52 pages • 1 hour read
Leo TolstoyThe Kreutzer Sonata
Fiction | Novella | Adult | Published in 1889A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
The Lesson of The Kreutzer SonataChapter Summaries & Analyses
“The Lesson of The Kreutzer Sonata” Summary
Tolstoy explains that he has written this “Lesson of The Kreutzer Sonata” to explain the messages that he attempted to convey through The Kreutzer Sonata. He lists the five main morals that he was trying to communicate and then argues his case in favor of sexual abstinence.
The first point that he makes is that there is a double standard in the behavior permitted to young men and the standards expected of young women. He believes that consequences should be shared equally, not thrust upon the woman alone, and that an ascetic lifestyle of moderation and self-denial combined with physical labor is better for one’s health than excess.
His second contention is that “conjugal infidelity” has become more socially acceptable in recent years. He blames this on “natural instinct” and the excessive value that contemporary society places on love. He considers this immoral and something to be combatted through religion and education.
Thirdly, he believes that having children is no longer considered with the appropriate amount of reverence.
His penultimate point is that children should not be raised as they are now, like animals, with the sole goal of improving their health and using them as a means to procure pleasure for their parents. He thinks that children should be raised with the goal of molding them into productive and moral human beings.
Lastly, he is of the opinion that contemporary society places far too much emphasis on the pursuit of love. He considers this a base preoccupation and thinks that humanity’s focus would be better placed on any other more elevated goal that could contribute to the betterment of society. Instead, people should look at celibacy as the ideal state of being.
The latter part of the chapter deals with potential objections to the messages that he just outlined, particularly his view that sexual abstinence is the only truly moral state of being. He uses Christian theology and his literal interpretation of Christ’s teachings to justify this stance, claiming that there is no such thing as a Christian marriage. Such marriages as are approved by the church are simply endorsed by the religious institution, not in keeping with the actual doctrine of the religion itself. He acknowledges that universal chastity would lead to the end of humanity, but—evoking both scientific and religious arguments—does not see this as a negative outcome.
Besides, he concludes, even if the ideal of total abstinence is unattainable, that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t still be held as the moral standard. The very fact that humanity may be too flawed to attain the ideal means that the model on which he bases his life is perfect.
“The Lesson of The Kreutzer Sonata” Analysis
The author’s note (written in 1891 and added to later releases of the novella) is a response to questions about the intended message of The Kreutzer Sonata. It acts both as a conclusion to the novella as a whole and a critical essay in its own right. This section functions similarly to the moral at the end of a fable or fairy tale, explicitly laying out the intended takeaway of the story.
To appear pithy and persuasive, Tolstoy introduces his topic in the opening paragraphs, then lays out the points of his argument and counters potential objections in the main body of the section, before finishing with an assertive conclusion. Tolstoy’s arguments are closely linked with the three main themes of the novella: Sensual Passion as a Corruption of Purity, The Subjugation of Women, and Conflict Between Social Expectation and Moral Duty. He refers frequently to Christian scripture as a moral authority, both due to his own personal beliefs and because the vast majority of his contemporary readers would have been of the Christian faith.
Tolstoy expresses his five main points in simple language, using a formulaic structure that is easy to follow. He has already provided his evidence and complex explanations through the novella; in this section, he is simply reiterating the conclusions of his arguments with clarity and precision. He repeats key phrases such as “in the [ordinal] place I am of the opinion that,” “I am of the opinion that this is not right,” and “[t]his is my [ordinal] contention” to structure each point in turn (“Lesson of The Kreutzer Sonata,” 6). This creates a sense of momentum through a rhythm that builds to crescendo, which makes the arguments seem coherently linked and more memorable in an attempt to be more convincing.
Tolstoy uses many rhetorical techniques common to persuasive writing in order to construct an argument. For instance, he uses hypophora when raising and countering potential objections: for instance, “[h]ow about the human race?” (12). Hypophora is similar to a rhetorical question in that the writer asks a question of their audience without expecting a response; however, in hypophora the question is answered immediately by the writer themselves. This technique pre-emptively addresses the potential concerns of dissenters and answers in a way that boosts the writer’s apparent authority. Tolstoy also uses his own experience of coming to terms with the beliefs that he now holds to imply that his readers must do the same. He presents his arguments as though they are indisputable, and the only opposition is the Conflict Between Social Expectation and Moral Duty. The fact that he claims that there was no choice for him—“I have no choice but to accept them” (20)—implies that his readers have no choice but to agree also.
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