Resurrection

What it is

Resurrection is a novel by Leo Tolstoy, first published in December 1899. It was the last novel he wrote and published in his lifetime.

Why it matters

Tolstoy meant the novel as a panoramic view of Russian society and an attack on man-made laws and the hypocrisy of the institutional Church. Its publication led to his excommunication from the Russian Orthodox Church in 1901. Tolstoy finished the book quickly so he could use its proceeds to help the persecuted Doukhobors emigrate from Russia to Canada, showing how he used his writing for direct political and humanitarian action. The story was inspired by a real case told to Tolstoy by his friend Anatoly Koni, and the character Toporov is a caricature of the real official Konstantin Pobedonostsev.

Look closer

• Why might a novel lead to a writer's excommunication from his church?
• What does it mean that Tolstoy used money from this book to help a persecuted group emigrate?
• How might basing a novel on a real court case change how readers judge its fairness?