The Heart Is the Starting Point of All Greatness

The Heart Is the Starting Point of All Greatness

Lives of the Great Men is unlike ordinary biographical writing, and even more unlike the countless fleeting versions of celebrity autobiographies that fill the world. Beethoven, Michelangelo, and Tolstoy each possess their own greatness, but only under the pen of a master like Romain Rolland can that greatness shine forth in full clarity. If these three giants are the brightest stars in the sky of humanity, then Rolland is the helmsman who, with genius, links them into a constellation to guide our way. As biography, Lives of the Great Men does indeed describe the lives of Beethoven, Michelangelo, and Tolstoy, but these descriptions serve mainly as groundwork for revealing the grandeur of their spirits. Each person is shaped by his experiences, yet those experiences are also shadows cast into the worldly realm by the inner life. The heart is the starting point of all greatness. Great figures are great because of their souls and spirits. In the mundane world, they too cannot escape the trivialities that burden ordinary people: sensitivity, irritability, cowardice, obstinacy... These may also be the marks left on them by earthly life. An overly delicate attention to biography might even diminish the radiance of their spiritual world. Only a master like Romain Rolland could strike the proportion between spirit and life so perfectly, bringing the greatness of these giants vividly to light.

Of the three, Tolstoy receives the most extensive treatment, perhaps because the works of Beethoven and Michelangelo are presented to the world in abstract forms. Whether music, painting, or sculpture, they are difficult to fully assess through words. Thus, Rolland focuses more on describing and praising the greatness of their spirits. Tolstoy, by contrast, left behind many works in the form of language itself, which naturally opens more space for commentary. And unlike Beethoven and Michelangelo, Tolstoy was not defined by mastery of a single craft. The stories and ideas in his writing span many realms, each of them worthy of discussion.

In the book, Rolland writes with deep emotion: “There is only one true heroism in the world: to see the world as it is, and to love it.” What is the truth of life? It is certainly not something that can be made fully clear in a single sentence. It can only be understood through brief moments of happiness and long stretches of pain and torment, through being tossed about by the caprice of fate. And yet, no matter what one has endured, to go on living with one’s original passion intact—this is true heroism, and the true beginning of greatness. Beethoven lost his hearing and declared that he would seize fate by the throat. Michelangelo suffered poor fortune and was repeatedly asked to undertake work he had never done before, yet he continued to labor tirelessly according to his gifts. Tolstoy, after reaching the summit of literary achievement, turned instead to questions of education, faith, and many other themes, moved by deep compassion for humanity. They were not kings, yet they possessed hearts greater than any king’s. They belonged to different fields and different ages, yet all shone with the highest brilliance of the human individual. The significance of Lives of the Great Men is not merely that it records the lives of great people, but that through their courage and strength in facing life, it inspires others, enabling people to confront whatever fate may bring.

As Rolland says, “Great souls are like lofty mountains. Winds buffet them, clouds envelop them, but one breathes more freely and with greater strength there than elsewhere. The pure air washes away the stains of the soul; and when the clouds part, the mountain stands in majesty over mankind.” And again: “I do not say that ordinary humanity can live upon those heights, but at least once a year they should go there to pay homage. There, they may change the air in their lungs and the blood in their veins. There, they will feel themselves nearer to eternity. Afterwards, when they return to the vast plain of life, their hearts will be filled with courage for the daily struggle.” I believe that even hundreds of years from now, people will still be able to draw from Lives of the Great Men the courage needed for daily battle—no matter what kind of life they face. And that, precisely, is the greatest contribution a great soul can make to humanity.