Master and Man

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Leo Tolstoy is one of the most famous authors in Russian literature. Writing many of his most prominent works during the mid-to-late 19th century, Tolstoy is considered to be highly influential to modern writers and thinkers alike. Read a couple of reference articles about Tolstoy and provide a very brief summary of his life. What were the main themes he touched upon in his writings? How was he an influential figure?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question centers on a broad overview of Tolstoy’s life. Students should use their research and analytical skills to identify the most important aspects of Tolstoy’s biography and answer the questions. Instead of asking students to locate reference articles on their own, you may wish to direct them to the two high-quality articles below.

• This article from Oxford Bibliographies provides a general overview of Tolstoy’s works.
• This article from Britannica provides a thorough biography of Tolstoy’s life.

2. One of the most prominent themes explored in Russian literature is the social hierarchy of classes, a theme that in part relates to the abolishment of the landowning system, known as serfdom, in Russia during the 19th century. Research and answer the following questions: What was serfdom? How was serfdom in Russia structured? What were some of the effects of its abolishment on Russian society?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question contextualizes the words “master and man” as they relate to the two main characters of the story within the Russian serfdom system. Students should use their research and analytical skills to identify the most important information regarding the structure and abolishment of serfdom in their answers. Provide students with the links below to direct their research.

• This student-created Boston University web page provides a compilation of websites and research on peasant life under serfdom.
• This article from History Today discusses the effects of the dissolution of serfdom on Russian Society.

Short Activity

Leo Tolstoy was one of many Russian authors who wove social commentary into their works. Working in small groups, research one Russian author (other than Tolstoy) who used their writings to critique Russian society. Provide a short biography of the author’s life, a brief list of their works, as well as some of the themes they incorporated into their literature. Share your findings with the class.

Teaching Suggestion: This short activity contextualizes Tolstoy’s writings in relation to other famous authors in Russian literature. It can be done either as homework or as a short timed activity within class. Students may do their own research on the authors and themes or use the links below to prompt their thinking.

• This list from the website Pantheon provides a brief overview of 10 well-known Russian writers.
• This article from Britannica discusses some of the major authors and prominent themes within Russian literature.