Ethics of L.N. Tolstoy in the context of popular culture of the 19th century: folk literature and moral education (by case study of the Posrednik publishing house)

The article analyzes the situation of moral and aesthetic confrontation between the popular literature of the 19th century, namely the public cheap popular editions, and the “folk stories” of L.N. Tolstoy. It is noted that the “folk stories” of the writer had to reach a wide audience. They were created in order to extend the ethical views of Tolstoy as well as the people’s moral education. The study deals with the activities of the Posrednik publishing house which was conceived by L.N. Tolstoy and his disciples as a connector between the intellectuals and the general reader. The authors define that the Posrednik publishing house was not a successful commercial project, as its publications did not attract considerable folk audiences. The latter were not ready for works created not just to entertain but to describe the moral and religious issues.