Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” ~ 1st Corinthians 7:1
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. ~ ~ 1st Corinthians 7:8-9
I sometimes think that I must have been a Russian living in the 1800s before being reincarnated during the Eisenhower administration. For some reason, Russian literature of that period talks to me. Tolstoy is one of my favorite authors, and I thoroughly enjoyed this novella of his.
The reviews I read on this book declared that Tolstoy wrote it to advocate abstinence as the best of possible paths for individuals of both sexes. When I read it I felt it to be the work of a curmudgeon, a misogynist, and I know it was not meant that way, satirical. I actually found it funny, mainly due to the over the top passion of the narrator. Anyone who has experienced marriage could relate to at least some of the situations on display in this work. Even the best of marriages are a bit of a roller coast ride. The marriage depicted in this book is an extreme example of that contraption.
Whether the narrator’s wife committed adultery, or was just flattered by the attentions of another man never really comes out. What does come out is blind, unreasonable jealously, and an inability or perhaps an unwillingness to control the rage generated from that jealously.
Besides “preaching” abstinence, it appears that the author was against birth control and abortion as they promoted sensuality and the depravity of sex. The narrator felt the only peace he experienced in his marriage was when his wife was pregnant or nursing. He was angry that the doctors taught his wife about birth control and she stopped having babies.
The novella was published in 1889. As reader in the 21st century it seems very mild. However, it was banned in Russia upon its publication. It was initially censured in the United States, but a court overturned the censorship.
It is a quick, easy read and a wonderful example of Tolstoy’s writing. One can read it simply as a story, ignoring the philosophical/religious issues being explored, and be more than wonderful entertained.
This book is in the public domain and can be downloaded for free.
Audio book from LibriVox.org : The Kreutzer Sonata
e-Book from Gutenberg.org: The Kreutzer Sonata
Interesting enough there is a movie made of the story: The Kreutzer Sonata It is, however, a modern adaptation of the story that appears to be set in San Francisco. No droshkies in this story.