A summary of Leo Tolstoy’s "Youth" Automatic translate

Leo Tolstoy’s autobiographical novella was written in 1857. It meticulously describes the inner experiences of a sixteen-year-old boy searching for strict moral guidance during the difficult period of adolescence. The plot focuses on the protagonist’s student years and his interactions with his inner circle in Moscow.

This book is the third installment in the series. It follows the stories " Childhood " and " Boyhood ." This work logically concludes Nikolai Irtenyev’s coming-of-age story.

Spring dreams and rules of life

It’s the sixteenth spring of Nikolai Irtenyev’s life. The young man is busily preparing for his imminent entry into the mathematics department at Moscow University. The spring awakening of nature evokes a powerful surge of elevated emotions in Nikolenka. The main insight of this period is the realization of the need for strict moral self-improvement. The young man starts a separate notebook, calling it "Rules of Life." In it, Nikolai meticulously records his direct responsibilities to himself, his family, society, and God. He makes a firm vow to strictly follow these strict rules every day.

His friendship with the student Dmitry Nekhlyudov actively supports Irtenyev’s sincere pursuit of the ideal. Nekhlyudov is distinguished by his crystal-clear moral principles. He becomes an unconditional role model for Nikolai, who blindly follows him. The young men engage in long philosophical conversations, eagerly sharing their most intimate thoughts. The friends swear a sacred oath to always be completely frank with each other. Irtenyev sincerely idolizes his older friend. He sees in Nekhlyudov an unattainable standard of spiritual purity and true aristocratic nobility.

Spiritual cleansing and secret sin

On Holy Wednesday before Easter, a gray-haired monk and spiritual father arrives at the Irtenyevs’ Moscow home. Nikolai confesses with a deep sense of sincere repentance. The young man clearly feels the complete cleansing of his tormented soul. However, late at night, he suddenly recalls a shameful act he committed long ago. Nikolai had deliberately concealed this grave sin during confession out of simple fear.

Unable to sleep peacefully, the young man hurries to the monastery early in the morning. He wants to confess again to the astonished priest. This bold step brings him a feeling of absolute spiritual harmony. The cab ride to the monastery through Moscow on a spring morning fills Irtenyev with indescribable delight. He sincerely believes in his own immense strength and his bright future.

Entering University and the Attributes of Adulthood

Nikolai passes all his entrance exams with flying colors. His family feted him as a fully independent and mature man. His father ceremoniously assigns him a personal coachman, Kuzma, a carriage, and a spirited bay horse named Krasavchik. Feeling like a fully fledged student, Nikolai immediately heads to Kuznetsky Most. There, he makes a slew of completely unnecessary purchases. He acquires various expensive trinkets, a smoking pipe, and Zhukov’s strong tobacco.

An attempt to embrace the false trappings of adulthood ends in physical failure. Returning home, Irtenyev presumptuously tries smoking a new pipe. Predictably, this causes severe nausea and terrible physical weakness. His brother Volodya and Dmitry Nekhlyudov find him in a very sorry state. This comical episode vividly demonstrates the absurdity of the naive desire to appear older and more experienced than one’s sixteen years. Nikolai takes this minor defeat hard, but quickly finds solace in conversation with his trusted friends.

Country summer and family changes

In the summer, the large family moves to a village near Moscow. Nikolai thoroughly enjoys the local nature. He reads a lot of French novels, vividly imagining himself as their protagonist. The young man desperately dreams of sublime love and the accomplishment of great heroic deeds. In his wild fantasies, he sees himself as an invincible commander or a noble knight-errant.

During this same carefree summer, Nikolai’s father begins visiting his neighbors, the Epifanovs, with suspicious frequency. Volodya, the older brother, leads a typical high-society lifestyle. He openly pursues local girls and regularly plays cards with the neighbors. Nikolenka secretly envies his older brother’s freedom and ease. He tries, clumsily, to imitate his laid-back manner.

In winter, their father unexpectedly announces his firm intention to marry Avdotya Vasilyevna Epifanova. This shocking news evokes very complex emotions in the Irtenyev brothers. Volodya views the upcoming marriage with a touch of irony. Nikolai is consumed by burning jealousy. He completely fails to understand how their father can dare to love anyone after the tragic death of their birth mother.

The Stepmother and Growing Alienation

After a lavish wedding, Avdotya Vasilyevna moves into the Irtenyevs’ Moscow home. Relations between the new stepmother and her stepsons are extremely tense. Avdotya Vasilyevna tries her best to appear young and attractive. She frequently and loudly lashes out, demanding the constant attention of her weary husband.

The stepmother finds it impossible to connect with her grown children. Her clumsy attempts to establish her strict authority in the home provoke a deep but intense resentment in Nikolai. His father gradually becomes disillusioned with his new, hasty marriage. He becomes more irritable and emotionally distant. The family atmosphere at home forever loses its former warmth. Nikolai increasingly seeks the faint solace of outside the home, immersing himself in the noisy university environment.

Student environment and false values

As he begins his intensive studies at the university, Irtenyev’s idealistic notions collide painfully with harsh reality. Nikolai finds himself in the company of wealthy, aristocratic youth. He becomes closely acquainted with Prince Ivan Ivanovich, his brother’s friend Dubkov, and other representatives of the capital’s high society. The young man quickly adopts their arrogant snobbery. Nikolai begins to strictly divide people into those comme il faut — the decent — and everyone else. He arrogantly classifies as dishonest those who wear cheap, poor clothes, don’t speak fluent French, and lack the graceful manners of a salon.

Under the corrupting influence of his new social acquaintances, Irtenyev begins to systematically neglect his university studies. He completely abandons his formerly strict moral principles. The student actively participates in drunken revelries. He frequents expensive restaurants and gambles recklessly. At one restaurant, Nikolai cowardly surrenders to the rude officer Kolpikov. This unpleasant incident deeply wounds the young man’s pride.

Nikolai’s behavior deeply upsets the loyal Dmitry Nekhlyudov. His friend tries in vain to reason with his errant younger comrade. Frequent and bitter disagreements arise between them. Irtenyev is greatly irritated by Nekhlyudov’s cold, straightforward manner. The young man arrogantly believes Dmitry to be too upright and downright boring for the glittering world of high society.

Exams and bitter remorse

Before his spring exams, Nikolai tries to make up for lost time. He becomes close to Zukhin, an intelligent but poor student. Irtenyev is surprised to discover a world of simple and hardworking commoners. However, there’s a catastrophic lack of time for proper preparation. Nikolai’s idle lifestyle leads to a predictable and shameful end.

On his very first course exam in higher mathematics, he suffers a crushing defeat. The strict examiners ask simple questions, to which the careless student can’t utter a single word. The professors coldly give him failing grades. Nikolai experiences deep and searing shame. Failure on the exam means the complete collapse of all his ambitious plans.

Left alone, Irtenyev analyzes in detail the reasons for his precipitous decline. He locks himself in his room, lost in dark and oppressive thoughts. Late in the evening, he accidentally finds his abandoned notebook with the faded inscription "Rules of Life." Reading his former naive notes brings hot tears of sincere remorse to the young man.

He clearly and distinctly realizes how far he has strayed from his bright youthful ideals. Nikolai has succumbed to petty vanity and false secular values. The young man takes a clean notebook and begins to rewrite his rules. He firmly resolves never to break them again. The student apologizes to Nekhlyudov. They completely restore their broken friendship. Nikolai understands the true meaning of growing up. It lies in persistently working on one’s own soul. With this, the first half of Nikolai Irtenyev’s youth logically concludes.