The Three Hermits

WRITTEN BY LEO TOLSTOY

 About the Author
Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy or Leo Tolstoy was born from an aristocratic
family in Russia on 1828. Regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time.
He received nominations for the Nobel Prize in Literature every year from
1902 to 1906. He also got nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901, 1902,
and 1909.

In the 1870s, Tolstoy experienced a profound moral crisis, followed by what

he regarded as an equally profound spiritual awakening. His literal
interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on
the Mount, caused him to become a fervent Christian anarchist and pacifist.
About the Work The Three Hermits was written in
1885 by Leo Tolstoy then published
in 1886. It appeared in a short-story
collection called Twenty-Three
Tales which was translated in
English.

It also shows Leo Tolstoy and his

different views against the
Orthodox Church of his time.
 Bishop
He was on a pilgrimage but he
Characters /
heard about the three hermits
and decided to seek them out to Character Web
teach them about the true
doctrine and show them true
faith.

The three hermits

Three religious men who live in
isolation. They are a hundred
years old, wear tattered clothes,
and show no signs of having the
seven deadly sins
 Fisherman
Characters /
He tells the story about the three
hermits to the crew and tells the
Character Web
bishop about them as well.

Ship Captain
He assists the bishop in getting
to the small island where the
three hermits are.
10 major events in the story
1. 'Do not let me disturb you, friends,' said the
Bishop. 'I came to hear what this good man was
saying.'

'The fisherman was telling us about the hermits,'

replied one, a tradesman, rather bolder than the
rest.

2.'I should like to see these hermits,' said the Bishop.

'Could I not be rowed ashore?'

The captain tried to dissuade him.

 10 major events in the story
3. The men pulled at their oars, and the boat moved rapidly
towards the island. When they came within a stone's throw
they saw three old men: a tall one with only a mat tied
round his waist: a shorter one in a tattered peasant coat,
and a very old one bent with age and wearing an old
cassock -- all three standing hand in hand.

4. 'I have heard,' he said, 'that you, godly men, live here
saving your own souls, and praying to our Lord Christ for
your fellow men. I, an unworthy servant of Christ, am called,
by God's mercy, to keep and teach His flock. I wished to see
you, servants of God, and to do what I can to teach you,
also.'
 10 major events in the story
5. 'Which art in heaven,' continued the Bishop.
The first hermit repeated, 'Which art in heaven,' but the
second blundered over the words, and the tall hermit
could not say them properly. His hair had grown over his
mouth so that he could not speak plainly. The very old
hermit, having no teeth, also mumbled indistinctly.

6. The Bishop did not leave off till he had taught them the
whole of the Lord's prayer so that they could not only
repeat it after him, but could say it by themselves.
 10 major events in the story
7. As soon as the Bishop had reached the vessel and got
on board, the anchor was weighed and the sails unfurled.
The wind filled them, and the ship sailed away, and the
Bishop took a seat in the stern and watched the island
they had left.

8. So the Bishop sat, thinking, and gazing at the sea

where the island had disappeared. And the moonlight
flickered before his eyes, sparkling, now here, now there,
upon the waves. Suddenly he saw something white and
shining, on the bright path which the moon cast across
the sea.
 10 major events in the story
9. 'Oh Lord! The hermits are running after us on the water
as though it were dry land!'

The passengers hearing him, jumped up, and crowded to

the stern. They saw the hermits coming along hand in
hand, and the two outer ones beckoning the ship to stop.

10. 'We have forgotten your teaching, servant of God. As

long as we kept repeating it we remembered, but when
we stopped saying it for a time, a word dropped out, and
now it has all gone to pieces. We can remember nothing
of it. Teach us again.'
Elements of the story
Setting
The sea, ship vessel and the small island

Point of View
Third person point of view

Conflict : Man vs Himself

Whenever the three hermits stop reciting the
prayer, they forget everything taught to them.
 Figures of Speech

IRONY

Despite the bishop working under the name of God, he realized the
three hermits were holier than him in their faith and devotion to God.
It was not about the prayer but the thought and meaning behind
them.
 Symbolism
The Bishop The Three Hermits

He symbolizes the idea of . outcasts of

society. What he practiced
was considered the norm
and he teaches it to the
three hermits.
They symbolize
society and people who do
not follow the ways of
society. They follow their
own ways in showing
devotion to God.
Quotable Statements
'We do not know how to serve
God. We only serve and
support ourselves, servant of
God.'

'Your own prayer will reach the

Lord, men of God. It is not for me to
teach you. Pray for us sinners.
Themes
Religion, faith, superiority over
how to show devotion to God
and humility.
Cultural Implications
The short story highlights Tolstoy's
struggles in his faith and the
teachings of the Russian Orthodox
Church. The story also shows how
Leo Tolstoy disagreed with the
Russian Orthodox Church and
showed a different way of faith.
Implication of the title
The title refers to the three unnamed
hermits, living in isolation with each
other in prayer and contemplation for
the prayer of their souls.
Thank You