Summary “Resurrection” of Tolstoy
A small introduction
Ten years, from 1899 to 1999, LN Tolstoy wrote his novel “Resurrection”. Three times he started it, wrote, copied it, set it aside. And it was accepted again. And, even, having given the manuscript to the press, literally on the eve of the exit, something was corrected, rewritten, carried away, wrote again. Real people, real events formed the basis of the novel. There are also some autobiographical episodes in it, about which, incidentally, Leo Tolstoy told his biographer PI Biryukov when he was already very old.
The content of the novel
Early spring morning, April 28. The clank of locks, the creak of the opening door of the prison cell and the loud one: “Maslova, to the court.” They robbed and poisoned the merchant Smelyakov. Before the court appeared three, and among them prostitute Catherine Maslova. The verdict of the jury is not to blame. However, because of the ridiculous judicial oversight, she is sent for four
Having decided to atone for her guilt somehow before the girl, Nekhlyudov wants to talk about the cassation, to help Maslova with money. Remembering all the events of his life, from the moment of acquaintance with Maslova until the moment when he saw her prisoner, Nekhludoff suddenly felt disgusted with himself, to the way of life, which he kept until now, understood what villainy he made for relation to the girl. And then he decided to repent before Katyusha, achieve her forgiveness and marry her.
When Nekhludoff comes to see Katyusha on a date, he realizes with horror that this is not the same girl he met many years ago. Before him was a completely different, alien woman. The prostitute looked at him with a lecherous look, before which there was another client. Nekhlyudov gives her money, wants to tell her about what he experienced, what she feels, but the girl does not listen to him, but carefully hides the money so that the guardian
Then Nekhlyudov, on Maslova’s behalf, petitioned for pardon and went to Moscow to be signed by Maslova. But soon Maslova goes with other prisoners to the stage in Siberia. Nekhlyudov goes after the prisoners by the stage. Nekhlyudov constantly tries to take care of Katyusha all the way through the stage. He achieves the fact that Maslov is transferred from criminals to political prisoners. Thanks to this translation, the position of Katyusha is greatly improved, because political prisoners were people of a completely different kind.
She approaches with some of them and this rapprochement has a beneficial effect on her consciousness and worldview. The party of prisoners, in which Maslova was seated, passed almost five thousand versts. This party has stopped on rest and the further dispatch in the big Siberian city. At the post office here Nekhlyudov receives letters from a friend of his youth Selenin. In one of the letters Selenin sent a copy of the decision to pardon Maslova. According to this decision, hard labor for her was replaced by a settlement in Siberia. With this paper Nekhlyudov hurries to Katyusha. He says that soon the decision will come, not a copy and then they will be able to settle in Siberia together where they want.
But he is disappointed – Maslova refuses to him. While she was walking with political prisoners, she met one of them, Simonson. This man fell in love with her. And Maslova, unwilling to spoil Nekhlyudov’s life – the only one she really loved – decides to relate her life to Simonson. Having left in a depressed state from Maslova, Nekhludoff returns to the hotel. Not by forcing himself to calm down from what he has experienced, he constantly returns in his thoughts to the last events, to what he saw, to the recognized, understood…
He sat on the sofa and automatically opened the Gospel, which the traveling Englishman presented him. And it is in the Gospel that Nekhludoff finds answers to those questions that tormented him and tormented him to this day. Why, after all, “Resurrection”? LN Tolstoy in the novel resurrects, brings to life lost souls, opens up a different understanding of the world, revives the feeling of compassion, as well as the participation and understanding of each other’s people.
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