Between Humility and Passion: George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss and Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace (Based on Materials from the Yasnaya Polyana Library)

The aim of the article is the analysis of Leo Tolstoy's marginalia in George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss. The novel's edition in English of 1860, stored in the Yasnaya Polyana library, became the basis of the analysis. The highlighted fragments are united by a common subject: this is a debate about the need for renunciation and immutable adherence to one's duty. The author of the article attempts to prove that the writer's close attention to the subject of humility of the young heroine is reflected in the novel War and Peace. The essence of the character of Maggie Tulliver - a hot-tempered, passionate nature, constant self-reflection-is dispersed in three Tolstoy's characters: Pierre, Princess Maria and Natasha. An essential basis for the question is Thomas a Kempis's work The Imitation of Christ. Both Maggie and Pierre read this book in the period of crisis; the teaching of Thomas a Kempis marks their insight and turning to a new spiritual doctrine. The methods of the psychological description of the characters at the moment of their “dialogue” with mentors are similar. The study of the draft versions of War and Peace revealed that originally Princess Mary was also the reader of The Imitation of Christ. Tolstoy deletes the mention of this fact, probably because of his complicated attitude towards the idea of religious humility and Thomas a Kempis himself: his critical statements evidence it. The idea of the need of voluntary renunciation of a full life, the joy of cognition and love seemed unacceptable to the writer. Therefore, Tolstoy used the same psychological technique as Eliot, creating the image of Maria Bolkonskaya: the character's convictions are debunked by the narrator's commentary. The character of Natasha Rostova is the closest to the main character of Eliot's novel. Natasha also goes through a severe crisis of life and gets her lesson of humility. The author of the article analyzes in detail scenes of Maggie's and Natasha's reflection after the first meeting with the heroes who caught their imagination. It is also important how both characters get over this crisis. Natasha is saved by the same means that Maggie had previously: a sense of religious humility revives her. Tolstoy's work on the episode of Natasha's rapture to church demonstrates his attitude to the idea of humility: the writer emphasizes its naturalness; the sincerity of the heroine; her adoration not of doctrine, but of God. And, most importantly, Tolstoy shows the temporariness of this period: humility does not become the meaning of Natasha's life. In Eliot's novel, on the contrary, the doctrine of Thomas a Kempis supports the character in the finale of the novel and as if “encloses” her path. However, Maggie's death shows that the path of renunciation is not organic for her. The flooded Floss River becomes the embodiment of the same passion that rages in the character's soul. In the final part of the research, it is concluded that the comparative analysis of the key author's ideas and methods of their creative embodiment in the novels The Mill on the Floss and War and Peace substantially complements the history of the creation of Tolstoy's largest work.