"Kreutzer Sonata" by Leo Tolstoy. Summary, analysis and feedback on the story

"Kreutzer Sonata" - an outstanding work of Leo Tolstoy, published in 1891. Because of its provocative content, she immediately underwent severe censorship. The story raises questions of marriage, family, relationship to a woman. On all these burning topics the author has his own original opinion, shocking the astonished readers. The content and problems of this work will be discussed in this article.

History of creation

The tale of the Kreutzer Sonata was written by Tolstoy at the time of a severe spiritual and creative crisis. The author claimed that in his life there was a restructuring of "activity, which is called artistic." Everything in the work - the poetic system, the style, the structure of literary heroes - underwent a significant change in comparison with the earlier works of Lev Nikolaevich. The main idea of the "Kreutzer Sonata" by Tolstoy in his "Afterword" was the letter of a certain woman who was called the Slav woman and stated in her message her own opinion about the oppression of women by sexual demands. Researchers of classical creativity date the draft of the story in October 1887. The work was repeatedly rewritten by the author. The final version was first read by Tolstoy in November 1989 for the elected public in the Kuzminskys' house.

Censorship

In 1889, Tolstoy sent a short story "Kreutzer Sonata" to the Petersburg publishing house "Mediator", where they immediately doubted that the work would be skipped by censorship. Employees of the publishing house took pains to rewrite the work and distribute copies of it throughout Petersburg. It produced the effect of a bomb exploding. However, before the official publication was still very far away. The opinion of the workers of the General Directorate of Press Affairs was unequivocal: the story will never be published in Russia, and the book is subject to immediate destruction. The thirteenth volume of the collected works of L. Tolstoy refused to print for the same reasons - the "Kreutzer Sonata" was included. And only the personal permission of Alexander III, which Tolstoy's wife , Sofya Andreevna, achieved, made it possible to publish a scandalous book in 1891. Why was it so ruthless to work censorship? The answer to this question can be learned from the description of the story.

Summary

"Kreutzer Sonata" tells about the fate of the main character, Vasily Pozdnyshev, who, having lived a stormy, youthful youth, decided to settle down at thirty and got a family. He married for love, wanted to stick to "monogamy" and was terribly proud of his good intentions. However, the relationship between the spouses shook already on the honeymoon. Pozdnishev felt the hostility of the young wife and compared it with the "satisfaction of sensuality," which allegedly "depleted" the sublime love. Over time, the hero realized that his marriage would not bring him any pleasant feelings. Everything was "disgusting, embarrassing and boring." The birth and upbringing of children served as an additional reason for disputes and abuse. For eight years, the couple had five children, after which the wife refused to give birth, put herself in order and looked around for new impressions. She was carried away by a pretty violinist during the joint performance of the Kreutzer Sonata with him. Pozdnieshev suffered from jealousy and once, finding his wife with a rival, killed her with a damask blade.

Attitudes towards women

The plot of the work is tragic, but quite acceptable. What was so shocked and shocked by the society of the "Kreutzer Sonata" by Tolstoy? First of all, the judgments expressed by the protagonist. His own dissolute behavior in his youth causes him disgust. But he blames in this first of all women. This they wear seductive dresses, they tend to be "objects of passion." He accuses mothers who want to marry their daughters favorably and for this they dress them up in seductive outfits. He says that women are well aware of their power over men and actively use it, knowing that the carnal desires prevail over all the other most exalted intentions of the stronger sex. And all these judgments apply not only to the fallen persons, whose services, not hiding, are enjoyed by representatives of wealthy estates. In fact, he calls prostitution the behavior of the ladies of the upper world and argues that women will always be humiliated until they learn to be modest and chaste.

Attitude towards marriage

The story of the "Kreutzer Sonata", the analysis of which is presented in this article, actively promotes sexual abstinence. And not only out of wedlock. Tolstoy refers to the saying from the Gospel of Matthew: "Anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart" - and relates these lines not only to any extraneous lady, but even to her own wife. He considers carnal pleasures unnatural and disgusting. He thinks that his relationship with his wife was spoiled by animal instincts, which he often did not show toward her. He believes that the human nature of an unspoiled girl resists all manifestations of bodily love. If the lofty aspirations of a person carry out in the name of love of God, then the base, the carnal - out of love for oneself, and this brings the sinner to the devil. And the unclean provokes even greater crimes, in the case of Pozdnyshev, for murder.

Attitudes towards children

Many controversial judgments contain the Kreutzer Sonata. Tolstoy (the summary of the story is given in this article) did not leave a stone unturned from the generally accepted opinion about disinterested love for one's own children. The appearance of five offspring in the family of Pozdnyshev not only did not improve relations in the family of the protagonist, but finally ruined them. The gullible and child-loving wife was constantly worried about children, which finally poisoned life with Pozdnysheva. When one of the children fell ill, the existence for Vasily turned into the most perfect hell. In addition, the couple learned to "fight" with each other ... children. Everyone had his own pet. Over time, the guys grew up and learned to take the side of one of the parents, which only once again poured oil into the fire. However, Tolstoy with the mouth of his hero argues that procreation saved him from the torment of constant jealousy, since the wife was engaged only in family affairs and had no desire to flirt. The most terrible thing started when the doctors taught her how to prevent pregnancy.

Attitude to art

It is no accident that the most scandalous story of Lev Nikolaevich is called "Kreutzer Sonata." Tolstoy, the brief content of which we now retell, had his original opinion on art. He considered him another evil, evoking the lowest vices in people. Pozdnyshev's wife stopped giving birth, got prettier, and again became addicted to playing the piano. This was the beginning of the end. First, according to the main character, most of adultery is committed in a noble society under the pretext of engaging in arts, especially music. Secondly, music produces an "annoying impression" on listeners, it makes you feel what the author of the piece felt at the time of writing, merge with experiences that are not peculiar to a person, make him believe in new opportunities, expand the horizons of his own perception . What for? What did Pozdnishev's wife feel at the moment of the performance of the Kreutzer Sonata, what new desires crept into her receptive soul? The main character is inclined to blame for the final fall of his wife, it is the corrupting force of music, which must correspond to the place and time of performance, and not to awaken animal instincts in people.

Opinion of contemporaries

Kreutzer's Sonata by Tolstoy was the subject of a fierce discussion not only in Russia, but also abroad. Chekhov admired the importance of design and the beauty of the performance of the story, but later it seemed to him ridiculous and stupid. Moreover, he argued that many judgments in the work expose his author as a man "ignorant, did not bother ... read two or three books written by specialists." The Church categorically condemned the ideological content of the story. Many secular critics agreed with her. They vied with each other in praising the artistic features of the story and also vehemently criticized its meaning. A. Razumovsky, I. Romanov stated that Lev Nikolaevich "in a mental discourse" distorted the secret details of family relations and "spoke nonsense". Foreign scholars of literature have echoed it. American Isabel Helgood, an interpreter of Tolstoy, felt that the content of the story is obscene even by the standards of freedom of speech in Russia and Europe. Leo Tolstoy was forced to publish the "Afterword", in which he outlined the basic ideas of his work in a simple and understandable language.

The response story

Lots of Tolstoy heard a lot of negative reviews about his novel. "Kreutzer Sonata" forced readers to reconsider the generally accepted norms, made the issue of the attitude of the sexes extremely topical and discussed. Interesting opinion of the author's wife, Sofia Andreevna. Comparisons and parallels with the family life of Lev Nikolaevich after the publication of the story were inevitable. Tolstoy's wife though carefully copied the Kreutzer Sonata and actively sought her publication, harboring resentment against her famous husband. Being a woman of exceptional talent, she wrote a response work "Whose Wine", in which she entered into polemics with Leo Nikolayevich. The story was published only in 1994, but received negative reviews from critics. However, in her, Sophia Andreevna expressed her point of view, which exposed the behavior of men and their true attitude towards women. "Kreutzer Sonata", reviews of which appeared even after the death of the author, left a deep mark on Tolstoy's family life, forever upsetting his relationship with his wife.

Finally

In the collection of works of Leo Tolstoy's "Kreutzer Sonata" takes pride of place. The public of that time did not know the more frank book. The prohibition of official censorship made it even more popular. According to the reviews of contemporaries, after the appearance of this work instead of the duty question "how are you doing?" Everyone asked each other about the "Kreutzer Sonata". Many thoughts expressed in the work, and now seem controversial, and sometimes ridiculous. However, the psychologically accurate description of family relationships, which in the course of time become negative, still remains relevant today and requires careful study.