[

] is the last of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy’s three great novels. It tells the story of Prince Dmitry Nekhliudov, who serves on the jury of a murder case against a prostitute, only to find that the defendant is his childhood sweetheart, Katiusha Maslova, whom he seduced and abandoned. Shocked into recognition of his morally bankrupt life, he resolves to save both himself and her, first by campaigning to have her sentence overturned, and secondly by taking the decision to marry her. The novel plays upon the familiar and popular nineteenth-century theme of saving a fallen woman, but expands it into a powerful exploration of the injustices and hypocrisies of society, as well as the nature of conscience, repentance and virtue.

The roots of the novel lie in a story told

2366 words

Citation: Hudspith, Sarah. "Voskresenie". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 March 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=11272, accessed 21 November 2024.]