormous wealth of his father - in imperial Russia. Already in exile, in France (after 1917), father of Henri Troyat spent hours examining documents confirming his ownership of various objects (remaining in Russia).
Did this rich man became next to Leo Tolstoy, did he provide support?
Apparently not.
We use an analogy.
The 20th century. A colossal social change. The destiny of the world and the USSR depends on whether Russia will acquire nuclear weapons. Igor Kurchatov appears on the stage of world science.
Would you like to know if Kurchatov wore glasses? What size was his beard? Should he not wear shoes with a more thick (or a more thin) soles? Did he drink tea from a mug or from a glass? The details are also interesting - what were a saucers ...
A good biography of Leo Tolstoy was written by Henri Troyat. We are all curious. The author of this review -among readers.
And it's nice to look at someone with irony, with a light sense of humor, or from above ...
Only father of Henri Troyat had to part with all his capital acquired in Russia and move to France ...
There was a man in Russia who thought about everyone, and who tried that everyone feel good ... so that society was (as much as possible) harmonious, and that there were no catastrophic changes in Russia, but was a normal life ...
Some of the inhabitants of Russia, contemporaries of Leo Tolstoy, intuitively felt that there was such a person with such aspirations. Someone didn"t feel ..
Not many people understood ...
Few people stood next to Leo Tolstoy and was going next to him. (Who went? Perhaps Anton Chekhov and Maxim Gorky ...).
"... And the delegations continue to visiting the Tsar, and the Tsar also takes their [delegations] meanness [a despicables] for granted. Not only has everything returned to its former position, everything has entered into a much worse position than before. "
Those who want to know the "details", who feel an interest in the "details", can read with interest the biography of Leo Tolstoy, written by Henri Troyat. The biography is not bad, may be read with interest ...
What is this biography about? About the "details"?
A biographies fans can read the autobiography of Henri Troyat and learn about the meaningless aspirations of the writer"s father - after emigrating from Russia he wanted to return the wealth destroyed by the Russian revolution of 1917 ...
October 27, 2019 19:44
Translation from Russian into English: October 28, 2019 07:07.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Очередная (интересная) биография Льва Толстого. Рецензия на книгу Анри Труайя "Лев Толстой"".