Analytical comparison of the life stages of Father Sergius and Sheikh Sanan in works by Tolstoy and Attar
The paper provides a thematic comparison between the unfinished novella «Father Sergius» by Tolstoy and the poem «Sheikh Sanan» by Attar. It considers the different stages of the characters’ lives and their evolution from the outside perfection to the inside perfection. In the society’s view, Father Sergius and Sheikh Sanan are perfect humans, but they abandon everything and embark on seeking the truth. The present paper looks into the reasons for these two people’s evolution and analyzes the similarities and differences between these two stories. Besides, it compares Tolstoy’s and Attar’s views of the perfect human and the obstacles on his search for perfection.