Two Hussars

Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 129K words
Chapters: 13

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Kaksi husaaria by graf Leo TolstoyAuthor: Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910,Language: Finnish, Class: PG: Language and Literatures: Slavic (including Russian), Languages and Literature, Release Date: Dec 12, 2016

Editor's review

This is the Finnish translation of Tolstoy's early novella Two Hussars, released free by Project Gutenberg. Contrasting hussars from two different eras, the work presents ideals of honor, love, and generational difference in military life, with Tolstoyan moral scrutiny and finely observed psychology; though brief, it already hints at the concern with human nature and ethics that marks his later long fiction. This public-domain electronic edition is suitable as supplementary reading for understanding the early phase of Tolstoy's career. Because the text is in Finnish, readers need corresponding language ability; those without Finnish can use it only as material for textual or translation studies. Readers are advised to first learn about nineteenth-century Russian hussar culture, then focus on the clash of values between the two generations, and to read it alongside Tolstoy's other military-themed works to trace the evolution of his thought.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with Finnish reading ability who want to explore Tolstoy's early novellas
Literature students studying the military themes of Tolstoy's early career
Digital readers who collect public-domain foreign-language ebooks and follow Project Gutenberg resources
Military history enthusiasts interested in nineteenth-century Russian hussar culture

Not a good fit for

General readers with no Finnish who expect a Chinese translation
Readers who only want Tolstoy's major long works such as War and Peace
Scholars who need a fully annotated scholarly edition with a comprehensive introduction

Reading tips

First read a Chinese summary of a Tolstoy military-themed work to set expectations before reading the original
Take brief notes along the character contrasts to distinguish the values of the two generations of hussars
After a full read, return to key dialogue passages to appreciate the restraint of the psychological portrayal
Read alongside other early Tolstoy short works to observe the continuity of his moral themes

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a Chinese edition?

No. The main text of this Project Gutenberg edition is in Finnish; it is a free public-domain ebook, with title and author information retained from the original edition. Chinese readers need Finnish reading ability to read the main text directly.

Can I still use this book without any Finnish?

To a limited extent. It can serve as material for textual or translation studies, for example checking chapter structure against a Chinese translation; it can also be used to understand the form of Project Gutenberg's foreign-language public-domain resources, but it is not recommended as an entry point for reading Tolstoy at length.

How does this book relate to Tolstoy's long novels?

It belongs to Tolstoy's early novella output, with themes of military life and character psychology that continue into the concern with morality, honor, and human relationships in his later long fiction, but its length and scope are smaller, so it is best read as a supplement rather than a substitute for the long novels.

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About the author

Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910 Author

Leo Tolstoy (Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910) is a highly important writer in the history of Russian literature. Public information about his nationality and exact dates of birth and death is limited; the library records only his name, the number of his works, and representative titles. The library holds 81 of his works, with representative titles including Anna Karenina and War and Peace (Sota ja rauha). These titles show that he excelled at presenting characters' fates and inner conflicts against broad social panoramas, with calm narration and a reflective quality, while questions of family, morality, and the course of history run throughout. His works have been translated into many languages and have a lasting readership and wide influence.