Three Deaths

Leo Tolstoy wrote a short story titled Three Deaths: A Tale which was originally released in 1859. Three deaths are described: those of a noblewoman a coachman and a tree. The representation of views towards mortality in the novel supports the ideal of a simple genuine life for man beside nature. In a letter to A.A. Tolstoy the author provided a comprehensive analysis of his work: My thought was: three creatures died -- a noblewoman a muzhik[4] and a tree. The noblewoman is pathetic and disgusting because she lied her entire life and continues to lie before death. Christianity as she understands it does not resolve for her the question of life and death. Why die when you want to live? She believes with her imagination and intellect in Christianitys promise of the future but her entire being rears up and there is no other comfort (except a false Christian one) -- and the place is taken. She is disgusting and pathetic. The muzhik dies calmly exactly because he isnt a Christian. His religion is different although by custom he performed the Christian rites; his religion is nature with whom he lived. He himself cut down the trees sowed rye and mowed it killed rams and had rams born and children were born and old men died and he knew this law well; this law from which he never turned away like the noblewoman did he directly and simply looked it in the face... The tree dies quietly honestly and beautifully. Beautifully because it does not lie or break; it is not scared or sorry.