The Devil

Name: The Devil
Author: graf Leo Tolstoy

A rural landowner becomes consumed by desire for a young servant cook and endures an escalating inner struggle between passion and conscience. He tries prayer, confession, and practical measures—seeking companionship on walks, confessing his weakness, and arranging the woman's removal—to resist temptation, yet obsession breeds jealousy and moral unraveling that strain his marriage and social relations. The narrative combines intimate psychological detail and domestic scenes to probe the conflict between bodily impulse and ethical responsibility, while a prefatory account explains that the story grew out of a vividly remembered personal crisis of conscience.

By graf Leo Tolstoy

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Russian Literature

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About the Author

graf Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy, a prominent Russian author and philosopher, is best known for his epic novels that explore complex themes of morality, society, and human experience. His most famous works include "Anna Karenina," which delves into the intricacies of love and infidelity, and "War and Peace," a sweeping narrative set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. Beyond fiction, Tolstoy was a significant thinker in the realms of ethics and spirituality, as evidenced in his essays such as "The Kingdom of God Is Within You," where he articulates his views on nonviolent resistance and Christian anarchism. His literary contributions have left a lasting impact on both literature and philosophy.