文档介绍：The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories
The Kreutzer Sonata and
Other Stories
BY COUNT LEO TOLSTOI
Author of "Resurrection," "Life is Worth Living," "Ivan the
Fool," Etc.
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The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories
The Kreutzer Sonata
CONTENTS.
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
KREUTZER SONATA.
IVAN THE FOOL.
A LOST OPPORTUNITY.
POLIKUSHKA.
THE CANDLE.
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
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The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories
paring with the original Russian some English translations of
Count Tolstoi's works, published both in this country and in England, I
concluded that they were far from being accurate. The majority of them
were retranslations from the French, and I found that the respective
transitions through which they had passed tended to obliterate many of the
beauties of the Russian language and of the peculiar characteristics of
Russian life. A satisfactory translation can be made only by one who
understands the language and SPIRIT of the Russian people. As Tolstoi's
writings contain so many idioms it is not an easy task to render them into
intelligible English, and the one who essfully plishes this must
be a native of Russia, commanding the English and Russian languages
with equal fluency.
The story of "Ivan the Fool" portrays Tolstoi'munistic ideas,
involving the abolition of military forces, middlemen, despotism, and
money. Instead of these he would establish on earth a kingdom in which
each and every person would e a worker and producer. The author
describes the various struggles through which three brothers passed, beset
as they were by devils large and small, until they reached the ideal state of
existence which he believes to be the only happy one attainable in this
world.
On reading this little story one is surprised that the Russian censor
passed it, as it is devoted to a narration of ideas quite at variance with the
present policy of the government of that country.
"A Lost Opportunity" is a singularly true picture of peasan