Rereading the classics: Tolstoy's "Caucasian Captive" - a short summary and problems of the work

Leo Tolstoy is in vain considered a strictly serious, "adult" writer. In addition to War and Peace, Voskresenya and other complicated works, he wrote a series of stories and stories for children, developed the Azbuku, which taught the reading and writing of peasant children. The story "The Prisoner of the Caucasus" is part of it and enjoys constant interest in all generations of girls and boys from the end of the 19th century to this day.

Genre and place of work in the writer's work

"The Caucasian captive" Tolstoy, a brief summary of which we now consider, the researchers call a small story or a big story. Confusion in the genre nature of the work is associated with its non-standard sizes, a large number of characters, several plot lines and conflicts. The author himself defined it as "byl", i.e. A narrative about really happened deeds and events. The story takes place in the Caucasus, during the war with the mountaineers. It is worth noting that the topic on this for the writer was not complete, and Tolstoy's "Caucasian Captive" (the summary follows below) is not the only work connected with it. "Cossacks" and "Hadji Murad" are also devoted to the description of military clashes, the peculiarities of relationships between people of different cultures and nationalities and contain many interesting observations and colorful sketches. The story was printed in 1872, in the journal Zarya. From Soviet times to this day, it is included in the school curricula of most former Soviet republics.

History of creation

What is the "Caucasian prisoner" of Tolstoy? Its brief content can be correlated with the real events of which Tolstoy became a participant. He himself served in the Caucasus, was a member of the hostilities and once almost fell into captivity. Miraculously survived Lev Nikolaevich and his friend Sado, a Chechen by nationality. The sensations they experienced during the adventure, and formed the basis of the story. As for the name, some literary associations are associated with it. In particular, with the southern romantic poem of Pushkin. True, Tolstoy's "The Caucasian Captive" (the brief content of the story gives a complete idea of the method of writing) refers to realistic works, but the corresponding "exotic" coloring in it is clearly felt. I would like to note another such detail. Tolstoy attached great importance to the story, because It was a sample of his new prose, a kind of experiment in the field of language and style. Therefore, sending the work of criticism to Nikolai Strakhov, he asked him to pay attention to this side of the work.

The plot and heroes

So, what did Tolstoy tell us ("The Prisoner of the Caucasus")? The summary of the story can be reduced to several storylines. A poor Russian officer Zhilin, who is serving in a remote fortress, receives a letter from an old mother with a request to come and stay, to see him. After asking for a vacation, he goes along with the train. Another officer, Kostylin, is traveling with Zhilin. Since the train is slow moving, the road is long, and the day is hot, friends decide not to wait for escorts and to overcome the rest of the way on their own. Kostylina has a gun, horses under both are good, and even if they are caught by the mountaineers, they will be able to avoid a skirmish. However, because of the Kostylino oversight and cowardice, officers are taken prisoner. Their behavior in extreme situations gives a vivid idea of the nature and type of personality of each. Kostylin is externally heavily and equally apathetic, sluggish internally. After getting into trouble, he resigns himself to circumstances, sleeps or grumbles, complains. When the Tatars demand to write a request for redemption, the hero fulfills all the conditions. He is passive, phlegmatic, devoid of any enterprise. A completely different matter is Zhilin. He obviously sympathizes with Tolstoy. "The Prisoner of the Caucasus" (the short content allows us to disclose the meaning of the title) is therefore named in the singular, that this character is the main character, the real hero. Not wishing to burden his mother with debts, Zhilin signs the letter incorrectly, conquers the authority of the residents of the aul and respect, finds a common language with the girl Dina, and twice organizes the escape. He does not lose courage, struggles with circumstances, does not abandon a comrade. Voluntary, energetic, enterprising, courageous, Zhilin achieves his. With this, it is not terrible to go into reconnaissance. This is a reliable person, a simple Russian character, which were always close and interesting to the writer.

It is in the charisma of Zhilin's personality, the fascination of the plot, the simplicity and laconism of the language that lies behind the secret of the immense popularity of the story.