The Influence of Russian Literature: Tolstoy to Dostoevsky

 

Russian literature is perhaps the most rich and influential group of works in world literary history.

 Russian literature's philosophical depth, its delving into morality, and the realistic depiction of human existence have intrigued readers, intellectuals, and writers across the globe for centuries. 

Two writers, in particular, hold undisputed sway over the conversation Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky. 

These literary giants did not merely shape 19th-century Russian society but left an indelible mark on global thinking.

This article talks about their success, the circumstances under which they wrote, the issues they were facing, and the lasting effect of their works.

#1 The Golden Age of Russian Literature:

The mid- to late-19th century is often referred to as the “Golden Age” of Russian literature. 

Political and social changes in Imperial Russia such as the emancipation of the serfs in 1861, the growing influence of Western European ideas, and the ferment of revolutionary thought created fertile ground for intense literary output. 

Russian writers began to focus on existential questions, moral dilemmas, and the struggles of the human soul.

In this context, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky emerged as the era's leading literary voices, each with a unique vision on life, morality, and society.

#2 Leo Tolstoy: The Moral Visionary

Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) is famous for his sprawling novels and for his commitment to exploring the moral underpinnings of human life. 

His novels are sweeping in their scope, rich in detail, and often deeply philosophical.

Notable Works:

• War and Peace (1869): A panoramic historical novel that blends fiction and history, tracking aristocratic clans during the Napoleonic Wars.
• Anna Karenina (1877): A love affair with tragedy and social commentary on Russian society, morality, and seeking meaning.
• The Death of Ivan Ilyich (1886): A richer-than-average novella on death, the superficiality of social status, and seeking spiritual truth.

Tolstoy's Major Themes:

Tolstoy's novels typically have a unifying theme based on:

• The conflict between personal morality and social conventions.
• The search for purpose in a chaotic universe.
• The destructive force of ambition and greed.
• The ethical responsibility of human beings to live honestly and humanely.

Tolstoy's own later life was marked by profound spiritual renewal, with him renouncing wealth, embracing pacifism, and advocating simple living. 

His writings influenced the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., and thus the influence is as much literary as it is philosophical.

#3 Fyodor Dostoevsky: The Psychologist of the Soul

Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821–1881) is respected for his insightful psychological insight and analysis of themes present. 

His novels probe the depths of the human psyche, often putting characters in situations of extreme moral and religious dilemma.

Notable Works:

• Crime and Punishment (1866): The novel of Raskolnikov, a student who kills and struggles with guilt, morality, and redemption.
• The Idiot (1869): A portrayal of a Christ-like figure whose innocence clashes with a degenerate and skeptical world.
• The Brothers Karamazov (1880): A philosophical masterpiece that explores faith, free will, and the question of evil in a family patricide epic.
• Demons (1872): A politically charged novel that considers nihilism and radicalism in Russian society.

Dostoevsky's Themes:

Dostoevsky's novels grapple with:

• The tension between free will and moral responsibility.
• The existence of God and the role of suffering.
• The psychology of guilt, despair, and redemption.
• The struggle between rationalism and faith.

While Tolstoy, Dostoevsky's writing is oppressive, frenetic, and often claustrophobic, reflecting the turmoil of his characters. 

His work on moral ambiguity influenced existentialist philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus.

#4 Comparative Worldviews: Tolstoy vs. Dostoevsky

Though contemporaries, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky provided literature and philosophy through perspectives decidedly different.

Philosophical Emphasis:

• Tolstoy: Moral idealism, universal love, pacifism
• Dostoevsky: Psychological realism, existence crisis, evil

Style:

• Tolstoy: Expansive, descriptive, panoramic narration
• Dostoevsky: Intense, dialogue-rich, psychological depth

Humanity's Outlook:

• Tolstoy: Belief in moral progress and salvation through love
• Dostoevsky: Understanding of inherent human contradictions and moral dilemma

Religious Perspective:

• Tolstoy: Reasonable Christianity, Jesus' moral teaching
• Dostoevsky: Orthodox Christianity, focus on sin, suffering, and redemption

Their opposing visions meant that together, they presented a complete view of the human condition Tolstoy focusing on the way people should live, and Dostoevsky on why people don't live that way.

#5 International Impact:

On Literary Work:

Tolstoy and Dostoevsky's work influenced writers globally:

• Marcel Proust was awed by their psychological depth.
• Virginia Woolf took from their interior monologues.
• James Joyce and William Faulkner borrowed their radical narrative styles.
• George Orwell and Aldous Huxley engaged with their moral and political themes.

On Philosophy:

Dostoevsky’s focus on existential doubt influenced Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, and later existentialists. 

Tolstoy’s moral philosophy impacted pacifist movements, inspiring Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance.

On Social and Political Thought:

Tolstoy’s criticism of state authority and organized religion resonated with anarchists and reformers. 

Dostoevsky’s exploration of radicalism in Demons provided a cautionary lens for understanding revolutionary movements.

#6 Lasting Themes for Contemporary Readers:

Even today, in the 21st century, the themes Tolstoy and Dostoevsky engaged with are no less pertinent:

• Moral accountability in an increasingly complex, interconnected world.
• The quest for meaning in a time of accelerating technological change.
• The psychological cost of alienation, poverty, and injustice.
• The conflict between faith and doubt in secularising societies.

Their works in many respects pre-empt contemporary discussions on ethics, individual liberty, and the place of empathy in civic life.

#7 Why Their Works Endure:

The timelessness of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky lies in their uncompromising honesty. 

They did not shy from the hardest questions regarding life questions of love, death, guilt, forgiveness, and redemption. 

They offered no solutions, only a profound searching of the human experience.

Reading Tolstoy recalls us to the richness and complication of human relationships, and Dostoevsky startles us with the romanticized, unvarnished reality of our inner life. 

Both of them represent the double poles of human existence: hope and despair, idealism and realism, faith and doubt.

In conclusion from the broad canvas of Tolstoy's historical vision to the claustrophobic moral inquiry of Dostoevsky, Russian literature has given the world some of its most durable works of art. 

These authors did more than portray their own country they illuminated the universal human experience.

Finally, Tolstoy teaches us how to strive for moral perfection, but Dostoevsky describes the depths at which we have to be redeemed. 

Both of them tell us that literature is not an entertainment it is a mirror into which we are compelled to look.