Master and Man

"The thought that he might, and very probably would die that night occurred to him, but did not seem particularly unpleasant or dreadful." Master and Man is the haunting tale of a landowner and his servant caught in a snowstorm, where survival hinges not on status but on sacrifice. As the cold deepens and death looms, Tolstoy strips away social pretenses to reveal the redemptive power of selflessness. Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) was a Russian novelist, philosopher, and social reformer, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of all time. He is best known for his epic novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, both celebrated for their intricate character development and profound exploration of moral dilemmas and human nature. In his later years, Tolstoy experienced a spiritual awakening which led him to reject materialism and embrace a life of simplicity, seeking to align his life with his beliefs about nonviolence and compassion. Tolstoy‘s legacy endures not only through his literary masterpieces but also through his profound impact on literature and philosophy.