Leo Tolstoy and the Canadian Doukhobors: A Study in Historic Relationships. Expanded and Revised Edition. (Mercury Series) (in English)
Synopsis "Leo Tolstoy and the Canadian Doukhobors: A Study in Historic Relationships. Expanded and Revised Edition. (Mercury Series) (in English)"
A la suite de la redaction de ses deux romans les plus importants, Guerre et paix et Anna Karenine, l'auteur russe Leon Tolstoi a vecu une crise spirituelle qui l'a amene a denoncer les privileges dont jouissait sa classe sociale et les richesses materielles afferentes, et a accueillir la vie champetre du paysan. Dans la secte persecutee des Doukhobors, qui rejetaient aussi le militarisme et les rituels de l'Eglise en elisant plutot de trouver Dieu dans leur coeur, il decouvrait un exemple eloquent de la possibilite de vivre ses nouveaux ideaux pacifistes au quotidien. Leur style de vie les attirait tant - il appelait les Doukhobors " les gens du XXVe siecle " - qu'il decida en 1898 d'aider a financer leur emigration en masse vers le Canada, loin de la persecution de l'Eglise et de l'Etat russes. L'etude approfondie d'Andrew Donskov presente les grandes lignes de l'histoire et des croyances des Doukhobors, leur harmonie avec l'objet de toute la vie de Tolstoi qui souhaitait " un peuple uni " et le portrait des Doukhobors qu'en a fait Tolstoi dans ses ecrits. Cette edition comprend la correspondance entiere entre Tolstoi et le chef des Doukhobors, Petr Vasil'evich Verigin. L'edition est couronnee de trois essais d'eminents Doukhobors canadiens. Appuyee par une panoplie considerable de donnees initiales, cette monographie de Donskov ne manquera pas d'etre pertinente pour ceux qui s'interessent aux etudes religieuses, philosophiques, sociologiques, pacifistes, historiques ou litteraires. Ce livre est publie en anglais. -- Following the completion of his major novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, Russian writer Leo Tolstoy experienced a spiritual crisis that led him to denounce the privileges of his social class and its attendant material wealth and embrace the simple rural life of the peasantry. In the persecuted Russian Doukhobor sect, who also rejected militarism and church ritual in favour of finding God in their hearts, he saw a prime example of how it was possible to live his new-found pacifist ideals in everyday life. He was so taken with their lifestyle, calling the Doukhobors "people of the 25th century," that, in 1898, he decided to help finance their mass emigration to Canada, away from the persecutions of the Russian church and state. Donskov's expanded study presents an outline of Doukhobor history and beliefs, their harmony with Tolstoy's lifelong aim of "unity of people", and the portrayal of Doukhobors in Tolstoy's writings. This edition features Tolstoy's complete correspondence with Doukhobor leader Petr Vasil'evich Verigin. Three guest essays by prominent Canadian Doukhobors are also included. Supported by a considerable array of source materials, Donskov's monograph will be of relevance to anyone interested in religious, philosophical, sociological, pacifist, historical, or literary studies. This book is published in English.
