Nikolai Semenovich Lescov

Nikolai Semyonovich Leskov (1831-1895) was born in western Russia to a relatively poor family. At the age of fifteen, he began working at the recruitment office in Kiev, where he read extensively, gaining extensive knowledge on various subjects, particularly Orthodox theology. In Kiev, he met and married Olga Vasilievna Smirnova, the daughter of a merchant. They had two children, but later Olga was admitted to a psychiatric clinic. In 1857, Leskov and his family moved to northeastern Russia, where he began working for his British uncle's company, traveling across the country. However, after three years, the company went bankrupt, and Leskov embarked on a new career as a journalist, first in Kiev and later in St. Petersburg, where he published his first novel titled "No Way Out" (1863). In 1864, two years after separating from Olga, Leskov met Ekaterina Bubnova, with whom he had a third child, Andrei. The following year, he wrote his most famous work, "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk," which inspired Shostakovich's opera (1934). He was a highly prolific writer, but his works often did not resonate with the public. In 1875, disillusioned by the literary and political world's indifference to his works and facing issues from his unofficial marriage, he left Russia for a visit to Paris. There, he experienced a spiritual crisis that turned him against the Orthodox Church. He began developing a form of spiritual Christianity similar to that of Tolstoy, whom he greatly admired. He separated from Bubnova in an attempt to lead a celibate life. His criticisms of the Orthodox Church sparked new controversies and rejections. Towards the end of his life, Leskov became increasingly disheartened by both the treatment he received and the moral state of the Russian people. He vividly described the wretched conditions on the large estates of Tsarist Russia, the debauchery that characterized the lives of many aristocrats, and the superstitions of the Russian people. His notable works include "The Enchanted Wanderer," "The Sealed Angel," "The Steel Flea," "The Cathedral Clergy," and "The Left-Handed Craftsman."