Father Sergius
by Leo Tolstoy
'Father Sergius' Summary
Many years of humility and doubt follow. He is ordered to become a hermit. Despite his being removed from the world, he is still remembered for having so remarkably transformed his life. One winter night, a group of merry-makers decide to visit him, and one of them, a divorced woman named Makovkina, spends the night in his cell, with the intention to seduce him. Father Sergius discovers he is still weak and in order to protect himself, cuts off his own finger. Makovkina is stunned by this act, and leaves the next morning, having vowed to change her life. A year later she has joined a convent. Father Sergius' reputation for holiness grows. He becomes known as a healer, and pilgrims come from far and wide. Yet Father Sergius is profoundly aware of his inability to attain a true faith. He is still tortured by boredom, pride, and lust. He fails a new test, when the young daughter of a merchant successfully beds him. The morning after, he leaves the monastery and seeks out Pashenka (Praskovya Mikhaylovna), whom he, with a group of other boys, had tormented many years ago. He finds her, now in all the conventional senses a failure in life, yet imbued with a sense of service towards her family. His path is now clearer. He begins to wander, until eight months later he is arrested in the company of a blind beggar who makes him feel closer to God. He is sent to Siberia, where he now works as the hired man of a well-to-do peasant, teaching the gentleman's young children and working in the gardens.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
RussianPublished In
1911Genre/Category
Tags/Keywords
Author
Leo Tolstoy
Russia
Leo Tolstoy was a significant figure in Russian literature, known for his novels "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina." These works are celebrated examples of realist fiction, examining human experience...
More on Leo TolstoyDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
The Green Jacket by Jennette Lee
In a world of socialites and hidden desires, a seemingly ordinary green jacket holds the key to unlocking a captivating tale of love, intrigue, and th...
The Heptameron of the Tales of Margaret, Queen of Navarre, Volume 1 by Marguerite of Navarre
Embark on a captivating journey through love, loss, and redemption in Marguerite of Navarre's timeless classic, The Heptameron. Unveiling the Secrets...
A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy
The book describes the love triangle between a young woman, Elfride Swancourt, and her two suitors from very different backgrounds. Stephen Smith is a...
Stories Weird and Wonderful by Joyce Emmerson Muddock
Step into a realm where the extraordinary meets the everyday in "Stories Weird and Wonderful" by Joyce Emmerson Muddock. From the very first page, you...
Maggie Miller by Mary Jane Holmes
The story follows the life of a young woman named Maggie Miller who, after the death of her parents, is taken in by her wealthy aunt and uncle. Maggie...
An Englishwoman's Love-Letters by Laurence Housman
An Englishwoman's Love-letters is a 1900 novel by Laurence Housman, initially published anonymously. It was a scandal in its time due to its frankness...
A Change of Air by Katharine Fullerton Gerould
Anyone can make a will by which his possessions are divided after his death but Cordelia Wheaton was ahead of the game for she willed away her fortune...
The House without the Key by Earl Derr Biggers
It is a mystery novel. First published in 1925, it is the first in a series of novels featuring the iconic detective, Charlie Chan. The story is set i...
Historietas Nacionales by Pedro Antonio de Alarcón
Step into the rich tapestry of Spain's history with Pedro Antonio de Alarcón y Ariza's captivating work, "Historietas Nacionales." In this literary jo...
Tongues of Conscience by Robert Smythe Hichens
In the heart of Edwardian England, a young woman's conscience is put to the ultimate test in Robert Smythe Hichens' gripping novel, Tongues of Conscie...
Reviews for Father Sergius
No reviews posted or approved, yet...