Talk:Leo Tolstoy

Credible source or exaggeration?
This sentence "For all the praise showered on Anna Karenina and War and Peace, Tolstoy rejected the two works later in his life as something not as true of reality." seems like is an exaggeration. the source provided doesn't seem that credible... has anyone seen an actual quote from Tolstoy on this? When did Tolstoy himself say this? 143.89.90.9 (talk) 13:56, 30 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I had a quick look at this. It is mentioned by Pavel Basinsky "Tolstoy really grew ashamed of having written "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina." This resulted from the "spiritual breakthrough," when Tolstoy disowned all his earlier works for the sake of his new religious convictions". rbth.com is not a reliable source but I believe the claim is accurate. I agree that the text on the article should be re-worded and a scholarly source should be found. Psychologist Guy (talk) 23:08, 31 July 2023 (UTC)
 * I had a quick look at this. It is mentioned by Pavel Basinsky "Tolstoy really grew ashamed of having written "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina." This resulted from the "spiritual breakthrough," when Tolstoy disowned all his earlier works for the sake of his new religious convictions". rbth.com is not a reliable source but I believe the claim is accurate. I agree that the text on the article should be re-worded and a scholarly source should be found. Psychologist Guy (talk) 23:08, 31 July 2023 (UTC)

In Fodor's since at least 1996

"In his last years, Tolstoy even disowned War and Peace because its patriotic elements violated his new sense of the universal brotherhood of man"

"He disowns War and Peace and Anna Karenina"

"Author of two universally acclaimed novels, he later rejected these and various other great works of literary art as immoral."


 * I've recast the sentence using Bartlett, who cites Tolstoy's What Is Art? Collapsed some other searches above. czar  08:56, 1 August 2023 (UTC)

About Tolstoy praising the Boxer rebellion
some other websites/sources say that actually he asked the Chinese to keep pacifists and non-violent although he was for the idea of Chinese being free from European influences and being independent as he suggested for India. I think the article does not explain that he wanted the Chinese not to use violence looking like he actually praised something like the Boxer rebellion (the Boxer rebelled in a very violent way, making many people lose their life, which could not be coherent with the Pacifists ideas and ideologies and ideals of Tolstoy). Therefore I do believe this passage should be better explained.

Here is the website saying he wanted the Chinese not to be violent during the Boxer rebellion: https://www.rbth.com/arts/history/2016/11/14/how-leo-tolstoy-supported-anti-imperialist-movements-in-asia_647491

Quote from the link above: "He said the Chinese people were undergoing a great and heavy trial but asked them to remain non-violent."

Also all the first part of the article about the Boxer rebellion is all relevant. 5.168.180.77 (talk) 22:48, 15 October 2023 (UTC)

Which Caesar?
"from Nemec, from the lands of Caesar"

I think the link to Caesar and the explanation of "Nemec" is wrong. To me it reader like a reference to the Holy Roman Empire, i.e., Germany under the Caesar/Emperor. The article Tolstoy family does not have the quotation but it backs up this interpretation. Srnec (talk) 13:28, 25 June 2024 (UTC)