Sophia Tolstaya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sophia Andreyevna Tolstaya
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| Со́фья Андре́евна Толста́я | |
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| Born |
Sophia Andreyevna Behrs
22 August 1844 Northwestern Administrative Okrug, Russia
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| Died | 4 November 1919 (aged 75) Yasnaya Polyana, Tula Governorate, Soviet Russia
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| Nationality | Russian |
| Other names | Sophia Tolstoy, Sonya Tolstoy, Sofia Tolstoy |
| Occupation | Diarist, copyist |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 13 |
Countess Sophia Andreyevna Tolstaya (born Behrs; Russian: Со́фья Андре́евна Толста́я), also known as Sofia Tolstoy or Sonya Tolstoy, was a Russian diarist. She was born on August 22, 1844, and passed away on November 4, 1919. Sophia is best known as the wife of the famous Russian writer, Count Leo Tolstoy. She played a big role in his life and work.
Contents
Sophia's Early Life and Marriage
Sophia Behrs was one of three daughters. Her father, Andrey Evstafievich Behrs, was a German physician. Her mother, Liubov Alexandrovna Islavina, was Russian. Sophia's great-grandfather, Count Pyotr Zavadovsky, was Russia's first Minister of Education.
Sophia first met Leo Tolstoy in 1862. She was 18 years old at the time. Tolstoy was 34, which made him 16 years older than her. They became officially engaged on September 17, 1862. Just one week later, they got married in Moscow.
When they married, Leo Tolstoy was already a well-known writer. He had published his novel The Cossacks. Before their wedding, Tolstoy asked Sophia to read his personal diaries. This was so she could learn about his past life.
Life with a Famous Writer
Sophia and Leo Tolstoy had a large family. She was pregnant 16 times, and 13 of their children were born. Eight of their children lived past childhood. As her husband became more interested in spiritual ideas, Sophia took charge of managing their family estate.
Sophia was also a very important helper for Leo Tolstoy's writing. She worked as a copyist for his famous novel, War and Peace. She copied and edited the entire manuscript seven times. She did this at home, often at night by candlelight. She used an inkwell pen and sometimes needed a magnifying glass to read his notes.
Sophia's Hobbies and Writings
In 1887, Sophia became very interested in photography. She had learned photography when she was 16 years old. She took over 1,000 photographs. These pictures showed her daily life, including moments with Tolstoy. They also captured scenes from the Russian Empire as it changed.
Sophia was also a dedicated diarist. She wrote down her experiences and feelings about her life with Leo Tolstoy. Her diaries were later published in English in the 1980s. She also wrote her own memoirs, which she titled My Life.
Challenges and Later Years
The marriage between Sophia and Leo Tolstoy was quite famous, but also known for its difficulties. Their children sometimes took sides in their disagreements. Their daughter Alexandra supported her father. Their son Leo Junior often sided with his mother.
Sophia found it hard to deal with Leo Tolstoy's growing focus on spiritual matters. She felt he was neglecting their family life. They often argued about Tolstoy's wish to give away all his personal property.
In 1910, Leo Tolstoy, at 82 years old, suddenly left Sophia. He went with their daughter Alexandra and his doctor. He left after Sophia was looking through his study. She was worried he wanted to change his will. Leo Tolstoy passed away 10 days later. Sophia was not allowed to be with him during his final moments.
After her husband's death, Sophia continued to live at Yasnaya Polyana. She lived through the Russian Revolution in relative peace. She died on November 4, 1919.
Sophia's Published Works
Many of Sophia Tolstaya's writings were published after her death. Some of her literary works were published more than a century after she wrote them. This was partly because her writings sometimes criticized Leo Tolstoy. The Russian authorities did not want to damage the famous author's reputation.
List of Publications
- The Countess Tolstoy's Later Diary 1891-1897 (London, Victor Gollancz, 1929) - translated by Alexander Werth
- Autobiography of Sophie Andreevna Tolstoi online at archive.org
- The Memoirs of Sofia Tolstoy, which she titled My Life – at University of Ottawa Press
- Whose Fault? (Russian: Чья вина?), published in Russian in 1994. German Translation: Eine Frage der Schuld, Zürich 2008. English translation: Sophia Tolstoy's rebuttal of her husband Leo's accusations, The Edwin Bellen Press, New York 2010
- Song without Words (Russian: Песня без слов), not published in Russia. German Translation: Lied ohne Worte, Zürich 2010.
- Cathy Porter (tr), The Diaries of Sophia Tolstoy (London: HarperCollins, 2010).
See also
In Spanish: Sofía Behrs para niños
