What Shall we do? by Leo Tolstoy

Name: What Shall we do?
Author: Leo Tolstoy

The story revolves around a young nobleman who is struggling with the meaning of life and his place in society. He becomes disillusioned with the superficiality of high-society and sets out to find true happiness through spiritual enlightenment. Along the way, he encounters various characters who challenge his views on morality and the nature of existence.

By Leo Tolstoy · First published 1886 · Genre: Philosophical, Social Critique, Political · 40 chapters · 120,603 words

First lines

After having passed the greater part of my life in the country, I came at length, in the year 1881, to reside in Moscow, where I was immediately struck with the extreme state of pauperism in that city. Though well acquainted with the privations of the poor in rural districts, I had not the faintest conception of their actual condition in towns.

In Moscow it is impossible to pass a street without meeting beggars of a peculiar kind, quite unlike those in the country, who go about there, as the saying is, "with a bag and the name of Christ."

What this Textopian page supports

What Shall we do? is listed on Textopian as a novel by Leo Tolstoy, dated 1886 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Date: 1886 CE
Language: English
Genres: Philosophical, Social Critique, Political, Religious, Non-fiction
Length: 120,603 words
Structure: 40 chapters, 1,468 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Genres

Philosophical — The text explores deep questions about morality, existence, and the human condition.
Social Critique — It critiques societal norms and the impact of social structures on individual lives.
Political — The work addresses issues of governance, power, and the role of the individual in society.
Religious — It delves into spiritual themes and the search for meaning beyond material existence.