Leo Tolstoy, a giant among writers, penned masterpieces like War and Peace and Anna Karenina. His final novel, Resurrection, recently re-released, is a story of love and redemption, albeit one that arguably falls short of his best work.
Resurrection is a sprawling tale with nearly a hundred named characters. The story centers on Katerina Maslova, a young woman working as a maid, and Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Nekhlyudov. Nekhlyudov seduces Katerina, leading to her pregnancy and subsequent dismissal. Destitute, she falls into prostitution.
Years later, Katerina is wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to hard labor in Siberia. Serendipitously, Nekhlyudov finds himself on the jury and recognizes the woman whose life he irrevocably altered. Stricken with guilt, he vows to right his wrong by proving her innocence and offering her marriage.
However, Resurrection is more than a love story. Tolstoy uses the narrative as a platform to critique the institutions of his time. Nekhlyudov’s moral failings are blamed on his time in the military. Tolstoy portrays military life as corrupting, stripping men of their values and turning them into self-serving egotists. He criticizes the rigid hierarchy and unquestioning obedience demanded by military service, arguing that it stifles individual thought and responsibility.
Tolstoy is equally critical of the Russian legal system. He depicts judges as disinterested and distracted, more concerned with personal pleasures than with justice. He singles out corrupt officials who prioritize personal gain over upholding the law, suggesting that the pursuit of self-interest has eroded the foundations of the justice system.
But Tolstoy reserves his harshest criticism for the Russian prison system. Nekhlyudov’s visits to prisons reveal a world of despair, brutality, and indifference. He is horrified by the treatment of prisoners, the callousness of the jailers, and the overall dehumanization of the incarcerated. Tolstoy suggests that prisons, rather than rehabilitating criminals, strip them of their humanity and perpetuate a cycle of violence and suffering. The author seems to emphasize personal responsibility and accountability as the foundation of a just society.
Ultimately, Katerina refuses to marry Nekhlyudov, believing that she would only hinder his life. Instead, she chooses another path. The novel concludes with Nekhlyudov’s turn to the Gospels, where he finds a new purpose.
Some find the ending abrupt and overly theological, even Tolstoy’s greatest admirers found it forced. Regardless, Tolstoy’s Resurrection remains a powerful exploration of guilt, redemption, and the search for meaning in a flawed world. While Tolstoy’s critiques of Russian institutions might seem harsh, they reflect a broader concern for the moral health of society and the importance of upholding traditional values. The story reminds us of the importance of personal responsibility, the dangers of unchecked power, and the need for a just and compassionate society.
