In 1898, Tolstoy wrote in a Letter on Suicide that “suicide is immoral.” He vehemently condemned the act, describing it as unreasonable and wrong. However, in his earlier books, such as War and Peace and Anna Karenina, Tolstoy treats suicide, along with mortality in general, as an extremely important topic that affects many characters. Although Tolstoy may have spoken against suicide in his later work, the author clearly understood its reality and importance in society; he then chose to depict it in Anna Karenina with Anna Karenina, Constantine Levin and Alexei Vronsky, and in War and Peace with Natasha Rostov and Helene Kuragin. Tolstoy does not condemn the suicides as immoral or irrational, but instead, in most cases, portrays the characters very sympathetically. More importantly, Tolstoy shows us what characteristics make people able to deal with situations that would lead other people to suicide. He describes suicide as an unfortunate last resort for those without family support and strong religious values. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In both of his great novels, Tolstoy uses a sympathetic narrator, who sees both good and evil in all the characters. Suicide is no exception to this approach, and although Tolstoy may have condemned it later in life, he depicts important suicidal characters in a very understandable light. Anna's suicide is surrounded by a feeling of sympathy, as she finally does something independently. She made this choice on her own and has no one to guide her or help her. Throughout the suicide scene, she is surrounded by many passers-by who peer at her: “again they looked at her face and shouted something in unnatural voices” (Anna Karenina 883). This description brings the reader closer to Anna, as if he too was being scrutinized; in this way Anna's feelings become cathartic and suicide seems like an understandable end to her situation. With Natasha's suicide attempt, sympathy emerges in her recovery phase. Tolstoy portrays Natasha through her feelings of guilt and slow forgiveness, and helps the reader understand why suicide might have seemed like a solution. Her failed attempt leaves her seriously ill, and it is through this phase of recovery that Natasha elicits the reader's sympathy. Her character is slowly changing: she goes from being an innocent young girl to a mature and understanding woman, who understands the values ​​of marriage and religion. This process also causes sympathy, as we see the difficulty he has in forgiving himself. Tolstoy also describes this theme of understanding by having her husband, Andrei, forgive her on his deathbed. His action amplifies the importance of his past actions, and thus makes suicide seem like an understandable option. Along with his sympathetic portraits, Tolstoy shows us what might have driven some characters to suicide. A first lens to consider is that of Christianity. Anna's suicide and Natasha's attempted suicide are the result of events that can be compared to the fall of Adam and Eve. This comparison can be made since their unfortunate events occur when both characters seemed to have achieved some degree of satisfaction in their lives. As in the case of Adam and Eve, their decisions and the consequences that followed them are extremely negative and can therefore be called "fall" sequences. In interpretations of the Christian narrative, many theologians disagree as to whether Adam and Eve's temptation toward the fruit of the “tree of knowledge ofgood and evil” (Genesis 2:9) has caused problems for our world or has actually helped humanity prosper. Jacob Boehme, a 16th-century Christian theologian, summarizes one side of the debate by describing the fall as “horrific, deplorable, and miserable.” In fact, many believe it was a total tragedy for all of humanity. However, others consider the fall actually “lucky”. These theologians see the fall as a blessing and a step forward in humanity's progress. They argue that the fall guarantees the incarnation of God in Christ and the eventual elevation of man to an even greater paradise, and is therefore a good thing. These two different interpretations can be seen in the contrast between the fates of the two characters. The falls of Anna and Natasha, as reinterpretations of the same biblical event, are extremely similar in many respects. Anna's fall occurs in the first part of Anna Karenina during the ball scene. In this episode, Anna dances with Vronsky, a man she was immediately attracted to. However, she is already married to Karenin. Natasha's fall occurs during chapter 5 of part 9 of War and Peace, at work. Here, Helene tries to befriend Natasha and takes her under her wing. He directs her to his brother Anatole and charms her into believing that he is extremely interested in her. Natasha succumbs to their tricks, even though she is also married. Both Anna's and Natasha's falls occur during important events in Russian society. Anna has already met Vronsky at the train station, but it is at the ball that she is really attracted to him (Annna Karenina 96). Likewise, Anatole flirts with Natasha at the opera, becoming a fully tangible love interest for the first time. A second similar component is the audacity of the suitors. In fact, Anna asks Vronsky to leave her alone, but he instead follows her to St. Petersburg, saying that he will be wherever she is (Annna Karenina 119). Natasha is struck by Anatole's very direct language and involvement with her. When she confronts him by telling him that she is married, Anatolius disregards this reservation, claiming that he cannot control his love and that he is hopelessly in love with her (War and Peace 611). On this same note, both women first feel satisfied with the attention they receive, but that happiness is followed almost immediately by guilt and a rationalization of their actions. While at the ball, Anna feels a “joyful light come on in her eyes” every time Vronsky speaks to her (Annna Karenina 97). Furthermore, “he seemed to be trying to hold back these signs of joy, but they appeared on his face by themselves” (Annna Karenina 97). However, as she leaves the ball, Anna describes herself as “evil,” but justifies her impulses by telling herself that she “really had no fault, or only very little” (Annna Karenina 114). Even when Anna is on the train home, she feels “the feeling of shame” becoming stronger thinking about Vronsky, but once again she justifies it by thinking that their relationship had nothing “different from that with other acquaintances” (Annna Karenina 618 ). The same pattern can be seen in Natasha. At first, she seems "pleased to see that [Anatole] was fascinated by her and it hadn't occurred to her that there was anything wrong with that" (War and Peace 603). However, not long after, “she continually felt that in speaking to him she was doing something improper” (War and Peace 603). Her justification for her actions comes after the play, when she reflects on what happened to her: “Nothing! I didn't do anything, I didn't deceive him at all. No one will know and I will never see him again” (War and Peace 605). This rationalization and non-guilt can be seen as a response to vulnerability. In fact, both forAnna that for Natasha, these events happen when each woman is in a very vulnerable position in her life. Anna hasn't been to a ball in a while, as she now lives in St. Petersburg with her husband. She only comes to the ball because Kitty invites her and wants Anna to be there for her grand entrance into society. As for Natasha, this is her first time in the opera, as seen in the external description of the opera as comical and strange. Natasha is vulnerable not only because she has never been in this environment, but also because she was waiting in the countryside for her husband Andrei. All of this makes both characters susceptible to being seduced. Another component also present in both falls is the breadth of terms associated with the body and physical pleasure. Anna wears "a low-cut black velvet dress that leaves her shoulders and breasts exposed" (Anna Karenina 95). Similarly, Natasha has her "bare arms and neck" exposed and notices "women with gems on their bare flesh" (War and Peace 596, 598). Tolstoy's descriptions characterize every fall as something that has nothing romantic about it, but is rather completely based on physical attractiveness. The final element that connects both falls is the influence of a parental figure is less evident with Anna, but can still be inferred from her interaction with Vronsky's mother. The two women meet on the train from St. Petersburg to Moscow and bond immediately. The older woman talks a lot about her son and is very eager for Anna to meet. As for Natasha, her father accompanies her to the opera and pushes her to interact with Anatole. It's unclear whether she knows what she's getting her daughter into, but she definitely has a big influence on her behavior. Similarities, Anna and Natasha's falls are unmistakably similar. The difference between the two is in the consequences. Anna and Natasha's lives end differently due to the elements surrounding these women. One of these essential components is the presence or absence of the family. In Anna's case what should be noted is the absence of her family. In fact, when she returns to St. Petersburg and finds her husband again, “she meets his fixed and tired gaze, her heart contracts painfully with a sort of unpleasant sensation, as if she expected to find him different. She was particularly struck by the feeling of discontent” (Anna Karenina 124). She is also surprised by the reality that he is her son. Although she misses him a lot while he is in Moscow, she feels very strange about him when he returns home. He is not as she remembered him and “she had imagined him prettier than he actually was” (Anna Karenina 128). Towards the end, her son also claims that he can no longer recognize his mother, creating even more distance between them. It seems that Anna misses the presence of a close family. Initially, this is resolved by Vronsky's new presence in her life. However, this also diminishes with time as she feels that as her appearance is compromised by age, Vronsky must like her less and less. Furthermore, when Anna decides to commit suicide, she goes to visit her brother Stiva and his wife Dolly, to "tell them frankly, I'm unhappy, I deserve it, it's all my fault, but I'm unhappy anyway". , please help me” (Anna Karenina 871). When he gets there, however, Kitty is there too. Vronsky was originally supposed to marry Kitty and she fears that he regrets not pursuing this relationship. Anna is afraid to face her and, feeling even more threatened and alone, decides not to say anything to Dolly. If Kitty had not been at Dolly's house at that time, Anna probably would have told her everything and her fate would have been different. It is this lack of family communication and this feeling of loneliness that pushes her closer to suicide. In contrast, Natasha's family is essential in helping her recover from the fall. One of the most important charactersin this sense it is Sonia. Sonia does not want the Rostov family to be dishonored by Natasha's actions, and therefore stands by her side until Natasha forgives herself. This gesture is contrary to Natasha's wish, who begs Sonia to leave her alone: ​​“Go away! Go away!" (War and Peace 628). When Natasha attempts suicide by taking poison, she wakes up in the morning to find Sonia at her bedside, ready to console her and help her. Natasha's mother is also important in her recovery: this woman elder is very close to her throughout the book and her attitude does not change, even though Natasha feels she has dishonored the family. This stable presence is essential to help Natasha feel better and not feel like she has done something unforgivable and family support therefore serve as a factor that helps Natasha deal with her fall, while his absence served to push Anna to suicide. Another important element to note is the presence of God in her life one writer, wrote that “suicide led directly to the question of the existence of God” and it seems that Tolstoy was grappling with the same idea. The question of God and religious faith emerges extensively in both novels, but especially in the questions of death and suicide. In Anna's case, the lack of spirituality and relationship with God pushes her to suicide. Without any family support, she has nothing left but life to help her. Anna realizes that she needs God to help her in her situation, but this realization comes too late. It was while she was on the tracks and preparing for her fate that «she tried to get up, to throw herself back, but something huge and implacable hit her on the head and dragged her onto her back. "Lord, forgive me everything!" was crying” (Anna Karenina 884). If she had sought help from God earlier, or if she had had some religious beliefs during her life, she would have potentially been able to save herself and have found a better way to deal with her fall. This saving action of God can be seen in Natasha's action case. Although Natasha already receives help from her family's support, it is only when she seeks God and attends church that she truly feels better. When he goes to church, he has a “sense of the possibility of correcting his defects, of the possibility of a new, clean and happy life” (War and Peace 704). Tolstoy also adds that “it seemed to her that God had heard her prayer” (War and Peace 709). Therefore, the presence of God and a religious belief seems to be another element that can help recover after a fall. Three other characters in particular help put these elements into perspective. These individuals are more complicated cases, but each in their own way fits into this thesis that family support and religious faith can prevent suicide. The first of these characters is Helene in War and Peace. It is not explicitly said whether Helene commits suicide or not, but her fate (death from an overdose due to an attempted abortion) is linked to her absence of faith and family. Helene is less present than the two main characters mentioned above, but she is portrayed enough for the two characteristics to emerge through her actions and thoughts. Towards the middle of the book, Helene gets married to Pierre, even though she doesn't particularly like him and isn't very attracted to him. Given these inclinations, she cheats on him several times with various people, such as Dolokhov and Boris. She also does not behave like what would be considered a "good" wife, as very early in the marriage she tells Pierre that she does not want to have children with him. Therefore, she receives no support from Pierre, who does not even show her much affection. He challenges Dolokhov to a duel, but does so to prove himself, rather than out of jealousy or love for Helene. Also, Helene isvery close to her brothers, but given the potential incest that occurred between them, their relationship is extremely ambiguous and not based on care or protection. In addition to that, none of the family members are religious or believe in religion. God. Towards the end of her life, Helene converts to Catholicism, goes to church, and even donates to the church. But she doesn't do it for the "right" reasons, but rather because she hopes that the Pope will annul her union with Pierre, allowing her to remarry. Helene has led a life far from God and family values, and her fate in the book reflects that lifestyle. Another useful character is Levin in Anna Karenina. Although Levin never attempts to commit suicide, it is important to consider as he thinks about suicide and the meaning of life in many cases. Levin is a character who, like Natasha, finds peace and meaning in life through family and spirituality. Levin begins to think about suicide especially towards the end of the novel. Paradoxically, it is then that he gets everything he wants: a wife, a child and, in general, a happy life. Although his thoughts are serious, suicide itself is not a real option because his family is extremely important to him. In fact, he loves Kitty and, even though they argue a lot, he is deeply grateful to her and is happy to have her in his life. This feeling is amplified when Kitty gives birth to their son. Levin is also constantly searching for the meaning of life and his place in the world. Although he is not religious at first and actually considers himself a non-believer, Levin wonders what is the best way for him to be a good man. He tries a variety of options, such as farming or studying, but none seem to work for him. He has many interactions with spirituality, particularly at his marriage, his brother's deathbed, and the birth of his son, but it is only at the end of the book that Levin comes to terms with it. It is through an old farmer that Levin understands the place and role of God, and that “we must live for justice, for God” (Anna Karenina 915). It therefore seems that the search for spirituality and the discovery of God help him to face his life. Through that investigation, and with the help of the family, Levin is able to address issues that could have potentially led to suicide. The last character who deals with suicide and related issues is Vronsky in Anna Karenina. Vronksy is an interesting character because his situation involves a certain degree of family support, but related to an absence of faith. Vronsky commits suicide when Anna is giving birth to her second child and has dreamed that she will die in childbirth. During the birth, Vronsky meets Anna's husband, Karenin, who informs him that he has forgiven Anna. This news, along with the prospect of Anna dying, drives Vronsky to a state of stress and desperation, forcing him to turn a gun on himself. He simply injures himself and his attempt is quickly overcome. However, this incident can also be linked to the characteristics of family and faith. In the absence of faith, it seems that Vronsky has no choice but to attempt suicide. However, because he has the thought of his family with him, his actions do not lead to what he was looking for. He is committing suicide mainly out of fear that Anna will die and his love for her has recently become stronger. Anna is also giving birth to her daughter. The love he has for his family seems to be what saves him from death. His lack of faith is not strong enough to balance him in the opposite direction. He is not religious, but has nothing against faith in particular. He simply never considered himself a follower of God. These two elements combined lead to a pitiful suicide attempt, which ends up hurting him only slightly..