“He who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”
Chapter 1: The Fall of Prince Kasatsky
Prince Stepan Kasatsky is a proud and ambitious young officer in the Russian Imperial Guard. Engaged to the beautiful Countess Mary Korotkova, he discovers on the eve of their wedding that she was once the mistress of Tsar Nicholas I. Shattered by this betrayal, he abandons his military career and social status, seeking redemption in a monastery.
Chapter 2: Monastic Life and Struggle
Kasatsky becomes Father Sergius, a devout monk known for his strict asceticism. Despite his efforts, he struggles with pride and lust. He isolates himself in a hermitage, gaining fame for his piety. However, when a seductive woman, Makovkina, visits him, he resists temptation by mutilating his own finger.
Chapter 3: The Crisis of Faith
Years pass, and Father Sergius becomes disillusioned with monastic life, realizing his pride has replaced true humility. He leaves the monastery and wanders as a pilgrim. After encountering a simple peasant woman, Pashenka, he sees genuine faith in her humble life, contrasting with his own spiritual emptiness.
Chapter 4: Redemption in Humility
Father Sergius finally abandons his religious title and lives as a wandering beggar. Arrested and exiled to Siberia, he finds peace in manual labor and anonymity. In his final years, he embraces true humility, no longer seeking recognition, and dies in obscurity, having finally attained spiritual freedom.
Key Ideas
- The destructive nature of pride and vanity.
- The struggle between ascetic discipline and human weakness.
- The illusion of holiness in religious formalism.
- True humility as the path to spiritual redemption.
- The contrast between societal prestige and inner peace.
Who should read this book?
- Readers interested in moral and spiritual dilemmas.
- Those exploring Tolstoy’s later philosophical works.
- Individuals questioning the meaning of faith and humility.