The Concept of Human Education in the Works of L. N. Tolstoy: A Pedagogical and Psychological Analysis

Abstract

The article analyzes the concept of human education in the works of Leo Tolstoy from pedagogical and psychological perspectives. The aim of the study is to identify the stages of moral formation in the writer’s works What Men Live By, The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Youth, and Master and Man, and to scientifically explain the role of love, compassion, and conscience in the educational process. Methodologically, the research applies a comparative-analytical approach, pedagogical-psychological interpretation of the literary text, and characterological analysis of the protagonists. The analysis demonstrates that Tolstoy interprets human education not merely as the transmission of knowledge but as the awakening of inner moral potential. The writer presents the human life path—from childhood to death—as a continuous process of moral development and emphasizes that true human value is embodied in conscience and compassion, regardless of social status. The study concludes that Tolstoy’s humanistic worldview possesses significant theoretical and practical relevance for modern pedagogy and psychology and serves as a conceptual model defining the main directions of moral education.