Returns to Moscow

After returning to Moscow, Leo Tolstoy hoped to stabilize his life and recover from his earlier missteps in St. Petersburg. However, the allure of city life and his compulsive habits proved difficult to resist. His gambling continued, deepening his financial troubles. To manage his spiraling debts, he resorted to logging his ancestral forests and even pawning personal possessions, including his watch. Though he longed to lead a virtuous and meaningful life, Tolstoy often found himself trapped in cycles of indulgence, marked by nights of drinking and gambling. These years were filled with internal conflict, as his moral aspirations clashed with the reality of his choices. In 1852, seeking purpose and a fresh start, Tolstoy joined the Russian army. He was stationed in the Caucasus alongside his brother, a move that introduced him to both the stark beauty and brutal violence of frontier life. This period marked the beginning of his writing career, as he began working on his first major piece, Childhood, a semi-autobiographical exploration of innocence and memory. By 1854, now transferred to Sevastopol amidst the Crimean War, he penned Boyhood, continuing the narrative of his early life. The army years would profoundly shape Tolstoy's worldview, exposing him to the horrors of war and deepening the introspective currents that would define his later masterpieces. #Tolstoy #RussianLiterature #LifeOfTolstoy #WritersJourney #MomentsOfLife #MoofLife_Moment #MoofLife