The Kreutzer Sonata and Other StoriesWhile "The Kreutzer Sonata" caused a public sensation, Tolstoy's wife, Sonya, was hurt and furious that he should have enriched his scathing indictment of marriage with private details from theri own life together. Tolstoy, during two years of obsessive unhappiness, had become convinced that the idea of a "Christian marriage" was an impossibility. Here he lets loose all his frustration and disgust at human sexuality, and the humiliating, ungodly, sensual tie that binds men to women. The curious result, part self-lacerating, confession, part Christian polemic, is moving, above all, as the story of a man whose sexual jealousy, inflamed by guilt, drives him to murder his wife. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - vanjr - LibraryThingMost do not like this book, but I enjoyed the stories and some of the lessons they teach. It is certainly a welcome change from War and Peace. Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - UrsulaTillmann - LibraryThingAbsolutely his best. The Kreutzer Sonata is way ahead of its time and shows, that in essence nothing has changed. When reading this book, listen to Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata. It will help to understand the turmoil and depth of this novel. Read full review
Contents
The Kreutzer Sonata | 25 |
The Devil | 119 |
The Forged Coupon | 175 |
After the Ball | 255 |
Postface to the Kreutzer Sonata | 267 |
Alternative Conclusion to The Devil | 283 |
Notes | 286 |
Other editions - View all
The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy,Leo Tolstoy No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
able already animal appeared asked began believe better brought called carry completely continued course doctors don't everything exist expression eyes face fact father feeling felt gave girl give given gone hand happened head horses human husband ideal it's Ivan Mironov keep kill kind knew lady live Liza look managed marriage married matter means mind mother murder natural never night Nikolayevich once opened particular peasant person play possible prison Pyotr question receive relations remember round running seemed side smile Sonata started Stepan stop suddenly suffered taken talk tell that's there's things thought told Tolstoy took town tried true trying turned Vasily village voice waiting walked wanted what's whole wife woman women Yevgeny young
Popular passages
Page 9 - For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories Classics Series Penguin classics |
| Author | graf Leo Tolstoy |
| Translated by | David McDuff |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Penguin, 1985 |
| ISBN | 0140444696, 9780140444698 |
| Length | 287 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |