Tolstoy's masterpieces, War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1877), are considered pinnacles of realist fiction. War and Peace vividly portrays Russian society during the Napoleonic Wars, while Anna Karenina explores love, family, and faith through its tragic heroine.
In his later years, Tolstoy underwent a profound spiritual crisis that transformed his worldview. He embraced a form of Christianity emphasizing nonviolence, simplicity, and universal love, which deeply influenced figures such as Mahatma Gandhi. His later works, including The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Resurrection, reflect these moral and philosophical concerns, while his essay What Is Art? questioned the purpose of art itself.
Tolstoy died in 1910 at a small railway station after leaving his estate in search of a simple life. His literary genius and ethical philosophy continue to inspire readers across the world, securing his place among the most influential writers in history.