Н. Н. СТРАХОВ ОБ ЭПИЧЕСКОЙ ОСНОВЕ СОЧИНЕНИЙ Л. Н. ТОЛСТОГО

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of Nikolay Strakhov's assessment of the genre originality in Leo Tolstoy's works. The author of the article believes that Strakhov's philosophical observations of the 1870-s were especially significant for the artistic and moral search of Tolstoy, who, mainly under the influence of Strakhov's ideas, strove for allinclusiveness. Strakhov was the first to speak boldly enough about the religious foundations of Tolstoy's art, which demanded a special artistic form that could «embrace the unembraceable», accommodate people's life in its diversity and fullness. Strakhov's articles on War and Peace make accurate remarks about the artist's epic talent based on religious art, about his elevation above the traditional novel conflict. The author of the article shows that unlike K. N. Leontiev, who spoke of Tolstoy's growing objectivity as he freed himself from the allegedly pernicious influence of the natural school, Strakhov in his articles on War and Peace stresses the writer's truthfulness, absence of hypocrisy and reveals remarkable features of his epic narrative. In Tolstoy's works, life is not generalized in advance, the writer's position does not obscure the versatile and complex nature of existence. Step by step Strakhov comes to understanding the epic nature of Tolstoy's artistic worlds, which is understood not just as a calm and unhurried manner of narration, but as a revival of the scope of ancient epics in the new literature. Strakhov's subtle outline of the two foundations of Russian epic art showed a profound connection between the family theme in Russian literature and the idea of progress. By comparing the works of Tolstoy and Pushkin, Strakhov raised the figure of the former significantly above the momentary disputes, above his contemporary literature engulfed by nihilistic trends, defining the significance of the writer in the formation of truly people’s art.