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This is the famous mowing scene, one of Tolstoy\'s greatest
set pieces. You probably remember that a set piece is a very
theatrical scene presented in minute detail. In the mowing
scene you come to understand Levin\'s complex and rich
relationship with his land and the peasants who work for him.
Levin not only works with the peasants side by side, but he
learns from them, admires their stamina, skill, and natural
grace.
You can read the mowing scene as expressing everything Levin
had wished to say to Sergey but couldn\'t, because to articulate
his feelings would have been to intellectualize them, to rob
them of \"heart.\" Sergey has a driving need to describe, Levin to
experience. Although Sergey may appear better able to share his
thoughts and feelings with others, this doesn\'t mean his
thoughts are any deeper than Levin\'s. Levin (and Tolstoy) would
have you believe they are more shallow.
Savor the mowing scene. It has some of the most wonderfully
descriptive language to be found in any of Tolstoy\'s work. And
it\'s a rare sort of scene, for it\'s an unusual writer who really
knows how to mow a field. And a rarer one still who can make
his readers yearn to scythe as well.
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