The Landlord's Morning
Details
This autobiographical account, a fragment of a larger, unfinished work, delves into the earnest, yet often frustrated, attempts of a young nobleman to ameliorate the dire conditions of his serfs. It provides a candid glimpse into the societal chasm between the gentry's benevolent intentions and the entrenched realities of peasant life in 19th-century Russia.<br/><br/>"The Landlord's Morning," or "Утро помещика" in Russian, was published in the twelfth issue of the journal "Отечественные записки" (Otechestvennye Zapiski) in 1856. This work constitutes a published portion of Tolstoy's unfinished "Novel of a Russian Landowner," with mentions in his diary dating back to 1852 and work continuing into 1857. The account centers on the nineteen-year-old Prince Nekhlyudov, who, having left university, arrives at his village estate for the summer, confronting the impoverished existence of his peasants.<br/><br/>Nekhlyudov perceives it as his duty to care for his serfs, ultimately deciding to abandon his university studies to manage his estate and improve their lives. The story explores the complex relationship between peasants and landowners, serving as a vehicle for Tolstoy to express his views on serfdom, a central social issue of the time. Nekhlyudov visits various peasant households, encountering their numerous problems and their inherent skepticism toward his proposed reforms, which often clash with their traditional ways and immediate needs.<br/><br/>This critical reader's edition presents a modern translation of the original manuscript, crafted for the modern reader with clean, contemporary language and simplified sentence structures that clarify his complex Russian phrasing and specific antiquated references. Supplementary material enriches the text with autobiographical, historical, and linguistic context, including an afterword by the translator on Tolstoy’s personal history, impact, and intellectual legacy, an index of the philosophical concepts he employs—emphasizing Existentialism and influence by Schopenhauer—a comprehensive chronological list of his published writings, and a detailed timeline of his life, highlighting the personal relationships that shaped his philosophy.
The Landlord's Morning Leo Tolstoy
Details
This autobiographical account, a fragment of a larger, unfinished work, delves into the earnest, yet often frustrated, attempts of a young nobleman to ameliorate the dire conditions of his serfs. It provides a candid glimpse into the societal chasm between the gentry's benevolent intentions and the entrenched realities of peasant life in 19th-century Russia.<br/><br/>"The Landlord's Morning," or "Утро помещика" in Russian, was published in the twelfth issue of the journal "Отечественные записки" (Otechestvennye Zapiski) in 1856. This work constitutes a published portion of Tolstoy's unfinished "Novel of a Russian Landowner," with mentions in his diary dating back to 1852 and work continuing into 1857. The account centers on the nineteen-year-old Prince Nekhlyudov, who, having left university, arrives at his village estate for the summer, confronting the impoverished existence of his peasants.<br/><br/>Nekhlyudov perceives it as his duty to care for his serfs, ultimately deciding to abandon his university studies to manage his estate and improve their lives. The story explores the complex relationship between peasants and landowners, serving as a vehicle for Tolstoy to express his views on serfdom, a central social issue of the time. Nekhlyudov visits various peasant households, encountering their numerous problems and their inherent skepticism toward his proposed reforms, which often clash with their traditional ways and immediate needs.<br/><br/>This critical reader's edition presents a modern translation of the original manuscript, crafted for the modern reader with clean, contemporary language and simplified sentence structures that clarify his complex Russian phrasing and specific antiquated references. Supplementary material enriches the text with autobiographical, historical, and linguistic context, including an afterword by the translator on Tolstoy’s personal history, impact, and intellectual legacy, an index of the philosophical concepts he employs—emphasizing Existentialism and influence by Schopenhauer—a comprehensive chronological list of his published writings, and a detailed timeline of his life, highlighting the personal relationships that shaped his philosophy.