University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

A comparative study of selected novels of Leo Tolstoy and of Thomas Mann

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A comparative study of selected novels of Leo Tolstoy and of Thomas Mann

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Content A COMPARATIVE STUDY
OP SELECTED NOVELS OP
LEO TOLSTOY AND OP' THOMAS7T M A N N
L
A T h e s is
P r e s e n te d to
th e F a c u lt y o f t h e D epartm ent o f C om p arative L it e r a t u r e
U n iv e r s i t y o f S o u th e rn C a lif o r n ia
In P a r t i a l F u l f il l m e n t
o f t h e R eq u irem en ts f o r the: D eg ree
M aster o f A r ts
M a r jo r ie C r a n d a ll
Jun e 1936
U M I Number: EP43041
All rights reserved
INFORMATION TO ALL USERS
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IzrG o H # /
This thesis, written under the direction of the
candidate’s Faculty Committee and approved by
all its members, has been presented to and ac
cepted by the Council on Graduate Study and
Research in partial fulfillment of the require
ments for the degree of
Q
■Secretary
Dean
D ate......
Faculty Com mittee
Chairman
TABLE OP CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES 1 - 17
Leo T o ls t o y 1 - 9
Thomas Mann 10 - :.T7
I I PLOT SUMMARIES: N o v e ls o f T o ls t o y 18
- 30
War and P ea ce 18 24
Anna K aren in a 2 4 - 28
R e s u r r e c t io n 28 - 30
I I I P10T SUMMARIES! N o v e ls o f Mann S I - 47
B uddenbrooks 31 - 38
The M agic M ountain 38
- 4©
4 1
J o se p h and H is B r o th e r s 45
- 47
IV COMPARISONS 48
-
79
C h a r a c te r s 48 - 69
A u to b io g r a p h ic a l E lem en ts 69 - 73
S u b je c t M a tter
-
7 8
C o n c lu s io n 78 - 79
V BIBLIOGRAPHY
80
—
82
N CH A IA F O JE R I S
X A V /
RAPKI'GALNSTUDIES BIOGRAPHICAL
; .The f o l lo w in g st\id y o f c e r t a i n n o v e ls o f Leo T o ls t o y
and Thomas Mann a tte m p ts t o com pare, c o n t r a s t , and d i s c u s s
on Lu&S 4
th e t e c h n iq u e , gub j-ecb" mat t - e r , and* d r a m a tic a p p e a l o f t h e
a u t h o r s .
The b a s i s o f co m p a riso n o f t h e tw o a u th o r s i s fo u n d
i n a dom in ant id e a w h ich r u n s th r o u g h t h e i r n o v e ls * I t
a p p e a r s t h a t b o th h ave t h e i r le a d in g c h a r a c t e r s en gage i n
a s e a r c h f o r h a p p in e s s , or p e a c e o f m in d . The r e a d e r f in d s
h im s e lf a t tim e s e v en w e a r ie d i n f o l lo w in g t h e s e c h a r a c t e r s
a s t h e y t r y t o f i n d some p a t t e r n , som e m o tiv e f o r l i v i n g .
T h is them e w i l l b e d e v e lo p e d a s t h e m ajor p r e m ise upon w h ich
t h i s s tu d y d e p e n d s.
The n o v e ls o f T o ls t o y in v o lv e d a r e : War and P e a c e ,
t h a t g r e a t n o v e l o f t h e N a p o le o n ic p e r io d , Anna K a re n in a ,
p o p u la r ly c o n s id e r e d h i s g r e a t e s t p r o d u c tio n , and R e su r
r e c t i o n , h i s l a s t b i g b o o k .
The n o v e ls o f Mann t o b e u s e d a r e : The B u d d en b rook s,
a g r e a t s o c i o l o g i c a l s tu d y , M agic M o u n ta in , a p ic t u r e o f th e
d i s e a s e - i n f e c t e d s o c i e t y o f t h e p re-W orld War p e r io d , and
J o se p h and H is B r o t h e r s . The l a s t m e n tio n e d i s a p a r t o f a
t r i l o g y b a se d on t h e b i b l i c a l c h a r a c t e r , J o s e p h .
A few b io g r a p h ic a l d a ta a r e n e c e s s a r y f o r u n d e r s ta n d
in g o f t h e a u th o r s a s p r e lim in a r y t o a p rop er c o n s id e r a t io n
o f t h e i r w o r k s.
I On A u gu st 2 8 , 2:828, a t Y asnaya P o ly a n a , Leo T o ls t o y
was b o r n . H ere h e l i v e d u n t i l t h e a g e o f e ig h t y e a r s , when
h i s fa m ily moved t o M oscow. H is e a r ly y o u th w as com para
t i v e l y u n e v e n t f u l; h i s e d u c a tio n n o t v e r y e x t e n s i v e . He
e n te r e d t h e u n i v e r s i t y a t t h e a g e o f s i x t e e n , b u t t h e s o c i a l
w h ir l w h ich in v o lv e d him r e s u l t e d i n h i s f a i l u r e t o b e a
s a t i s f a c t o r y s tu d e n t* B e fo r e r e a c h in g t h e a g e o f n in e t e e n ,
h e l e f i i t h e u n i v e r s i t y w ith o u t c o m p le tin g t h e c o u r s e , b u t
w ith r e s o l u t i o n s f o r l a t e r s t u d y . Among h i s i n t e n t i o n s even
a t t h i s e a r l y p e r io d i n h i s l i f e , was t h e d e s i r e t o im prove
t h e c o n d it io n o f t h e p e a s a n t s , a d e s i r e w h ich was v o ic e d i n
h i s l a t e r w r i t i n g s .
A few m onths a f t e r le a v i n g M oscow, h e s t a r t e d s c h o o l
i n P e tr o g r a d , b u t soon l e f t t h a t . E v e n tu a lly h e r e tu r n e d
t o h i s e s t a t e . J u s t su ch i n d e c i s i o n and im p e t u o s it y seem ed
t o c h a r a c t e r i z e h i s d e s i r e f o r k n ow led ge and h i s d eep s e a r c h
f o r r ig h t e o u s n e s s .
For t h e n e x t t h r e e y e a r s h e l i v e d p a r t ly a t Moscow
le a d in g a l i f e a l t e r n a t i n g b etw een a s c e t is m and s e l f -
in d u lg e n c e . T h ese w ere among t h e w i l d e s t and m ost
w a s te d y e a r s o f h i s l i f e ; b u t even h e r e we f i n d h im ,
in t h e summer o f 1 8 5 0 , r esu m in g h is D ia r y w ith p e n it e n c e
and s e l f - r e p r o a c h , and d ra w in g up a tim e t a b l e o f how
h i s d a y s a r e i n t h e f u t u r e t o b e s p e n t: e s t a t e m anage
m en t, b a t h in g , d ia r y w r i t i n g , m u s ic , d in n e r , r e s t ,
r e a d in g , b a t h in g , and a g a in e s t a t e b u s in e s s t o
c l o s e t h e d a y . T h is c u r r ic u lu m w a s, h o w ev er,
n e g l e c t e d . G u sts o f p a s s io n a g a in and a g a in
sw ep t away h i s good r © s o l u t i o n s . 1
He t r i e d t o s t a r t a s c h o o l f o r t h e p e a s a n t c h i ld r e n ,
b u t a t t h e end o f tw o y e a r s th e s c h o o l c l o s e d when h e w as in
s t r a i t e n e d c ir c u m s ta n c e s b e c a u se o f g a m b lin g l o s s e s .
He d e te r m in e d upon a m i l i t a r y c a r e e r , b u t b e f o r e
b e in g a c t u a l l y a c c e p te d f o r s e r v i c e h e w r o te C h ild h o o d ,
Y fhich was a c c e p te d b y N e k r a so v , t h e le a d in g P e tr o g r a d m o n th ly .
A lth o u g h h e l a t e r came t o lo o k on war a s im m oral, and
w ish e d t h a t i t m ig h t b e im p o s s ib le f o r an y governm ent t o make
w a r, h e seem s a t t h a t e a r l y tim e t o h a v e b een a v e r y a m b itio u s
s o l d i e r and o f f i c e r *
*
At t h e end o f 1852 T o ls t o y f i n i s h e d The R a id : A V o lu n te e r
S t o r y , a war t a l e . H is s k e t c h e s o f S e v a s t o p o l w ere more war
s t o r i e s .
In M arch, 1 8 5 6 , t h e Crim ean War en d ed , and in November
T o ls t o y l e f t th e arm y. On h i s r e t u r n home t o Y asnaya P o ly a n a ,
h e sto p p e d t o v i s i t D r.B eh rs* f a m ily i n M oscow. In h i s D ia r y
h e m en tio n e d t h e l i t t l e g i r l s o f t h e f a m ily , and i t was one
o f t h e s e who l a t e r becam e h i s w i f e . At t h i s tim e h e was
w r i t i n g Two H u s s a r s , M em oirs o f a B i l l i a r d M arker, and
A S q u i r e d M e e tin g .
1 A ylm er M aude, Leo T o ls t o y (New Y ork: Dodd, Mead and
Company, 1 9 1 8 ) , p . 11*
4
In 1 8 5 7 a p p ea red Youth., a c o n t in u a t io n o f C h ild h o o d
and B oyh ood*
M ien h e was t w e n t y - n in e , T o ls t o y w ent a b r o a d , w here
h e d id some w r i t i n g b e f o r e h e r e tu r n e d t o R u s s ia . F am ily
H a p p in e s s, a s h o r t n o v e l , was p u b lis h e d in 1859 and ’’i n d i c a t e s
t h e th o u g h ts o f m a r r ia g e w h ich w ere th e n 'w o r k in g i n h i s
m in d. ”2 In B r u s s e ls h e w r o te a p i e c e , P o lik u s h k a , w h ich im
p l i e s a con d em n ation o f se r fd o m . In 1861 h e r e t u r n e d t o
R u s s ia and d id n o t l e a v e t h e r e a g a in *
For tw o y e a r s h e sp e n t h i s tim e a t t h e com m endable t a s k
o f t r y i n g t o p r o v id e e d u c a tio n f o r t h e p e a s a n t c h ild r e n o f
R u s s ia .
One c h i e f aim o f h i s t r a v e l s ab road had b een t o stu d y
t h e t h e o r y and p r a c t i c e o f e d u c a tio n ; and n o t o n ly
d id h e p e r s o n a lly d e v o te h im s e lf t o t h e s c h o o l a t Y a s-
n a y a , b u t i n t h e su r r o u n d in g n e ig h b o r h o o d e le v e n o th e r
s c h o o ls w ere s t a r t e d a l l m ore or l e s s i n s p i r e d b y h i s
I d e a l s and e n c o u r a g ed by h i s c o - o p e r a t i o n . He a l s o ,
d u r in g 1 8 6 2 , p rod u ced and e d it e d a m o n th ly m a g a z in e ,
Y asnaya P o ly a n a , t o p r o p a g a te h i s v ie w s on e d u c a tio n
and make known t h e r e s u l t s a t t a i n e d in h i s s c h o o l.
In t h i s w ork T o ls t o y show ed t h e q u a l i t i e s and l i m i t a
t i o n s w h ich i n l a t e r y e a r s m arked h i s o t h e r p r o p a g a n d is t
a c t i v i t i e s . T h ere w as t h e sam e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s e l e c t i o n
o f a t a s k o f g r e a t im p o r ta n c e , t h e same r e a d in e s s t o
sw eep a s id e and condemn n e a r ly a l l t h a t c i v i l i z e d h u m an ity
had a c c o m p lish e d up t o t h e n , th e same a s s u r a n c e t h a t h e
c o u ld u n t i e t h e G ordian k n o t, and t h e same power o f d e
v o te d g e n iu s e n a b lin g him r e a l l y # o a c h ie v e m ore th a n
h e s e t o u t t o d o. 3
2 P* 41*
3 I b i d . , p . 5 1 .
Ho on e b r in g s a n y th in g w ith him , n e i t h e r b ook s
n o r c o p y -b o o k s . No homework i s s e t them . N ot
o n ly do t h e y c a r r y n o th in g i n t h e i r h a n d s, th e y
h a v e n o th in g t o c a r r y ev en in t h e i r h e a d s . They
a r e n o t o b l i g e d t o remember any l e s s o n , n o r any
o f y e s t e r d a y ’ s w ork. They a r e n o t to r m e n te d by
t h e th o u g h t o f t h e im p en d in g l e s s o n . They b r in g
o n ly t h e m s e lv e s , t h e i r r e c e p t i v e n a t u r e , and an
a s s u r a n c e t h a t i t w i l l b e a s j o l l y in s c h o o l t o - -
d ay a s i t w as 7 / e s t e r d a y . They do n o t t h in k o f
t h e i r c l a s s e s t i l l t h e y h a v e b e g u n . No on e i s
e v e r sco ld 'ed f o r b e in g l a t e , and t h e y n e v e r a r e
l a t e , e x c e p t p erh ap s some o f t h e o ld e r b o y s w hose
f a t h e r s o c c a s i o n a l l y k e e p them a t home t o do some
w o rk . In su ch c a s e s t h e boy com es t o s c h o o l r u n
n in g f a s t and p a n t in g .4
H is m ain aim w as t o e s t a b l i s h t h e id e a o f l i b e r t y i n
e d u c a tio n . He f e l t t h a t a happy s p i r i t p r o v id e d t h e o n ly
r e c e p t i v e mood o f a c h i l d .
He p rod u ced a H ea d er , *a f t e r an i n t e r m is s io n o f t e n y e a r s
i n 1872 h e s t a r t e d a g a in t h e Y asnaya P o ly a n a S c h o o l. H is i n t e r
e s t seem ed t o come b a ck o f t e n t o t h i s e d u c a t io n a l w ork . H is
h e a r t and s o u l seem ed t o b e in t h i s , and f o r t h o s e who adm ire
T o l s t o y fs e d u c a t io n a l w ork , i t i s a t r i f l e u p s e t t i n g t o r e a l i z e
t h a t l a t e r h e sp ok e v e r y s c o r n f u l l y o f t h i s a c t i v i t y . But
su ch was h i s w ay; th e o ld was so o n o f no v a lu e , and t h e new
q u ic k ly t o o k i t s p l a c e . He was a lw a y s s t r i v i n g f o r t h e u n a t
t a i n a b l e ; h e w o u ld th row o v e r a l l t h e o ld t e s t e d i d e a s f o r some
new t h o u g h t . How l i k e h i s c h a r a c t e r s h e i s i n t h i s I
A t u r n in g p o in t in h i s l i f e was h i s m a r r ia g e w it h S o p h ie
A ndreyevna B e h r s, Septem ber 2 3 , 1 8 6 2 . He was th ir ty @ fo u r and
sh e w as e ig h t e e n . He seem s in t h i s u n io n t o h a v e fou n d c o m p le te
4 Aylm er M aude, o p . c i t . , p . 5 2 , c i t i n g The L i f e o f
T o ls t o y ( p u b lis h e d by C o n sta b le and C o ., L ondon, and' DocfcT,
Mead and C o ., New Y o r k ), p p . 2 5 4 -2 6 0 , v o l . l .
h a p p in e s s . The o n ly t h i n g t o mar t h i s n e w ly a c q u ir e d p e a c e
w as t h e i l l h e a lt h w h ich h e q u i t e u s u a l l y h a d .
A fte r s e t t l i n g down, h e c o n c e iv e d t h e id e a o f w r i t i n g
a g r e a t n o v e l o f t h e N a p o le o n ic w ars and t h e i n v a s io n o f
R u s s ia "by F ran ce i n 1 9 1 2 . The r e s u l t was t h e g i g a n t i c and
s p le n d id w ork, War and P e a c e .
In h i s f o r t y - f i f t h y e a r h e began Anna K a r e n in a , and
w h ile t h i s was t a k in g form and b e in g p u b lis h e d , h i s l i f e w as
r e l a t i v e l y calm and p e a c e f u l . In May, 1 8 7 3 , h e w ent w ith h i s
fa m ily t o Sam ara, w h ere h e show ed h i s i n t e r e s t i n t h e p u b lic
by b e in g in s tr u m e n ta l in o b t a in in g fu n d s f o r fa m in e r e l i e f .
For some tim e h e o c c u p ie d h im s e lf w ith work f o r t h e b e t t e r
m ent o f t h e p e a s a n ts — much o f w h ich h e h a s w r i t t e n i n t o
Anna K a r e n in a .
From 1 8 7 4 -1 8 7 8 h e seem s t o h a v e p a s s e d th r o u g h a
p e r io d o f m e n ta l s t r u g g l e and t o h a v e had a g r e a t d e s i r e t o
pray and go t o ch u rch * W ith C o n f e s s io n , w h ich was w r it t e n
when h e was f i f t y - o n e , t h i s ch a n g e i s e x p r e s s e d . He had
b e e n in f lu e n c e d by t h e ’’r e l i g i o u s l i f e o f t h e p e o p le 1 ’ and
th e movem ent i n R u s s ia a t t h a t t im e , w ith i t s m o tto , ’’To
w ards t h e P e o p le ” — a movement t o e q u a liz e c o n d it io n s o f
c l a s s e s .
T r. C o n fe s s io n h e s a y s : ’F iv e y e a r s ago so m e th in g
v e r y s tr a n g e b egan t o happen t o m e. At f i r s t I
e x p e r ie n c e d moments o f p e r p l e x i t y and a r r e s t o f
7
l i f e , a s th o u g h I d id n o t know how t o l i v e or
w hat t o d o; and I f e l t l o s t and becam e d e j e c t e d .
T h ese moments o f p e r p l e x i t y w ere a lw a y s e x p r e s
se d by t h e q u e s t io n s : ’What i s i t f o r ? What d o e s
i t le a d t o ? 1 T h ese q u e s t io n s b egan t o r e p e a t
th e m s e lv e s f r e q u e n t l y , and m ore and m ore i n s i s t e n t
l y t o demand r e p l i e s . T hey seem ed s t u p id , s im p le ,
c h i l d i s h q u e s t io n s ; b u t a s so o n a s I t r i e d t o s o l v e
them , I becam e c o n v in c e d t h a t th e y a r e n o t c h i l d i e h
and s t u p id , b u t t h a t t h e y a r e t h e m ost im p o r ta n t
and d e e p e s t o f l i f e ’ s q u e s t i o n s . ’ 5
'The q u e s t io n w h ich b r o u g h t me t o t h e v e r g e o f s u i
c id e was t h e s im p le s t o f q u e s t io n s p r e s e n t in t h e
s o u l o f e v e r y man, from t h e f o o l i s h c h i l d t o th e
w i s e s t e ld e r : i t was a q u e s t io n w ith o u t a n sw e r in g
w h ich on e c a n n o t l i v e , a s I h ave fo u n d b y e x p e r ie n c e .
I t w a s, ’What w i l l come o f w hat I am d o in g to d a y or
s h a l l do tom orrow — What w i l l come o f my w h o le
l i f e ? '6
How h e h a s p u t t h i s q u e s t io n in g a t t i t u d e i n t o h i s e h a r a c t e r s i
The b e l i e f s o f ev en t h e s im p le , lo w ly p e a s a n ts seem ed
t o p le a s e h im , w h ile h e was d i s p l e a s e d w it h t h e h ig h ch u rch
p e o p le , and a c c o r d in g ly so u g h t h a p p in e s s th r o u g h a b a n d o n in g
e v e r y th in g t h a t h e u s e d t o f e e l was o f v a lu e t o h im . ’’P o v e r ty ,
h u m i li t y , s e l f - s a c r i f i c e and t h e s e r v i c e o f o t h e r s seem ed g o o d . ”* 7
S in c e h i s b e l i e f d id n o t c o in c id e w ith o r th o d o x y , h e w r o te A
C r i t i c is m o f D ogm atic T h e o lo g y , f o llo w e d by U n ion and T ra n s
l a t i o n o f t h e Pour G o s p e ls , and l a t e r What I_ B e l i e v e .
D o in g away w ith p o v e r ty i n t e r e s t e d h im , and t h e r e f o r e
h e w r o te What Then M ust We Do?
5 A ylm er Maude, o p . e f t . , p . 8 7 , c i t i n g T o l s t o y ’ s Con
f e s s i o n s .
6 I b i d . , p . 8 9 .
7 I b i d . , p . 9 5 .
For t h e y e a r s b e f o r e and a f t e r 1 8 8 8 , h e w as i n t e r e s t e d
i n t h e th e o r y o f H o n -R e s is te n c e , t h a t a man i s n o t t o b e com
p e l l e d t o do a n y th in g by p h y s i c a l f o r c e .
Aylm er Maude f e e l s t h a t T o l s t o y ’ s th e o r y o f H o n -R e s is -
t e n c e o b sc u r e d t h e r e c o g n i t io n o f h i s g r e a t n e s s a s a t h in k e r ,
b u t a f f ir m s t h a t a l l g r e a t men a r e a p t t o l o s e b a la n c e . 8
In 1889 T o ls t o y d e c id e d t o w r it e a g a in , and t h e K re u tz er
S o n a ta w as t h e r e s u l t . I t c a u se d much c r i t i c i s m b e c a u se o f
i t s p o r t r a y a l o f s e x , b u t i t p roved t h a t T o ls t o y had n o t l o s t
h i s a b i l i t y a s an a u th o r .
H is n e x t im p o r ta n t w ork i s The Kingdom o f God I s W ith in
You, c o m p le te d in 1 8 9 5 , w h ich ’ ’d e a ls w it h N o n -R e s ls te n c e a s
a p p lie d t o G overnm ents, and c o n t a in s a s c a t h in g in d ic tm e n t o f
w a r. ”8
In 1897 h e w r o te a l e t t e r t o h i s w i f e i n w h ich h e e x
p la in e d t o h er t h a t h e m ust g e t away and l i v e l i f e in p o v e r ty ,
b u t t h a t h e knew sh e c o u ld n o t b e e x p e c te d t o l i v e t h a t w ay,
a lth o u g h sh e sh o u ld n o t e x p e c t him t o l i v e i n any o th e r y a y .
He d id n o t le a v e hom e, and t h e l e t t e r n e v e r r e a c h e d h i s w i f e ,
b u t an I n k lin g o f h i s s t r u g g l e i s fo u n d i n t h i s m i s s i v e . He
had gon e so f a r a s t o make no e f f o r t t o p u b lis h h i s w o rk s,
and h i s w i f e had ta k e n t h a t t a s k o v e r in o r d e r t o d e r iv e an
In com e.
8 Aylm er Maude,, o p . c i t . , p . 1 9 9 .
9 I b i d . , p . 2 4 4 .
The l a t t e r p a r t o f 1 8 9 8 fo u n d him b u sy on h i s n o v e l
R e s u r r e c t io n , w h ich i s h i s l a s t b i g l i t e r a r y work*
On F eb ru ary 2 2 , 1 9 0 1 . t h e H oly Synod i s s u e d a d e c r e e
o f E xcom m u nication a g a in s t T o l s t o y . H is r e p ly i s c o n s id e r e d
w o rth y o f a p la c e among th e g r e a t p ron ou n cem en ts on l i b e r t y .
H is s c a t h in g A p peal t o t h e C le r g y , in N ovem ber, 1 9 0 2 , h u r le d
an in d ic tm e n t a t th em .
He seem ed t o b e t i l t i n g a g a in s t e v e r y t h in g , and h i s
a r t i c l e I Cannot Be S i l e n t , a p r o t e s t a g a in s t h a n g in g s , was
t e r r i f i c . T h is w as h i s l a s t u t t e r a n c e .
H is c l o s i n g d a y s w ere u n h ap p y. V. G .T e h e r tk o f, a
f a n a t i c a l T o ls t o y ia n and one who was v e r y much o f a h y p o c r it e
i n h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w ith T o ls t o y , g r a d u a lly e s tr a n g e d him
from h i s w i f e , and su c c e e d e d in p e r s u a d in g him t o make a w i l l
w h ich ga v e T e h e r tk o f power t o d e a l a s h e saw f i t w ith T o l s t o y ' s
w r i t i n g s . B e c a u se h e c o u ld n o lo n g e r c o n f id e in h i s w i f e ,
T o ls t o y , m is e r a b le , l e f t home a s a m eans o f e s c a p e , on O ctob er
2 8 , 1 9 1 0 . H is d a u g h te r , A le x a n d r a , a p p a r e n tly j o in e d f o r c e s
w ith T e h e r tk o f a g a in s t t h e C o u n te s s . In A sta p o v o w h ere h e was
f o r c e d t o s t o p b e c a u s e o f i l l h e a l t h , h e d ie d v /ith o u t b e in g
c o n s c io u s enough f o r an o p p o r tu n ity t o b e r e c o n c il e d t o h i s
w i f e .
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e t h a t In t h i s l a s t i l l n e s s
h e was s e n t a te le g r a m a s k in g him t o r e t u r n t o t h e c h u r c h .
When h e d i e d , November 7 , many p e o p le r e g r e t t e d t h e i r t r e a t
m ent o f h im , and a l l p a id him ta r d y t r i b u t e .
1 0 ,
I I Thomas Mann was b orn in L ubeck, Germany, on Jun e
6 , 1 8 7 5 , a t t h e tim e when T o ls t o y w as o c c u p ie d w ith t h e
w r i t i n g o f Anna K a r e n in a *
The f a t h e r o f Thomas was a s e n a to r o f t h e c a p i t a l
o f t h e H a n s e a tic L eagu e, and t w ic e m ayor o f L ubeck.
For h im , a s f o r t h e f i c t i o n a l s e n a to r in one o f
Mann’ s b o o k s, t h e tr o o p s lo w e r e d t h e c o lo r s in s a l u t e .
W ith t h i s in h e r it a n c e from h i s f a t h e r ’s f a m ily was
a y e t m ore s i g n i f i c a n t i n f l u e n c e th r o u g h h i s m o th e r.
The d a u g h te r o f a German p la n t e r i n B r a z i l who mar
r i e d a C r e o le w i f e , J u l i a Brun da S i l v a was e d u c a te d
i n L ubeck and becam e d e e p ly l o y a l t o h er a d o p ted
c o u n tr y . She n e v e r f o r g o t , h o w e v e r , t h e su r r o u n d in g s
o f h e r c h ild h o o d In R io de J a n e ir o , and sh e o f t e n
d e s c r ib e d t h e s e s c e n e s o f r o m a n tic memory t o h er
s o n s . W ith o u t q u e s t io n t h e f a m ily a p t it u d e f o r
b u s in e s s and p o l i t i c a l l e a d e r s h ip w as subm erged, In
t h e s o n s , b e n e a th a v ig o r o u s m e n t a l it y and u r g e t o
w ard c r e a t i v e w r i t i n g .1°
In 1 8 9 0 , a f t e r h e r h u sb a n d ’ s d e a th and t h e l i q u i d a t i n g
u n p r o f it a b ly o f t h e g r a in b u s i n e s s , Frau Mann e m ig r a te d to
M unich f o r f r e e r sc o p e f o r h e r a r t i s t i c l e a n i n g s . In th e
t h r e e and o n e - h a l f y e a r s u n t i l h e j o in e d h i s m other in M unich,
Thomas was b u sy i n an in s u r a n c e o f f i c e a s an u n p a id c l e r k ,
But h i s I n t e r e s t s w ere d e c id e d ly in t h e f i e l d o f l i t e r a t u r e ,
and m ost o f h i s tim e w as sp e n t i n r e a d in g , e s p e c i a l l y from
S c h i l l e r , G o eth e, H e in e , and Iians A n d ersen — t h e l a t t e r ,
a s C leugh s a y s ,
w ith a c l o s e r a t t e n t i o n t o s t y l e and s t r u c t u r e
th a n h i s m ore c h i l d i s h b r a in had b een a b le t o
g iv e : S c h i l l e r w it h an ey e t o t h e d r a m a tic p o s
s i b i l i t i e s o f t h e t o y t h e a t e r : G oethe and H e in e ’ s
l y r i c s , v/h ich I n s t r u c t e d him i n t h e b id r o m a n tic ism ,
Annie Rttetjgll Mhrble,i TasTHdbeluI^iifeoWInnerMatii:. .
L itb raju T er : York: D. A ppleton and Company, 1952)',' p p.“3 4 8 -4 9 .
11
p r e p a r e d him f o r t h e new , and s e t f o r e v e r in
h i s h e a r t t h e s in g in g n o t e w h ich was n e v e r t o
h e q u i t e a b s e n t from any o f h i s b o o k s .H
H is f i r s t y e a r i n t h e in s u r a n c e o f f i c e saw a s e t o f
v e r s e s p u b lis h e d , b u t a f t e r t h i s a tte m p t Mann r e a l i z e d t h a t
h e w as n o t t o b e a p o e t# On t h e s u g g e s t io n o f D ehm el, t h e
p o e t , Mann to o k a c o u r s e i n jo u r n a lis m a t t h e U n iv e r s i t y and
f o llo w e d t h i s by a v i s i t t o Rome t o s e e h i s b r o t h e r , H e in r ic h .
But t h a t c i t y d id n o t a p p e a l t o him a s i t d id t o t h e p a in t e r
b r o t h e r .
H is a s c e t i c ey e p r e fe r r e d t h e s h a r p e r , t h e m ore
m o b ile and t h e r e f o r e m ore m y s te r io u s and s i g n i f i
c a n t s e t t i n g s o f t h e s o u l . That h o t and l i v e l y
la n d , w h ich becam e H e in r ic h ’ s s p i r i t u a l hom e,
sp o k e t o Thomas o n ly o f a p u r e ly se n su o u s d e l i g h t ,
o f r h e t o r i c a l e m o tio n s a l i e n from t h e new r o m a n tic
ism h e w as s lo w ly f o r m u la tin g . I t s c l e a r , l a z y d a y ,
n e v e r v i s i t e d by t h e r o u s in g s t i n g o f t h e n o r th e r n
s e a -w in d , was f o r him o n ly t h e a n a lo g u e o f a p r o s a ic
L a tin i n t e l l e c t u a l i t y w h ich c o u ld n o t s a t i s f a c t o r i l y
answ er t h e q u e s t io n s o f a T e u to n ic m o r a l i s t . 1^
S in c e I t a l y p le a s e d him so l i t t l e , he s p e n t h i s tim e
r e a d in g — e s p e c i a l l y t h e w orks o f T o ls t o y . He w r o te many
s t o r i e s h e r e and im p roved h i s t a l e n t s .
He r e tu r n e d t o M unich and w ith ' him h e to o k a p a r t o f
t h e m a n u sc r ip t f o r B uddenbrooks u p on w h ich h e had b een w ork
i n g . A fte r h i s r e t u r n h e t o o k up m u s ic , and e n jo y e d t h e v i o l i n
11 Jam es C leu g h , Thomas Mann, A S tu d y (London: M artin
S e e k e r , 1 9 3 3 ) , p . 1 4 .
12 I b i d . , p . 1 6 .
12
and * ’c o n te m p la te d t h e g a r la n d e d p o r t r a i t o f T o ls t o y w h ich
s to o d on t h e w r i t i n g t a b l e and w orked u n d er i t s a e g i s , h a r d
and h a r d e r a t B id d e n b r o o k s. n3-3 The p u b l i c a t i o n in 1900 o f
t h i s n o v e l s t a r t e d Mann on h i s c a r e e r i n t o t h e ’’l i t e r a r y
p u r p le’1 o f Germany.
B etw een t h e p u b lic a t io n o f t h i s n o v e l and t h e a p p ea ra n ce
i n 1 9 0 3 o f T r is t a n , Mann’ s home was i n M unich. In T r is t a n
t h e c h a r a c t e r s w ere a l l m ore or l e s s n e u r o t i c , and many r e a d e r s
o b j e c t e d a f t e r t h e s p a c io u s n e s s and v i v i d n e s s o f t h e s c e n e s
i n B u d d en b rook s.
In 1 9 0 5 , when h i s l i t e r a r y p o s i t i o n was c e r t a i n , h e
m a r r ie d F T a u le in K a tja P r in g sh e im , t h e d a u g h te r o f an em in en t
p r o f e s s o r o f m a th e m a tic s , B e s id e s b e in g an am ateur o f W agnerian
m u s ic , sh e w as h e r s e l f a l s o a m a th e m a tic ia n , and b e a u t i f u l .
T h is m a r r ia g e b r o u g h t Mann b ack i n t o t h e a r i s t o c r a t i c c i r c l e
w h ich h e had n e v e r r e a l l y aban don ed , and t h e m a rr ia g e h a s b een
v e r y s u c c e s s f u l .
Soon a p p ea red h i s D eath in V e n ic e , t h e r a th e r lo n g
no\re l l a w h ich made a d e c id e d im p r e s s io n on t h e p u b lic . ’’The
s c e p t i c w as b e g in n in g t o f i n d s c e p t i c i s m v u lg a r and t o p r o
f e s s a new b e l i e f i n l i f e , t h e i r o n i s t had c o n s e n te d t o becom e
b e n e v o le n t , t h e l o n e l y k in g had d r ie d h i s t e a r s and l i f t e d h i s
h ea d t o o r d e r an e n c h a n tin g w o r l d . 1 1
3-3 Jam es C le u g h , op. c i t . , p. 1 9 .
14 I b i d . , p. 35.
13
In 1912 F rau Mann’ s h e a lt h was o f su ch a n a tu r e t h a t
a ch a n g e o f c lim a t e was a d v i s a b l e , and th e y w en t t o Davos
i n e a s t e r n S w it z e r la n d . Mann’ s im p r e s s io n s o f t h e p la c e and
o f t h e l i f e o f th e S a n ita r iu m i n w h ich h i s w i f e w as r e s i d e n t
l e d him t o p la n a b ook ?/h ich l a t e r w as t o make him a m ore
fam ous w r it e r th a n e v e r . He had b een o n ly f o r a few w eek s
w o r k in g on t h e M agic M ountain ”i n h i s d e l i b e r a t e w a y ,” when
t h e war s e t h i s m ind w o r k in g i n an e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t d i r e c
t io n *
D u rin g t h e fo u r y e a r s o f t h e w ar, from 1 9 1 4 t o 1 9 1 8 ,
Thomas Mann p u b lis h e d no im a g in a t iv e l i t e r a t u r e . He w as
p h y s i c a l l y u n a b le t o p a r t i c i p a t e a s a s o l d i e r , a lth o u g h some
t h in k t h a t t h e d o c to r who "(examined him a t t h i s tim e may h a v e
b een in f l u e n c e d by e n th u sia sm f o r t h e a u t h o r ’ s w o rk . ”l t was
a t y p i c a l l y German c o n c e s s io n , w h ich i s , one r e a l i z e s w ith
shame and a sym pathy f o r Mann’ s own v ie w o f t h e German s p i r i t ,
u n t h in k a b le in an y o th e r covin t r y . ”15
A c c u s a tio n s w ere made a g a in s t Mann on a l l s i d e s , and
even th o u g h h i s l i t e r a r y w ork had p a t r i o t i c id e a s i n i t , he
w as a c c u s e d o f s h ir k in g t h e d u t i e s o f c i t i z e n s h i p .
In t h e p o l i t i c a l c i r c l e i n t o w h ic h h e fo u n d h im s e lf
d r a g g e d , h is own b r o th e r H e in r ic h was a g a in s t h im . He fo u g h t
t h e s e a t t a c k s c o n s t a n t ly and an i n t e r e s t i n g f a c t i s t h a t h i s
15 James Cleugh, op. c i t . , p. 41 .
b a t t l e a g a in s t t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l s w as w aged w ith t h e w eapon
t h a t ' ' f r a t e r n i t y com es from w it h in t h e s o u l . I t c a n n o t h e
im p r e s se d by f o r c e o f t h e r e a s o n o f t h e ’h u m a n is t. 1”16
T h is b a t t l e c o n tin u e d u n t i l t h e end o f t h e a c t u a l w ar, and
i n 1 9 1 8 Mann f e l t s e c u r e enough t o w r i t e o f t h e in n e r s t r u g g le
w h ich had b een g o in g on w it h in him i n R e f l e c t i o n s o f a N on -
P o l i t i c a l Man* "Thomas Mann em erges from t h e war p e r io d f a r
m ore o f a E u rop ean , th o u g h s t i l l an u n r e p e n ta n t German, th a n
h e e n te r e d i t , ev en th o u g h B uddenbrooks had. b een v e r y l i t t l e
l e s s a n o v e l f o r E urope th a n f o r G erm any."1 ^
A ft e r t h e war Mann seem ed t o f e e l i n h im s e lf a s e n s e
o f calm and r e p o s e . He had becom e r e c o n c i l e d w ith H e in r ic h ,
and h e so o n to o k a d v a n ta g e o f t h e ch a n c e f o r r e c r e a t i o n . In
t h i s r e l a x a t i o n p e r io d h e s p e n t much tim e w ith h i s d o g , B ashan
and i n 1919 h e p u b lis h e d B ashan and I_.
In 1920 when p e a c e was d e f i n i t e l y s e t t l i n g o v e r Germany
many p e o p le e x p e c te d Mann t o e n te r p o l i t i c s b e c a u s e o f h i s
good p o s i t i o n , t h a t o f t h e se c o n d m ost ad m ired w r it e r In
Germany, b u t h e had d e te r m in e d a f t e r 1918 t o s t a y o u t o f
p o l i t i c s .
In 1922 a p p ea red a c o l l e c t i o n o f l i t e r a r y and a u to
b io g r a p h ic a l a r t i c l e s , a v e r y c le a r a c c o u n t o f h i s m e n ta l
p r o c e s s e s f o r some f i f t e e n y e a r s p a s t . From t h i s t h e Germans
^ Jam es C le u g h , b p . c i t . , p. 4 4 .
17 , p. 46...
15
came t o know Thomas Mann b e t t e r th a n a s t h e p o p u la r p o l i t i
c a l and l i t e r a r y f i g u r e o f t h e e p o c h . S p e e c h e s , l e t t e r s ,
and o th e r w orks ‘’p a in te d a c le a r p i c t u r e o f a fr a n k , g e n e r o u s
b u t u n co m p ro m isin g s p i r i t , p r o v o c a tiv e and p r o g r e s s iv e b u t
fo u n d e d f ir m f # on t h e g r e a t t r a d i t i o n s o f t h e p a s t i n an a g e
i n c o n s i s t e n t t o t h e v e r g e o f f r i v o l i t y i n t h e a l t e r n a t l o n s o
o f o b s c u r a n tis m and w ild e x p e r im e n t.'’^®
An e s s a y on G oeth e and T o ls t o y a p p ea red i n 1 9 2 3 , and '
show ed t h a t Mann’ s id e a s had ch an ged t o t h e e x t e n t o f b e l i e v i n g
t h a t t h e a r t i s t n e e d no lo n g e r b e an o u t c a s t , and t h a t i n t u i t i o n
and i n t e l l i g e n c e a r e n o t tw o e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t t h i n g s .
In 1 9 2 3 ’’The German R e p u b lic ,” an a d d r e s s f o r Hauptmann
on h i s s i x t i e t h h b ir t h d a y , r e f l e c t e d a d e v e lo p in g E u rop ean lsm .
The s p i r i t w as a d v a n c in g beyond t h e German f r o n t i e r s
— n o t l i k e t h e H e in r ic h Mann c o n t in g e n t , a s l i g h t
c a v a lr y so m o b ile a s t o b e d a n g er o u s t o i t s own b a s e ,
b u t w it h f u l l and r i c h n a t i o n a l eq u ip m en t, w ith bag
g a g e c o m p le te t o t h e l a s t s i g n i f i c a n t d e t a i l , l i k e
a m ig ra n t h o s t .1 9
In 1 9 2 2 -2 3 Mann le c t u r e d i h H o lla n d , S w it z e r la n d , and
Denmark. He v i s i t e d S p a in in 1 9 2 3 , w h ere t h e ’’ s e v e r i t y ” o f
C a s t i l e r a th e r th a n t h e " e x u b e r a n c e ” o f A n d a lu s ia a p p e a le d
t o h im , and h e a lm o st f i n i s h e d th e n o v e l on w h ich h e had b een
w o r k in g .
At t h e a g e o f f i f t y Mann
had b e h in d him a m is c e lla n e o u s b u t l a r g e l y im a g in a
t i v e l i t e r a r y o u tp u t o f an e x t r a o r d i n a r il y h ig h and
1 8 I M d * > P* 5 0 *
19 I b i d . , p . 5 3 .
16
c o n s i s t e n t l e v e l . A s c o n e o f N o v e lle n , two
g r e a t n o v e l s , a p la y , an h i s t o r i c a l m em oir, t h r e e
v o lu m es o f e s s a y s and m inor s t u d i s s had a lr e a d y -
s e t him i n t h e v e r y f r o n t r a n k o f European l e t t e r s .
He had t h e r e p u t a t io n o f b e in g a w r it e r who h a r d ly
e v e r san k b e lo w h i s b e s t , and who knew how t o b e
o r i g i i s a l and p r o g r e s s iv e w ith o u t m aking fa n ta s tic :'
e x p e r im e n ts . He w as a l s o a t e a c h e r who was u t t e r l y
s e r i o u s w ith o u t e v e r b ecom in g t e d i o u s . H is p o s i t i o n
v/as h o n o r a b ly em in en t i n t h e w e s te r n w o r ld ; h e had
n o im p o r ta n t e n e m ie s, and h i s f r i e n d s came front e v e r y
c l a s s o f s o c i e t y and e v e r y s c h o o l o f th o u g h t. T h ere
h a s seld o m e x i s t e d i n l i t e r a r y h i s t o r y a f i g u r e s o
f r e e from t h e l e a s t b r e a th o f any k in d o f d e t r a c t i o n . 0
At t h e c l o s e o f 1 9 2 4 , M agic M ountain was p u b lis h e d , and
in s p i t e o f O scar W ild e ’ s a s s e r t i o n t h a t o n ly t h o s e w hose so n g s
a r e im m o rta l sh o u ld s i n g o f d e a th , t h i s m a s t e r p ie c e i s co n
c e r n e d a s much w ith d e a th a s w it h l i f e . M ann's e p ic g e n iu s i s
a t i t s b e s t h e r e . H is m o th e r ’ s d em ise i n 1922 p erh a p s deepened'
t h i s c o n c e p tio n o f d e a t h .
*
In 1 9 2 6 h e ^vas i n P a r is , and a s a r e s u l t , p u b lis h e d a
b r i e f A ccou n t o f a V i s i t t o P a r i s . The v i s i t was v a lu a b le a s
an a id t o h i s f u t u r e d e v e lo p m e n t, f o r h e w as a lr e a d y s t r i v i n g
t o r e a c h o u t b eyon d Germany. A c c o r d in g ly , i n 1927 h e jo u r n e y e d
t o W arsaw, w h ere h e was e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y r e c e i v e d , even th ou gh
h e c o u ld n e v e r -u n d erstan d w hy. In 1926 or 1 9 2 7 , an a r t i s t
came t o Mann w ith a p o r t f o l i o o f d r a w in g s w h ic h \vere i l l u s t r a
t i o n s o f th e- s t o r y o f J o se p h , a s fo u n d i n t h e O ld T estam en t*
and a sk e d Mann t o w r i t e a p r e fa c e f o r t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f h i s
d e s i g n s . Some t h r e e y e a r s a f t e r t h i s i n t e r v i e w , Thomas Mann
20 I b i d . , p. 55
17
d e p a r te d f o r t h e N earcEasfc t o g e t m a t e r ia l f o r h i s t r i l o g y *
In 1929 h e w as aw arded th e - N o b e l P r iz e f o r L i t e r a t u r e , np r in ~
c i p a l l y f o r h i s g r e a t n o v e l, B u d d en b rook s, t h a t i n t h e c o u r s e
o f t h e y e a r s h a s r e c e i v e d an i n c r e a s i n g , c o n s t a n t r e c o g n i t i o n
a s o n e o f t h e c l a s s i c w ork s o f co n tem p o ra ry l i t e r a t u r e . ’* 2 - * -
I t w as t h e f o u r t h tim e i n t h e h i s t o r y o f N o b e l p r i z e s i n l i t e r a
t u r e t h a t t h e h on or had gone t o Germany* nThe c h o ic e o f
Thomas Mann was a c c la im e d in a l l c o u n t r i e s . In h i s sp ok en
and w r i t t e n w ords h e had won t h e f a v o r o f c r i t i c s , b o th con
s e r v a t i v e and p r o g r e s s iv e i n t h e i r l i t e r a r y c r e e d s , ”22
M ario and t h e M a g ic ia n , a new n o v e l l a , so o n a p p e a r e d ,
and i n 1 9 3 0 Mann p u b lis h e d a c o l l e c t i o n o f l e t t e r s and
a r t i c l e s , The C h a lle n g e o f t h e Day, A German A d d r e s s , and
A S k e tc h o f .M g; L i f e . In 1932 h i s l e c t u r e on G oeth e a p p e a r e d .
The r e s u l t s o f h i s t r a v e l s t o E gypt and P a l e s t i n e
\vere g iv e n t o th e p u b lic w ith t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f J o se p h and
H is B r o t h e r s , and Young J o s e p h . The t h i r d volum e o f t h i s
p r o p o se d t r i l o g y i s y e t t o a p p e a r .
21 A n n ie R u s s e l l M a rb le, The N o b el P r iz e W inners i n
L i t e r a t u r e , p . 3 4 6 .
22 L o c . c i t *
CHAPTER II,
PLOT SUMMARIES I NOVELS OP TOLSTOY
K eep in g In m ind th e " b io g r a p h ica l d a ta a lr e a d y p r e
s e n t e d , and u s i n g i t f o r b a ck g ro u n d , a s n e c e s s a r y , we n e x t
c o n s id e r t h e s e l e c t e d n o v e ls by b o th a u t h o r s , and b e g in ap
p r o p r i a t e l y w ith t h e f i r s t m ajor n o v e l o f T o ls to y * I f h e
had w r it t e n n o t a s i n g l e t h in g a f t e r War and P e a c e , T o ls t o y
w ou ld h a v e b een a g r e a t w r ite r , i n t h e e y e s o f t h e w o r ld .
What a c o l o s s a l p ie c e o f f a c t u a l f i c t i o n * I t i s a modern
p r o s e e p ic w h ich i s b a s e d on ”h i s own r e c o l l e c t i o n s o f h i s
p a r e n t s ’ m e m o r i e s . A n d u n d o u b te d ly N ic o la s R o sto v and
M arie B o lk o n sk y a r e h i s own f a t h e r and m o th e r .
War and P ea ce i s an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l o f t h e N a p o le o n ic
p e r io d , a w id e , sw e e p in g p i e c e .
The s p a c io u s , l o o s e , e a s y form o f a f a m ily c h r o n ic le
d e a lin g a t o n c e w ith, s e v e r a l f a m i l i e s and s e v e r a l
p l o t s , t h a t h a v e l i t t l e or n o t h in g i n common, i s
d e c id e d ly t h e b e s t form f o r t h e m a n if e s t a t io n o f
h i s p e c u lia r g e n iu s , t h e b e s t way o f g i v in g t o t h e
a b s o l u t e l y r e a l c h a r a c t e r s an a b s o l u t e l y r e a l fram e
t o move i n . 2
T h is form In w h ich a ” s l i c e o f l i f e ” i s g iv e n , r a t h e r th a n a
c o n n e c te d n a r r a t iv e fo rm , i s j u s t i f i e d a s n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e
suprem e e f f e c t o f l i f e I t s e l f w h ich i s p ro d u ced upon t h e r e a d
e r . A b s o lu te r e a l is m i s t h e b e s t term by w h ic h i t may b e
^ M au rice B a r in g , An O u tlin e o f R u s s ia n L it e r a t u r e
(New Y ork: H enry H o lt and Company)7 P* ^OST.
2 P r in c e D. S . Mir sk y , Modern R u s s ia n L it e r a t u r e
(London: O xford U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 2 5 ) , p . 59*
19
d e s c r ib e d .
That War and P ea c e i s h i s t o r i c a l l y i n s u f f i c i e n t i s
n o t so s e r io u s an o f f e n c e a s t h a t o f T o lsjr o y 's c o n s t a n t ly
in t r u d in g h i s r a t i o n a l i z i n g and m o r a liz in g s e l f i n t o th e
w ork .
P ie r r e B ezuhov i s t h e f o r c e t h a t u n i f i e s t h e s t o r y ,
so f a r a s i t i s u n i f i e d . He m ost a s s u r e d ly t y p i f i e s T o l s t o y ' s
'own s e a r c h f o r h a p p in e s s . Even th o u g h h e w ea v es in and o u t
o f t h e e v e n t s , t h e book s t i l l c o n t a in s so l i t t l e s t o r y t h a t i t
i s d i f f i c u l t t o g iv e a r£sum& o f i t .
The sc e n e o p en s w it h a R u ss ia n I m p e r ia l s o i r e e w here
t h e p e o p le seem t o h a v e t o o many t i t l e s and t o do t o o l i t t l e
t h in k in g . A l l t h e c o lo r and m o tio n o f t h e fo r e g r o u n d r e v o l v e s
around a s c e n e and c h a r a c t e r s e s s e n t i a l l y o f p e a c e , y e t t h e
I n f lu e n c e o f war i s t o b e f e l t In t h e b a ck g ro u n d . The n e r v o u s ,
r a p i e r - l i k e t h r u s t s o f d i a l o g u e , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h o s e o f th e
fe m in in e members o f th e com pany, and t h e p a r r o t m o u th in g s o f
t h e s o p h i s t i c a t e d j u v e n i l e s a l l r e f l e c t t h e t e n s i o n o f a t o t t e r
i n g s o c i e t y , s c o f f i n g a t t h e i n e v i t a b l e .
The p ic t u r e o f P ie r r e a s h e com es i n t o t h i s s o c i a l
g a t h e r i n g - i s im p o r ta n t. I t show s how o u t o f p la c e h e w a s, a s
w as T o l s t o y , i n m ost o f s o c i e t y .
Soon a f t e r t h e l i t t l e p r i n c e s s , t h e r e w a lk ed i n a
m a s s iv e ly b u i l t , s t o u t you n g man In s p e c t a c l e s ,
w ith a cro p p ed h e a d , l i g h t b r e e c h e s i n t h e mode
o f t h e d a y , w ith a h ig h l a c e r u f f l e and a g in g e r -
c o lo r e d c o a t . T h is s t o u t you n g man v/as t h e i l l e g i t
im a te son o f a c e le b r a t e d dandy o f t h e d a y s o f
2 0
C a th e r in e , Count B ezu h ov, who was now d y in g a t
M oscow. He had n o t y e t e n t e r e d any b ra n ch o f
t h e s e r v i c e ; h e had o n ly j u s t r e tu r n e d from
a b r o a d , w h ere h e had b een e d u c a te d , and t h i s
was h i s f i r s t a p p ea r a n c e i n s o c i e t y . Anna Pav
lo v n a g r e e te d him w ith a n od r e s e r v e d f o r p e r s o n s
o f t h e v e r y lo w e s t h ie r a r c h y i n h e r draw ing-room *
B u t, i n s p i t e o f t h i s g r e e t i n g , Anna P a v lo v n a ’ s
c o u n te n a n c e show ed s i g n s on s e e i n g P ie r r e o f
u n e a s in e s s and a la rm , su ch a s i s shown a t th e s i g h t
o f so m e th in g to o b ig and o u t o f p la v e . Though
P ie r r e c e r t a i n l y was som ewhat b ig g e r th a n any o f
t h e o th e r men in th e room , t h i s e x p r e s s io n c o u ld
o n ly h a v e r e f e r e n c e t o t h e c l e v e r , th o u g h s h y ,
o b s e r v a n t and n a t u r a l lo o k t h a t d i s t i n g u i s h e d him
from e v e r y o n e e l s e in t h e d raw in g-room .®
I t i s q u ic k ly s e e n t h a t t h i s i s t h e p i v o t a l c h a r a c t e r ,
and t h e r e a d e r m ust n o t i c e t h a t t h e e n t i r e c le v e r ly - i n t r u d e d
p ic t u r e o f N a p o le o n — h i s a c t i v i t i e s and h i s r i s e t o pow er —
I s p a in t e d by t h i s c h a r a c t e r , P i e r r e . He I s d i s c u s s i n g som e
t h i n g h e o n ly p a r t l y u n d e r s ta n d s w it h an a u d ie n c e t h a t r e f u s e s
t o t a k e him s e r i o u s l y , y e t h e t e l l s more a b o u t N a p o leo n from
a T s a r i s t v ie w p o in t th a n many o f t h e b io g r a p h e r s o f B o n a p a r te
h a v e g iv e n ;
A n oth er p ic t u r e o f P ie r r e a t t h e end o f t h e s o i r e e i s
n e c e s s a r y ;
P ie r r e was c lu m sy , s t o u t and uncom m only t a l l ,
w it h h u ge r e d Uganda; h e d id n o t know, a s t h e y
s a y , how t o come i n t o a d ra w in g -ro o m and s t i l l
l e s s how t o g e t ou t o f o n e , t h a t i s , how t o sa y
so m e th in g p a r t i c u l a r l y a g r e e a b le on g o in g aw ay.
M oreover h e w as dream y. He s t o o d u p , and p ic k in g
up a t h r e e - c o r n e r e d h a t w ith th e plum e o f a g e n e r
a l In i t i n s t e a d o f h i s own, h e k e p t h o ld o f i t ,
p u l l i n g t h e f e a t h e r s , t i l l t h e g e n e r a l a sk e d him
t o r e s t o r e i t . But a l l h i s d r e a m in e ss and a l l
h i s i n a b i l i t y t o ernster a d raw in g-room or t a l k
p r o p e r ly in i t w ere a to n e d f o r by h i s e x p r e s s io n
o f g o o d -n a tu r e , s i m p l i c i t y and m o d e sty . Anna
3 Count Leo T o l s t o y , War and P ea ce (New Y ork: B e n n e tt
A . C e r f. D on ald S . K lo p f e r ) , p . 6 .
2 1
P a v lo v n a tu r n e d t o h im , and w ith C h r is t ia n m eek
n e s s s i g n i f y i n g h er f o r g i v e n e s s f o r h i s m is b e h a v io u r ,
sh e n od d ed t o him and s a id :
’I h o p e I s h a l l s e e you a g a in , b u t I h op e t o o you
w i l l ch a n g e y o u r o p in io n s , my d ea r M on sieu r P i e r r e . ' 4
At t h i s s o c i a l f u n c t io n t h e r e a d e r i s in t r o d u c e d a l s o
t o P r in c e A ndrey B o lk o n sk y ,' who s h a r e s h o n o rs w it h P ie r r e i n
t h e s t o r y , and t o t h e P r in c e ’ s s i s t e r M arya.
The a d o le s c e n t lo v e p rob lem s o f Sonya and N ik o la y , and
t h o s e o f B o r is and N a ta sh a a r e in tr o d u c e d i n t e r m i t t e n t l y , even
th o u g h t h e y do n o t s u r v iv e t h e w a r. As t h i s c o n f l i c t draw s
n e a r , t h e women c h a r a c t e r s in t h e i r d i s c u s s i o n s p ic t u r e
t h e i r f e e l i n g s and r e a c t i o n s to w a rd w ar. W ith t h e b e g in n in g
o f P a r t I I , a c t u a l w a r fa r e i s p o r tr a y e d ; P r in c e A ndrey becom es
t h e fo r e m o s t f i g u r e , and P ie r r e i s i n t h e b a ck g ro u n d .
Much l a t e r , P ie r r e r e & n te r s t h e s t o r y a s a f u l l - f l e d g e d
C ount, and th o u g h h i s f o r t u n e s h a v e d e c id e d ly Im p roved , he
h a s ch an ged l i t t l e * P r in c e V a s s i l y t h r u s t s h i s d a u g h te r a t
P ie r r e , b u t a lth o u g h E lle n seem s fo n d en ou gh , t h e young., man
i s n o t s u r e o f h i m s e l f .
He k e p t p o n d e r in g on w hat was h a p p e n in g t o h im .
What was h a p p en in g ? N o th in g . S im p ly h e had
g r a sp e d t h e f a c t t h a t a woman, whom h e h ad known
a s a c h i l d , o f whom h e had s a i d , w ith o u t g i v in g
h e r a th o u g h t, ’Y e s , s h e ’ s n iw e l o o k i n g , ’ when h e
had b een t o l d sh e was a b e a u ty , h e had g r a sp e d t h e
f a c t t h a t t h a t woman m ig h t b e lo n g t o h im .
’But s h e ’ s s t u p id ,’ I u s e d t o sa y t o m y s e lf t h a t
sh e w as s t u p i d , ’ he th o u g h t. ’T h ere i s so m e th in g
n a s t y i n t h e f e e l i n g sh e e x c i t e s i n m e, so m e th in g
n o t l e g i t i m a t e . I h ave b e e n t o l d t h a t h er b r o t h e r ,
4 I b i d . , p. 17.
22
A n a to le , was i n l o v e w ith h e r , and sh e in lo v e
w ith h im , t h a t t h e r e w as a r e g u la r s c a n d a l, and
t h a t ' s why A n a to le was s e n t aw ay. Her b r o th e r
i s I p p o l i t . . . Her f a t h e r i s P r in c e V a s s i l y . . .
T h a t's b a d ,' h e m used; and a t t h e v e r y moment
t h a t h e was r e f l e c t i n g th u s ( t h e r e f l e c t i o n s w ere
n o t f o llo w e d o u t t o t h e end) h e c a u g h t h im s e lf
s m ilin g , and becam e c o n s c io u s t h a t a n o th e r s e r i e s
o f r e f l e c t i o n s had r i s e n t o t h e s u r f a c e a c r o s s
t h e f i r s t , t h a t h e was a t t h e same tim e m e d it a tin g
on h e r w o r t h l e s s n e s s , and d ream in g o f how sh e w ou ld
be h i s w i f e , how sh e m ig h t l o v e h im , how sh e m ig h t
becom e q u i t e d i f f e r e n t , and how a l l he had th o u g h t
and h e a r d ab ou t h e r m igh t b e u n t r u e . And a g a in h e
saw h e r , n o t a s t h e d a u g h te r o f P r in c e V a s s i l y , b u t
saw h e r w h o le b od y, o n ly v e i l e d b y h e r g r e y gown.
'B u t, n o , why d i d n ' t t h a t id e a e v e r o ccu r t o me
b e f o r e ? ’ And a g a in h e t o l d h im s e lf t h a t i t w as
i m p o s s ib le , t h a t t h e r e w ou ld b e so m e th in g n a s t y ,
u n n a t u r a l, a s i t seem ed t o him , and d is h o n o u r a b le
in t h i s m a r r ia g e . He r e c a l l e d h e r p a s t w ords and
l o o k s , and t h e w ords and lo o k s o f p e o p le who had
s e e n them t o g e t h e r . He rem em bered t h e lo o k s and
w ords o f Anna P a v lo v n a , when sh e had sp ok en a b o u t
h i s h o u s e , h e r e c o l l e c t e d th o u sa n d s ’ o f su ch h i n t s
from P r in c e V a s s i ly and o th e r p e o p le , and h e was
overw h elm ed w it h t e r r o r t h a t h e m ig h t h a v e bound
h i m s e l f i n som e way t o do a t h in g o b v io u s ly w ron g,
and n o t w hat h e o u g h t t o d o . But a t t h e v e r y tim e
t h a t h e w as e x p r e s s in g t h i s t o h i m s e l f , i n a n o th e r
p a r t o f h i s m ind h er im age f l o a t e d t o t h e s u r f a c e
i n a l l i t s wom anly b e a u t y .5
From t h e b a t t l e - f i e l d w ord com es t h a t N ik o la y h a s b een
w ounded, and t h e itea d er s e e s how v e r y much Sonya c a r e s f o r h im .
But n o t h in g can e v e r come o f t h i s a d o le s c e n t l o v e , b e c a u se t h e
m atch w ou ld n o t be b r i l l i a n t enough f o r t h e R o s to v t r a d i t io n *
A ls o t h e i r f a m ily f in a n c e s n e e d r e c o u p in g , and Sonya c o u ld b e
o f no h e lp t o them i n t h i s r e s p e c t . T h ere f o l l o w s much m ore
5 I b i d . , p. 18 9.
23
o f w ar; A udrey i s t h e n e x t t o b e wounded — q u i t e s e r i o u s l y .
Soon a f t e r , h i s w i f e d i e s , and h e i s l e f t w it h a t i n y s o n .
P ie r r e , who f i n a l l y y i e l d s t o t h e charm s o f E l le n ,
f i n d s h i s w edded b l i s s s h o r t - l i v e d . A s t o r y o f in tim a c y
b etw een h i s w i f e and D olo h o v c a u s e s him t o l e a v e h e r ,
N a ta sh a a t t h i s tim e i s f a l l i n g in l o v e w ith D e n is o v ,
and a t tim e s sh e im p r e s s e s one a s b e in g a common s t r e e t
w a lk e r t y p e . She im a g in e s h e r s e l f a t d i f f e r e n t tim e s i n lo v e
w it h m ost o f t h e men o f h e r s o c i a l s e t . She f l i r t s v i o l e n t l y
w ith A n a to le , and b r e a k s w it h A ndrey t o whom sh e i s e n g a g e d .
She m akes o n e t h in k o f Anna, i n T o l s t o y ’ s l a t e r m a s t e r p ie c e ,
in h er power t o draw men t o h e r in a se n su o u s s o r t o f w ay.
The s c e n e i n t e r m i t t e n t l y s h i f t s b ack t o w ar, w h ich i s
r e a l l y t h e b ack grou n d o f t h e e n t i r e n o v e l . But t h e war m a t e r ia l
i s q u i t e d ry and t e c h n i c a l .
W ith th e d e a th o f t h e o l d P r in c e B o lk o n sk y , h i s d a u g h te r
M arya, who has d e v o te d h e r e n t i r e y o u th t o h im , i s s e t f r e e .
L a te r t h e r e a d e r s e e s h e r becom e t h e w if e o f N ik o la y .
By t h e end o f t h e s t o r y , t h e s c o p e o f th e n o v e l h a s
d e c id e d ly sh ru n k . A ndrey h a s d ie d ; P e ty a R o sto v — th e you n g
b r o th e r o f N ik o la y who th o u g h t war was su ch a g l o r i o u s game —
h a s b een k i l l e d ; and t h e R o s to v f a m ily becom es e x t i n c t b e fo r e
t h e c l o s e o f t h e n o v e l , w ith t h e d e a th o f t h e o ld C ou n t.
The r e m a in in g members o f t h e tw o im p o r ta n t f a m i l i e s a r e
b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r in t h e m a r r ia g e o f N ik o la y R o s to v and P r in c e s s
24
Marya B o lk o n sk y . L ik e w is e N a ta sh a and Fibrcne h a v e fo u n d t h e y
l«sve each o th e r and a r e m a r r ie d . The "book en d s w ith tw o
I
p r o m isin g m a r r ia g e s and fo u r p e o p le h a v e a t l a s t a t t a i n e d
h a p p in e s s . The s e a r c h f o r h a p p in e s s h a s b een th e dom in ant,
n o t e a l l t h e way th r o u g h t h e p o w e r fu l n o v e l .
The se c o n d o f T o l s t o y ’ s n o v e l s , Anna K a r e n in a , i s a
p a in t in g on a l a r g e c a n v a s o f t h e l i f e o f t h e h ig h e r c la s s e d
i n S t . P e te r s b u r g and i n t h e c o u n tr y . The s t o r y o p en s w ith
t r o u b le in s i g h t . The i n t e r e s t i n g P r in c e S te p a n A r k a d y e v itc h
O b lo n sk y h as q u a r r e le d w it h h i s w i f e , D a ry a , b e c a u se h e h a s
becom e i n t e r e s t e d i n a n o th e r woman*
’’Happy f a m i l i e s a r e a l l a l i k e ; e v e r y unhappy f a m ily
i s unhappy in i t s own w ay. E v e r y th in g was in c o n fu s io n in
t h e O b lo n sk y ’ s h o u s e .’
T h is c o n f u s io n seem s t o b e t h e k e y n o te o f t h e e n t i r e
s t o r y . E s p e c i a l l y i s i t t r u e o f t h e s t a t e o f m ifid o f L e v in ,
a w & l-to -d o farm er who i s in t r o d u c e d . T h is you n g man i s u n
d o u b te d ly T o ls t o y h i m s e l f . He h a s come t o Moscow and i s a t
t h e home o f h i s h a l f - b r o t h e r , S e r g e y , who i s p r e s e n t e d w h ile
t a k in g p a r t i n a d i s c u s s i o n on m a t e r i a l i s t s w ith a p r o f e s s o r .
D u rin g t h i s d ia lo g u e , L e v in
n o t i c e d t h a t t h e y c o n n e c te d t h e s e s c i e n t i f i c
q u e s t io n s w ith t h o s e s p i r i t u a l p r o b le m s, t h a t a t
tim e s t h e y a lm o st to u c h e d on t h e l a t t e r ; b u t e v e r y
6 Count Leo T o ls t o y , Anna K a ren in a (New Y ork: The
Modern L ib r a r y P u b l i s h e r s ) , p . Z,
25
tim e t h e y w ere c l o s e upon w hat seem ed t o him t h e
c h i e f p o i n t , t h e y p rom p tly b e a t a h a s t y r e t r e a t ,
and p lu n g e d a g a in i n t o a s e a o f s u b t l e d i s t i n c t i o n s ,
r e s e r v a t i o n s , q u o t a t io n s , a l l u s i o n s , and a p p e a ls
t o a u t h o r i t i e s , and i t w as w ith d i f f i c u l t y t h a t h e
u n d e r s to o d w hat t h e y w ere t a l k i n g a b o u t
L e v in ’ s l o v e f o r k i t t y S h tc h e r b a ts k y , a g i r l o f a n o b le
R u ss ia n f a m ily , p r e s e n t s h i s b ig p ro b lem . H is f e e l i n g f o r h er
i s su c h t h a t h e c a n n o t a p p r e c ia t e S te p a n ’ s a t t i t u d e tow ard bad
women. He t e l l s h im , !’l h a v e a l o a t h i n g f o r f a l l e n women.
Y ou ’r e a f r a i d o f s p id e r s and I o f t h e s e v e r m in . ” 8 S te p a n , on
t h e o th e r h an d , f e e l s h o p e l e s s l y p u z z le d . ’’Your w if e g e t s
o ld e r when y o u ’r e f u l l o f l i f e . . . and th e n a l l a t o n c e lo v e
tu r n s u p , and y o u ’r e d on e f o r , done f o r , ”9 T h ese tw o t y p i f y
t h e f o r c e s a t w ork th r o u g h o u t t h e e n t i r e b o o k , t h e one f o r
r i g h t and t h e o th e r f o r t h e e a sy w ay, f o r c ir c u m s ta n c e s th a t
seem r i g h t b u t r e a l l y a r e n o t . W ith t h e s e tw o f o r c e s a t w ork,
n a t u r a l l y t h e c h a r a c t e r s a r e u n d e c id e d a s t o how t o a c t .
The o b j e c t o f L e v in ’ s a f f e c t i o n i s i n t e r e s t e d e ls e w h e r e .
A you n g army o f f i c e r , Count V ron sk y, h a s p e r su a d e d h e r t h a t
4 i e i s i n l o v e w it h him ; th e n Anna K a ren in a com es i n t o h i s :
l i f e . K i t t y ’ s comment on h e r i s , ’’T h ere i s so m e th in g u n can n y
d e v i l i s h and f a s c i n a t i n g in h e r . ” - 1 -9 T h ese w ords d e s c r ib e -,
p e r f e c t l y th e woman who seem s t o b e so a t t r a c t i v e t o men, and
who l e a v e s h er f a m ily t o l i v e w ith V ron sk y, b u t who i s f i n a l l y
so unhappy b e c a u se o f an u n c o n t r o l l a b l e j e a l o u s y , t h a t sh e
7 1 b l d * » P* 3 1 *
8 I b i d . , p . 5 0 .
9 I b i d . , p . 5 0 .
10 Ifr i& ., p . 9 8 .
26
t a k e s h e r own l i f e , a f t e r o n ly a s h o r t p e r io d o f b l i s s .
A n n a's s u i c i d e i s t h e r e s u l t o f u n f o r t u n a t e c ir cu m
s t a n c e s . She i s on e o f T o l s t o y ' s c h a r a c t e r s who la c k s a
p a t t e r n . She i s a p p a r e n tly s a t i s f i e d w it h h e r sm ug, unsym
p a t h e t i c h u sb an d and w is e l i t t l e s o n , u n t i l some n o v e l
e x p e r ie n c e p r e s e n t s i t s e l f . She i s s a t i s f i e d f o r a tim e b y
u n c o n v e n tio n a l m e e tin g s w it h h e r l o v e r , b u t so o n sh e t i r e s
o f t h a t a r r a n g e m e n t. The l u r e o f a d i f f e r e n t c o u n tr y s a t i s
f i e s f o r a t im e , b u t so o n t h e d e s i r e t o s e e h er b oy c a u s e s
u n r e s t , and th e n h e r u n b r id le d j e a lo u s y o f V ronsky b r in g s
f u r t h e r u n h a p p in e s s . A n n a 's f i t s o f tem p er and m o o d in ess
a f f e c t V ro n sk y , and h e r e a l i z e s t h a t h e i s n o t a l t o g e t h e r
h a p p y , b u t n e e d s o t h e r t h in g s t o o ccu p y h i s m in d . In p a i n t
in g h e seem s t o f i n d m ore p e a c e o f m in d , b u t t h in g s c o n tin u e
t o go from bad t o w o r se in t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p . Anna h a s no
p la n f o r h e r l i f e no o r d e r e d schem e f o r t h i n g s ; sh e i s
c o n s t a n t ly s e a r c h in g f o r sh e knows n o t w h a t.
L e v in , o f c o u r s e , i s T o ls t o y in h i s c o n s ta n t q u e s t io n
i n g and d o u b tin g o f t h in g s and i n t h e co n d em n a tio n o f e s t a b
l i s h e d p u b lic o f f i c e s .
The b e t t e r h e knew h i s b r o t h e r , t h e m ore h e n o t i c e d
t h a t S e r g e y and many o th e r p e o p le who w orked f o r
t h e p u b lic w e l f a r e , w ere nob l e d by an im p u lse o f ^
t h e h e a r t t o c a r e f o r t h e p u b lic g o o d , b u t r e a s o n e d
from i n t e l l e c t u a l c o n s id e r a t io n s t h a t i t was a r i g h t
t h i n g t o ta k e i n t e r e s t in p u b lic a f f a i r s . i l
11 Ibid., p . 2 8 3 .
277
T h is c o n c lu s io n c a u s e s h i s many d i s c u s s i o n s w it h v a r io u s
p e o p le on q u e s t io n s o f p u b lic a f f a i r s , e d u c a t io n , m e d ic in e ,
and s i m i la r t o p i c s # He and S e r g e y h a v e an e x te n d e d t a l k on
t h e l a s t tw o , b u t seem t o a r r iv e a t no d e f i n i t e c o n e lu s io n .
D i s s a t i s f a c t i o n and d ou b t as t o how p e o p le s h o u ld b e c a r e d
f o r , b o th p h y s i c a l l y and m e n t a lly , r e f l e c t t h e a u th o r * s own
q u e s t io n in g s and t h e b e g in n in g s o f h i s i n t e r e s t i n s c h o o l s .
L e v in e x p r e s s e s h im s e lf on th e s u b j e c t :
I im a g in e t h e m a in -s p r in g o f a l l our a c t i o n s i s ,
a f t e r a l l , s e l f - i n t e r e s t . How in t h e l o c a l i n s t i
t u t i o n s I , a s a n ob lem an , s e e n o t h in g t h a t c o u ld
co n d u ce t o my p r o s p e r i t y , and t h e r o a d s a r e n o t
b e t t e r and c o u ld n o t be b e t t e r j my h o r s e s c a r r y me
w e l l enough o v e r bad o n e s . D o c to r s and d i s p e n s a r i e s
a r e no u s e t o m e. An a r b i t r a t o r o f d is p u t e s i s no
u s e t o m e. I n e v e r a p p e a l t o h im , and n e v e r s h a l l
a p p e a l t o h im . The s c h o o ls a r e no good t o m e, b u t
p o s i t i v e l y h a r m fu l, a s I t o l d y o u . For me t h e d i s
t r i c t i n s t i t u t i o n s s im p ly mean t h e l i a b i l i t y t o pay
fo u r -p e n c e h a lfp e n n y f o r e v e r y t h r e e a c r e s , t o d r iv e
i n t o t h e to w n , s l e e p w ith b u g s , and l i s t e n t o a l l
s o r t s o f i d i o c y , lo a th s o m e n e s s , and s e l f - i n t e r e s t
o f f e r s me n o in d u c e m e n t.1 2
The q u e s t ic n o f t h e p e a s a n t, h i s p la c e i n s o c i e t y and
h i s r e l a t i o n t o t h e la b o r q u e s t io n f u r n i s h e s m a t e r ia l f o r many
d i s c u s s i o n s and much t h in k in g on t h e p a r t o f L e v in . In an.
a tte m p t t o -u n d erstan d t h e s e p e o p le b e t t e r , h e g o e s o u t and
w orks i n t h e f i e l d s i d e b y s i d e w ith th em . H ere h e a lm o st
f i n d s t h e p e a c e th a t, h e h a s b e e n s e e k in g . In w ork seem s t o
b e h i s s a l v a t i o n , b u t n o t q u i t e c o m p le te i s t h e f e e l i n g o f
1 2 I b i d . , p p . 2 9 0 - 9 1 .
s a t i s f a c t i o n . When h e s t o p s a t t h e p e a s a n t ’ s home on h i s
way t o t h e S v ia z h s k y s , h e f e e l s a g a in t h a t t h e p e a s a n t i s
happy and f r e e from d o u b ts and c a r e s . The id e a ev en o c c u r s
t o him o f t a k in g one o f t h e p e a s a n t g i r l s f o r h i s w i f e and
l i v i n g t h e i r l i f e , t h a t f o r t h e momeiit seem s t o him t o b e
a l l - s a t i s f y i n g .
A fte r many arg u m en ts and much s o l i t a r y r e f l e c t i o n ,
L e v in d e c id e s t h a t t h e s e p e o p le s h a l l h a v e t h e i r c h a n c e t o
farm i n d i v i d u a l l y . In t h i s d e c i s i o n h e f i n d s a c e r t a i n
tem p o ra r y h a p p in e s s .
A f t e r a p e r io d o f some w a i t i n g , he m a r r ie s K i t t y , b u t
a l l th r o u g h h i s l i f e c o n tin u e t h e s e q u e s t io n i n g s , ev en th o u g h
h i s m a r r ia g e seem s h a p p y . When t h e l a s t p age i s r e a d , t h e
r e a d e r f e e l s t h a t L e v in i s s t i l l g o in g t o s t r u g g l e , and n e v e r
a t t a i n c o m p le te p e a c e o f m in d , a s T o ls t o y n e v e r d id , i n h i s
t u r b u le n t l i f e .
(
In t h e l a s t o f T o l s t o y ' s n o v e l s , R e s u r r e c t io n , t h e
r e a d e r i s t o f i n d a sum m ation o f a l l o f T o l s t o y ’ s id e a s w h ich
h e h a s e x p r e s s e d e a r l i e r .
The s t o r y op en s w ith t h e in t r o d u c t io n o f t h e p r is o n e r
M a slo v a and im m e d ia te ly t h e r e a d e r " r e a l iz e s t h a t T o ls t o y i n
t e n d s t o r e v e a l p r is o n l i f e in i t s lo w e s t p h a s e s . A f t e r a
b r i e f g lim p s e o f M aslova In h e r d e p lo r a b le s t a t e , t h e r e a d e r
i s ta k e n b a c k end g iv e n an e a r l i e r p ic t u r e o f h e r .
In h e r c h ild h o o d , when sh e l i v e d w it h tw o o ld m aiden
l a d i e s , t h e i r n ep h ew , a r i c h yo u n g p r in c e and a u n i v e r s i t y
s t u d e n t , came t o s t a y w it h th e m . K atu sh e f e l l i n l o v e w ith
h im , taut h e w en t aw ay. Two y e a r s l a t e r h e r e t u r n e d , and when
h e l e f t , h e g a v e h e r a o n e hu n d red r o u b le n o t e - - t h e paym ent
f o r b e t r a y a l . Her b ab y b oy — b y t h e y o u n g p r in c e — d ie d .
She so u g h t em ploym ent i n many p l a c e s , b u t a lw a y s some m a le
member o f t h e f a m ily made lo v e t o h e r . When sh e seem ed n o t
t o know w h ich way t o t u r n , a woman o f f e r e d h er a p la c e i n a
n o t o r io u s h o u s e , and t h e a t t r a c t i v e p i c t u r e w h ic h was p a in t e d
f o r h e r o f w hat h e r f u t u r e s i t u a t i o n w o u ld b e was su ch t h a t
sh e e n te r e d t h e e s t a b lis h m e n t .
Prom t h a t d ay a l i f e o f c h r o n ic s i n a g a in s t human
and d i v i n e la w s commenced f o r K attish a M ia lo v a , a
l i f e w h ich i s l e d by th o u sa n d s o f women, and w h ich
i s n o t m e r e ly t o l e r a t e d b u t s a n c t io n e d b y t h e g o v e r n
m en t, a n x io u s f o r t h e w e lf a r e o f i t s s u b j e c t s ; a l i f e
w h ich f o r n in e women o u t o f t e n en d s i n p a in f u l d i s
e a s e , p rem a tu re d e c r e p itu d e and d e a t h .13
She c o n tin u e d i n t h i s way f o r s e v e n y e a r s , u n t i l som e
t h i n g h ap p en ed w h ic h c a u se d h e r t o b e b r o u g h t t o t r i a l . She
was a c c u s e d o f h a v in g p o is o n e d a m er ch a n t, who f r e q u e n t ly came
t o h e r a t t h e b r o t h e l , in o r d e r t o o b t a in h i s momey. I t so
hap p en ed t h a t t h e p r in c e N e k h lu d o ff was on t h e ju r y f o r t h e
t r i a l , and h e r e c o g n iz e d Kat&sha a s t h e g i r l h e h a d s e d u c e d .
The r e s u l t o f t h e t r i a l w as t h a t s h e w as fo u n d g u i l t y
13 Count Leo T o l s t o y , R e s u r r e c t io n (Hew Y ork: Dodd,
Mead and Company, 1 9 0 0 ) , p . Wl
30
and was s e n te n c e d t o S ib e r ia f o r fo u r y e a r s o f p e n a l s e r v i
t u d e . What a s i g h o f r e l i e f N e k h lu d o ff b r e a th e d ' He n e e d
no lo n g e r w orry a b o u t h e r j s h e w ou ld b e away from him*
B ut i t w as n o t t o b e so e a s y ; f o r a t t h e same tim e
h e f e l t a t t r a c t e d t o t h e P r in c e s s K o rc h d g in , a m a r r ia g e a b le
you n g l a d y , and h e had t o b r e a k o f f an a tta c h m e n t w it h a mar
r i e d woman, and y e t h e f e l t drawn to w a r d t h e u n f o r t u n a t e
p r is o n e r *
He t r i e d e v e r y th in g in h i s power t o h a v e M a s lo v a 's
s e n t e n c e r e d u c e d , b u t t o no a v a i l . n Once when h e w en t t o
s e e h e r , h e e v en p r o p o se d m a r r ia g e , b u t sh e i n s u l t e d h im ,
t e l l i n g him t h a t h e o n ly w an ted t o s a v e h im s e lf through , h er*
He f o llo w e d h er t o S i b e r i a , and f i n a l l y s u c c e e d e d i n h a v in g
h e r s e n t e n c e t o h ard la b o r r e d u c e d t o o n e o f e x i l e i n t h e
l e s s r e m o te d i s t r i c t s o f S i b e r i a . Then h e saw no r e a s o n why
t h e y s h o u ld n o t b e m a r r ie d , b u t M aslovah ad d e c id e d t o go w ith
on e o f t h e p r i s o n e r s , S im o n so n . So N e k h lu d o f f 's p e r io d o f
t r y i n g t o make amends t o h er ended w ith no a p p a re n t h a p p in e s s
f o r h im . B ut in h i s s tu d y o f t h e New T esta m en t h e f i n a l l y
d id f i n d p e a c e su ch a s p r o b a b ly M aslova c o u ld n e v e r h a v e
g iv e n him h ad h e b een a b le t o w in h er*
W ith t h e s e t h r e e m ajor n o v e ls o f T o ls t o y we c o n c lu d e
our p r e s e n t a t io n o f s i g n i f i c a n t p l o t s and c h a r a c t e r s c r e a t e d
b y him t h a t a r e a p p r o p r ia te t o our p u r p o s e /] In s i m i la r f a s h io n
t h e m ajor n o v e ls o f Thomas Mann may now b e r e v ie w e d .
CHAPTER I I I
PLOT SUMMARIES: NOVELS OP M A N N
The c o n s id e r a t io n o f t h e German n o v e l i s t ' s b ook s
m ust b e g in w it h h i s s p le n d id , p r iz e - w in n in g w ork , Budden-
b ro o k s.^ 4 T h is n o v e l i s a s o c i o l o g i c a l s tu d y o f a f a m ily
— a sa g a o f t h r e e g e n e r a t io n s — and show s t h e e f f e c t s o f
h e r e d it y and e n v ir o n m e n t.
I d e a s su ch a s t h a t o f t h e raw , b lu n t c r u e l t y o f
l i f e , t h e u n s u i t a b i l i t y o f t h e v o l a t i l e a r t i s t i c
tem p eram en t f o r t h e s o l i d b u s in e s s o f p r a c t i c a l
l i v i n g and t h e s e l f - t o r t u r e t h a t r e s u l t s from t h e
a tte m p t t o co n q u er t h e f e e l i n g o f b e in g a sq u a r e
p eg i n a ro u n d h o l e , t h e w h o le n o t io n o f d e c a d e n c e
a s a f r a i l t y , a d e c le n s io n from s a n i t y , and y e t
m y s t e r io u s ly s e d u c t iv e i n i t s a p p e a l t o p i t y and
t h e s e n s e o f w on d er, e n t e r i n t o t h e f i r s t lo n g
n o v e l o f Thomas M ann.15
The r e a d e r w i l l s u r e ly f i n d i n t h e n o v e l many
s i m i l a r i t i e s t o t h e r e a l l i f e o f t h e a u t h o r . As i n t h e
f i c t i o n a l f a m i ly , h e w as a d e sc e n d a n t o f a w o o le n d r a p e r ,
and l i k e o l d Johann B uddenbrook, M ann's a n c e s t o r r o d e i n a
f o u r - h o r s e c o a c h . Prom a s tu d y o f M ann's l i f e i t i s s e e n
t h a t t h e " v i v i d , k in d ly p o r t r a it " o f Hanno B uddenbrook i s
h i m s e l f a s a c h i l d .
T h is n o v e l w as s p e c i f i c a l l y n o t e d by t h e S w ed ish
Academy a s t h e b a s i s f o r h i s r e c e i v i n g t h e N o b e l P r i z e .
Jam es C le u g h , Thomas Mann, A S tu d y (London: M a rtin
S e e k e r , 1 9 3 3 ) , p . 7 9 .
32
The n o v e l op en s In 1 8 3 5 , and t h e r e a d e r i s in tr o d u c e d
t o o l d Johann B u dd en brook, h ea d o f a w e a lth y f ir m o f g r a in
m er ch a n ts — a m a t e r i a l i s t and a h a r d -h e a d e d b u s i n e s s m an.
The t o n e i s d e c id e d ly t h a t o f f a m ily l i f e from t h e
v e r y f i r s t c h a p t e r , w h ich o p e n s w it h a h ou sew arm in g a t t h e
B uddenbrook home* The t h r e d g e n e r a t io n s a r e p r e s e n t t h a t
a r e t o b e w oven th r o u g h t h e t a l e t o e x e m p lify t h e i d e a o f
d e c a d e n c e im p lie d i n t h e s u b - t i t l e , '’D e c lin e o f a E a m ily ."
T h is i s * ’o n e o f t h e f i r s t n o v e ls t o make a f a m ily g ro u p ,
r a th e r th a n an i n d i v i d u a l , t h e h e r o . H ere we h a v e t h e f o r e
sh ad ow in g o f t h e m odern drama o f e l d e r l y c o n s e r v a t is m a g a in s fr
y o u t h f u l r e v o l t w h ic h p e r v a d e s s o many o f our b o o k s t o d a y . ”3
Joh an n , t h e so n o f o l d B uddenbrook, seem s a s e r i o u s -
m inded p e r s o n , i n c l i n e d t o p i e t y . Nor i s h e i n f e r i o r t o
h i s s p le n d id f a t h e r i n a b u s in e s s w ay. H is I d e a l - - t h a t
o f p r o g r e s s — i s t h a t o f t h e a g e a l s o , and i s r i d i c u l e d b y
o l d J o h a n n . He h a s t h r e e c h i ld r e n , Thom as, A n to n ie , and
C h r i s t i a n , and t h e y show f u r t h e r d i f f e r e n c e s from t h e c y n i c a l
e l d e r s . C h r is t ia n , who i s s e v e n te e n y e a r s o ld and v e r y
n e r v o u s and e x c i t a b l e , s ta n d s o u t a s a d e c id e d v a r i a t i o n
from t h e B uddenbrook f a m ily t y p e .
3 F r a n c is Snow, "Books o f t h e M onth," i n C u rren t
H is t o r y , 3 1 :6 2 6 (Jan* 1 9 3 0 ) .
33
In 1855 t h e younger* Johann d i e s , and from t h i s p o in t
on t h e r e a d e r f e e l s t h e a tm o sp h ere o f a b y -g o n e a g e i t h e
c h a r a c t e r s , t h e s e t t i n g , and t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e p e r io d a r e
a l l g iv e n v i v i d l y and a c c u r a t e ly * T h is w e a lth o f d e t a i l is:>
t y p i c a l o f Mann I n a l l h i s w r i t i n g .
W ith t h e r i s i n g o f Thomas t o t h e h e a d s h ip o f th e
f a m ily f ir m , t h e d ev elo p m en t o f t h e them e o f d e c a d e n c e g o e s
a lo n g b o l d ly and d e c i s i v e l y . The i n t e r e s t i n g s i s t e r , T ony,
h a s much m ore s p a c e g iv e n t o t h e t e l l i n g o f h e r s t o r y , b u t
Thomas i s t h e German h e r o — t r a g i c In t h e f a c t t h a t h i s
f a t e i s m ore th a n h i s s t r e n g t h can c o n t r o l . He i s e f f i c i e n t
In com m erce, b u t n e v e r b e f o r e h a s i t b een su ch an e f f o r t f o r
a B uddenbrook t o b e so*
N ev er b e f o r e i n t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e f ir m h a s i t s h e a d
b een an i n d i v i d u a l , ’1 and t h i s s e t t i n g o f h i m s e l f a g a in s t
t h e m ass id e a i s c o s t l y t o Thomas, f o r h e i s n o t s t r o n g
p h y s i c a l l y , and f o r t h e l a s t y e a r s o f h i s r a t h e r s h o r t l i f e
h e h a s h a s a bad c a s e o f n e r v e s — n o t r e l i e v e d a t a l l by
t h e c o n s t a n t sm ok in g o f c i g a r e t t e s — t h e medium o f r e l i e f
o f th e r o m a n tic , s e n t im e n t a l p e r io d . ’ ’Thomas B uddenbrook i s
a l s o a v i c t i m o f h ig h b lo o d p r e s s u r e and t h e l i f e - w e a r i n e s s
w h ich Mann h a d a lr e a d y n o t e d In h i s N o v e lle n a s on e o f t h e
d e f i n i t e sym ptoms o f d e c a d e n c e . ”4
4 Jam es C leughji Thomas Mann, A S tu d y (L ondon: M a rtin
S e e k e r , 1 9 3 3 ) , p . 9 0 .
34
As h e and h i s s is te r * a r e w a lk in g o n e d ay and p a u se
f o r a lo o k a t t h e r e s t l e s s s e a , Thomas, in a fam ous p a s
sa g e w h ic h a n t i c i p a t e s h i s d e a t h , m arks t h e f i n a l s t a g e o f
h i s c o n f l i c t w it h h i s f a t e *
'G r ea t W aves’ , s a i d Thomas Buddenbrook. 'How t h e y come
on and b r e a k , come on’and b r e a k , on e a f t e r a n o t h e r ,
e n d l e s s l y , i d l y , em pty and v a s t ! And y e t , l i k e a l l
t h e s im p le , i n e v i t a b l e t h i n g s , t h e y s o o t h e , t h e y c o n
s o l e , a f t e r a l l . I h a v e le a r n e d t o l o v e t h e s e a m ore
and m o re. O nce, I t h i n k , I c a r e d m ore f o r t h e m o u n ta in s
— b e c a u s e t h e y l a y f a r t h e r o f f . How I do n o t lo n g
f o r th em . T hey w ou ld o n ly f r i g h t e n and a b a sh m e. They
a r e t o o c a p r i c i o u s , t o o m a n ifo ld , to o an om alou s — I
know I s h o u ld f e e l m y s e lf v a n q u ish e d in t h e i r p r e s e n c e .
What s o r t o f men p r e f e r t h e m onotony o f t h e s e a ? T h o se ,
I t h i n k , who h a v e lo o k e d so lo n g and d e e p ly i n t o t h e
c o m p l e x i t ie s o f t h e s p i r i t , t h a t t h e y a sk o f ou tw ard
t h in g s m e r e ly t h a t t h e y s h o u ld p o s s e s s on e q u a l i t y
a b o v e a l l J s i m p l i c i t y . I t i s t r u e t h a t i n t h e m o u n ta in s
on e c la m b er s b r i s k l y a b o u t, w h ile b e s i d e t h e s e a one
s i t s q u i e t l y on t h e s h o r e . T h is i s t h e d i f f e r e n c e , b u t
a s u p e r f i c i a l o n e . The r e a l d i f f e r e n c e i s i n t h e lo o k
w ith w h ich on e p a y s hom age t o t h e o n e and t o t h e o t h e r ’ *
I t I s a s t r o n g , c h a lle n g in g g a z e , f u l l i f e n t e r p r i s e ,
t h a t can s o a r from p eak t o p eak ; b u t t h e e y e s t h a t r e s t
on t h e w id e o c e a n and a r e s o o th e d b y t h e s i g h t o f i t s
w a v es r o l l i n g on f o r e v e r , m y s t i c a l l y , r e l e n t l e s s l y ,
a r e t h o s e t h a t a r e a lr e a d y w e a r ie d b y lo o k in g t o o d eep
I n t o t h e solem n p e r p l e x i t i e s o f l i f e . — H e a lth and
i l l n e s s , t h a t i s t h e d i f f e r e n c e . The man w h ose s t r e n g t h
i s u n e x h a u s te d c lim b s b o l d l y up I n t o t h e l o f t y m u l t i
p l i c i t y o f t h e m ou n tain h e i g h t s . B ut I t i s when one
i s worn o u t w it h t u r n in g o n e ' s e y e s in w ard upon t h e
b e w ild e r in g c o m p le x ity o f t h e human h e a r t , t h a t on e
f i n d s p e a c e i n r e s t i n g them on t h e w id e n e s s o f t h e
s e a . '5
H is s i s t e r I s im p r e s s e d b y t h i s s p e e c h , f o r r e f l e c t i o n s o f
t h i s n a tu r e u s u a l l y i n d i c a t e h id d e n m e a n in g s.
5 Thomas Mann, B udd en brooks (New Y ork: A lf r e d A .
K n op f, 1 9 3 1 ) , v o l . I I , f a r t 1 0 , p p . 2 7 2 -7 3 .
35
In t h e n e x t c h a p te r Thomas d i e s . L i f e h a s b een
t o o much f o r him ; h e c o u ld n o t s o l v e i t s m y s t e r ie s ; h e
c o u ld n o t r e c o n c i l e h i s id e a s w it h t h e o l d , a c c e p t e d , s e t
i d e a s o f p a s t B u d d en b rook s. T o n y ’ s t r o u b l e s b o th e r e d him ;
C h r is t ia n a l s o w as a g r e a t p rob lem t o him ; and h i s own
h e a l t h f a i l e d . H is c o l l a p s e i s n o t u n e x p e c te d *
H is l i t t l e s o n , H anno, i s o v e r s e n s i t i v e , a lm o st a
m u s ic a l p r o d ig y , and i t i s e v id e n t t h a t t h e co m m ercia l s t r a i n
i n t h e B uddenbrook f a m ily i s d e a d . Hanno i s t h e sym b ol o f
t h e d i s s o l u t i o n o f t h e fa m ily * H is im p r o v is a t io n on t h e
p ia n o in t h e l a s t p a r t o f C h apter I I , P a r t I I , i s a c h i l d ' s
c o m p o s it io n , b u t th r o u g h o u t t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f i t t h e tr a g ic ;
p a th o s o f t h e l i f e o f man i s m a r v e lo u s ly co n v ey ed *
The f a n a t i c a l w o r sh ip o f t h i s w o r t h le s s t r i f l e ,
t h i s s c r a p o f m e lo d y , t h i s b r i e f , o h i l d i s h h a r
m onic I n v e n t io n o n ly a b ar and a h a l f In le n g t h ,
had a b o u t I t so m e th in g s t u p id and g r o s s , and a t
t h e same t im e so m e th in g a s c e t i c and r e l i g i o u s —
so m e th in g t h a t c o n t a in e d t h e e s s e n c e o f f a i t h and
r e n u n c i a t io n . T h ere w as a q u a l i t y o f t h e p e r v e r s e
i n t h e i n s & t l a b i l i t y w it h w h ic h i t was p ro d u ced
and r e v e l l e d i n : t h e r e w as a s o r t o f c y n i c a l d e a p a ir ;
t h e r e w as a lo n g in g f o r j o y , a y i e l d i n g t o d e s i r e ,
i n t h e way t h e l a s t d rop o f s w e e tn e s s w a s, a s i t
w e r e , e x t r a c t e d from t h e m elo d y , t i l l e x h a u s t io n ,
d i s g u s t , and s a t i e t y su p e r v e n e d . T h en , a t l a s t ;
a t l a s t , i n t h e w e a r in e s s a f t e r e x c e s s , a lo n g , s o f t
a r p e g g io In t h e m inor t r i c k l e d th r o u g h , m ounted a
t o n e , r e s o l v e d i t s e l f i n t h e m a jo r, and d ie d in
m o u rn fu l l i n g e r i n g aw ay.
Hanno s a t s t i l l a m om ent, h i s c h in on h i s b r e a s t ,
h i s h an d s In h i s l a p . Then h e g o t u p and c l o s e d t h e
in s tr u m e n t . He w as v e r y p a l e , t h e r e w as n o s t r e n g t h
i n h i s k n e e s , and h i s e y e s w ere b u rn in g * He w en t
injso t h e n e x t room , s t r e t c h e d h i m s e l f on th e c h a i s e -
lo n g u e , and r e m a in e d f o r a lo n g tim e m o t io n le s s .®
Soon a f t e r Thom as' f a t a l s t r o k e , Hanno d i e s o f ty p h u s .
He d id n o t i n h e r i t h i s f a t h e r ' s w i l l t o l i v e , and h i s p h y s i c a l
makeup w as n o t s u f f i c i e n t t o c a r r y him a lo n g .
A r i s i n g J e w ish f a m ily b u ys t h e old? h o u se and t h e Sudden—
b r o o k s a r e d is p e r s e d 1 . T on y, t h e i n v i n c i b l e , i s l e f t a s th e
s o l e s u r v i v o r .
T h is n o v e l i s e p ic i n s c o p e , c o n c e p tio n and t r e a t m e n t .
I t grew t o i t s e x p a n s iv e , b u t n o t e x c e s s i v e p r o p o r tio n s
o u t o f M ann's own e x p e r ie n c e In e a r l y y o u t h , w h ich l e d
him t o a c c o u n t f o r t h e f i n a n c i a l m is f o r t u n e s o f h i s
own f a m ily b y a r e f e r e n c e t o t h e g r a d u a l o u tc r o p p in g
o f n o n -c o m m e r c ia l i n s t i n c t s , b ecom in g d e f i n i t e l y o f an
a r t i s t i c ; t y p e i n h i m s e l f , h i s b r o t h e r , and y o u n g er
s i s t e r . H en ce a r o s e t h e id e a o f an a r t i s t a s a d e c a d e n t,
o n e who r e f u s e s t o a c c e p t t h e n o rm a l l i f e o f a s p e c i f i c a l
l y co m m e rc ia l a g e and who i s t h e r e f o r e an o u t c a s t , a
u s e l e s s d e c le n s io n from t y p e . C h r is t ia n B udden brook
w it h h i s s e n s i t i v e n e s s a m ou n tin g i n t h e e y e s o f t h e s o b e r
c i t i z e n t o m a n ia , h i s r e s t i v e r e c u s a n c y o f a d e c e n t ,
s t a b l e e x i s t e n c e , h i s m im e tic t a l e n t b lo c k e d by h is;
e x tr em e n e r v o u s n e s s , h i s u t t e r l a c k o f r e s e r v e , i s th e
f i r s t c le a r exam p le i n t h e h o u se o f B u dd en brook, a s
p e r h a p s H e in r ic h Mann had b een I n t h e a u t h o r 's own, o f
t h e u n d u b ita b ly a r t i s t i c tem p era m en t. The p o r t r a i t i s
a b i t t e r c a r i c a t u r e w h ic h f a i l s t o b e c r u e l o n ly b e
c a u s e o f t h e t y p i c a l s y m p a th e tic ir o n y r w h ic h in fo r m s I t .
The r e a d e r en d s by p i t y i n g a s much a s h e d e s p i s e s
C h r is t ia n , t h e m oun teb ank , t h e c h a r la t a n , t h e w eak
debauch^ and t h e h y p o c h o n d r ia c . Thomas B u d d en b ro o k 's
th u n d e r o u s s c o r n i n t h e g r e a t s c e n e b e tw e en t h e b r o t h e r s
a f t e r t h e i r m o th e r 's d e a th i s a lm o s t c o u n te r b a la n c e d
b y t h e s h r i l l S t r in d b e r g ia n p r o t e s t o f t h e c u lp r it .* ^
6 V o l . I I , P a rt I I , C h apter IV , p p . 3 4 9 - 3 5 0 .
V Jam es C le u g h , o p . c i t . , p p . 8 6 - 8 7 .
3 7
D o n 't you r e a l i z e , you f o o l , ' c r i e d Thomas Budden
b r o o k , i n a p a s s i o n , ' t h a t a l l t h e s e h o r r o r s a r e
th e ; c o n se q u e n c e and e f f e c t o f y o u r v i c e s , y o u r
i d l e n e s s , and y o u r s e l f - t o r m e n t in g ? Go t o w ork!
S to p p e t t i n g y o u r c o n d it io n and t a l k i n g a b o u t i t .
I f you do go c r a z y — and I t e l l y o u p l a i n l y I d o n 't
t h in k i t a t a l l u n l i k e l y — I s h a n 't b e a b le t o sh ed
a t e a r ; f o r i t w i l l b e e n t i r e l y y o u r own f a u l t . '
'H o, and when I d ie you w o n 't sh e d any t e a r s e i t h e r . ’
'You w o n 't d i e , ’ s a i d t h e S e n a to r b i t i n g i y .
' I s h a n 't d ie ? V ery good* I s h a n ’t d i e , t h e n . W e 'll
s e e who d i e s f i r s t . Work' I su p p o se I c a n ' t work?
My God. I c a n ' t do t h e same t h i n g lo n g a t a tim e*
I t k i l l s m e. I f you h a v e b een a b le t o and a r e a b le
t o , th a n k God f o r i t , b u t d o n 't s i t i n judgm ent on
o th e r s * f o r i t i s n ' t a v i r t u e . God g i v e s s t r e n g t h t o
o n e , and n o t t o a n o t h e r . B ut t h a t i s t h e way you a r e
m ade, Thom as. You a r e s e l f - r i g h t e o u s . Oh, w a it ,
t h a t i s n o t w hat I am g o in g t o s a y , n o r w hat I a c c u s e
y o u o f . I d o n 't know w here t o b e g in , and how ever
much I can s a y i s o n ly a m i l l i o n t h p a r t o f t h e f l e e li n g
I h a v e i n my h e a r t a g a in s t y o u . You h a v e made a p o si£ -
t i o n f o r y o u r s e l f in l i f e ; and t h e r e y o u s ta n d , and
p u sh e v e r y t h in g away w h ich m ig h t p o s s i b l y d is t u r b
y o u r e q u lib r iu r a f o r a moment — f o r y o u r e q u ilib r iu m
I s t h e m ost p r e c io u s t h in g i n t h e w o r ld t o y o u . But
I t i s n ' t t h e m o st p r e c io u s t h i n g i n l i f e , Thomas - -
n o , b e f o r e God, i t i s n o t . You a r e an e g o t i s t f i t h a t
i s w hat you a r e . I am s t i l l fo n d o f y o u , ev en when
y o u a r e a n g r y , and t r e a d on me an d th u n d er me down.
But when y o u g e t s i l e n t , when som ebody s a y s so m e th in g
and you a r e su d d e n ly dumb, and w ith d ra w y o u r s e l f ,
q u i t e e le g a n t and r e m o te , and r e p u l s e p e o p le l i k e a
w a l l and l e a v e t h e o th e r f e l l o w t o h i s sham e, w it h
o u t any ch a n n e o f j u s t i f y i n g h i m s e l f — ! Y e s , you
a r e w ith o u t p i t y , w ith o u t l o v e , w ith o u t h u m ilit y .
— O hJ' h e c r i e d , and s t r e t c h e d b o th arm s In f r o n t
o f h im , p alm s o u tw a rd , a s th o u g h p u sh in g e v e r y th in g
away from h im , 'Oh, how s i c k I am o f a l l t h i s t a c t
and p r o p r ie t y , t h i s p o i s e and r e f in e m e n t — s i c k
t o d e a th o f i t ! '
The o u t b u r s t w as s o g e n u in e , so h e a r t - f e l t , i t
sou n d ed so f u l l o f l o a t h i n g and s a t i e t y , t h a t i t
w as a c t u a l l y c r u s h in g . Thomas sh ra n k a l i t t l e and
lo o k e d down i n f r o n t o f h im , w eary and w it h o u t a
word* 8
Each v o i c e i s t h a t o f Thomas Mann. And t h e i r c o n f l i c t i s
t h e sto r m t h a t p lo u g h e d t h e v i r g i n f i e l d s o f h i s y o u th and
made them b e a r , i n B u d d en b rook s, t h e f i r s t h a r v e s t o f h i s
g e n iu s . The end o f t h e b ook l e a v e s t h e r e a d e r w it h a s e n s e
a s much o f th e a d m ir a b le v i t a l i t y o f t h e u n im a g in a tiv e m er
c h a n t a s o f h i s r u t h l e s s n e s s , w it h a s e n s e a s much o f t h e
m a r v e lo u s i n t u i t i o n o f t h e a e s t h e t i c tem p er a s o f i t s f u t i l e
c o w a r d ic e *
In h i s M agic M o u n ta in , w h ich i s a s p o w e r fu l a w ork a s
t h i s c e n tu r y w i l l p r o d u c e , Mann g i v e s fo o d t h a t i s h a rd t o
d i g e s t . The s t o r y , t a k in g p la c e a s i t d o e s j u s t b e f o r e thee
c a t a s t r o p h e o f t h e W orld War, p i c t u r e s t h e s t a t e o f s o c i e t y
a t t h a t t im e . The f e e l i n g o f i n s e c u r i t y and i n d e c i s i o n I a
p r e s e n t on e v e r y hand* E veryon e h a s h i s own t h e o r y o f r i g h t
and w rongj t h e r e i s a f e e l i n g o f d o u b t and a la c k o f c o n flid e n c e
i n s c i e n c e ; God seem s t o h a v e l o s t h o ld o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l .
T h ese t e n d e n c ie s a r e a l l fo u n d i n t h i s b e a u t i f u l l y w r i t t e n
tw o -v o lu m e w ork i n w h ic h ,
Thomas Mann i s a p h o to g ra p h e r — u s i n g an X -r a y
m a c h in e , i f you p r e f e r t o s o r e g a r d h i s i n t r o
s p e c t i v e a n a l y s i s o f human n a tu r e — who r e c o r d s
t h e p s y c h o l o g ic a l and e m o tio n a l r e a c t i o n s o f h i s
c h a r a c t e r s t o t h i s p e r io d o f u h r e s t . He p r o b e s
8 Thomas Mann, B u d d en b rook s, V o l. I I , P a rt 9 , c h a p te r H ,
p p .1 8 2 -1 8 3 .
39
"beneath t h e s u r f a c e t o g e t t h e w o r k in g s o f t h e
s e n s e s , n e r v e s , and s o u ls o f h i s s u b j e c t s ; h e
r e c r e a t e s t h e s p i r i t o f t h i s a g e . 9
A tu b e r c u la r s a n ita r iu m i n t h e S w iss. A lp s i s th e
t h e a t r e in w h ich t h e c h a r a c t e r s p la y t h e i r p a r t s and s a y
t h e ’’l i n e s ” t h a t Mann h a s w r it t e n f o r th em . I n w r i t i n g th e
s c r i p t h e seem s t o h a v e f e l t t h a t d ia lo g u e i s th e m ost im
p o r t a n t medium f o r th e t r a n s m is s io n o f i d e a s fro m t h e a c t o r s
t o t h e a u d ie n c e . For t h e book i s crow ded w it h c o n v e r s a t io n s
u s e d f o r t h e e x ch a n g e o f t h o u g h t . The s t o r y r e a l l y m u st bee
r e a d t o s e e w hat a c l e v e r t r i c k h a s b een tu r n e d when a home
f o r i n v a l i d s i s c h o se n a s t h e l o c a l e .
The p l o t i s v e r y s im p le . In b r i e f , i t co n cern s: a
y o u n g m an, Hans C a s to r p , who h a s c h o se n an e n g i n e e r ’ s
c a r e e r and i s a b o u t t o e n t e r a f ir m w h ere h e may w ork a t
h i s c h o se n p r o f e s s i o n . B u t s i n c e h e h a s s t u d i e d v e r y h a rd
i n o r d e r t o p a s s h i s e x a m in a tio n , i t i s th o u g h t t h a t h e i s
i n n e e d o f a v a c a t io n b e f o r e s t a r t i n g h i s l a b o r . H is c o u s in ,
J o a ch im Z ie m sse n , i s t e m p o r a r ily c o n fin e d i n t h e I n t e r
n a t i o n a l S a n ita r iu m B e r g h o f, and Hans d e c id e s t o spend, t h r e e
w eek s w it h h im t h e r e . A m o st w elcom e g u e s t h e i s t o J o a ch im ,
who i s c h a f in g a t t h e b i t t o g e t ’’down b e lo w ” w h ere h e can
o n c e m ore w ear t h e u n ifo r m o f a s o l d i e r .
9 A n n ie R u s s e l l M a rb le, The N o b e l P r iz e W in n ers i n
L it e r a t u r e (New Y ork: D. A p p le to n and Company,
pp SB8"------
40
The h e r o f s t h r e e w eek s le n g t h e n i n t o many w eeks' —
th e n i n t o m o n th s, and f i n a l l y i n t o y e a r s * B e ca u se o f a
s u g g e s t io n o f t h e d o c to r t h a t h e , w h ile on h i s v i s i t , m ig h t
b e t t e r do a s t h e o t h e r s s i n c e h e t o o i s p r o b a b ly n o t e n t i r e
l y f r e e fro m th e a ilm e n t , h e p r o lo n g s h i s s t a y . G r a d u a lly
h e i s p o s s e s s e d o f an i n e r t i a a b o v e w h ich h e c a n n o t r i s e .
S ev en y e a r s o f h i s l i f e h e sp en d s i n t h is : d i s e a s e - i n f e s t e d ,
s o c i e t y .
And w h at f i n a l l y s t i r s him o u t o f h i s le t h a r g y ? The
W orld War d e s c e n d s and aw akens him fro m t h i s ’’bad d r e a m .w
T h is e x p r e s s io n i s used" b e c a u se H an s, i n t a l k i n g t o o n e o f
t h e in m a te s s a y s , wDo y o u know how i t i s when you a r e d rea m in g ,
and know you a r e d ream in g and t r y t o awake and c a n f t ? T hat
i s p r e c i s e l y t h e way I f e e l * ”!©
Harm i n t h e F orew ord g i v e s t h i s p i c t u r e o f H ans when
h e w r i t e s , nf o r i n him t h e r e a d e r w i l l make a c q u a in ta n c e w it h
a sim p le -m in d e d th o u g h p l e a s i n g y o u n g m an.u A t on e p la c e i n
t h e s t o r y h e i s r e f e r r e d t o a s Hour u n h e r o ic h e r o * w He seem s
t o b e h a r d ly e x i s t i n g th r o u g h o u t t h e p a g e s . A t l e a s t h e a r o u s e s
n o r e a c t i o n i n t h e m ind o f t h e r e a d e r , u n l e s s i t b e on e o f 1
d i s g u s t f o r h i s a l lo w in g h im s e lf t o rem ain i n t h a t q u e e r w o r ld
f o r s o lo n g a tim e* H is o n ly r e a l e x c u s e f o r s t a y i n g t h a t
seem s a t a l l l a u d a b le , i s t h a t o f c u r i o s i t y * To s e e w h at
Thomas Mann, The M agic M ountain (Hew Y ork: B e n n e tt
A C e r f . D o n a ld S . K lo p fe r J , pT IltT^
41
t h e s e p e o p le a r e l i k e , how th e y l i v e , and w hat i t i s t h a t
c a u s e s t h o s e who h a v e o n c e l e f t t h e sa n a to r iu m t o r e t u r n
e v e n t u a l ly , a r e t h e b a s e s o f h i s c u r i o s i t y . Of t h e
c h a r a c t e r s who move th r o u g h t h e s t o r y , H err S e tt e m b r in i
i s o n e o f th e m o st i n t e r e s t i n g . When q u e s t io n in g Hans a s
t o h i s b u s i n e s s , h e s a y s , nYou s e e we p u t n o l i m i t s t o our
t h i r s t f o r in f o r m a tio n — c u r i o s i t y i s a n o th e r o f t h e p r e
s c r i p t i v e r i g h t s o f sh a d o w s.’1! ^ T h is would! seem t o g iv e
some g rou n d s f o r Hans* a p p a r e n t i n q u i s i t i v e tu r n o f m in d .
S e t te m b r in i and N a p h ta , a J e s u i t , f u r n i s h many
i n t e r e s t i n g d i s c u s s i o n s . H aphta f e e l s t h a t s o l d i e r y and
t h e J e s u i t f a i t h a r e v e r y s i m i l a r , and t h e r e f o r e h e h a s no
p a t ie n c e w ith t h e I t a l i a n , who i s a h u m a n ist and s i n g s t h e
p r a i s e s o f p e a c e a n d h a p p in e s s . **They a r e b o th t a l k e r s ;
t h e o n e lu x u r io u s and s p i t e f u l , t h e o th e r f o r e v e r b lo w in g
on h i e p en n y p ip e o f r e a s o n , ev en v a i n l y im a g in in g h e can
b r in g t h e mad t o t h e i r s e n s e s I 2
Mann u s e s lo n g d ia lo g u e s i n p la c e o f a c t i o n ; t h e b ook
ab ou n d s w it h t h e s e , t h a t f o r t h e moment seem a l l - i m p o r t a n t .
But w h ere do t h e y le a d ? They n e v e r a r r i v e a t any v a lu a b le
c o n c lu s i o n , m a in ly b e c a u s e t h e y do n o t know w h ere t h e y w ish
t o go or w hy.
11 P* 7 6 .
1 2 I k p * 6 2 5 *
42
Hans h a s a l o v e - a f f a i r w ith a you n g woman a t t h e
s a n ita r iu m , Madame C h a u ch a t. T h is i s n o t an a f f a i r i n t h e
t r u e s e n s e o f t h e w ord . Many a tta c h m e n ts o r a t t r a c t i o n s
a r e fo u n d th r o u g h o u t, h u t t h e y a r e a l l u n r e a l, a s i s th e
l i f e t h a t Hans l i v e s u p h e r e . J o a ch im i s a t t r a c t e d t o
M a ru sja , b u t n o t h in g com es o f i t ; t h e R u s s ia n c o u p le n e x t
t o Hans h a v e t h e i r b e s t i a l form o f lo v e -m a k in g ; and H ens
h im se lf* h a s h i s i n t e r e s t i n C la v d ia w h ic h i s p u r e ly p h y s i c a l .
T h en , on a h o lid a y c e l e b r a t i o n , S h ro v e T u esd a y , E rau C hauchat
d r e s s e s f o r t h e o c c a s io n , and Hans n o t i c e s h e r arm s, ' 1 so
te n d e r and y e t so f u l l . * * 3 -®
In ea ch h ou r o f h i s d im in is h e d day h e th o u g h t o f h e r :
h e r m outh, h e r c h e e k -b o n e s , h e r e y e s w hose c o lo u r ,
s h a p e , and p o s i t i o n b i t i n t o h i s v e r y s o u l; h e r
d r o o p in g b a c k , t h e p o s tu r e o f h e r h e a d , h e r c e r v i c a l
v e r t e b r a a b o v e t h e r o u n d in g o f h e ? b lo u s e , h e ? arms
en h a n ced by t h e i r t h i n g a u z e c o v e r in g . 14
I n s t e a d o f c h e r i s h in g an a c t u a l p h o to g ra p h o f h i s
lo v e d o n e , C a sto r p c a r r i e s h e r nX -r a y p o r t r a i t , ” a s h e c a l l s
i t . When B e h r e n s, t h e d o c t o r , show s Hans some p l a t e s , h e
s e e s v a r io u s m em bers. ” But th e -r o u n d e d l i v i n g form o f t h e s e
p o r t io n s o f t h e human bod y w as v a g u e and shadow y, l i k e a p a le
and m is t y e n v e lo p e , w it h in w h ich s t o o d o u t t h e c l e a r , sh a rp
n u c le u s — t h e s k e l e t o n . ” 15 m a t a sym b ol o f u n r e a l ! t y i
15 I b i d . , p . 4131.
1 4 I b i d . , p . 2 6 3 .
15 I b i d .
43
T h is y o u n g la d y i s on e o f t h o s e who l e a v e , h u t e v e n tu
a l l y r e t u r n ; h u t t o H an s' sorrow sh e b r in g s w it h h e r a man
i n whom sh e i s i n t e r e s t e d , and sh e seem s n o t t o h a v e co n
s id e r e d Hans a t a l l s e r i o u s l y *
One n o t i c e a b l e f e a t u r e o f t h e b ook i s i t s la c k o f
d e f i n i t e p a t t e r n . I t i s s im p ly a p r e s e n t a t io n o f a s o c i e t y
com posed o f abn orm al i n d i v i d u a l s who a r e s t r u g g l i n g t o l i v e
some s o r t o f l i f e u n d er u n d e s ir e a b le p h y s i c a l c o n d it io n s *
Hans s e r v e s a s a s o r t o f h in g e on w h ic h t h e w h o le p ic t u r e
sw in g s* And w h at d o e s t h a t p ic t u r e p r e s e n t ? I t g i v e s a
c r o s s - s e c t i o n o f E uropean s o c i e t y i n t h e p e r io d j u s t p r e
c e d in g t h e W orld War* As H ans s t r u g g l e s t o f i n d h i s p la c e
i n t h e B e rg h o f s o c i e t y , so t h e i n d i v i d u a l i n E urope Is; u n
s e t t l e d i n h i s m ind a s t o w h at c o u r s e t o f o llo w * T here seem s
t o b e n o t h in g t o g u id e H an s, and h e f o l l o w s t h e l i n e o f l e a s t
r e s i s t a n c e u n t i l h e i s su d d e n ly sn ap p ed I n t o a c t i o n . So i t
w as w it h t h e w h o le o f s o c i e t y a t t h a t t im e .
In t h e b ook t h e r e a r e many c h a r a c t e r s , e a ch d i f f e r i n g
s l i g h t l y from t h e n e x t , b u t t h e y a l l h a v e o n e t h i n g i n com
mon — an a t t i t u d e o f u n r e s t , and d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n . V a r ie d
th o u g h t h e t y p e s a r e , n o t on e f i n d s h i s t r u e p la c e i n t h e
m o u n ta in s o c i e t y . T h e se a r e n o t l i v e p e o p le who h a v e t a s k s
t o do n o r who t r y t o f i t i n t o a p i c t u r e , b u t on th e c o n tr a r y
44
a r e u n h e a lth y , and u n w h olesom e c r e a t u r e s who; s im p ly a r e se t-
b e f o r e t h e r e a d e r by t h e a u th o r* T hey a r e in c a p a b le o f th e
a c t i o n i n w h ic h m ost c h a r a c t e r s o f a b ook p a r t i c i p a t e * More
l i k e p u p p ets t h e y seem , d a n g le d b e f o r e t h e s p e c t a t o r ’ s e y e s
t o b e l i s t e n e d t o o r s t u d i e d or o b s e r v e d f o r a tim e , b y t
th e y t h e m s e lv e s g iv e n o p la n n e d a n d c o n s t r u c t e d p erfo rm a n ce*
When Hans a r r i v e s , S e tte m b r in i g i v e s h i s a t t i t u d e
to w a r d t h e s e q u e e r in m a te s* M You a r e b o ld in d e e d th u s t o
d e s c e n d i n t o t h e s e d d p th s p e o p le d b y t h e v a c a n t and i d l e
d ea d
H err A lb in , a b lo n d e y o u n g man, an I n c u r a b le , and o f
n o p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t t o t h e r e a d e r , i s c h a r g ed w it h i n
s u b o r d in a tio n b y J o a ch im ’ ’f o r h e t r i e s t o f i t h i m s e l f i n t o
t h e group l i f e b y a t t r a c t i n g a t t e n t i o n by sh ow in g h i s w ea p o n s,
a k n i f e and a g u n . ” ! 7 Of th e l a t t e r h e s a y s , ”l k e e p i t i n
r e a d in e s s f o r t h e d ay when I c a n ’t s ta n d t h i s f a r c e any
lo n g e r , and do m y s e lf t h e honour t o b id you a r e s p e c t f u l
a d i e u . ”!® He h a s l o s t h i s h o ld on e v e r y t h in g , and can s e e
t h a t t h e l i f e h e i s le a d in g i s u s e l e s s and u n m o tiv a te d . T h is
n o n - d i r e c t e d l i v i n g i s w hat Mann i s t r y i n g t o d e s c r ib e a s t h e
s o r r y t h i n g w h ic h h a s h ap p en ed t o t h e w h o le o f s o c i a l l i f e *
The p e o p le ” down b e lo w ” a r e l i v i n g j u s t su ch an u n r e a l and
1 6 P* 7 5 *
1 7 P* 1 0 6 *
18 I b i d . , p . 1 0 3 .
45
co m p lex l i f e a s t h e s e d i s e a s e d b e i n g s . To g i v e i n d i r e c t l y
by t h £ s s t o r y a p ic t u r e o f l i f e on t h e " f la t - s la n d ” i s t h e
a u t h o r ’ s i n t e n t . T h is i s a sy m b o lic p i e c e th r o u g h o u t.
I * 1 «3bs ®Ph aud H is B r o t h e r s , Mann h a s s h i f t e d h i s
f i e l d o f e x p lo r a t io n from t h a t o f Europe t o t h e H o ly L and.
B ut h i s p u rp o se i s s t i l l t h e sam e, t h a t o f p r e s e n t in g a
p i c t u r e o f h u m a n ity . In t h e p r e f a c e h e l i k e n s t h e p a s t t o
a w e l l , t h e b o tto m o f w h ic h can n e v e r b e r e a c h e d .
V ery d eep i s t h e w e l l o f t h e p a s t . S h o u ld we n o t
c a l l i t b o t t o m le s s ?
B o tto m le s s in d e e d , i f — and p erh a p s o n ly i f —
t h e p a s t we mean i s t h e p a s t m e r e ly o f t h e l i f e o f
m ankind, t h a t r i d d l i n g e s s e n c e o f w h ic h our own
n o r m a lly u n s a t i s f i e d and q u i t e a b n o r m a lly w retch ed !
e x i s t e n c e form a p a r t ; w h ose m y s te r y , o f c o u r s e ,
i n c lu d e s our own and i s t h e a lp h a and omega o f a l l
our q u e s t i o n s , le n d in g b u r n in g im m ed iacy t o a l l we
s a y , and s i g n i f i c a n c e t o a l l our s t r i v i n g . For t h e
d e e p e r we so u n d , t h e f u r t h e r down i n t o t h e lo w e r
w o r ld o f t h e p a s t we p rob e and p r e s s , t h e m ore do
we f i n d t h a t t h e e a r l i e s t f o u n d a t io n s o f h u m a n ity ,
i t s h i s t o r y and c u l t u r e , r e v e a l t h e m s e lv e s u n fath om
a b l e . No m a tte r t o w hat h a z a r d o u s l e n g t h s we l e t
o u t our l i n e t h e y s t i l l w ith d ra w a g a in , and f u r t h e r ,
i n t o t h e d e p t h s . A gain and f u r t h e r a r e t h e r i g h t
w o r d s, f o r t h e u n r e s e a r c h a b le p la y s a k in d o f m ock
i n g game w it h o u r r e s e a r c h in g a r d o u r s; i t o f f e r s
a p p a r e n t h o ld s and g o a l s , b e h in d w h ic h , when we
h a v e g a in e d th em , new r e a c h e s o f t h e p a s t s t i l l
open o u t — a s h a p p en s t o t h e c o a s t w is e v o y a g e r ,
who f i n d s n o end t o h i s jo u r n e y , f o r b e h in d e a ch
h e a d la n d o f c la y e y dune h e c o n q u e r s , f r e s h h e a d
la n d s and new d i s t a n c e s l u r e him o n . 19
19 Thomas Mann, J o se p h and H is B r o th e r s (New Y ork:
A lf r e d A . K nopf, 1 9 3 4 ) ,“ p p 7 ~ 3 -¥ :
46
J o s e p h , t h e b o y , t r i e s t o r e a s o n o u t when t h i n g s
b e g a n , b u t a s ea ch p o in t i s w orked b a ck t o , t h e q u e s t io n
a r i s e s — ’ ’and1 had ev en t h i s b een t h e v e r y f i r s t b e g in n in g ?”^0
Mann m akes t h e r e a d e r f e e l c l o s e t o jo s e p h —
a lm o s t c o n tem p o ra ry w it h h im , b e c a u s e ev en h e had t o g a z e
b a c k i n t o t h e lo n g - a g o . As on e l e a n s o v e r t h e w e l l , h e
b ecom es d iz z y t r y i n g t o fa th o m i t .
L ik e J o se p h , we m ust s t o p a t some p o in t a s h e d id
w it h t h e man o f IJr, '-or e l s e we m u st k e e p on b e in g lu r e d
from o n e t i m e - e o u l i s s e t o t h e n e x t , back w ard s and b ackw ard s
i n t o t h e im m easu rab le.**2 ^
Even d ocu m en ts a r e n o t o r i g i n a l , s i n c e p r o b a b ly some
docum ent p r e c e d e d e a ch t h a t i s fo u n d . Thus Mann g i v e s th e
id e a o f c o u l i s s e s and a b y s s e s i n t h e p a s t*
Mann b e g in s t h e a c t u a l s t o r y w it h J o se p h t e n d in g h i s
f a t h e r * s sh e e p w it h h i s b r e t h r e n . J o se p h i s u s e d a s an i n
str u m e n t t o show M ankind a s i t i s ; t o g i v e a p ic t u r e o f l i f e .
He w a s , i t se e m s , fo n d o f w r i t i n g , and t h i s w as an a c c o m p lis h
ment" xvhich h i s b r o t h e r s c o u ld n o t a p p r e c ia t e . He w as a l s o
fo n d o f t h e g o d , N abu, t h e w r it e r o f h i s t o r y , w hose s p i r i t u a l
a f f i l i a t i o n s w it h th e moon w ere q u i t e t o J o s e p h ’ s t a s t e .
A f t e r a d i s c u s s i o n o f s o u l , s p i r i t and m a tte r , and
o f t h e u n r e s t o f J o s e p h , and o f m an’ s jo u r n e y i n t o t h e p a s t ,
20 I b i d . , p . 14
21 I b i d . , p . 15
Mann i s r e a d y t o h a v e t h e r e a d e r lo o k i n t o t h e d e p th s o f t h e
w e l l . The c o u n tr y t o w h ic h t h e r e a d e r h a s d e s c e n d e d i s a b o u t
t o s p r e a d b e f o r e him s 1 1
‘’P erh ap s y o u c l o s e d y o u r e y e s , on t h e jo u r n e y down;
open them now j We h a v e a r r iv e d * S ee how t h e m o o n lig h t-s h a r p e n e d
shadow s l i e a c r o s s t h e p e a c e f u l , r o l l i n g la n d sc a p e J P e e l t h e
m ild s p r in g f r e s h n e s s o f t h e su m m e r -sta r r y n i g h t *” 22 J o se p h
i s a t t h e w e l l , e n g a g ed i n mo o n -w o r sh ip p in g * He i s a b e a u t i
f u l , m u c h -fa v o r e d y o u th . To t h e A ra b ia n t a s t e ’’t h e y o u th m ust
h a v e b een so b e a u t i f u l , and s o ? /e ll- f a v o u r e d , t h a t a t f i r s t
g la n c e h e c o u ld r e a l l y h a v e b een ta k e n f o r a g o d .” But h e
i s d i s l i k e d b y t h e b r o t h e r s b e c a u s e o f t h e f a v o r i t i s m shown
h im , and b e c a u s e o f h i s a n n o y in g w ays*
A f t e r an e x p o s i t i o n o f J o s e p h ’ s c h a r a c t e r , Mann g o e s
b a ck i n h i s s t o r y t o g i v e t h e h i s t o r y o f J a c o b . The g r e a t
h o a x w h ich h e p r a c t i c e d on I s a a c i s d w e lt on a t l e n g t h , and
th e n J a c o b ’ s l i f e i s f o llo w e d u n t i l t h e b i r t h o f B enjam in
and t h e d e a th o f R a c h e l*
T h is summary b r in g s t o a c l o s e t h e b r i e f o u t l i n e s o f
th e s e v e r a l p l o t s t o be c o n s id e r e d and g i v e s a w o r k in g b a s i s
f o r t h e p rim a ry s t u d y , w h ich i s t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h e m o t iv a tio n
o f t h e w ork s o f t h e tw o w r i t e r s w it h a v ie w t o n o t i n g t h e
s i m i l a r i t i e s i n t h e i r p r o d u c tio n s and t h e p o s s i b l e i n f l u e n c e
w h ic h T o ls t o y may h a v e e x e r t e d on Mann*
22 I b i d . , p . 5 6 .
23 I b i d . , p . 6 3 .
We now p r o c e e d t o t h e d e v e lo p m en t o f t h e m ajor p u rp o se
o f t h i s s tjid y , t h a t o f t h e c h a r a c t e r s ’ s e a r c h f o r h a p p in e s s
th r o u g h w h ic h i s e x p r e s s e d t h e i r a u t h o r ’ s own p h i lo s o p h ic a l
Tu b s ’
q u e s t . War and P eace*- , a s-^ r e v -io u a -1 ^ . i s f i r s t co n sid ered ,*
T h is n o v e l t r e a t s , o f c o u r s e , o f t h e N a p o le o n ic War,
and o f t h e h ig h s o c i e t y o f M oscow, h u t when i t i s a n a ly z e d ,
i t i s fo u n d t o c o n t a in many r a t h e r u n r e la t e d p l o t s . T h ere i s
n o l a r g e o r g a n iz e d s t r u c t u r e upon w h ich t h e w h o le i s b u i l t
s c i e n t i f i c a l l y ; s t i l l t h e r e a d e r r e c e i v e s an im p r e s s io n o f
u n i t y , th r o u g h P i e r r e ’ s u n i f y i n g p r e s e n c e * He m oves th r o u g h
t h e p a g e s , and t h e i n c i d e n t s a r e l in k e d b y h i s a p p ea r a n c e and
d is a p p e a r a n c e . What i s t h e r e a b o u t him t h a t m akes t h e read® ?
w ant t o c o n t in u e t o f o l l o w him th r o u g h e le v e n h u n d red and
f o r t y - s i x p a g e s? Much o f t h e tim e t h e r e a d in g m a tte r i s d u l l
and u n i n t e r e s t i n g b e c a u s e o f t h e d e t a i l s o f w ar; t h e r e f o r e
t h e te n d e n c y i s t o h u r r y o v e r t h e s e and g e t a g lim p s e o f t h e
h e r o a g a in a s so o n a s p o s s i b l e . One h a s a f e e l i n g t h a t th e
you n g man’ s c o n d it io n and a t t i t u d e m ust c h a n g e and h e m ust
b e happy e v e n t u a lly *
When P ie r r e i s f i r s t in t r o d u c e d , h e i s a t t e n d in g a
s o i r e e w h ere h e i s v e r y much o u t o f p l a c e . He' i s t o o l a r g e
f o r a d ra w in g -ro o m ; he seem s t o b e i l l - a t - e a s e ; h e i s a n y th in g
b u t happy i n t h a t s o c i e t y . E v ery o n e seem s t o t h in k him
&L
4 §
am u sin g b u t n o t in a f l a t t e r i n g way; p e o p le a r e la u g h in g a t
h im . Even when h e i n h e r i t s B e zu h o v ’ s f o r t u n e — a t a much
l a t e r d a t e — h e s t i l l ’ ’f l o a t s . ”
The on e tim e t h e r e i s a r a y o f h op e t h a t h e may b e
h a p p y , som es when h e m a r r ie s E l l e n . He r e a l l y d o e s n o t l o v e
h e r , and t h a t h o p e f a d e s aw ay. He s t r u g g l e s a lo n g and c o n c e iv e s
t h e id e a o f k i l l i n g N a p o leo n w ith h i s own hand* T h is th o u g h t
o c c u p ie s h i s m in d , b u t t h e a c t i s n e v e r e x e c u t e d . To f u r t h e r
h i s d i s c o n t e n t , h e r e a l i z e s t h a t h e h a s a lo n g in g f o r N a ta sh a ;
t h i s can come t o n a u g h t, f o r s h e b e lo n g s t o a n o th e r *
M asonry and i t s m y s t ic is m h o ld s him f o r a s p e l l ; h e
th r o w s h i m s e l f i n t o i t s s e c r e t s w it h a l l h i s h e a r t and s o u l*
T h is o c c u p a tio n l a s t s f o r o n ly a s h o r t tim e ; t h e n i t , t o o ,
l o s e s i t s f a s c i n a t i o n . He p lo d s on th r o u g h t h e b ook u n t i l
a t l a s t h e d o e s m arry N a ta s h a , and t h e r e a d e r f e e l s t h a t h e
h a s fo u n d c o m p a r a tiv e c o m fo r t, w it h h i s w i f e and c h ild r e n
arou n d him* B ut i s i t t o l a s t ? He i s i n c l i n e d to w a rd p o l i
t i c s ; h i s w i f e d o e s n o t a p p r e c ia t e t h i s te n d e n c y , and t h e
r e a d e r w on d ers a s h e c l o s e s t h e b ook — Has P ie r r e a c t u a l l y
fo u n d h im s e lf ; h a s h i s s e a r c h ended s a t i s f a c t o r i l y ?
M ann’ s B u dd en brooks d i f f e r s from War and P ea ce in
t h a t o n ly o n e f a m ily i s c o v e r e d , and t h e p red o m in a n t id e a
i s d e c a d e n c e* O ld Johan n B u d d en brook, and y o u n g er Johann
w ere c o n c e r n e d w it h b u s in e s s and w e re t e o n a e r v a t iv e . Thom as,
v3
50
o f t h e n e x t g e n e r a t io n , com es a lo n g , and f o r him t h e f a m ily
b u s in e s s i s an e f f o r t , and h e i s n o t c o n t e n t t o f o llo w in
t h e s t r a i g h t l i n e o f h i s a n c e s t o r s . In t h e draw er o f t h e
g a r d e n - t a b le , h e k e e p s a b ook o f S ch op en h au er w h ich h e r e a d s
t o t r y t o f i n d r e s t from t h e o ld t r a d i t i o n a l l i f e . T h is
d i v e r s io n t a k e s t h e p la c e o f t h e g r a i n - s e l l i n g h e sh o u ld b e
d o in g .
The b a s i s o f h i s s e a r c h i s t h e m ost n a t u r a l — t h a t
o f t h e d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n o f y o u th w it h t h e o ld e s t a b l i s h e d
o r d e r . Even t h e y o u n g er Johann sh a d e s o f f a b i t , and t h e
ch a n g e c o n t in u e s on down th r o u g h Thomas t o h i s so n , H anno.
The f a i l o f a f a m ily i s d e p ic t e d , b u t t h e l a s t s u r
v iv o r h a s p e rh a p s fo u n d an answ er t o t h e p r o b le m s.
For a lo n g w ith t h e d e c a y g o e s t h e g ro w th o f an
a r t i s t . What i s l o s t i n m o ra l c e r t i t u d e i s g a in e d
i n q u e s t io n in g and c o n s c i e n t i o u s n e s s , i n s o c i a l
and e s t h e t i c s e n s i t i v e n e s s u n t i l we a r r i v e a t
Hanno t h e m u s ic ia n , who . . . m in g le s i n s p i r a t i o n '
w it h d i s e a s e , a s we w a tch h i s im p r o v is a t io n s b e
come t h e f i r s t sym ptom s o f t h i s ty p h u s f e v e r t h a t
c a u se d h i s d e a t h .1
But H anno, who its a d e l i c a t e and h ig h - s t r u n g y o u n g s t e r ,
and s u p e r - s e n s it iv e , la c k s t h e b o u r g e o is a t t i t u d e , e n e r g y ,
and s t r e n g t h t o c a r r y on s u c c e s s f u l l y a g a i n s t l i f e . F i n a l l y ,
a s a s h a t t e r e d and I n e f f e c t u a l a r t i s t , h e g o e s t o p i e c e s In
h i s m u s ic a l r e v e r i e s .
1 K en n eth B u rk e, * * Thomas Mann and Andr4 G Iden , i n The
Bookman, 7 1 :2 6 0 (J u n e , 1 9 3 0 ) •
51
I n Anna K a r e n in a , L e v in i s t h e c h a r a c t e r w h o se s e a r c h
t h e r e a d e r w a t c h e s . He i s t r y i n g t o f i n d a m oral m o tiv e f o r
l i v i n g , w h er ea s Thomas and t h e f a m ily h e s y m b o liz e d w ere
s e e k in g a p s y c h o l o g ic a l s o l u t i o n .
L e v in i s i n l o v e w it h K i t t y , b u t h e seem s fin a b le t o
b r in g h i m s e l f t o sp e a k t o h er* The r e a d e r i s rem in d ed o f
P ie r r e and h i s d is c o m fo r t i n s o c i e t y . He seem s n o t t o f i t
i n t o t h e l i f e arou n d h im . S e r g e y , i n s p e a k in g o f h im , s a y s ,
’’L i v e l y , a l e r t , q u ic k i n e v e r y t h in g . . . b u t a s so o n a s h e i s
i n s o c i e t y , h e e i t h e r s in k s i n t o a p a th y , or s t r u g g l e s h e l p
l e s s l y l i k e a f i s h on l a n d . ”2 He i s i n t e r e s t e d in h i s fa r m in g ,
and o t h e r s cann& t u n d e r s ta n d him*
A f t e r K it t y r e f u s e s h im , h e i s unhappy and c o n te m p la te s
d e a t h . S te p a n sp e a k s o f K it t y * s f a t h e r h a v in g .to ld h im t h a t
L e v in can t a l k o f n o t h in g b u t d e a th . A t o n e t im e , when h e
saw h im , on m e n tio n in g t h i s t r a i t h e r e c e i v e d t h i s r e p ly :
W e ll, w hat o f i t ? I ’v e n o t g iv e n up t h in k in g o f
d e a t h . . . . I t ’ s t r u e t h a t i t ’ s h ig h tim e I w as dead ;
and t h a t a l l t h i s i s n o n s e n s e . I t ’ s t h e t r u t h I ’m
t e l l i n g y o u . I do v a lu e my id e a and my w ork a w f u lly ;
b u t In r e a l i t y o n ly c o n s id e r t h i s : a l l t h i s w o r ld o f
o u r s I s n o t h in g b u t a s p e c k o f m ild e w , w h ic h h a s grown
up on a t i n y p l a n e t . And f o r u s t o su p p o se we can
h a v e so m e th in g g r e a t — i d e a s , w ork — I t ’ s a l l d u s t
and a s h e s • ’
’B u t a l l t h a t ’ s a s o ld a s t h e h i l l s , my b o y .*
’ I t i s o ld ; b u t do y o u know, when you g r a s p t h i s
f u l l y , th e n somehow e v e r y t h in g becom es o f n o c o n s e
q u e n c e . When you u n d e r s ta n d t h a t y o u w i l l d i e to m o r
row , i f n o t t o d a y , and n o t h in g w i l l b e l e f t , -th en
2 Count L eo T o l s t o y , Anna K a ren in a (Hew Y ork: Modern
L ib r a r y P u b l i s h e r s ) , p . 6 6 6 .
5
52
e v e r y t h in g i s so u n im p o r ta n t! And I c o n s id e r
my id e a v e r y im p o r ta n t, "but i t tu r n s o u t r e a l l y
t o h e a s u n im p o r ta n t t o o , ev en i f i t w e re c a r
r i e d o u t , a s d o in g f o r t h a t b e a r . So o n e g o e s
on l i v i n g , am u sin g o n e s e l f w it h h u n t in g , w ith
w ork — a n y th ifo g so a s n o t t o t h in k o f d e a t h . ’
S te p a n A r k a d y e v itc h s m ile d a s u b t l e and a f f e c
t i o n a t e s m ile a s h e l is t e t o e d t o L e v in .
’ W e ll, o f c o u r s e ! H ere y o u ’v e com e rou n d t o
my i> o in t. Do y o u remem ber y o u a t t a c k e d me f o r
s e e k in g en joym en t i n l i f e ? D on’ fe b e so s e v e r e ,
0 m o r a l i s t ! '
’No; a l l t h e sam e, w h a t ’ s f i n e i n l i f e i s
L e v in h e s i t a t e d — ’Oh, I d o n ’t know . A H I know
i 3 t h a t we s h a l l soon b e d e a d .’
5 ’Why so s o o n ? 1
’And do you know, t h e r e ’ s l d s s charm i n l i f e ,
when on e t h in k s o f d e a th , b u t t h e r e ’ s m ore p e a c e . ’®
L e v in t r i e s t o l o s e h im s e lf i n w ork , and h e g o e s o u t
and t o i l s s id e b y s id e w it h t h e p e a s a n t s on h i s p r o p e r ty .
I n t h i s la b o r h e com es a s c l o s e t o f i n d i n g h a p p in e s s a s h e
e v e r d o e s .
L i f e had t o b e g o t th r o u g h somehow t i l l d e a th d id
com e. D a rk n ess had f a l l e n upon e v e r y t h in g f o r him ;
b u t j u s t b e c a u s e o f t h i s d a r k n e s s h e f e l t t h a t t h e
o n e g u id in g c l u e i n t h e d a r k n e s s w as h i s w ork , and
h e c lu t c h e d i t and c lu n g t o i t w ith a l l h i s s t r e n g t h . 4
He f e e l s t h a t t h e s e p e a s a n t s a r e h a p p y , h a v e few c a r e s , and
seem t o h a v e a g u id in g p r i n c i p l e i n t h e i r l i v e s . As h a s b een
3 I b i d ** P * 4 4 4 *
4 I b id * * p . 4 1 7 .
4
53
m e n tio n e d , t h e I d e a ev en p r e s e n t s I t s e l f t o him o f m a rr y in g
on e o f t h e p e a s a n t g i r l s and l i v i n g t h e i r c a r e f r e e l i f e *
A f t e r h e f i n a l l y m a r r ie s K i t t y , h e i s a p p a r e n t ly
c o n t e n t , h u t sh e n e v e r seem s t o a p p r e c ia t e h i s a t t i t u d e
to w a rd t h in g s * E s p e c i a l l y i s h e s t i l l t r o u b le d a b o u t r e
l i g i o n *
A t f i r s t , m a r r ia g e , ? /ith t h e new j o y s and d u t i e s
bound u p w it h i t , h ad c o m p le t e ly crow d ed o u t t h e s e
th o u g h ts * But o f l a t e , w h ile h e w as s t a y i n g i n
Moscow a f t e r h i s w i f e 1s c o n fin e m e n t, w it h n o t h in g
t o d o , t h e q u e s t io n t h a t cla m b ered f o r s o l u t i o n
had m ore and m ore o f t e n , more and m ore i n s i s t e n t l y ,
h a u n te d L e v in ’ s mind* The q u e s t io n w as summed u p
f o r h im t h u s : ’I f I do n o t a c c e p t t h e a n sw e r s
C h r i s t i a n i t y g i v e s t o t h e p ro b lem s o f my l i f e , w h at
a n sw e rs do I a c c e p t ? ’ And i n t h e w h o le a r s e n a l o f
h i s c o n v i c t i o n s , so f a r from f i n d i n g an y s a t i s f a c t o r y
a n s w e r s , h e w as u t t e r l y u n a b le t o f i n d a n y th in g a t
a l l l i k e an a n sw e r *5
He t r i e s r e a d in g v a r io u s b o o k s, and t e m p o r a r ily f i n d s
so m e th in g In e a ch t o s a t i s f y him* He e v en t r i e s t o w r i t e a
b ook h i m s e l f on t h e la b o r q u e s tio n * K it t y d o e s n o t a p p r e c ia t e
h i s w ork on t h i s p ro b lem , and c a n n o t s e e why h e i s n o t happy
j u s t t o l i v e , a s sh e d o es*
The f a c t t h a t h e I s n o t e n t i r e l y a t harm ony In h i s s o u l
i s shown th r o u g h o u t h i s m a r r ie d l i f e . At o n e tim e h e i s j e a lo u s
o f K i t t y .
And a g a in t h e l i g h t d ie d away In h i s e y e s* A g a in ,
a s b e f o r e , a l l o f a su d d en , w it h o u t t h e s l i g h t e s t
t r a n s i t i o n , h e f e l t c a s t down from a p in n a c le o f
h a p p in e s s , p e a c e , and d i g n i t y , I n t o an a b y s s o f
5 I b i d . , pp. 9 1 4 - 1 5 .
7
54
d e s p a i r , r a g e , and h u m i l i a t i o n . A gain e v e r y th in g
and e v e r y o n e had becom e h a t e f u l t o h im . 6
Even t h e am orous Anna w ages a s t r u g g l e , and h e r s a
l o s i n g o n e , f o r q u ie t u d e . Her s e a r c h i s e m b tio n a l, and i s
m o tiv a te d m ore b y a lo n g in g f o r a new t h r i l l ; sh e i s n o t
happy when a f f a i r s j u s t wmove a l o n g .tt V ro n sk y , w it h whom
sh e f i n d s tem p o ra ry h a p p in e s s , h a s a s e r i o u s p ro b lem i n
t r y i n g t o k e e p h e r i n t e r e s t e d in l i f e ,
He f i n a l l y d e v e lo p s i n t o a s t r o n g c h a r a c t e r , and p e r
h a p s i s t h e on e who a t th e end h a s s o lv e d t h e r i d d l e — What
a r e p e o p le s t r u g g l i n g f o r ? He h a s grown from a w a s t e f u l , r o u n d er
o f an o f f i c e r t o a t h o u g h t f u l man.
A lth o u g h b o th L e v in and P ie r r e f i n d c o m p a r a tiv e s e c u r i t y ,
t h e w i f e o f n e i t h e r u n d e r s ta n d s h e r h u sb a n d . So how r e a l i s
t h e iia p p in e s s o f ea ch ?
And L e v in , a happy f a t h e r and h u sb a n d , i n p e r f e c t
h e a l t h , w as s e v e r a l t im e s so n e a r s u i c i d e t h a t h e
h id t h e c o r d t h a t h e m ig h t n o t b e te m p te d t o han g
h i m s e l f , and w as a f r a i d t o go o u t w ith h i s gun f o r
f e a r o f s h o o t in g h i m s e l f . B ut L e v in d id n o t s h o o t
h i m s e l f , and d id n o t h an g h i m s e l f ; h e w en t on l i v
i n g .*77
At t h e end o f t h e s t o r y t h e f a i t h w h ich h e h a s fo u n d
seem s t o b e l a c k in g i n so m e th in g w h ic h h e needs?.
6 P- 7 0 1 .
V I b i d . , p . 9 1 8 .
55
T h is new f e e l i n g h a s n o t ch a n g ed m e, h a s n o t
made me happy and e n lig h t e n e d a l l o f a su d d e n , a s
I had d ream ed, j u s t l i k e t h e f e e l i n g f o r my c h i l d .
T h ere w as no s u r p r i s e i n t h i s e i t h e r . F a it h —
o r no f a i t h — I d o n 't know w hat i t i s — h u t t h i s
f e e l i n g h a s come j u s t a s im p e r c e p t ib ly th r o u g h
s u f f e r i n g , and h a s ta k e n fir m r o o t i n my s o u l s
I s h a l l go on i n t h e sam e w ay, l o s i n g my tem p er
w it h Iv a n t h e coachm an, f a l l i n g i n t o a n g r y d i s
c u s s i o n s , e x p r e s s in g my o p in io n s t a c t l e s s l y ; t h e r e
w i l l b e s t i l l t h e sam e w a l l b e tw e e n t h e h o ly o f
h o l i e s o f my s o u l and o t h e r p e o p le , e v en my w i f e ;
I s h a l l s t i l l b e a s u n a b le t o u n d e r s ta n d w it h my
r e a s o n why I p r a y , and I s h a l l ^ t i l l go on p r a y
in g ; b u t my l i f e now , my w h o le l i f e a p a r t fro m
a n y th in g t h a t can happen t o me, e v e r y m in u te o f i t
I s n o m ore m e a n in g le s s , a s I t was b e f o r e , b u t i t
h a s t h e p o s i t i v e m ean in g o f g o o d n e s s , w h ic h I h a v e
t h e power t o p u t i n t o i t . 8
I t I s t r u e t h a t L e v in f i n d s t h a t w h ic h h e i s s e e k in g ;
m a r r ia g e and a happy home l i f e , and t h e r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t a
God d o e s e x i s t , a lth o u g h t o him u n fa th o m a b le , a l l t h e s e t h i n g s
h a v e som ew hat a d j u s t e d him t o l i f e i n a m o ra l w a y . Y e t t h e
r e a d e r h a s t h e I m p r e s s io n t h a t t h e r e i s n o t h in g o f perm anency
i n t h i s — t h i s i s j u s t an i n t e r i m o f p e a c e . L e v in f e e l s t h a t
h e h a s hdd t o s u b s t i t u t e s o p h i s t r i e s f o r t h e r e a l t r u t h w h ich
h e s o much d e s i r e s . W ill n o t t h e s e same f a l l a c i o u s r e a s o n in g s
f a i l him som e day?
Thomas Mann s a y s :
My f e e l i n g i s t h a t i t I s p u re e r r o r t o t h in k
t h a t c o n f l i c t and c o n fo r m ity a r e t h i n g s o f t h e
s p i r i t , w h ile n a t u r e ' s kingdom m ust b e a l l b r i g h t
n e s s and harm ony. I t lo o k s a s th o u g h t h e c o n tr a r y
w e re t h e c a s e . I f w hat we c a l l h a p p in e s s c o n s i s t s
8 I b i d . , p p . 9 4 9 -5 0 .
i n harm ony, c l a r i t y , u n i t y w it h o n e s e l f , i n t h e
c o n s c io u s n e s s o f a p o s i t i v e , c o n f i d e n t , d e c i s i v e
tu r n o f m in d , i f in s h o r t i t i s p e a c e r e s i d e n t
in t h e s o u l , th e n o b v io u s ly h a p p in e s s i s a s t a t e
f a r e a s i e r f o r t h e so n s o f s p i r i t t o a r r i v e a t
th a n f o r t h e c h ild r e n o f n a t u r e . For t h e l a t t e r ,
th o u g h s u r e l y s i n g l e n e s s o f h e a r t s h o u ld b e t h e i r
l o t , seem n e v e r t o a t t a i n t h e j o y and p e a c e i t
m ig h t c o n f e r , B a tu r e h e r s e l f a p p e a r s t o w ea v e in
t h e i r v e r y b e in g a q u e s t io n a b le s t r a n d , an e le m e n t
o f c o n t r a d i c t i o n , n e g a t io n , and a l l - p e r v a s i v e d o u b t
w h ic h , s i i i c e i t c a n n o t c o n d u ce t o g o o d n d ss, c a n n o t
c o n d u ce t o h a p p in e s s e i t h e r . S p i r i t i s g o o d .
M ature i s b y n o m eans good* One m ig h t sa y sh e i s
e v i l , i f m o ra l c a t e g o r i e s w ere a d m is s a b le w it h
r e f e r e n c e t o h e r e
w ith t h i s id e a i n m ind t h e r e a d e r may c o n s id e r Hans
C a sto r p o f The M agic M o u n ta in . He i s l i k e L e v in and P ie r r e
i n t h a t h e i s g iv e n s u f f i c i e n t d e v e lo p m e n t so t h a t a t t h e
end t h e r e a p p e a r s a h o p e f u l n o t e ; b u t w hat a p e r io d o f u t t e r
im m o b ility h e h a s gon e th r o u g h b e f o r e b e in g a r o u se d b y t h e
w a r , nA sim p le -m in d e d h e r o , a d r o l l c o n f l i c t b etw een m acabre
a d v e n tu r e and b o u r g e o is s e n s e o f d u t y .n^-° T h at i s how Mann
h i m s e l f e x p r e s s e s t h e p r o b le m .
For s e v e n y e a r s H ans le a r n s th r o u g h a c y c l e o f
e x p e r ie n c e s t o l o v e , r e n o u n c e and f i g h t f o r h i s own i d e n t i t y
and h i s own l i f e , and a t l a s t h e com es o u t a v i c t o r . He
knows and can command h i m s e l f . But h i s p e r io d o f q u e s t io n
in g and d o u b tin g came a b o u t b y an a c c i d e n t . I f h e had n o t
9 Thomas Mann, T h ree E s s a y s (Hew Y ork: A lf r e d A. Knopf
1 9 2 9 ) , p . 6 9 .
3*° Thomas Mann, A S k e tc h o f My L i f e ( P a r is : H a r r is o n ,
1 9 3 0 ) , p . 4 3 .
to
5 7 /
g o n e t o v i s i t J o a ch im , a t t h e m ou n tain r e s o r t , h e w o u ld7
n o t h a v e come i n c o n t a c t w ith t h e p e o p le and t h e c o n d itio n s ?
t h a t s t a r t e d h i s i n d e c is io n s *
He i s ta k e n b y Mann t o b e t y p i c a l o f th e m odern man,
t h e ”B e p r e s e n t a t iv e o f t h e d i s e a s e d c a p i t a l i s t i c s o c i e t y o f
p r e -w a r E u rop e, t h e v e r y s o c i e t y upon w h ic h r e s t s t h e
u l t i m a t e g u i l t o f h a v in g made t h e war i n e v i t a b l e . ” 13- He i s
t h e m odern m ind i n i t s g r o p in g among th e p r o b le m s o f t h i s
c o m p lic a te d s o c i e t y .
He i s i n t h a t d i s e a s e - i n f e s t e d s o c i e t y w h er e m ost o f
t h e c h a r a c te r s? a r e o f t h e w o r ld o f t h e d e a d . T hat i s , i n s t e a d
o f b e in g l i v i n g b e i n g s , t h e y a r e c a r r i e r s o f a t t i t u d e s o f
m ind , o f i d e a s , and p o in t s o f v ie w . T h is i s a l s o t r u e o f t h e
o th e r tw o s t o r i e s o f Mann. B uddenbrooks seem s t o b e a c r e a t i v e
w ork w it h r e a l c h a r a c t e r s i n i t , b u t n o t s o t h e l a t e r ones?.
In c o n t r a s t t o t h o s e o f Hahn* o ' f o ls t o y 1 s c h a r a c t e r s a r e r e a l
p e o p le and a r e t r u e l i v i n g p e r s o n s i n a l l o f h i s w o r k s .
H an s, who r f i n a l l y com es t o t h e a c t i v e s t a g e , i s a
m e d i t a t i v e b e in g a l l th r o u g h t h e b o o k . He i 3 a f f e c t e d by
t h e o th e r c h a r a c t e r s , b u t a l l t h e tim e h e i s s t r u g g l i n g w it h
h i m s e l f t o e s c a p e fro m h i s a p a th y .
^ Thomas Mann, P am p h let p u b lis h e d by S . F is c h e r .
V e r la g , B e r l i n .
//
58?
He f i n d s som e r e s t from t h e q u e s t io n in g i n r e a d in g ,
and C la v d ia i n t e r e s t s him f o r a w h i l e . But sh e r e a l l y
c o n t r ib u t e s n o t h in g t o h i s p e a c e o g m ind; i n f a c t , sh e
c a u s e s him t o m e d it a te much on t h e j u s t i c e o f t h i n g s . In
t h i s i n f l u e n c e o f h e r c h a r a c t e r , th is r e a d e r i s rem in d ed o f
Anna and h e r a t t r a c t i o n t o V r o n sk y .
Hans seem s d i s s a t i s f i e d w it h t h e s o c i e t y o f t h e m o u n ta in
a f t e r h i s f i r s t d a y . S e t t e m b r in i, t h e h u m a n is t, t r i e s t o l i f t
h im o u t o f t h i s s t a t e b y s a y in g , nE n g in e e r , p u l l y o u r s e l f
t o g e t h e r and s t o p t a l k i n g t h i s d e m o r a liz e d r u b b is h . As you r
s t a y u p h e r e w it h u s d o e s n o t ap p ea r t o b e c o n d u c iv e , a s you
d o n ’t f e e l c o m f o r t a b le , e i t h e r p h y s i c a l l y or m e n t a lly , how
w o u ld i t b e i f you r e n o u n c e d t h e p r o s p e c t o f g ro w in g o ld e r
on t h i s s p o t . . . ? ” 12 But Hans r e m a in s and t r i e s t o s o l v e
h i s p r o b le m .
In T o l s t o y ' s R e s u r r e c t io n , t h e c h a r a c t e r o f H e c k M d o ff
l a c k s a g i l d i n g p r i n c i p l e . As a you n g c a r e f r e e s o l d i e r , h e
t h in k s n o t h in g o f h i s b e t r a y a l o f TCatusha. ”He was d e p r a v e d
an d s e l f i s h , and th o u g h t o n ly o f h i s own en jo y m en t . . . I t w as
h i s h e a lt h y s t r o n g a n im a l I t h a t h e lo o k e d upon a s h i m s e l f . ”3.3
12 rjifcojaas Mann, The M agic M ou n tain , p . 1 1 1 .
13 C ount I-eo T o l s t o y , R e s u r r e c t io n , p . 4 9 .
/J b
59
T h ree y e a r s e a r l i e r , when h e had f i r s t known K a tu sh a ,
h e was n o t l i k e t h a t ; h e w as an h o n e s t , u n s e l f i s h l a d . The
ch a n g e came a/bout th r o u g h t h e e f f e c t o f e n v ir o n m e n t. He
fo u n d t h a t i f h e b e lie s : e d i n h i m s e l f h e e x p o se d h i m s e l f t o
t h e c e n s u r e o f t h o s e arou n d h im . I f h e b e l i e v e d In o t h e r s ,
h e w o u ld h a v e t h e i r a p p r o v a l. He l i t e r a l l y g a v e u p f a i t h
i n h i m s e l f and gave h i m s e l f o v e r t o o t h e r s ' o p i n io n s . He
w en t o v e r so e n t i r e l y t o t h i s new way o f l i v i n g t h a t "he
e n t i r e l y s t i f l e d t h e in n e r v o i c e w h ich demanded so m e th in g
d i f f e r e n t . " ^ T hat i s , i t w as much e a s i e r t o f o l l o w h i s
com p an ion s ev en th o u g h t h e y w e r e d o in g t h e w rong t h i n g s ,
th a n t o h o ld o u t and b e r i d i c u l e d .
The r e a d e r i s h e r e rem in d ed o f Hans and h i s s t a y on
t h e m o u n ta in . On h i s a r r i v a l h e w as on e a p a r t fro m t h e
s o c i e t y t h e r e , and h e had h i s own id e a s a b o u t w a s t in g o n e * s
l i f e o r m akin g so m e th in g o f o n e s e l f . But t h e en v iro n m en t
overcam e h i s f e e l i n g o f in d e p e n d e n c e . A lm ost u n c o n s c io u s ly
h e fo u n d h im s e lf d o in g a s t h e o t h e r s d id — t h a t i s , h e
a c t u a l l y s to p p e d b e l i e v i n g In h i m s e l f a s an I n d iv id u a l
who c o u ld e x i s t a p a r t from t h e d i s e a s e d o n e s arou n d h im .
He h ad n o p r e c o n c e iv e d p a t t e r n f o r l i v i n g , b u t f o l lo w e d
t h e way open t o him a t t h a t t i m e . H ans, th e r e a d e r f e e l s ,
h a s m ore o f a m e n ta l p r o b le m , w h ile N ek h lu d o ff? h a s a m o ra l
o n e .
14
I b i d . , p. 51
L a te r N e k h lu d o ff b ecom es i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e P r in c e s s
Korchdgiim, b u t c a n n o t d e c id e w h eth er t o m arry h e r o r n o t ,
A ls o , h e h a s a l i a i s o n w it h a m a r r ie d woman. He s t r i v e s
to w a rd n o f i x e d i d e a l . The d a b b le s a t a r t f i l l t h e se v e n
y e a r s f o l lo w in g h i s m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e , b u t h e r e c o g n i z e s
h i s i n a b i l i t y t o a d v a n ce i n t h i s f i e l d , and on t h e m orn in g
h e r e c e i v e s t h e summons t o ap p ear a t K a tu sh a T s t r i a l , a s
h e s t r o l l s th r o u g h h i s s t u d io and lo o k s a t an u n f in is h e d
p i c t u r e , '*a s e n s e o f h i s i n c a p a c i t y came o v e r h im . n15
T h is a t t i t u d e i s . a l s o a p p l ic a b l e t o h i s l i f e * He seem s
n o t t o b e g e t t i n g anyw here or m aking a n y a d v a n ce i n h i s
e x i s t e n c e .
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e t h a t i t w as s e v e n y e a r s
t h a t H ans l i n g e r e d i n t h e s a n ita r iu m , l i v i n g a p o i n t l e s s
l i f e u n t i l t h e war aw akens him j and s e v e n y e a r s i t w as
a f t e r H e k h lu d o ff l e f t t h e army u n t i l h e i s j a r r e d o u t o f
h i s way o f l i f e b y t h e t r i a l o f K at& sha. He w as f o r c e d
t o resu m e h i s c o n s i d e r a t io n o f h i s a c t a g a in s t t h e yo u n g g i r l
who had l i v e d w it h h i s a u n t s . As h e s i t a i n t h e f r o n t row
i n c o u r t , t h e i n c i d e n t i s b r o u g h t b a ck t o him w it h g r e a t
f o r c e :
Y e t a l l t h e w h il e , i n t h e d e p th s o f h i s s o u l ,
h e f e l t t h e c r u e l t y , c o w a r d ic e , and b a s e n e s s ,
n o t o n ly o f t h i s .'.p a r tic u la r a c t i o n o f h i s , b u t
o f h i s w h o le s e l f - w i l l e d , d e p r a v e d , c r u e l , i d l e
I b i d . , p . 1 5 .
i n some a c c o u n t-
s i n o f h i s and
w as "b eginn ing
o f w hat w as
P rob lem s m ost num erous c o n fr o n te d him :
How w as h e t o b r e a k o f f h i s r e l a t i o n s w ith Mary
V a s ll i e v n a and h e r h u sb an d i n su ch a way a s t o
b e a b le t o lo o k him and h i s c h ild r e n i n t h e e y e s ?
How d i s e n t a n g l e h i m s e l f from M issy ? How c h o o s e
b etw een t h e tw o o p p o s i t e s — t h e r e c o g n i t i o n t h a t
h o ld in g la n d w as u n j u s t and t h e h e r i t a g e from h i s
m oth er? T h is l a s t , a t any r a t e , c o u ld n o t b e l e f t
a s i t w a s .^ '
T h ese q u e s t io n s r e s u l t e d i n h i s u n s e t t l e d p e r s o n a lit y #
B ut a c e r t a i n s e t t l e d f e e l i n g came t o him when h e d e
c id e d t o f o l l o w K atd sh a and t o t r y t o g e t h e r f r e e d from h e r
s e n t e n c e . He e v en w en t so f a r a s t o sa y h e w o u ld m arry h e r .
He seem ed t o f e e l t h a t h e w o u ld n o t b e h ap p y, p e r h a p s , b u t
t h a t h e w o u ld b e a t p e a c e - - a c o n d it io n w h ich i s m ore d e a i r e -
a b le a f t e r a l l .
He p r a y e d , a s k in g God t o h e lp h im , t o e n t e r i n t o
him said c le a n s e him j and w hat h e h ad p r a y e d f o r
had h ap p en ed a lr e a d y : t h e God w it h in h im had
aw akened h i s c o n s c i o u s n e s s . He f e l t h i m s e l f one
w it h Him, and t h e r e f o r e n o t o n ly t h e fr e e d o m , f u l
n e s s , and j'oy o f l i f e , b u t a l l t h e pow er o f r i g h t e o u s
n e s s . A l l , a l l t h e b e s t t h a t a man c o u ld do h e f e l t
c a p a b le o f d o i n g .3-8
H ere h e seem ed t o h a v e fo u n d so m e th in g t h a t s a t i s f i e d h im , i n
t h i s b i t o f f a i t h i n God. H is f a i t h h ad s h i f t e d fro m H o t h e r s n
16
I b i d . ,
P.
8 5 .
17
I b i d . ,
P .
1 1 1 .
18
I b i d . ,
P.
1 1 3 .
l i f e j and t h a t d r e a d f u l v e i l had
a b le m anner h id d e n from him t h i s
t h e w h o le o f hi>s su b s e q u e n t l i f e
t o w hake, and h e c a u g h t g lim p s e s
c o v e r e d b y t h a t v o i l . 16
/o
62
t o God. He had a s e n s e o f a s p i r i t u a l b e in g w it h in h im .
’’How . d e l i g h t f u l , how d e l i g h t f u l ! o h , God, how d e lig h tf u l! * *
h e d a id , m ean in g w h at w as g o in g on i n h i s s o u l .-*-9
In h i s f o l l o w i n g o f M aslova h e came i n c o n t a c t w ith
o th e r p r is o n e r s who w a n ted him t o h e lp them g e t t h e i r s e n
t e n c e s r e v o k e d or r e d u c e d . H ere w as a n o th e r way t o i n c r e a s e
h i s p e a c e o f m ind — b y t r y i n g t o h e lp o t h e r s th a n M a slo v a .
T h is p r is o n i n t e r e s t had g iv e n some d i r e c t i o n t o h i s o t h e r
w is e r e s t l e s s e x i s t e n c e .
T h ere w as a f u r t h e r ch a n g e i n h i s c h a r a c t e r . I t becam e
n e c e s s a r y t o s t r a i g h t e n t h e a f f a i r s o f h i s e s t a t e b e f o r e h e
l e f t f o r S i b e r i a , and h e d e c id e d t h a t m oney m eant s o l i t t l e
t o him t h a t h e w o u ld l e t fe is la n d t o t h e p e a s a n ts f o r a s m a ll
r e n t , and t h e y c o u ld farm i t t h e m s e lv e s . They o b t a in e d i t
§ t a p r i c e w h ich w as b e n e f i c i a l t o th em , b u t t h e y seem ed n o t
t o b e c o n t e n t , and h e w as * * d i s s a t i s f i e d w it h h im s e lf w it h o u t
k n ow in g w hy, b u t a l l t h e tim e h e f e l t sa d and asham ed o f
s o m e th in g . 1 *20
The e n t i r e b o o k i s a s e e k in g a f t e r s o m e th in g . L e v in
and P ie r r e s o u g h t t h e sam e th in g *
H e k h lu d o ff had l o s t i n t e r e s t i n t h e s o c i e t y w h ich
u s e d t o seem s o e n j o y a b le t o him :
19 I b i d . , p . 1 1 4 .
20 I b i d . , p . 2 3 8 .
6 3
He f e l t w it h h i s w h o le n a t u r e a l o a t h i n g f o r t h a t
s o c i e t y i n w h ic h h e had l i v e d t i l l t h e n , t h a t
s o c i e t y w h ic h so c a r e f u l l y h id e s t h e s u f f e r i n g s
o f m i l l i o n s i n o r d e r t o a s s u r e e a s e and p le a s u r e
t o a s m a ll number o f p e o p le , t h a t t h e p e o p le b e
lo n g in g t o t h i s s o c i e t y do n o t and c a n n o t s e e t h e s e
s u f f e r i n g s , n o r t h e c r u e l t y and w ic k e d n e s s o f t h e i r
l i f e * N e k h lu d o ff no lo n g e r moved i n t h i s s o c i e t y
w it h o u t f e e l i n g i l l a t e a s e and r e p r o a c h in g him
s e l f . 21
He w en t on h i s t r i p i n t o t h e p r is o n s i n c r e a s i n g l y t r y i n g t o
do so m e th in g f o r t h e g i r l h e h ad b e t r a y e d , and when h e f i n a l l y
d id s u c c e e d i n g e t t i n g h e r s e n t e n c e r e d u c e d , sh e r e f u s e d t o
m arry h im . He g a in e d some c o m fo r t, th o u g h , from t h e id e a
t h a t s h e lo v e d him t o o much t o w an t him t i e d down t o o n e o f
h e r t y p e . T h is w as a s o o t h in g b alm , th o u g h p r o b a b ly i t was
a f a l s e i d e a .
But w it h t h i s r e f u s a l o f M a s lo v a ’ s came t h e daw ning
o f a new l i f e f o r him :
He p a c e d up and down, t i r e d o f t h in k in g ; h e s a t
down on t h e s o f a n e a r t h e lamp and m e c h a n ic a lly
o p e n e d t h e T e sta m en t w h ic h t h e E n glish m an had
g iv e n him a s a rem em b ran ce, and w h ic h h e had
th row n on t h e t a b j e when h e e m p tie d h i s p o c k e t s
on com in g i n . 22
He r e a l i z e d t h a t men w ere n o t t o ju d g e e a ch o t h e r ;
t h a t t h e y w e re s in n in g a g a in s t God and n o t a g a in s t e a c h o t h e r .
I t becam e c l e a r t o him t h a t a l l t h e d r e a d f u l e v i l
h e h ad b een w i t n e s s in g i n p r is o n s and j a i l s and
t h e q u i e t s e l f - s a t i s f a c t i o n o f t h e p e r p e t r a t o r s
o f t h i s e v i l w ere t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f men t r y i n g
t o do w hat w as im p o s s ib le ; t r y i n g t o c o r r e c t e v i l
21 I b i d . , P . 2 8 6 ;
22 I b i d . , p . 5 1 4 .
/7
64'
w h ile b e in g e v i l t h e m s e lv e s ; v i c i o u s men w ere
t r y i n g t o c o r r e c t o th e r v i c i o u s m en, and th o u g h t
t h e y c o u ld do i t b y u s in g m e c h a n ic a l m ean s, and
t h e o n ly c o n se q u e n c e o f a l l t h i s w as t h a t &he
n e e d s and t h e c u p i d it y o f som e men in d u c e d them
t o t a k e up t h i s s o - c a l l e d p u n ish m en t and c o r r e c
t i o n a s a p r o f e s s i o n , and h a v e t h e m s e lv e s becom e
u t t e r l y c o r r u p t , and go on i n c r e a s i n g l y d e p r a v in g
t h o s e whom t h e y to r m e n t.2 3
’’N e k h lu d o ff now u n d e r s to o d t h a t s o c i e t y and o r d e r i n g e n e r a l
e x i s t s n o t b e c a u s e o f t h e s e la w f u l c r im in a ls who ju d g e and
p u n ish o t h e r s , b u t b e c a u s e i n s p i t e o f men b e in g thu ® d e
p r a v e d , t h e y s t i l l p i t y and l o v e on e a n o t h e r .”2 4 And s o ,
a f t e r r e a d in g th e la w s i n t h e Sermon on t h e M ount, N e k h lu -
d o f f s a t s t a r i n g a t t h e lam p and h i s h e a r t s t o o d s t i l l :
R e c a l l i n g t h e m o n stro u s c o n f u s io n o f t h e l i f e
we l e a d , h e d i s t i n c t l y saw M iat t h a t l i f e c o u ld
b e i f men w ere b r o u g h t up t o o b ey t h e s e r u l e s ,
and r a p t u r e su ch a s h e had lo n g n o t f e l t f i l l e d
h i s s o u l , j u s t a s i f a f t e r lo n g d a y s o f w e a r in e s s
and s u f f e r i n g h e had s u d d e n ly fo u n d e a s e and f r e e
dom. 25
’S ee y e f i r s t t h e Kingdom and H is r i g h t e o u s n e s s ,
and a l l t h e s e t h i n g s s h a l l b e a d d e d u n to y o u . 1
’And so h e r e i t i s , t h e b u s in e s s o f rny l i f e .
S c a r c e ly h a v e I f i n i s h e d on e and a n o th e r h a s com
m en ced . ’ And a p e r f e c t l y new l i f e dawned t h a t n ig h t
f o r N e k h lu d o ff, n o t b e c a u s e h e h a d e n t e r e d i n t o new
c o n d it io n s o f l i f e , b u t b e c a u s e e v e r y t h in g h e d id
a f t e r t h a t n i g h t had a new and q u i t e d i f f e r e n t s i g
n i f i c a n c e th a n b e f o r e . How t h i s new p e r io d o f h i s
l i f e w i l l end tim e a lo n e w i l l p r o v e .26
23
I b i d . ,
P*
576
24
I b i d . ,
P .
517
25
I b i d . ,
P .
518
26
I b i d . ,
P .
579
l i
65
T h is on e ch aracter* l e a v e s t h e r e a d e r w ith t h e f e e l i n g
t h a t h e p r o b a b ly h a s fo u n d e v e r l a s t i n g h a p p in e s s . He h a s a
p la n and p a t t e r n f o r t h e r e m a in in g y e a r s o f h i s l i f e —
w ith o u t lirh&ch n o n e can b e a t p e a c e .
Even i n Mann’ s J o se p h and H is B r o t h e r s , t h e s t r i v i n g
f o r p e a c e i s p r e s e n t . When J o se p h i s in t r o d u c e d , h e i s
shown r e g a r d in g Ur o f th e C h a ld e e s a s t h e b e g in n in g o f a l l
t h i n g s •
T h en ce, n a m e ly , i n tim e s lo n g gone by — J o se p h
w as n e v e r q u i t e c le a r how f a r b a ck th e y lajp —
a b r o o d in g and in w a r d ly q u i e t man, w ith h i s w i f e ,
whom p r o b a b ly o u t o f t e n d e r n e s s h e w o u ld c a l l
h i s s i s t e r , t o g e t h e r w ith o th e r members o f h i s
f a m ily , h ad d e p a r te d , t o do a s t h e moon d id , t h a t
w as t h e d e i t y o f U r , t o w ander and t o r o v e , b e
c a u s e h e fo u b d i t m ost r i g h t and f i t t i n g t o h i s
u n s a t i s f i e d , d o u b tin g , y e s , to r m e n te d s t a t e . 27
. . . s i n c e i t i s n o t good t o s i t s t i l l when o n e 's
s o u l sm a r ts w ith d o u b t, h e h a d s im p ly p u t h i m s e l f
i n m o tio n . 28
T h is man o f Ur s e t t l e d i n H a rra n , b u t h i s s o u l w as f i l l e d
w it h u n r e s t . E v e n t u a lly h e w as on h i s way a g a in and tem p o r
a r i l y s to p p e d i n t h e s o u th e r n p a r t o f t h e w e s t c o u n tr y .
What had s e t him i n m o tio n w as u n r e s t o f t h e s p i r i t ,
a n e e d o f God, and i f — a s t h e r e can b e n o d o u b t —
d i s p e n s a t i o n s w ere v o u c h s a fe d h im , t h e y had r e f e r e n c e
t o t h e i r r a d i a t i o n s o f h i s p e r s o n a l e x p e r ie n c e o f
God, w h ic h w as o f a new k in d a l t o g e t h e r ; and h i s
w h o le c o n c e r n from t h e b e g in n in g h ad b e e n t o w in f o r
i t sym p athy and a d h e r e n c e . He s u f f e r e d ; and \¥hen
^ Thomas Mann, J o se p h and H is B r o th e r s (New Y ork:
A lf r e d A. K n op f, 1 9 3 4 ) , p . 3".
28 I b i d . , p . 6 .
19
6 6
h e com pared t h e m easu re o f h i s in w a rd d i s t r e s s
w ith t h a t o f t h e g r e a t m a h o r ity , h e drew t h e
c o n e lu s io n t h a t i t w as p r e g n a n t w it h t h e f u t u r e .
N ot i n v a i n , so h e h e a r d from t h e n e w ly b eh e ld !
God, s h a l l h a v e b e e n t h y to rm en t and t h i n e u n
r e s t . 2 ^
J o se p h t r i e d t o t h in k o f t h e m o o n -w o rsh ip p er as- h i s
own g r e a t - g r a n d f a t h e r , b u t t h i s seem ed i m p o s s i b l e . B etw een
t h i s b o y and t h e p ilg r im a n c e s t o r l a y s i x h u n d red B a b y lo n ia n
y e a r s *
T hat J o se p h seem ed so g r e a t l y i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e m oon-
man, N abu, show s t h a t h e w as t r y i n g t o f i n d so m e th in g i n
s c i e n c e t h a t w o u ld h o ld h im or g iv e him an e x p la n a t io n f o r
t h e s t a t e o f t h e w o rld *
A f t e r much d i s c u s s i o n on t h e s p i r i t and t h e s o u l , and!
r e l a t e d q u e s t i o n s , and a s t i l l f u r t h e r d e b a te on t h e q u e s t io n
o f t im e , Mann e x p r e s s e s a g a in t h e b ack grou n d o f u n r e s t t h a t
w as J o s e p h ’s*
I n su ch w is e a r e form ed t h o s e b e g in n in g s , t h o s e
t i m e - c o u l i s s e s o f t h e p a s t , w h ere memory may p a u se
and f i n d a h o ld w h ereon t o b a s e i t s p e r s o n a l h i s
t o r y — a s J o se p h d id on U r , t h e c i t y , and h i s
f o r e f a t h e r ’ s ex o d u s th e r e fr o m . I t w as a t r a d i t i o n
o f s p i r i t u a l u n r e s t j h e had i t i n h i s b lo o d , t h e
w o r ld a b o u t h im and h i s own l i f e w e re c o n d it io n e d
by i t , and h e p a id i t t h e t r i b u t e o f r e c o g n i t i o n
when h e r e a d a lo u d t h o s e v e r s e s from t h e t a b l e t s
w h ich r a n :
Why o r d a in e s t th o u u n r e s t t o my so n G ilg a m e sh ,
G a v est him a h e a r t t h a t k n ow eth n o t r e p o s e ?
22 I b i d . , p . 9 .
67
D i s q u i e t , q u e s t io n i n g , h e a r k e n in g , and s e e k in g ,
w r e s t l i n g f o r God, a b i t t e r l y s k e p t i c a l la b o r in g
o v e r t h e t r u e and t h e j u s t , t h e w h en ce and t h e
w h it h e r , h i s own nam e, h i s own n a t u r e , t h e t r u e
m ean in g o f t h e H ig h e s t — how a l l t h a t , b e q u e a th e d
down t h e g e n e r a t io n s from t h e man from H r, fo u n d
e x p r e s s io n i n J a c o b 's l o o k , .in h i s l o f t y brow and
t h e p e e r i n g , carew orn g a z e o f hibs brown e y e s ; and
how c o n f i d i n g l y J o se p h lo v e d t h i s n a t u r e , o f w h ic h
h i s own w as aw are a s a n o b i l i t y and a d i s t i n g t i o h ^ l
and w h ic h , p r e c i s e l y a s a c o n s c io u s n e s s o f h ig h e r
c o n c e r n s and a n x i e t i e s , l e n t t o h i s f a t h e r * s p e r so n
a l l t h e d i g n i t y , r e s e r v e , and s o le m n it y w h ic h made
i t so i m p r e s s i v e . U n r e s t an d d i g n i t y — t h a t i s
th e: s i g n of" t h e s p i r i t ; an d w ith c h i l d i s h l y u n
a b a sh e d fo n d n e s s J o se p h r e c o g n iz e d t h e s e a l o f
t r a d i t i o n Tsrpon h i s f a t h e r *s brow , so d i f f e r e n t from
t h a t u p on h i s own, w h ic h was so much b l i t h e r an d
f r e e r , com in g a s i t c h i e f l y d id fro m h i s l o v e l y
m o t h e r 's s i d e , an d m akin g h im t h e c o n v e r s a b le ,
s o c i a l , com m u n icab le b e in g h e r tp re -em in e n tly w a s. 30
Mann e x p r e s s e s b e a u t i f u l l y t h e id e a o f J a c o b 's n e v e r
h a v in g l i v e d a s a p r o p e r ty ow ner w it h h i s f a m ily :
Thus i t m u st b e , b e c a u s e o n e s e r v e d a God w h ose
n a tu r e w as n o t r e p o s e and a b id in g c o m fo r t, b u t a
God o f d e s ig n s f o r th e f u t u r e , i n w h ose w i l l i n
s c r u t a b l e , g r e a t , f a r - r e a c h i n g t h i n g s w ere i n
p r o c e s s o f b e c o m in g , and th u s a God o f u n r e s t , a
God o f c a r e s , who m ust b e so u g h t f o r , f o r whom
o n e m ust a t a l l t im e s k e e p o n e s e l f f r e e , m o b ile
and i n r e a d i n e s s . 3 ^
The you n g J o se p h seem ed s u b j e c t t o w h im s, and t h i s
f a c i l i t y o n ly i n c r e a s e s h i s i n c a p a c i t y t o m eet s i t u a t i o n s irr
l i f e . He was a l s o a v i c t i m o f a r t i f i c e . When h i s f a t h e r
came t o t h e w e l l t o s e e h im , h e s t r u c k a p o s e and h e ld i t ,
30 I b i d . , p p . 4 9 - 5 0 .
31 I £ id * > p . 5 0 .
£-(
68
k n ow in g t h a t h e w as im p r e s s in g J a c o b .
He w as a man o f f e e l i n g , w as u n r e s t r a in e d , and w as
v e r y t a c t l e s s a t t i m e s . H is on e had f a i l i n g when a c h i l d
w as t h a t o f t a t t l i n g on h i s b r o th e rs? , or on a n y o n e . T h is
bad h a b i t , o f c o u r s e , c a u s e d him t o b e sh u n n ed and t o f e e l
lo n e s o m e , b u t b o th t h e h a b i t and i t s r e s u l t s becam e more
a c u te a s h e grew o l d e r .
D a n g ero u s t o h i m s e l f t o o , an d i n p a r t i c u l a r ,
f o r t h e r o l e h e had ta u g h t h i m s e l f t o p la y
d a i l y h e ig h t e n e d b o th h i s o b s e r v a t io n and h i s
i s o l a t e d s t a t e ; p r e j u d ic e d h i s h a p p in e ss;, drew
down u p on him a h a t r e d w h ic h i t w as n o t i n t h e
pow er o f h i s n a tu r e t o b e a r .a n d g a v e h im e v e r y
ground t o f e a r h i s b r o t h e r s — t h e w h ic h th e n
s u p p lie d f r e s h te m p t a t io n t o f l a t t e r t h e f a t h e r
and s e c u r e h i m s e l f a g a i n s t them — a l l t h i s d e
s p i t e o f t - t a k e n r e s o l v e s t o l e t h i s to n g u e r e f r a i n
from p o is o n and th u s t o h e a l h i s r e l a t i o n s w it h
t h e t e n , o f whom n o n e w as a c t u a l l y a s c o u n d r e l,
and w it h whom h e f e l t a s e c r e t an d s a c r e d bond on
. t h e s c o r e o f th e number o f t h e s i g n s o f t h e z o d ia c ;,
w h ose c i r c l e h e and h i s l i t t l e b r o th e r h e lp e d t o
c o m p le t e . 32
Our n e x t c o n s i d e r a t io n i s t o d e te r m in e t o w hat e x t e n t
t h e c h a r a c t e r s we h a v e j u s t b een c o n s id e r in g r e f l e c t t h e
p e r s o n a l e x p e r ie n c e s and u t t e r a n c e s o f t h e a u t h o r .
Prom t h i s d i s c u s s i o n t h e r e a d e r can s e e t h a t c e r t a im
p ro m in en t c h a r a c t e r s o f e a c h w r it e r p r e s e n t a s a m o tiv a tin g ;
f o r c e t h e s e a r c h f o r h a p p in e s s . T h is c o m p a r a tiv e i n v e s t i g a
t i o n i s t h e m ajor p u rp o se o f t h e s t u d y , b u t, a s a c o r o l l a r y ,
we b r in g orrtstother n o t i c e a b l e s i m i l a r i t i e s , w h ic h , a lth o u g h
69
l e s s im p o r ta n t, a r e p r o p e r ly i n c i d e n t a l i n ou r d i s c u s s io n *
B oth a u th o r s h a v e w r i t t e n i n a d e c id e d ly a u t o
b io g r a p h ic a l v e in * As h a s b e e n p r e v io u s ly n o t i c e d , Marya
B o lk o n sk y and H ic o la s R o s to v i n War afad P e a c e a r e u n q u e s t io n
a b ly T o l s t o y ’ s p a r e n t s , and t h e B uddenbrook f a m i ly , th e
a n c e s t o r s i n p a r t i c u l a r , a r e a r e p r i n t o f Mann’ s own f o r e
f a t h e r s . In t h i s s t y l e o f w r i t i n g , T o ls t o y h a s a n t i c i p a t e d
a m odern s c h o o l o f w r i t e r s who a r e a c t u a l l y w r i t i n g a u to
b io g r a p h y i n t o t h e i r f i c t i o n a l c r e a t io n s *
Each man h a s g iv e n t o t h e r e a d e r h i s own e x p e r ie n c e s !
i t i s a s o r t o f v i c a r i o u s e x p e r ie n c e f o r t h e r e a d e r .
The t r u t h i s t h a t e v e r y p i e c e o f w ork i s a
r e a l i z a t i o n , fr a g m e n ta r y b u t c o m p le te i n i t s e l f ,
o f our i n d i v i d u a l i t y ; and t h i s k in d o f r e a l i z
a t i o n i s t h e s o l e and p a i n f u l way we h a v e o f g e t
t i n g t h e p a r t i c u l a r e x p e r ie n c e *33
The r e a d e r w i l l rem em ber t h a t t h e f a m ily o f Budden
b ro o k w as fo u n d e d i n t h e e ig h t e e n t h c e n tu r y b y a w o o le n - d r a p e r .
Thomas M ann’ s b a ck g ro u n d c o r r e s p o n d s t o t h a t o f t h e B udden-
b r o o k s . The f o u r - h o r s e c o a c h o f o ld Johann i s t h e e x a c t
c o u n te r p a r t o f on e p o s s e s s e d b y t h e Mann f a m i ly .
To Mann a s a b oy m u sic m eant much and so d id a t o y
p u p p et t h e a t r e w h ic h i s r e c a l l e d i n B u d d en b ro o k s. Hans
and H anno, o f c o u r s e , a r e b o th a t t r a c t e d b y m u sic — HannQ
i n a much m ore c r e a t i v e w ay, and Hans i n a s m a ll a p p r e c ia t i v e
33 Thomas Mann, A S k e tc h o f My L i f e ( P a r i s i H a r r is o n ,
1 9 3 0 ) , p . 4 1 .
*23
70
m an n er, Thomas Mann’ s own f a t h e r h a d c e r t a i n l i t e r a r y
and p h i l o s o p h i c a l i n t e r e s t s and h e , l i k e Thomas B u dd en brook,
m a r r ie d a m y s t e r io u s b e a u ty w h ose s o u l was c la im e d by m u s ic .
In t h i s b o o k , a l s o , Id a Jungmarm i s a c o u n te r p a r t
o f an e x tr a o r d in a r y s e r v a n t and com panion o f M ann's own
y o u t h , and t h e o l d Mann a n c e s t r a l home I s t h e p r o to ty p e
o f t h e B uddenbrook h o u s e ,
Hanno i s th e g r a n d - c h ild and h e i r , b u t l i k e
Thomas Mann ’f u h l t er s i o h E nkel* — b o ra t o o
l a t e h e f i n d s h i m s e l f u n f i t f o r s e r v i c e and t h e
w ork o f r e a l i t y and f e e l s l o n e l y , i n f e r i o r and
un hap py on t h a t a c c o u n t#
H ere I s Thomas Mann h im s e lf In h i s y o u th , t h e
a r t i s t i c ; s c i o n o f an o ld l i n e o f c o m m e rc ia l b u r g h e r s ,
t a k in g h i m s e l f a s a lw a y s , v e r y s e r i o u s l y , f e e l i n g
i t n e c e s s a r y t o j u s t i f y h i s own l i f e b y h i s w o rk ,
f i g h t i n g f o r h i s own s a l v a t i o n a g a i n s t h i s i n h e r i
t a n c e and h i s f a t e , 34
I n Anna K a r e n in a ,
t h e b a s i s o f r e a l i t y in t h e c h a r a c t e r o f L e v in i s
e s p e c i a l l y c l o s e - k n i t ; e v en m ore th a n P ie r r e B ezuhov
i n War and P e a c e ; h e i s T o ls t o y * s s e l f - p o r t r a i t , o r
r a t h e r t h e p o r t r a i t o f c e r t a i n p h a s e s o f h i m s e l f .
From h i s enorm ous p h y s i c a l s t r e n g t h and h i s b u sh y
b e a r d t o h i s t i r e l e s s s e e k in g a f t e r t r u t h and God,
fro m h i s p e c u l ia r m ix tu r e o f ’p e a sa n tism * w it h
a r i s t o c r a t i c co n tem p t o f t h i n g s l i b e r a l , t o h i s
k in d n e s s , c r a n k in e s s and u n b a la n c e d tem p er , a l l i s
f a m i l i a r t o u s i n L e v in , 33
The m ain a u t o b io g r a p h ic a l a s p e c t: l i e s i n t h e w h o le
d e l i n e a t i o n o f t h e f a m i ly . Many o f T o l s t o y ' s f r i e n d s and
many members o f h i s f a m ily may b e r e c o g n iz e d i n t h e b ook —
an d h a v e r e c o g n iz e d t h e m s e lv e s .
34 A .E .Z u c k e r , "The G e n e a lo g ic a l N o v e l ,1 * in P .M .L .A .,
4 3 :5 7 6 (J u n e , 1 9 2 8 ) .
33 A le x a n d e r I . N a z a r o f f , T o ls t o y (New Y ork: F r e d e r ic k
A . S t o k e s , 1 9 2 9 ) ,p » 1 9 4 ,
^ 4 '
71 ,
I n The M agic I.M oantain t h e r e a d e r . f i n d s t h a t Mann
h a s w r i t t e n h i s own th o u g h ts i n t o t h e c h a r a c te r s * l i n e s ,
- and i n t h i s way t h e b ook may be s a id t o b e a u t o b io g r a p h ic a l.
W here B udd en brooks may b e c o n s id e r e d t o b e t h e a u t h o r ’ s
e a r l y p h y s i c a l a u to b io g r a p h y , t h i s l a t e r w ork may b e th o u g h t
o f a s h i s m atu re p s y c h ic an d i n t e l l e c t u a l o n e .
S i m i l a r l y , R e s u r r e c t io n i s u n q u e s t io n a b ly a s t o r y o f
T o l s t o y ’ s own s t r u g g l e s . N e k h lu d o ff i s p o s s i b l y a l i f e l e s s
p h antasm o f t h e a u t h o r . He was a s t u d e n t o f s o c i a l c o n d i t i o n s
and t h e r e f l e c t i o n s o f N e k h lu d o ff on t h e a b s u r d it y o f la w , th e
f a l s i t y o f r e l i g i o n , t h e h y p o c r is y o f p r is o n o f f i c i a l s and
g overn m en t p e o p le , on ju d g e s and p r o s e c u t o r s , andi on c r im in a l
la w a r e m o st a s s u r e d ly t h e a u t h o r ’ s own. As N e k h lu d o ff goes?
th r o u g h h i s t r i a l s and t r i b u l a t i o n s , t h e r e a d e r s e e s T o ls t o y
l i v i n g h i s l i f e i n a c o n s t a n t l y q u e s t io n in g m ood. He was
a lw a y s i n t e r e s t e d i n b e t t e r i n g t h e c o n d it io n s o f t h e common
p e o p le . He h i m s e l f h ad p l e n t y , and l i k e h i s f i c t i o n a l h e r o ,
h e w a n ted t h e p e a s a n ts t o p r o f i t by h i s w e a lt h . As h e r e n t e d
h i s p r o p e r ty t o them and r e a l l y g a v e them c o n t r o l o f i t , so
d id h i s h e r o .
T o ls t o y h a s ev en b r o u g h t h i s a n a r c h i s t i c v ie w s i n t o
th e p i c t u r e . The h e r o g o e s th r o u g h a p e r io d when h e f e e l s
t h a t t h e r e i s an u n f a i r d i s t r i b u t i o n o f w e a lt h , p r o p e r ty ,
and p o w er. The r e l i g i o u s q u e s t io n in g i s c e r t a i n l y t h a t o f
72
T o l s t o y , and t h e p e a c e w h ich f i n a l l y com es t o H e k h lu d o ff
i s o f t h e n a t u r e o f t h a t w h ich T o ls t o y h i m s e l f fo u n d .
In J o se p h and H is B r o t h e r s , Mann h a s b een w r i t i n g
o f h i m s e l f . I n s p e a k in g o f J a c o b 's w a n d e r in g s , and o f
J o s e p h ’ s so m e tim e s r e g r e t t i n g t h i s s i d e o f h i s f a t h e r ’ s
n a t u r e , t h e a u th o r s a y s :
As f o r me, who now draw my i ia r r a t io n t o a c l o s e ,
t o p lu n g e , v o l u n t a r i l y , i n t o l i m i t l e s s a d v e n tu r e
( t h e w ord " p lu n g e ” b e in g u s e d a d v i s e d ly ? , I w i l l
n o t c o n c e a l my n a t i v e and c o m p r e h e n siv e d&dehf s t a n d -
in g o f t h e sbld m an’ s r e s t l e s s u n e a s e and d i s l i k e
o f an y f i x e d h a b i t a t i o n . F or do I n o t know t h e
f e e l i n g ? To me t o o h a s n o t u n r e s t been, o r d a in e d ,
h a v e n o t I to o b een endow ed w it h a h e a r t w h ich
kn ow eth n o t r e p o s e ? The s t o r y - t e l l e r ’ s s t a r ~
i s i t n o t t h e m oon, lo r d o f t h e r o a d , t h e w a n d e r e r ,
who m oves i n h i s s t a t i o n s , o n e a f t e r a n o t h e r ,
f r e e i n g h i m s e l f fro m ea ch ? For t h e s t o r y - t e l l e r
m akes many a s t a t i o n , r o v in g and r e l a t i n g , b u t
p a u se s o n ly t e n t - w i s e , a w a it in g f u r t h e r d i r e c t i o n s ,
and so o n f e e l s h i s h e a r t b e a t i n g h ig h , p a r t l y
w ith d e s i r e , p a r t l y to o fro m f e a r and a n g u is h o f ’
th e f l e s h , b u t i n any c a s e a s a s ig n t h a t h e m u st
t a k e t h e r o a d , to w a r d f r e s h a d v e n tu r e s w h ic h a r e
t o b e p a i n s t a k i n g ly l i v e d th r o u g h , down t o t h e i r
r e m o t e s t d e t a i l s , a c c o r d in g t o t h e r e s t l e s s s p i r i t ’ s
w i l l . 36
B e s id e s t h e som ew hat s im ila r medium f o r a u t o b io g r a p h ic a l
e x p r e s s io n c h o se n b y ea ch a u th o r , a n o th e r p e r t i n e n t c o m p a riso n
i s fo u n d i n t$ie c h o ic e o f s u b j e c t m a tte r and c h a r a c t e r d e l i n e
a t i o n .
In t h e c h o ic e o f s u b j e c t m a t t e r , ea ch o f t h e tw o
w r i t e r s , Mann and T o l s t o y , h a s ta k e n l i f e , a s h e h a s s e e n i t ,
36 Thomas Mann, J o se p h and H is B r o t h e r s , p p . 5 2 - 5 3 .
?
7 3
a s h i s workroom or la b o r a t o r y . Man i n v a r y in g c ir c u m s ta n c e s
and u n d e r d i f f e r e n t c o n d i t i o n s h a s b een t h e f o c a l p o i n t .
The aim a h s b een t o r e v e a l o r d in a r y p e o p le a s t h e y r e a l l y
a r e — e i t h e r u n d er t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t e r r i f i c e x c it e m e n t
and p o w e r fu l s t i m u l i , or i n m ore r e s t f u l , r e l a x e d moods*
The tw o a u th o r s h a v e t r e a t e d t h e a r i s t o c r a t s and th e lo w e r
/
c l a s s e s a l s o ; n e i t h e r h a s f a l t e r e d i n a s s e m b lin g p l e n t i f u l
d e t a i l and i n p r e s e n t in g i t i n a l l i t s f u l n e s s .
The u t t e r r e a l is m w it h ? /h ich e a ch h a s r e v e a le d h i s
f i n d i n g s i s a d om in an t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c . A lm o st h a s e a ch
g o n e t o t h e p o in t o f n a t u r a lis m . Some o f T o ls t o y * s war
s c e n e s and s e n s u a l p i c t u r e s a r e a lm o s t n a u s e a t in g , w h ile
Mann, i n J o se p h and H is B r o t h e r s , seem s t o h a v e g o n e o u t
o f h i s way t o in c lu d e e v e r y d e t a i l — r e p u l s i v e and o b j e c t i o n
a b le a s t h e r e s u l t may b e . But e a ch o f t h e s e a u th o r s i s so
i n t e n t on p r e s e n t i n g a t r u e p i c t u r e t h a t h e f e e l s e v e r y t h in g
t h a t r e a l l y b e lo n g s i n t h e p i c t u r e m ust b e in c lu d e d ®
The c h a r a c t e r s a r e sy m b o ls o f p h a s e s o f l i v i n g .
They w a lk th r o u g h t h e b o o k s, and arou n d them c e n t e r s t h e
r e a d e r ’ s a t t e n t i o n . The n o v e ls a r e m ore s t u d i e s i n c h a r a c t e r
th a n p l o t , th o u g h t h e t a l e s do seem t o b e v i v i d w h o le s .
The c h a r a c t e r s r e a l l y move th r o u g h t h e s t o r y and e x p lo r e
t h e them e f o r t h e r e a d e r , f o r t h e r e i s v e r y l i t t l e a tte m p t
a t t r u e p l o t d e v e lo p m e n t. The way i n w h ic h t h e l o v e a f f a i r s
71
74
i n War and P ea ce and i n Anna K a ren in a a r e h a n d le d t o l i n k
t h e v a r io u s s t r a n d s o f s t o r y i s t h e c l o s e s t a p p ro a ch t o
p l o t s t r u c t u r e . E ach a u th o r i s m e r e ly t r y i n g t o p r e s e n t
p e o p le and d i s c u s s human n a tu r e * and t h i s aim i s a c c o m p lish e d
s im p ly by p l a c in g t h e c h a r a c t e r s i n f r o n t o f t h e r e a d e r ,
who w a tc h e s them i n som e c a s e s a lm o st in t e r m in a b ly .
War and P e a c e , t h e f i r s t b ook o f T o l s t o y ’ s t o b e
c o n s id e r e d , and M ann’ s J o se p h and H is B r o t h e r s , d e a l w ith
v e r y d i s t a n t p e r io d s , b u t ea ch seem s m od ern . Mann p r e s e n t s
t h e s t o r y o f J o se p h and h i s a n c e s t o r s , and c o n v e y s t h e im
p r e s s io n t h a t t h e e v e n t s may h a v e ta k e n p la c e y e a r s b e f o r e
t h e a c c e p t e d d a t e s . B ut h e show s how m odern and how a p p l i o
a b le t o p r e s e n t t im e s t h e i n c i d e n t s a r e * In s p e a k in g o f t h e
F lo o d , h e m akes i t f e l t t h a t t h e same c o r r u p tio n an d t h e
sam e w a s t in g o f l i f e a r e p r e s e n t to d a y i n our m odern s o c i e t y *
W h ile T o l s t o y , i n Anna K a r e n in a , g i v e s a p i c t u r e of:’
A nna’ s w r o n g -d o in g , y e t s e l f - j u s t i f i c a t i o n i n h e r a c t i o n s —
t h a t i s , o f h e r l i v i n g a l i e — J o se p h i s p r e s e n t e d t o th e
r e a d e r a s a p e r p e tu a l l i a r . B oth a u th o r s t r y t o show t h a t
human n a t u r e i s a lw a y s d e fe n d in g i t s e l f . I n o n e s c e n e b e tw e e n
J o se p h and J a c o b , a f t e r t h e f a t h e r ’ s rep rim a n d f o r h i s c a r e
l e s s n e s s o f h i s p h y s i c a l s e l f and f o r h i s l a c k o f m o d e sty ,
and w o r s t o f a l l f o r h i s w o r s h ip p in g t h e m oon, J o se p h a c t u a l l y
7 5
d e n ie s t h e l a s t a c c u s a t io n and p a s s e s t h e o t h e r s o f f a s
t r i v i a l * H ere Mann show s h i s k n o w led g e o f p e o p le *
B oth a u th o r s h a v e t h e a b i l i t y t o p r e s e n t t h e c h a r a c
t e r s i n su ch a way t h a t t h e r e a d e r f o r g e t s t h a t t h e y a r e
p e o p le o f o t h e r c o u n t r i e s . The p a i n t in g o f n a t u r e and o f
r e a l i t y i s so w e l l d on e t h a t t h e r e a d e r f e e l s n o t t h a t h e
m ust b e i n R u s s ia o r i n Germany o r i n t h e H o ly L and, b u t
h e im a g in e s t h a t t h e i n c i d e n t s may b e t a k in g p la c e i n h i e
own c o u n tr y — w h er ev e r t h a t may be*
In p r e s e n t in g t h e c h a r a c t e r s , t h e a u th o r s n o t o n ly ; L
p e r m it t h e r e a d e r an ou tw ard v ie w , b u t t h e y ta k e him i n t o t h e i r
c o n f id e n c e and show him t h e c h a r a c t e r s 1 in n e r t h o u g h t s . I n
Anna K a re n in a t h i s i s e s p e c i a l l y e v id e n t when t h e th o u g h ts
and f e e l i n g s o f Anna a t t h e h o r s e r a c e a r e p ro b ed and b r o u g h t
t o l i g h t , a s a r e a l s o V r o n s k y 's , a s h e a c t u a l l y r i d e s i n t h e
r a c e * In J o se p h and H is B r o th e r s many p a g e s a r e d e v o te d t o
t h e r e f l e c t i o n s o f J o se p h an d o f J a c o b . The r e v e l a t i o n o f
t h e in n e r th o u g h ts o f t h e c h a r a c t e r s i s n o t i c e d t o a m ore
o r l e s s d e g r e e i n t h e o th e r w orks o f e a c h .
T o ls t o y v e r y o f t e n h a s a m o ra l i n h i s s t o r y w h ic h
com es t o o c l o s e t o o b s c u r in g t h e c h a r a c t e r s . But Mann n e v e r
i n t e r p o s e s a m o ra l b e tw e en a u th o r and c h a r a c t e r . H is aim
i s t h e r e f l e c t i o n o f em cbional and m e n ta l drama t h a t c a r r i e s
t h e c h a r a c t e r s t o an u l t i m a t e d e s t in y *
^ 7
76
T h is d i f f e r e n c e i s a p p a r e n t i n t h e t r e a tm e n t o f th e
s e a r c h f o r h a p p in e s s by e a c h . T o l s t o y ’ s c h a r a c t e r s a r e in"
s e a r c h o f a m o ra l o r p s y c h o l o g ic a l p a t t e r n f o r l i f e , w h ile
Mann’ s a r e s e e k in g r a t h e r a b i o l o g i c a l and s o c i a l p a t t e r n .
But w h eth er t h e s e a r c h i s m o ra l or s o c i o l o g i c a l , e a c h man
h a s d on e h i s w ork so w e l l t h a t h e i s a m a ste r i n h i s own
r i g h t i n t h e m a tte r o f c h a r a c t e r p o r t r a y a l .
Y e t a n o th e r p o in t o f s i m i l a r i t y b e tw e e n th em , w h ich
t h e r e a d e r may n o t i c e , i s t h e f a c t t h a t b o th men w ere b orn
o f good f a m il i e s . Ho e x t e n s i v e tr e a tm e n t o f t h i s f a c t o r
i s n e c e s s a r y , b u t we may sum m arize t h e s i t u a t i o n b r i e f l y .
T o ls t o y w as a s c io n o f o n e o f t h e b e s t f a m i l i e s i n R u s s ia
and Mann’ s f a m ily w as w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d i n G erm any. B oth
w e re o f a r i s t o c r a t i c b a ck g ro u n d , b u t T o l s t o y , i n h i s w ork,
w it h t h e p e a s a n t s , w as a b le t o g e t a m ore l i b e r a l v ie w o f
t h e lo w e r c l a s s e s th a n i s t o b e fo u n d i n Mann’ s a t t i t u d e .
Of T o l s t o y , P r in c e M irsk y s a y s : ” . . . h e l i v e d a
lo n g l i f e o f a f f l u e n c e and s u c c e s s , w h ic h , b u _ t f o r h i s
in n e r s t r u g g l e s , w o u ld h a v e a l s o b e e n a l i f e o f c l o u d l e s s
h a p p in e s s . ” 37
I n h i s own " S k e t c h ,” Mann s a y s : "My c h ild h o o d was
s h e l t e r e d and h a p p y ," 38 and th r o u g h o u t t h i s l i t t l e volu m e
37 P r in c e D .S .M ir s k y , M odern R u s s ia n L it e r a t u r e
(L ondon: O xford U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 0 2 5 ) , p . 5TZ
38 Thomas Mann, A S k e tc h o f My L i f e , p . 7 .
3 ^
7 7
h e g i v e s t h e r e a d e r t h e id e a t h a t h e n e v e r la c k e d a n y th in g
f o r h i s own c o m fo r t. T h is a d v a n ta g e o f h a v in g b e e n a b le
to w r i t e i n s e c u r i t y w o u ld n a t u r a l l y l e a v e t h e n o t e o f
s t r i v i n g f o r a l i v e l i h o o d a b s e n t fro m t h e w ork s o f t h e s e
two men*
B o th , i n t h e i r som ew hat s i m i la r l i v e s , w ere o f t e n by
t h e m s e lv e s , b e c a u s e o f t h e i r te m p e r a m e n ts. T o ls t o y was
e r r a t i c and h ad many i d i o s y n c r a c i e s w h ic h p r e v e n te d h i s
b e in g a man o f t h e w o r ld and h a v in g many s o c i a l c o n t a c t s .
Mann had v e r y few f r i e n d s , b e c a u s e o f h i s s t r i v i n g a f t e r
h a p p in e s s . T h is u r g e h a s ta k e n t h e p la c e o f p e r s o n a l con**
t a c t s , and p e r h a p s Mann h a s fo u n d i t d i f f i c u l t t o c u l t i v a t e
fr ie n d s h ip s ^ when h e i s u n s e t t l e d i n h i s own mind*
T o ls t o y w as excom m u n icated fro m t h e c h u r c h and seem ed
t o b e a p a r t from s o c i e t y and h i s o l d e n v ir o n m e n t, and to d a y
Thomas Mann i s n o t l i v i n g i n h i s h om elan d b e c a u s e h e i s n o t
in a c c o r d w it h t h e p o l i c i e s o f t h e r u l i n g f a c t i o n *
In t h e w r i t i n g s o f e a ch i s r e v e a le d t h e f a c t t h a t ea ch
h a s b e e n som ew hat a p a r t from s o c i e t y . T h is a t t i t u d e tow ard
s o c i e t y — an u n s y m p a th e tic s o c i e t y — i s r e a d i l y d i s c e r n i b l e
from a r e a d in g o f t h e i r b o o k s .
T h is I n v e s t i g a t i o n o f t h e m o st s i g n i f i c a n t n o v e l s o f
T o ls t o y and o f Mann h a s o f f e r e d s u f f i c i e n t d a ta t o fo r m u la te
c e r t a i n c o n c lu s io n s w h ic h may b e e m p h a siz e d , r e s t a t e d , and
3 /
78:
sum m arized a s f o l l o w s :
F i r s t , t h a t t h e c h a r a c t e r s o f T o l s t o y , n o t i c e a b l y
t h o s e o f P i e r r e , L e v in , and N e k h lu d o ff a r e s i m i l a r t o M&nn’ s
m ajor c h a r a c t e r s , t h a t i s , Thomas, H ans, and?. J o s e p h . They
a r e a l l en gaged i n a w e l l - d e f i n e d s e a r c h f o r h a p p in e s s , f o r
a c e r t a i n f e e l i n g o f s e c u r i t y and p e a c e .
S e c o n d , t h a t t h e s e l e c t e d n o v e l s ’ o f b o th a r e d e c id e d ly
a u t o b io g r a p h ic a l i n n a t u r e . The a u th o r s h a v e w oven fr a g m e n ts
o f t h e i r own l i f e - s t o r i e s i n t o t h e s e c r e a t i o n s . The m ost
n o t i c e a b l e e x a m p les o f t h i s a r e i n t h e c a s e o f t h e c h a r a c te r
o f P ie r r e in War and P e a c e , o f L e v in i n Anna K a r e n in a , and
o f N e k h lu d o ff i n R e s u r r e c t io n . Mann r e f l e c t s t h i s te n d e n c y
i n t h e c h a r a c t e r s o f Hanno in B u d d en b rook s, o f H ans in The
M agic M o u n ta in , and o f J o se p h i n Jos-eph and H is B r o t h e r s .
T h ir d , t h a t t h e s u b j e c t m a tte r o f e a ch i s c o m p a r a b le .
Each w r i t e s p r im a r ily o f l i f e a s i t i s , a t i t s w o r s t and a t
i t s b e s t , and e a ch w r i t e s from h i s own o b s e r v a t i o n .
F o u r th , t h a t e a ch w r i t e r h a s p la c e d m ore e m p h a sis on
c h a r a c t e r th a n on p l o t - s t r u c t u r e .
F i f t h , t h a t e a ch h a s l i v e d u n d er su c h f a v o r a b le c o n
d i t i o n s t h a t in n e ith le r i s fo u n d any n o t e o f w ork h a v in g
b e e n d on e u n d er s t r e s s o r b e c a u s e o f n e c e s s i t y o f p r o d u c t io n .
The f i n a l c o n c lu s io n i s t h a t s i n c e t h e n o v e l s s t u d ie d
79
r e v e a l so many s i m i l a r i t i e s , T o ls t o y a p p a r e n t ly had a
d e f i n i t e i n f l u e n c e on Mann. A lth o u g h a t f i r s t su ch i n
f l u e n c e w as u n d o u b te d ly u n c o n s c io u s , a s Mann a d m i t s ,l a t e r and
a t t h e p r e s e n t t im e , i t t e n d s t o becom e a s u b c o n s c io u s
i n f l u e n c e . I t i s n o t t h e i n t e n t i o n o f t h i s s t u d y , h o w e v e r ,
t o c la im t h a t Mann i s m e r e ly a d i s c i p l e o f T o l s t o y . F or h e
c o n t in u e s t o p r e s e n t h i s own m e t a p h y s ic a l i n t e r e s t s w it h i n
c r e a s i n g i n d i v i d u a l i t y .
BIBLIOGRAPHY
I . BOOKS
A , P rim ary S o u c e s:
yMaxm, Thomas, B u d d en b ro o k s. T r a n s la te d h y H .T .L o w e-
P o r t e r . New? Y ork: A lf r e d A* K n op f, 1931*
/ , J o se p h and H is B r o t h e r s . T r a n s la t e d hy
' N .T .L o w e -P o r te r . New Y ork: A lf r e d A. K n op f, 1 9 3 4 .
, The M agic M o u n ta in , T r a n s la te d h y HlTLLowe-
P o r t e r . New Y ork: B e n n e tt A. C e r f. D on ald S .
K lo p f e r , The Modern L ib r a r y , n . d .
T o l s t o y , C ount L e o , Anna K a r e n in a . T r a n s la te d by
C o n sta n c e G a r n e tt. New Y ork : Modern L ib r a r y
P u b li s h e r s , n . d .
/ , R e s u r r e c t io n . T r a n s la t e d by M rs. L o u is e
M aude. New York": Dodd, Mead and Company, 1 9 0 0 .
/ ____________ , War and P e a c e . T r a n s la te d by C o n sta n ce
G a r n e tt. New Y ork : B e n n e tt A. C e r f. D on ald S .
K lo p f e r , The Modern L ib r a r y , n .d *
B . S ec o n d a r y M a t e r ia l:
1 . Mann
B e n n e tt , E .K ., A H is t o r y o f t h e German N o v e l l e , From
G oeth e t o Thomas Mann. Canibr'i'dge: “ U n iv e r s i t y
P r e s s , T S 34.
C le u g h , Jam es, Thomas Mann, A S tu d y . London: M a rtin
S e e k e r , l9 '3 3 .
n / ma n n , Thom as, A S k e tc h o f L i f e . T r a n s la t e d b y H .T .
L o w e -P o r ¥ e r . P 'arO : H a f r ls o n , 1 9 3 0 .
_____________, T h ree E s s a y s . T r a n s la t e d b y H L T .L o w e-P o rter.
New Y o r k :' A lf r e d " A • K n op f, 19291
v / n a r b l e , A n n ie R u s s e l l , The N o b e l P r i z e W inn ers i n L i t e r a
t u r e . New Y ork: D. A p p le to n and Company, 1 9 3 2 .
81
2 . T o ls t o y
y B a r in g , M a u r ic e , An O u t lin e o f R u s s ia n L i t e r a t u r e *
Mew Y ork: H enry H o lt and' Company, n .d .
B a u d o u in , C h a r le s , T o l s t o i : The T each efc. Mew Y ork:
E .P . B u tto n and Company, 1 3 2 3 ,
C h e s te r t o n , G .K ., P e r r i s , G .H ., e t c . Leo T o l s t o y .
London: H odder and S to u g h to n ,
G a r n e tt, Edward, T o l s t o y , H is L i f e and W r it i n g s . B o s
to n : and Mew Y ork : H ought on~M I'f'flin Company, 1914*
‘ M audes A y lm er, Leo T o l s t o y . Mew Y ork: Dodd, Mead and
Company, I'9 l8 •
t
M ir sk y , P r in c e D .S ., Modern R u s s ia n L i t e r a t u r e . London:
Q xfordi U n i v e r s i t y PressTJ 1 9 2 5 .
^ N a z a r o f f , A le x a n d e r I . , T o l s t o y . The I n c o n s i s t e n t G e n iu s.
New Y ork: F r e d e r ic k A. S to k e s Company, 1 9 2 9 •
\
y P h e lp s , W illia m L yon , E s s a y s on R u s s ia n B o v e l i s t s . New
Y ork: The M acraillan Company, 1 9 1 2 ,
y T o l s t o y , C ount I l y a , R e m in is c e n c e s o f T o l s t o y . T r a n s
l a t e d by G eorge C a ld e r o n . Hew Y ork:' The C en tu ry
Company, 1 9 1 4 .
82
I I . PERIODICALS
B u rk e, K en n eth , ’’Thomas Mann and A ndr& G id e . ” The B ook
man .7 1 : 2 5 7 - 6 4 . Ju n e 1 9 3 0 .
B u rk h ard , A r th u r , ’’Thomas Mann’ s T rea tm en t o f t h e Marked
M an.” P u b li c a t i o n o f t h e Modern L anguage A s
s o c i a t i o n . 4 3 : 5 6 1 - 8 . Ju n e 1928*
C l o s s , A u g u s t, ’’Thomas Mann; H is P r o s e and P o l i t i c s . ” Con
tem p o ra r y R e v ie w . 1 4 4 : 4 5 5 - 4 6 3 . O cto b er 1 9 3 3 .
K ru tch , J o se p h Wood, ’’The D u a lism o f Thomas M ann.” The
N a t io n . 1 2 9 :6 7 9 -8 0 D4 1 9 2 9 . ”
Mann, Thom as, ”0n A c c e p tin g t h e N o b e l P r i z e . ” L iv in g A g e .
3 3 7 :7 4 8 -5 0 P15 1 9 3 0 .
M aury, G e n e v ie v e , ’ ’ Germany and D em o cra cy .” L iv in g A g e .
3 1 0 : 1 4 2 - 8 J u ly 1 6 , 1 9 2 1 .
S c h lo c h o w e r , H a rry , ’’Thomas Mann’ s New M e s s a g e .” Sew anee
R e v ie w . 4 1 : 3 1 3 - 3 0 Ju n e 1 9 3 3 .
Snow, F r a n c i s , ’’B ooks p f t h e M o n th .” C u rren t Hi s t o r y . 3 1 : 6 2 6 .
J a n u a ry 1 9 3 0 .
S o lo w , H e r b e r t, ”Thomas Mann: E x i le or R e f u g e e .” New R e p u b lic .
7 8 : 4 8 - 4 9 . F eb ru a ry 2 1 . , 1 9 3 4 .
W asserm ann, J a k o b , ’’T e n d e n c ie s o f t h e Modern W o r ld .” F o r t -
• n i g h t l y R e v ie w . 1 3 5 : 6 0 - 6 8 . J an u ary 1 9 3 4 .
Z u e k e r , A . E ., ’ ’ The G e n e a lo g ic a l N o v e l ,”A New G e n r e .” P u b lic a
t i o n s o f t h e M odern L anguage A s s o c i a t i o n . 4 3 : 5 3 1 - 6 0 .
Jun e 1 ^ 8 *
I I I . PAMPHLETS
’ ’Thomas Mann, N o b e l P r iz e W inner * 1 b f 1 9 2 9 • ” P am p h let p u b lis h e d
b y K n op f. 10 p a g e s .
’ ’Thomas M ann.” P am p h let p u b lis h e d b y S . F is c h e r V e r la g , B e r l i n .
16 p a g e s .

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Asset Metadata

Creator Crandall, M. F (author)

Core Title A comparative study of selected novels of Leo Tolstoy and of Thomas Mann

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Comparative Literature

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag comparative literature,Literature, Germanic,Literature, Slavic and East European,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Advisor Struble, Mildred (committee chair), Mohme, Erwin T. (committee member), Morkovin, Boris V. (committee member)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c20-101670

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Rights Crandall, M. F.

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