Скачать или смотреть Why Leo Tolstoy Said Shakespeare Was Subpar?

William Shakespeare is often called the greatest writer in history.
Leo Tolstoy strongly disagreed.

In this documentary, we explore why one of the world’s greatest novelists openly dismissed Shakespeare’s works as overrated, unrealistic, and morally empty. In his 1906 essay On Shakespeare, Tolstoy challenged centuries of literary admiration and questioned whether Shakespeare truly deserved his global reputation.

This video examines Tolstoy’s core arguments: his belief that art must serve a moral purpose, his rejection of Shakespeare’s characters and language, and his claim that Shakespeare’s fame was artificially sustained by tradition and critics rather than genuine merit.

More than a literary dispute, this was a clash between two philosophies of art.
Should art reflect life as it is — or guide humanity toward what it ought to be?

Understanding this disagreement reveals how ideas of “greatness” are shaped by values, culture, and time.

If you found this exploration insightful, please like the video — it helps The History Vault reach more people who care about serious history.
And subscribe to The History Vault for more deep dives into history’s greatest thinkers, debates, and ideas.

Hashtags

#LeoTolstoy #Shakespeare #LiteraryHistory #HistoryOfIdeas #PhilosophyOfArt #Writers #Documentary #TheHistoryVault