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Three Questions By Leo Tolstoy Analysis

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The short story “Three Questions”, by Leo Tolstoy, depicts the adventure of a king seeking answers to things he does not know; “…the right time to begin everything; if he knew the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid; above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do…” (Tolstoy). In order to find the answers he desires, he journeys to a hermit living in the woods. Whilst interacting with the hermit, an enemy of the king approaches, clearly injured. The king and the hermit save the man’s life, and he is eternally grateful and vows his loyalty to the king. The hermit then points out to the king, that the answers he has been searching for, have been in front of him the entire time. It is common for a short story to contain …show more content…

Again, the king tries to get answers from the hermit. This time is different, the hermit responds to the king, telling him that the questions have already been answered. The king is baffled by this response; and the wise hermit educates the king answering his first question, what is the most important time? “Remember then: there is only one time that is important—Now!” (Tolstoy) In regard to the second question, who in the most important man? “The most necessary man is he with whom you are…” (Tolstoy) and finally the third question, what is most important to do? “…the most important affair is, to do him good…” (Tolstoy) The hermit proves his point to the king, through two examples; he informed the king “If you had not pitied my weakness yesterday, and had not dug those beds for me, but had gone your way, that man would have attacked you…” (Tolstoy) He explained to the king how the most important time, was when he was digging; and that the most important person was the hermit; and finally that the most important thing was doing the hermit good. In order to prove his point, he reiterates his response, but adapts the answers to another example; when the wounded man showed up. “the most important time was when you were attending to him, for if you had not bound up his wounds he would have died without having made peace with you.”

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