L. Tolstoy "Prisoner of the Caucasus": description, characters, analysis of the work

UMK ed. B. A. Lanina. Literature (5-9)

Literature

L.N. Tolstoy "Prisoner of the Caucasus". Analysis of the work

Tolstoy and his friend Sado accompanied the convoy to the Grozny fortress, but moved very slowly. Getting bored, the friends decided to overtake the convoy and go a little faster. Having become separated from the others, the young people were ambushed by the Chechens. This story would have ended much worse if the Chechens had not planned to take their comrades alive and did not shoot. The horses under Lev and Sado were fast and were able to gallop away from the enemy. Unfortunately, one of the horsemen accompanying the convoy suffered a injury to a young officer whose horse was shot. The animal fell and crushed the young man with its body, and the Chechens who arrived chopped the horseman into pieces. The event that took place sank into the heart of the writer, and in 1872 the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus” was first published in the magazine “Zarya”.

The main idea of ​​the story is a vivid contrast between a brave, intelligent and optimistic man and his comrade - a passive man, self-pitying, quick to give up and lethargic. One hero remains a man in any situation, tries to find a way out of a terrible situation and, in the end, achieves his goal - he is freed from captivity. The second character surrenders immediately as soon as he is captured, and only a miracle helps him escape from captivity barely alive. Moral of the piece: you should never give up, we create the desired future only with our own hands.

"Prisoner of the Caucasus". Summary

The events of “Prisoner of the Caucasus” take place during the Caucasian War (1817-1864; military actions of the Russian Imperial Army associated with the annexation of the North Caucasus regions). Officer Zhilin receives a letter from his mother, in which the woman calls him home. You can’t just go out alone - you can easily get ambushed, so Zhilin goes home, accompanying the convoy along the way. Another officer, Kostylin, is traveling with him. The convoy travels slowly, with stops, the day is hot, and Zhilin invites his fellow traveler to go alone, unaccompanied.

Having barely left the convoy, the young people meet the mountaineers. Kostylin abandons his comrade and leaves, and Zhilin is captured. Having brought the prisoner to the village, one Tatar sells Zhilin to another - Abdul-Murat - now the Russian officer belongs to another “master”. Later it turns out that Kostylin was also captured. Zhilin bargains for himself the right to eat decently, live with his fellow sufferer and be free from the stocks at night.

The Tatars do not plan to kill the Russians - they demand that the officers write letters home demanding a ransom for them. Kostylin writes a letter demanding payment of five thousand rubles, but Zhilin specifically writes the wrong address so that the letter definitely does not reach his mother. He understands that the elderly woman does not have that much money and if she tries to collect the ransom, she will be completely ruined.

During the day, prisoners are allowed to go outside, although they can only move in stocks. Kostylin prefers to sit and complain about life or sleep, while Zhilin spends time in the fresh air, making dolls for children. Thanks to his talent, the officer establishes almost friendly relations with Abdul-Murat's thirteen-year-old daughter, Dina. The girl is afraid of the prisoner, but at the same time she is interested in him. She happily plays with his dolls and even secretly brings him milk and cakes. Meanwhile, Zhilin not only helps the Tatars fix things and makes toys for the children, but also looks around, planning his escape.

For some time that the officers live with the Tatars, Zhilin wins the favor of some of his “masters”. He is constantly making something, fixing it, and one day Abdul-Murat admits to him that if it weren’t for the money he paid for the Russian, he would have kept Zhilin for himself. Meanwhile, Zhilin dug himself a way to escape. One day the Tatars arrived at their village in a bad mood - they killed their comrade. Many mountaineers are angry with the Russians and say that the prisoners should also be killed. Zhilin understands that he needs to escape, and persuades Kostylin to decide to escape with him.

Kostylin hesitates for a long time to run, but in the end agrees. The prisoners wander for a long time in the dark over the stones, strangers' boots, donated by the Tatars, prevent them from walking, and the young men are forced to walk barefoot. Exhausted, with their legs cut from stones, they continue to move towards their own, but Kostylin falls further and further behind. Internally, Zhilin understands that alone he would move much faster, but he cannot leave his comrade. When Kostylin is completely unbearable, Zhilin carries him on his back.

However, in the forest the fugitives meet one of the highlanders, who quickly calls for help - and the officers again become prisoners. Now all the Tatars are angry with the Russians, and the men are thrown into a pit. They are fed only unbaked dough, the pads are no longer removed, and they say that they need to be killed. Abdul-Murat is still resisting public opinion - he still likes Zhilin a little, and money was paid for him. Now conditions have been set: if there is no ransom in two weeks, the officers will be killed. If there is another escape, the same sad fate awaits the young prisoners.

Among all the angry Tatars, only little Dina treats Zhilin well. She continues to bring him cakes, and soon tells him that the Russians are approaching the village and the Tatars want to get rid of the prisoners without waiting for a ransom. Kostylin finally despairs, whines incessantly and falls ill.

Zhilin understands that now only Dina can help him, and asks the girl to bring him a long pole. He believes that the girl does not have enough courage, but one night she brings a stick and lowers it into the pit among the prisoners. Realizing that last time they were caught by the Tatars only because of Kostylin, Zhilin still invites his comrade in misfortune to escape with him. But Kostylin is so disheartened that he can hardly turn over, and there can be no talk of escaping.

Dina helps Zhilin get out of the pit, gives him some flatbread for the journey and bids him farewell in tears. Exhausted, in stocks, the officer with great difficulty gets to his own people, in the end almost falling into another ambush by the Tatars. After some time, Kostylin is also released - the Tatars receive a ransom for him and release him. However, by this time the captive Kostylin was almost dying.

The questions and tasks presented in the notebook correspond to the content of the textbook included in the “Algorithm for Success” system (authors: B.A. Lanin, L.Yu. Ustinova, V.M. Shamchikova) taking into account the structure of state certifications OGE and Unified State Exam. The educational material is accompanied by colorful illustrations, which make it possible to intensify work on the development of students' speech. Corresponds to the federal state educational standard of basic general education (2010).

Main characters

Zhilin

Zhilin is a character of amazing qualities. He is honest, fair and courageous. The officer treats his subordinates with respect (when leaving the fortress, he gives “vacation pay” to the soldiers, says a heartfelt farewell to his comrades), his family and even his “masters” - enemies. He is obstinate, but at the same time he is decisive, smart and calculating. He uses every minute wisely: he doesn’t just walk around the yard in captivity, but tries to make friendly connections, remembers the area, learns the local language, and navigates the night sky. While in captivity, he not only “brings down” his ransom from three thousand to five hundred rubles, but also bargains for clothes, freedom from stocks at night, and accommodation with a friend. Zhilin does not sit idle, but repairs and makes dolls, and even pretends that he knows how to heal.

Zhilin is captured due to the cowardice of his partner, but he does not blame the other officer. Despite the fact that escape is possible only thanks to Zhilin’s hard work (it is he who does the digging and learns to navigate the terrain), the hero does not abandon his “comrade” in difficult times and persuades him to escape together. In the forest, when Kostylin completely loses his strength, Zhilin also does not abandon him, and during the second escape he continues to encourage and persuade him to make a second attempt to break free.

The Russian officer Zhilin is a hero who remains noble to everyone until the end.

Kostylin

Kostylin is an officer, comes from a wealthy family, overweight, weak both morally and physically. Due to his cowardly escape during an attack by the highlanders, the Tatars capture both officers. Kostylin humbly accepts the living conditions in captivity, constantly feels sorry for himself and hopes only for a ransom. The man's moral poverty also wears away his physical strength - he falls ill not from the wounds he receives, but from the fact that he gave up long ago.

Having received a second chance to escape, Kostylin still does not dare to fight for his freedom again. As a result, thanks to the ransom received, Kostylin leaves captivity, although he himself is already almost dying.

Officer Kostylin is a cowardly and vile character, unable to find the strength to resist the enemy and fight for his own life. His weak will and cowardice become not only the reason for the capture of Russian officers, but also the failure of the joint escape. Thus, Kostylin not only worsens his situation, but also complicates the path to saving another person.

Zhilin and Kostylin. Hero Analysis

“Prisoner of the Caucasus” L.N. Tolstoy is built on comparison and contrast of two central characters. Zhilin and Kostylin are antagonists not only in appearance, but also in character.

Appearance

Zhilin corresponds to his own surname - lean, muscular; dexterous and resilient.

Kostylin also “gets” his last name for a reason - but, unfortunately, he is not a crutch-helper for others, on the contrary, he interferes with healthy, strong people, they do not need him. Kostylin is a man in body, overweight and clumsy.

Wealth level

Kostylin is rich; his relatives can pay a ransom of five thousand rubles for the officer.

Zhilin does not have rich relatives (or he does not want to contact them). He only has a mother, for whom five hundred rubles for ransom is an unaffordable sum.

"Fighting spirit

Zhilin looks at any situation optimistically and, even after being captured by the mountaineers, immediately decides that he will be able to escape from his “masters.”

Kostylin resigns himself to the fate of the prisoner and does nothing to improve his situation.

Behavior in captivity

Despite the fact that the officers are in captivity and awaiting ransom (and Zhilin is secretly preparing an escape), Zhilin still finds something to do every day - he makes dolls for children, repairs various things, and does handicrafts.

Kostylin devotes all his time to sleep and complaints about life.

Behavior in an emergency

As soon as the Tatars attack the officers, Kostylin immediately abandons his partner and tries to escape.

Zhilin, despite the meanness of his comrade, not only takes him with him during the escape, but also drags the officer along when he can no longer walk. During the second escape, Zhilin also calls a prisoner with him.

The meaning of the title of the story by L.N. Tolstoy "Prisoner of the Caucasus"

In his work L.N. Tolstoy acts as a narrator, telling the story of a man who was brave in heart and strong in spirit. His parable proves that man is the creator of his own happiness, and each of us gets what he deserves.

Title of the story by L.N. Tolstoy is a reference to the poem by A.S. Pushkin with the same name. However, in addition to some general motifs, Tolstoy’s “Prisoner of the Caucasus” has its own deep meaning. Moreover, the meaning of the phrase “prisoner of the Caucasus” can be considered from several angles.

The first meaning, the most obvious: a Caucasian prisoner is any captive person. In this case, this is an officer who was captured in the Caucasus.

The second meaning of the name “Prisoner of the Caucasus” lies in the character of Kostylin - he is captive of the Caucasus and the prevailing circumstances. He was and will remain a prisoner at his core, since he does nothing to become free, to improve his situation, to fight for life.

Zhilin is also a prisoner of the Caucasus, but not only because he was captured, but also because he cannot “break out” from the Caucasus. He had an attempt to go to his mother and, perhaps, find a bride in his native place and stay there. But he is captured and returns to the fortress again, thinking that, apparently, the Caucasus is his destiny.

The highlanders themselves are prisoners. They cannot give up their native land to strangers, they have to fight for freedom and kill people - even those they like. Even Dina, a kind little girl, is forced to submit to the power of her family and continue to live as is customary in her village.

All the characters in the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, in fact, are prisoners of the Caucasus - each in their own way, but captivated by the mountains and circumstances, despite their personal characteristics and character.

Afanasyeva Anastasia

This scientific work provides evidence that the story of L.N. Tolstoy's "Prisoner of the Caucasus" can safely be called "the book of life."

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Municipal educational institution

"Lyceum No. 4"

Section “My main books of life”

“Prisoner of the Caucasus” by L. N. Tolstoy -

my main book of life

5th grade student

Municipal educational institution "Lyceum No. 4" Saratov

Scientific supervisor: Abakumenko S. V.,

Teacher of Russian language and literature

Saratov, 2010

Introduction…………………………………………………………….2

Chapter I “Prisoner of the Caucasus” by L. N. Tolstoy - the book of life.........3

1. “People's Thought” in the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus”…..3
2. Features of human relationships in the story………4

Conclusion……………………………………………………………..7

Literature……………………………………………………………...8

APPENDIX………………………………………………………………..……….9

Introduction

In the history of Russian culture there are many names of outstanding figures, scientists, thinkers, artists, writers who constitute the glory and pride of the nation. Among them, one of the most honorable places rightfully belongs to Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, the great creator who created immortal images and characters that remain relevant today. This is also the image of the “Caucasian captive” - a person of high morality.

In general, in the 19th century, the Caucasus was an emblematic space of freedom, of unrestricted spiritual movement, as opposed to the conventionally constrained world of “civilization.” We noticed that in Tolstoy’s prose the Caucasus began to become overgrown with details of everyday life, details of relationships, and trifles of everyday life.

So, in the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus” Tolstoy wants to say the main thing - the truth, the truth about a person and about the place of this person in society, and in a society that is alien to him, completely alien. This topic does not lose its relevance for several centuries now.

Goal of the work consist in tracking and explaining the reasons for the formation and development of the characters of the characters in the story, their morality.

We are faced with the following tasks:

1. analyze L. N. Tolstoy’s story “Prisoner of the Caucasus”;

2. highlight the distinctive features of each of the heroes;

3. determine what the moral value of “Prisoner of the Caucasus” is.

Object The study focuses on the character of the hero as a bearer of morality and moral values.

Subject research directly becomes the literary text itself - “Prisoner of the Caucasus”.

Chapter 1

“Prisoner of the Caucasus” by L. N. Tolstoy- the book of life

1. “People's Thought” in the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus”

“Prisoner of the Caucasus” is the last work in the “Russian Reading Book”. In a letter to N.N. Strakhov, the writer called this story his best work, because, in his opinion, it was here that he was able to most naturally use the best artistic means of folk poetics.

Leo Tolstoy worked on it in 1872, persistently striving for simplicity and naturalness of the narrative; the work was written during a period of acute reflection of the writer about life, the search for its meaning. Here, as in his great epic, the disunity and enmity of people, “war” is contrasted with what binds them together – “peace”. And here there is a “folk thought” - the assertion that ordinary people of different nationalities can find mutual understanding, because universal moral values ​​are common - love of work, respect for people, friendship, honesty, mutual assistance. And on the contrary, evil, hostility, selfishness, self-interest are inherently anti-people and anti-human. Tolstoy is convinced that “the most beautiful thing in a person is love for people, which gives the opportunity to live a full life. Love is hindered by various kinds of social foundations, ossified national barriers, protected by the state and giving rise to false values: the desire for rank, wealth, career - everything that seems familiar and normal to people.” .

Therefore, Tolstoy turns to children who have not yet been “spoiled” by social and national abnormal relations. He wants to tell them the truth, teach them to distinguish good from evil, help them follow goodness. He creates a work where the beautiful is clearly distinguished from the ugly, a work that is extremely simple and clear and at the same time deep and significant, like a parable. “Tolstoy is proud of this story. This is wonderful prose - calm, there are no decorations in it, and there is not even what is called psychological analysis. Human interests collide, and we sympathize with Zhilin - a good person, and what we know about him is enough for us, and he himself doesn’t want to know much about himself.” .

The plot of the story is simple and clear. The Russian officer Zhilin, who served in the Caucasus, where the war was going on at that time, goes on vacation and on the way is captured by the Tatars. He escapes from captivity, but unsuccessfully. The secondary escape is successful. Zhilin, pursued by the Tatars, escapes and returns to the military unit. The content of the story consists of the impressions and experiences of the hero. This makes the story emotional and exciting. The life of the Tatars and the nature of the Caucasus are revealed by the author realistically, through the perception of Zhilin. In Zhilin’s view, the Tatars are divided into kind, warm-hearted and those who are offended by the Russians and take revenge on them for the murder of relatives and the ruin of villages (old Tatar). Customs, life, and morals are depicted as the hero perceives them.

1. Features of human relationships in the story

It must be said that Tolstoy’s detailed, “everyday” description of events does not obscure the ugliness of human relationships. There is no romantic tension in his story.

“Prisoner of the Caucasus” by Tolstoy is a true story. Zhilin is captured by the Gentiles on completely legal grounds. He is an enemy, a warrior, and according to the customs of the highlanders, he can be captured and ransomed for him. The character of the main character corresponds to his surname; he is strong, persistent, and wiry. He has golden hands, in captivity he helped the mountaineers, repaired something, people even came to him for treatment. The author does not indicate his name, only that he is called Ivan, but this is what all Russian prisoners were called. Kostylin - as if on crutches, supports. But pay attention: in fact, Tolstoy has only one prisoner, as the title eloquently suggests, although there are two heroes in the story. Zhilin managed to escape from captivity, but Kostylin remained not only and not so much in Tatar captivity, but in captivity of his weakness, his selfishness.

Let us remember how helpless, how physically weak Kostylin turns out to be, how he hopes only for the ransom that his mother will send.

Zhilin, on the contrary, does not count on his mother, does not want to shift his difficulties onto her shoulders. He gets involved in the life of the Tatars, the village, constantly does something, knows how to win over even his enemies - he is strong in spirit. It is this idea that the author primarily wants to convey to readers.

The main technique of the story is opposition; The prisoners Zhilin and Kostylin are shown in contrast. Even their appearance is depicted in contrast. Zhilin is outwardly energetic and active. “He was a master of all kinds of needlework” , “Even though he was short in stature, he was brave” , - emphasizes the author. And in the appearance of Kostylin, L. Tolstoy brings to the fore unpleasant features: “the man is overweight, plump, sweating” . Not only Zhilin and Kostylin are shown in contrast, but also the life, customs, and people of the village. Residents are depicted as Zhilin sees them. The appearance of the old Tatar man emphasizes cruelty, hatred, malice: “the nose is hooked, like a hawk, and the eyes are gray, angry and there are no teeth - only two fangs” .

Kostylin is in double captivity, as we discussed above. The writer, drawing this image, says that without getting out of internal captivity, it is impossible to get out of external captivity.

But L.N. Tolstoy, an artist and a man, wanted Kostylin to evoke in the reader not anger and contempt, but pity and compassion. The author has similar feelings towards him, who sees every person as an individual, and the main way to change life is in self-improvement, and not in revolutions. Thus, in this story, L. N. Tolstoy’s favorite thoughts are affirmed, his knowledge of human psychology and the ability to depict the inner world and experience are manifested; the ability to clearly and simply draw a portrait of a hero, a landscape, the environment in which the heroes live.

The image of the Tatar girl Dina evokes the warmest sympathy. In Dina, traits of sincerity and spontaneity are noted. She squatted down and began to turn out the stone: “Yes, my hands are thin, like twigs, there is no strength whatsoever. Threw a stone and cried" . This little girl, obviously deprived of affection, constantly left unattended, reached out to the kind Zhilin, who treated her in a fatherly way.

“Prisoner of the Caucasus” is a realistic work in which the life of the mountaineers is vividly and vividly described and the nature of the Caucasus is depicted. It is written in accessible language, close to fairy tales. The story is told from the point of view of the narrator.

By the time he wrote the story, Tolstoy was finally convinced of the need to learn from the people their morality, their views on the world, simplicity and wisdom, the ability to “get used to” in any environment, to survive in any situation, without complaining and without shifting their troubles onto the shoulders of others. The writer at this time was completely occupied with public education, he wrote “The ABC” for peasant children, all the literary texts in which are simple, entertaining, and instructive. “The Prisoner of the Caucasus” is published in the 4th book of “Russian Children's Books for Reading,” that is, the story was written by Tolstoy specifically for children, and that is why it is so instructive.

We also conducted a survey among grades 5-7 (60 people) of our lyceum. The results of the survey are presented in the Appendix.

Conclusion

So, reading the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus” captivates the reader. Everyone sympathizes with Zhilin, despises Kostylin, and admires Dina. Emotionality of perception, the ability to empathize, even to the point of identifying oneself with one’s favorite characters, faith in the reality of what is happening in the story - these are the features of the perception of a literary work, but the reader must also develop, enrich his perception, learn to penetrate the thoughts of the writer, and experience aesthetic pleasure from reading. The moral issues of the story attract attention in order to understand Tolstoy’s ideal of a beautiful person.

In the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus,” L. Tolstoy solves the following problem: can people live in peace and friendship, what separates them and what connects them, is it possible to overcome the eternal enmity of people with each other? This leads to the second problem: are there qualities in a person that make the unity of people possible? Which people have these qualities and which do not, and why?

Both of these problems are not only quite accessible to readers, but also deeply relevant, because relationships of friendship and camaraderie occupy an increasingly important place in life.

Literature

1. Afanasyeva T.M., Tolstoy and childhood, M., 1978
2. Bulanov A.M., Philosophical and ethical quests in Russian literature of the 2nd half of the 19th century, M., 1991.
3. Voinova N.M., Russian literature of the 19th century, M., 2004.
4. Lomukov K.N. L. Tolstoy. Essay on life and creativity, M., 1984.
5. Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich // Brief literary encyclopedia.-vol.7.-M., 1972.
6. Khrapchenko M.B., Tolstoy as an artist, M., 2000
7. Shklovsky V. Leo Tolstoy.-M., 1963 – (ZhZL).

APPLICATION

1. Are you familiar with L.N. Tolstoy’s story “Prisoner of the Caucasus”?

“Yes, I know you” – 54 people.

“Heard something” – 5 people.

“Difficult to answer” – 1 person.

1. Do you remember who the main character of the story is?

“Yes, I remember” – 54 people.

“Difficult to answer” – 6 people.

1. What character traits, in your opinion, does the main character, Zhilin, have?

“Courage, Courage” – 45 people.

“Honesty, devotion, gratitude” – 31 people.

“Caring, kindness” – 22 people.

“Carefulness, foresight” – 14 people.

1. Do you think the image of the main character is a “folk character”?

“Yes, I think” – 48 people.

“Rather no than yes” – 8 people.

“No, this is not a “national character” - 4 people.

1. Do you consider the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus” to be a kind of book of life?

“Yes, I think” – 40 people.

“Rather no than yes” – 16 people.

“No” – 4 people.

Zhuravlev V.P., Korovina V.Ya., Korovin V.I. Literature. 5th grade. In 2 parts. Part 1. Enlightenment, 2007

Zhuravlev V.P., Korovina V.Ya., Korovin V.I. Literature. 5th grade. In 2 parts. Part 1. Enlightenment, 2007

Introduction

In the history of Russian literature there are such facts when writers of different directions and aesthetic positions turn to the same titles of their works. I was interested in three “Prisoners of the Caucasus” by A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, L.N. Tolstoy. Why do authors name their works the same? Maybe this indicates continuity between the works? Or maybe they are polemically opposed to each other?

Goal of the work: identify the features of the plot of A.S.’s poems Pushkin and M.Yu. Lermontov “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, story by L.N. Tolstoy "Prisoner of the Caucasus".

Tasks:

• Analysis of the plot of A.S. Pushkin’s poem “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, highlighting its structural elements;
• Determine the influence of Pushkin’s poem on the plot of M.Yu. Lermontov’s poem, finding common and different things in them;
• Study of the features of the Caucasian plot in the story of L.N. Tolstoy;
• Conduct a comparative analysis of three works.

Object of study- works by A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, L.N. Tolstoy “Prisoner of the Caucasus”.

Subject of study: plots of these works.

Practical significance: The work can be used in literature lessons, as well as in preparation for olympiads and the Unified State Exam in literature.

Research methods: comparison, juxtaposition.

Hypothesis: We believe that the implementation of the plot about the Caucasian captive completely depends on the author's concept and the literary movement to which the author belongs.

Poem by A. S. Pushkin “Prisoner of the Caucasus”

“Prisoner of the Caucasus” is a romantic poem by Pushkin, written by him during his southern exile in 1822. The author set himself the goal of reproducing the character of a young man of his time, dissatisfied with reality and seized by a thirst for freedom. The hero, who has neither a name nor a past, went to the Caucasus - the land of strong and freedom-loving people - to find the freedom of spirit he desired and needed, but was captured.

In the romantic poem, the epic line (the Caucasus, the exotic life of the highlanders, the arrival of Russian conquerors) is intertwined with the lyrical line (the love of a captive Russian and a Circassian woman). Highlanders are “natural” people who live in harmony with the world. A stranger to the wild world, the captive brings destruction to it: because of him, a young Circassian woman throws herself into the abyss of the sea.

It is in the poem by A. S. Pushkin that one can identify the main structural elements of the so-called Caucasian plot, which were transformed in the works of the same name by M. Yu. Lermontov and L. N. Tolstoy.

Basic plot elements:

• Russian in the Caucasus;
• he is amazed by the beauty of the area;
• disappointed hero;
• love story;
• motives for capture and escape.

Poem by M.Yu. Lermontov “Prisoner of the Caucasus”

His romantic poem M.Yu. Lermontov wrote in 1828, when he was only 14 years old. The poem was created under the strong influence of Pushkin's poem of the same name. It is clear that, by giving the same name to his work, the young poet consciously refers to the plot of the poem by A.S. Pushkin "Prisoner of the Caucasus". In his poem, he raises the same problems as his idol, showing the moral superiority of the “children of nature” over the “children of civilization.” To show that over time the problems raised by A.S. Pushkin, have not lost their relevance, Lermontov uses the technique of poetic roll call. Some of Pushkin’s poems were included in their entirety in the poem, others in slightly altered form.

The author of the poem is an aspiring poet, trying to give expression to his own moods, thoughts and feelings using someone else's material. By calling his poem this way, young Lermontov boldly strives to measure his strength with the greatest poet of our time, wants to tell the story that excited him and captured him in his own way, to convey it somehow in his own way. Lermontov did not imitate, did not copy, but assimilated from Pushkin’s experience that which could contribute to the expression of his own creative individuality.

General and different in poems

Both poems are romantic. Like A.S. Pushkin, Lermontov’s hero is nameless. There is a lot of Pushkin in the depiction of the captive; the hero is a lonely wanderer. It is not surprising that certain features, such as proud loneliness, mystery, and ardent passion, unite the heroes of the two poems:
And the shine of his eyes is cold.../...Feelings, passions,

Burnt in the eyes forever/Lurking like a lion in a cave/Deep in the heart...
Plot-wise, Lermontov’s “Prisoner of the Caucasus” is close to Pushkin’s work of the same name, but Lermontov has increased the number of characters and their characters are different. The prisoner is devoid of the traits of disappointment and satiety with life. The hero yearns for his homeland and freedom, seeks the support of friends. The Circassian woman has a more decisive character than Pushkin’s heroine; she demands the love of a captive.

In Pushkin’s poem, the captive invites the Circassian woman to leave with him:

“Oh my friend!” the Russian cried, “I am yours forever, I am yours until the grave.

Let’s both leave this terrible land./Run with me!”

The Circassian woman, knowing that he loves another, refuses to follow him and commits suicide. The prisoner happily leaves captivity.

Lermontov gives a completely different outcome. His heroine is a more decisive and courageous person. She says to the Russian:

“But you said / That you love, Russian, you are different.

Forget her, I’m ready / To run with you to the edge of the universe!

Forget her, love me / Your unchanging friend."

The prisoner cannot reciprocate her feelings. The Circassian woman helps him free himself from the chains, but the hero did not have to return to his homeland. The Circassian woman's father (a new character created by Lermontov) kills the fugitive. The daughter, like a Pushkin heroine, throws herself into the river and drowns. Her father is tormented by remorse, unable to find peace of mind.

We see that in his poem “Prisoner of the Caucasus,” the young poet is looking for new plot points and depicts the characters of the characters in his own way, although the main structural elements of the Caucasian plot remain Pushkin’s.

The story of L. N. Tolstoy “Prisoner of the Caucasus”

Tolstoy creates a realistic work with Pushkin’s title “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, starting from the same title, Tolstoy, as it were, declares his desire to write about the same thing in a new way.

“Prisoner of the Caucasus” by L.N. Tolstoy is a true story, the material for which was events from the life of the writer and stories he heard while serving in the Caucasus. The story was written in 1872 and is a realistic work.

We found out why Lermontov gave his youthful poem the title “Prisoner of the Caucasus.” But why does L.N. Tolstoy, almost half a century later, give his work the same name? Let's try to figure this out.

In the 60-70s, Tolstoy thought a lot about the true purpose of literature. An analysis of the critical literature on this work allows us to conclude that by the time L.N. Tolstoy himself began working on the story, he was finally convinced of the need to learn from the people their morality, their views on the world, simplicity and wisdom, the ability to “take root” in any situation, to survive in any situation, without complaining and without shifting your troubles onto the shoulders of others. The writer at this time was completely occupied with public education, he wrote “The ABC” for peasant children, all the literary texts in which are simple, entertaining, and instructive.

"Prisoner of the Caucasus" was originally published in the magazine "Zarya", intended exclusively for adults, and then placed in the 4th book of "Russian children's books for reading", that is, the story was written by Tolstoy specifically for children. Tolstoy addresses children who have not yet been “spoiled” by social and national abnormal relationships. He wants to tell us the truth, teach us to distinguish good from evil, help us follow goodness.

“The Prisoner of the Caucasus” by Leo Tolstoy is not just a story written specifically for children, and that is why it is so instructive. It was a sample of his new prose, a kind of experiment in the field of language and style. Therefore, sending criticism to Nikolai Strakhov of the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus” he wrote for children, Tolstoy explains: “This is an example of the techniques and language with which I write and will write for big ones.” This testimony of Leo Tolstoy is extremely remarkable. He, at that time already the famous author of “Sevastopol Stories”, “Cossacks”, “Childhood and Adolescence” and “War and Smir”, seemed to be learning to write again while working on a book for children. And at the same time he also claimed that he would write for adults in the same way, using the same “techniques of language.”

It is in order to emphasize the polemical nature of his position that Tolstoy gives his story the title “Prisoner of the Caucasus” - a title that evokes direct associations with the poems of Pushkin and Lermontov. With his story, he wanted to expose the “false” poetics of romanticism. In romantic literature, Tolstoy was irritated by many things: both the characters and the environment that surrounds them. Tolstoy highly valued Pushkin's prose and spoke negatively about his poems. It was surprising to read in Leo Tolstoy’s diary dated June 7, 1856, where he wrote: “Gypsies” are charming<...>, the rest of the poems, excluding Onegin, are terrible rubbish"

Comparative analysis of works

General

In his “Prisoner of the Caucasus,” L.N. Tolstoy leaves the main structural elements of the Caucasian plot intact:

· the Russian is captured by the highlanders;

· meets a Circassian/Tatar woman who brings him food;

· with her help he manages to escape. (In Lermontov’s poem, the hero was unable to reach his homeland: he was overtaken by a Circassian bullet).

But otherwise, Tolstoy’s story in all respects represents a complete antithesis to the other two “Prisoners of the Caucasus” by Pushkin and Lermontov.

Various

Subtitle

The very subtitle of the story (truth) contrasts the truthfully told story with romantic “fables”. It is known that the story is based on a real incident - an attack by highlanders on L.N. Tolstoy and four other officers who had become separated from the convoy.

Hero names

The heroes of both poems do not have names, with the exception of Girey, who delivered the prisoner to the village. (In Lermontov's poem). In Tolstoy’s story, all the main characters have names, and the main characters are given “speaking” surnames. (Zhilin and Kostylin)

Age

The characters of Pushkin and Lermontov are young men (typical of romantic poetry). Zhilin is an older man. We learn about this when we mention the old mother.

The reasons why the heroes ended up in the Caucasus

Pushkin's hero, disillusioned with the “unfaithful life” and “dreams of love,” goes to the Caucasus to find freedom there and is captured.

We know practically nothing about the motives for Lermontov’s hero’s stay in the Caucasus. Lermontov says that “in his native country” the captive “destroyed the holy hearts of hope.” But the reason that forced him to leave his father’s house is not named.

Zhilin serves in the Caucasus, sends money to his mother and plans to get married after leaving the service.

Thus, the romantic motives of escape from civilization and disappointment in love are opposed by rational and completely prosaic motives.

Capture

All three heroes are captured. Neither Pushkin nor Lermontov see the reasons why this happened. For them, the very fact of loss of freedom is important. Tolstoy tells in detail how and why this happened. Zhilin is captured by the Tatars, among other things, because it is important for him to emphasize: Kostylin’s cowardice is to blame.

The hero of Pushkin - Lermontov is captured by a lone warrior who drags his captives to the village on a lasso. The situation described by Tolstoy is more realistic. A whole detachment attacks Zhilin and Kostylin, and the bound Zhilin is placed on a horse. Tolstoy draws attention to the everydayness of the prisoner’s feelings. “Zhilin sits behind the Tatar, sways, rubs his face into the stinking Tatar back. All he sees in front of him is a hefty Tatar back, a sinewy neck, and the shaved back of his head turning blue under his hat.”

The description of the hero’s appearance is also emphatically unromantic: “Zilin’s head is broken, blood is caked above his eyes.” The heroes of the poems of Pushkin and Lermontov also suffered ( From Pushkin:“a cold and dumb captive, / with a disfigured head”;

From Lermontov:"pale face, washed in blood")

In captivity

The heroes of both poems, brought to the village, “lie in heavy oblivion” until noon. Zhilin, on the contrary, maintains clarity of thought throughout the entire journey and even tries to notice the road.

The behavior of the heroes in captivity is completely opposite. The heroes of the poems mainly contemplate what surrounds them and indulge in fruitless hopes.

(from Pushkin: “The night follows the night; / He longs for freedom in vain.". The prisoners in the poems are absolutely inactive: passionately dreaming of escape, they do nothing to achieve freedom.

In captivity, Zhilin is constantly busy with some kind of “handicraft” and at the first opportunity begins preparations for escape. It should be noted that in Tolstoy's story much attention is paid to the unromantic issue of ransom. In the poems of Pushkin and Lermontov this issue is not addressed at all.

All three characters observe the life of the mountaineers with interest. Tolstoy debunks the romantic idea of ​​the “free sons of the Caucasus,” showing readers that the Tatars are the most ordinary people.

In Pushkin, the “hopeless captive” often climbs the mountain near the village, where “magnificent pictures” open before him: “Thrones of eternal snow, / Their peaks seemed to the eyes / A motionless chain of clouds, / And in their circle there was a two-headed colossus, / in a crown of shining ice, / Elbrus was huge, majestic, / White in the blue sky.”. Zhilin also climbs the mountain and sees the same landscape: “There is another mountain from the village, even steeper; and behind that mountain there is another mountain. Between the mountains the forest turns blue, and there are more mountains - rising higher and higher. And above all, mountains white as sugar stand under the snow. And one snowy mountain stands taller than the others.”. The description is emphatically not romantic: “white as sugar”, “stands like a hat”.

The very idea of ​​climbing a mountain in chains to admire the beautiful landscape seems absurd to Tolstoy. His hero climbs a mountain to choose a route for his future escape.

Heroines

In all three works, the heroine helps the prisoner escape. In the poems of Pushkin and Lermontov, these are young black-haired, black-eyed beauties. ( At Pushkin's: “And a black wave falls / Her hair falls on her chest and shoulders.” At Lermontov's : “And the tears of the black-eyed maiden / did not touch his soul”.) Typically romantic heroines. Tolstoy, trying to exclude any romantic situation, turns his heroine into a “thin, skinny”, black-eyed girl of about thirteen with a black braid.

The Circassian woman, on her own initiative, brings a saw and herself frees the captive from his shackles. Zhilin escapes from captivity twice and each time the initiative comes from him. Tolstoy includes in his story the scene of the failed release from the shackles, when Dina tries to knock the lock off Zhilin’s block with a stone. “Yes, the hands are thin, like twigs - there is no strength at all. Threw a stone and cried".

Moon image

Young Caucasian captives leave the village on a moonlit night, without thinking about conspiracy at all. ( From Pushkin:“The pale light of the moon flashes through the white huts of the village”. From Lermontov: “And above him the golden moon / floated up on a white cloud”.) The moon also appears in Tolstoy’s story, but it causes nothing but trouble for the hero. “I began to approach the forest, a month emerged from behind the mountains - white, light, just like during the day. All leaves are visible on the trees. Quiet, light in the mountains". Tolstoy repeatedly emphasizes that on his first escape, when Zhilin could choose, he was waiting for a moonless night. “The moon had just begun - the nights were still dark.”

River image

In Pushkin and Lermontov, the river is an insurmountable barrier separating the hero from freedom. In both poems it is a mighty stream. Zhilin and Kostylin ford the river, barely getting their feet wet. “We went through the yard under the steep slope to the river, crossed the river, went through the ravine.”

Conclusion

Thus, having examined the works of the same name by A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, L.N. Tolstoy, we can conclude that the implementation of the plot about a Caucasian prisoner completely depends on the author’s concept and the literary direction to which the author belongs.

In romanticism (Pushkin and Lermontov) the main ones are the disappointed fugitive and the ideal of a free, natural world, and in realism (Tolstoy) the description of war and military actions.

Based on the plot of the poem by A.S. Pushkin, the theme of the Caucasian captive subsequently passes through the plots of other works, enriching them and at the same time influencing them, that is, it appears as an invariant for all subsequent post-Pushkin plots.

Job prospects

Pushkin's poem opens the theme of the tragic confrontation between Russia and the Caucasus, a theme that, apparently, will never be exhausted. We would like to continue this work by examining the plot of the Caucasian captive using the example of works of Russian literature of the 20th century: the story by Vladimir Makanin “Prisoner of the Caucasus” (1995) and the documentary story by Irina Kolontaevskaya “Prisoner of the Caucasus” (2001)

In the middle of the last century, a difficult and bloody war was going on in the Caucasus. Tsar Nicholas the First sent his troops to conquer the Caucasian lands. The mountain peoples who lived there stubbornly resisted the tsarist troops. On steep mountain roads, in forests and gorges, at river crossings, the mountaineers set up ambushes and took Russian soldiers and officers prisoner. Russian convoys moved from one fortress to another only under heavy guard.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy at that time was in military service in the Caucasian army, participated in the hostilities of the Russian troops.

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One day, having traveled far from his squad, he was almost captured. The writer was rescued from trouble by his companion and friend, the Chechen Sado. That's how it was.

Shortly before this incident, Sado bought a young horse, which turned out to be a good racer. Friends Tolstoy and Sado, according to Caucasian custom, exchanged horses. Sado gave Tolstoy his horse, and he gave him his strong pacer.

And so, when the Chechens began to overtake his friends, Tolstoy could easily get away from them on a fast horse, but he would never agree to leave his comrade in trouble for anything in the world. Sado had a gun, but it turned out to be unloaded. However, Sado was not at a loss. He menacingly aimed his gun at the approaching pursuers and shouted at them. But they wanted to take Sado and Tolstoy prisoner alive and therefore did not shoot. They were especially angry with their fellow tribesman Sado, who was friends with the Russian officer.

Pursued by the Chechens, Tolstoy and Sado approached the Grozny fortress so much that a sentry saw the chase and raised the alarm. Mounted Cossacks immediately appeared from the fortress; The Chechens, chasing Tolstoy and Sado, turned back and rushed into the mountains. In memory of this incident, Sado gave Tolstoy his saber. It is still kept in the Moscow Museum of L. N. Tolstoy.

During the Caucasian War, which lasted more than twenty years, magazines and newspapers eagerly published stories about Russian officers and soldiers captured by the mountaineers, especially if these stories were written down from the words of people who had been captured.

Tolstoy met with such people and asked about the details of their life in captivity.

The events of the Caucasian War were captured by Tolstoy in the stories “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, “Raid” and “Cutting Wood”, written during his years of service in the army.

Half a century later, the writer again returned to the Caucasian theme and wrote the wonderful story “Hadji Murat”.

In these works, Tolstoy severely condemned the tsarist government for the cruelty with which it waged the war for the annexation of the Caucasus. The tsarist troops ravaged and burned villages and aroused the hatred of the mountain tribes. At the same time, in the story “Hadji Murat” and in the stories about the Caucasian War, the writer condemns the leader of the highlanders Shamil and his comrades, whose cruelty was not inferior to the tsarist generals.

Tolstoy speaks out against national hatred, against those who set one people against another.

In “Prisoner of the Caucasus,” Tolstoy tells how the brave Russian officer Zhilin was captured by the Nogai Tatars and taken to the village. The inhabitants of the village looked at the prisoner with fear. “It’s like looking askance at an animal,” says Tolstoy. And one old mountaineer used to say, “as soon as he sees Zilina, he will snore and turn away.” He almost shot the prisoner because he came close to his sakla. Seven of this old man’s sons died in the war, and he himself killed the eighth when his son went over to the Russians. This old man was “the first horseman,” he beat a lot of Russians, he was rich.”

Dzhigits like this old man hated not only Russians, but also all other “non-believers” who were alien to the Muslim religion. Blinded by hatred, the old man demanded immediate reprisal against the prisoner.

Ordinary mountaineers had a different attitude towards Zhilin. They soon got used to him and began to appreciate him for his cheerful, sociable character and intelligence.

The heroine of the story, young Dina, was also afraid of Zhilin at first. Here's how the writer talks about it.

The father ordered Dina to bring water to give the prisoner a drink. Dina brought a tin jug, served water and “sits with her eyes open, looking at Zhilin as he drinks - like at some kind of animal.” And when Zhilin got drunk and handed her a jug - “how she will jump away like a wild goat.” But with each new meeting, Dina’s fear passed. The kind and sympathetic girl became attached to the prisoner with all her heart, felt sorry for him and helped him as best she could.

Dina saved Zhilin when he was threatened with execution after a failed escape. The feeling of pity and love for a good, innocent person helped Dina overcome her fear. Risking her life, she freed Zhilin from captivity.

(Schoolchildren often call “The Prisoner of the Caucasus” a story “about Zhilin and Kostylin.” And indeed, Zhilin’s companion and fellow prisoner was officer Kostylin. This is an overweight, clumsy, cowardly man, through whose fault Zhilin was captured. -Because The first escape of the captives from the village failed.

Comparing their actions, their behavior in difficult moments, their characters and even the appearance of one and the other, we see that all the sympathies of the “writer are on the side of Zhilin - a simple, honest, brave and persistent person in trouble, boldly going towards dangers.

And you can’t rely on people like Kostylin for anything. They will let down a friend in difficult times and destroy themselves. On the way out of captivity, Kostylin became completely exhausted and began to persuade Zhilin: “Go alone, why should you disappear because of me?” There is no doubt that if he were in Zhilin’s place, he would have done just that. And he, although he was angry with Kostylin and no less tired than him, answered firmly and decisively: “No, I won’t go, it’s not good to leave a comrade.” He picked up the exhausted Kostylin on his shoulders and moved on with a heavy burden. This is the only way real warriors can act.

The story “Prisoner of the Caucasus” is written with amazing skill. It contains six small chapters, each no more than ten pages. And how much we learn from it! Before our eyes we see not only episodes of the Caucasian War, but also the life of a mountain village. Not many literary artists are able to describe nature the way Tolstoy could. In his works, nature lives the same life with people.

Remember the description of that night when Zhilin escapes from captivity for the second time: “Zhilin is coming, still holding on to the shadows. He is in a hurry, and the month is getting closer; the tops of their heads began to glow to the right. He began to approach the forest, a month emerged from behind the mountains - white, light, just like during the day. All leaves are visible on the trees. Quiet, light in the mountains; how everything died out. You can only hear the river gurgling below.”

Everything moves in the picture drawn by Tolstoy: the month, the light from it, the shadows running along the slopes of the mountains, the river murmuring under the mountain.

With a few colorful touches, Tolstoy knows how to create memorable portraits of his heroes. Here is Dina - with her black eyes that glow in the dark, “glittering like stars”, with her little hands “thin as twigs”, with her bells and joyful laughter. Here is Zhilin - fine, dexterous, short, very lively, agile, perceptive. But his unlucky companion Kostylin is “an overweight, plump man...”.

The language of “Prisoner of the Caucasus” is reminiscent of the language of folk tales and stories. Phrases here often begin with a verb, a predicate, followed by a noun, the subject: “Zhilin rode ahead...”, “He wanted to get up...”, “A girl came running - thin, skinny...”, etc. By constructing phrases in this way, the writer not only achieves speed in conveying events, but also makes the language of the story close to colloquial.

“Prisoner of the Caucasus” was written by Tolstoy for “ABC,” an educational book for children, which he published in 1872. “I want education for the people,” said Tolstoy. In 1859, he opened a school for peasant children on his Yasnaya Polyana estate. At the same time, with his help, twenty-three more elementary schools were opened in the villages of the Tula province surrounding Yasnaya Polyana.

Having become a teacher, Tolstoy realized that rural public schools needed good educational books and manuals.

Tolstoy’s “ABC” was a good educational book, from which several generations of Russian children learned to read and write. “ABC” “consists of four books. Each of them contains fables, fairy tales, and fascinating stories. Tolstoy included many riddles, (proverbs, sayings) in the ABC. The writer strove to ensure that it contained as much interesting and instructive material as possible. To do this, he studied a lot of physics, mathematics, astronomy and other sciences, became acquainted with “Greek, Indian, Arabic literatures, studying fairy tales, were, historical legends of many peoples.

Tolstoy made sure that in his ABC, as he said, “everything was beautiful, short, simple and, most importantly, clear.” “Prisoner of the Caucasus” fully met these requirements, and the writer was very pleased with it. The story is written with such artistic perfection that from the very first lines it completely captures the reader's attention. Having become acquainted with the heroes of this story during our school years, we remember them for the rest of our lives. Such is the power of real, great art.

K. Lomunov

Sources:

• Tolstoy L.N. Prisoner of the Caucasus. Story. Rice. Yu. Petrova. Checheno-Ingush book publishing house, Grozny, 1978. 48 p.

Annotation: In this book you will read about the adventures of the brave and intelligent Russian officer Zhilin, who was captured by the highlanders and managed to escape from captivity.

This story is so wonderfully written that everyone, having read it in childhood, remembers its characters for the rest of their lives.

Updated: 2011-09-12

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Leo Nikolavevia Tolstoy wrote the story “Caucasian Prisoner” under the impressions of his life in the Caucasus during the war between the highlanders and Russian soldiers. We can see the first mentions of this war in Tolstoy's diaries.

General analysis of the story

The short story was created in the 70s of the 19th century, and many critics were surprised by the simple and accessible language even for children in which it was written. In addition to a realistic description of the life of the mountaineers and the beautiful, wild nature of the Caucasus, Tolstoy also pays attention to another theme of the story, more moral and psychological.

This theme is a confrontation, which is revealed through the example of two personalities, the two main characters of “Prisoner of the Caucasus” - Zhilin and Kostylin. The plot of the story develops quickly, and the description of all events is colorful and memorable.

Comparative characteristics of the heroes: Kostylin and Zhilin

L.N. Tolstoy skillfully uses contrast to convey the theme of his story to his readers. Under the external contrast of the energetic Zhilin and the heavy Kostylin lies the contradictions of their inner worlds.

Zhilin creates the impression of a lively and joyful person, while Kostylin looks unkindly at the world around him and is distinguished by cruelty and malice. Moreover, it cannot be said that the difference between these heroes is determined by the circumstances: they are both Russian officers, both take part in Russia’s war against the Caucasus.

But between them there is an abyss - their internal principles, their views on the world, their life values ​​are completely opposite. Zhilin is a devoted and honest person who helps Kostylin even after he betrayed him due to his cowardice and stupidity.

After all, Zhilin could not even think that he could do differently, and when he rushes to his friend for a gun to protect himself from the mountaineers, he is sure that he will help him. And even when they are captured, he still takes the cowardly soldier with him during his escape.

His soul is wide and open, Zhilin looks at the world and other people with sincerity and inner honesty. He carries the soldier Kostylin when he gets tired of his long rescue from Tatar captivity. And both heroes again find themselves back where they had difficulty getting out, only now they are put in a huge hole.

Passive hero and active hero

And here Tolstoy describes the climax of the story, the girl Dina, with whom the good soldier managed to become friends during captivity, helps Zhilin escape with the help of a stick. And the weak and weak-willed Kostylin is afraid to run away and thinks that it will be better if one of his relatives pays money for him.

Zhilin manages to escape on his own, he does not want to worry his mother with requests for money, and thinks about her health. Zhilin cannot be such a weak-willed coward as Kostylin; his nature is courage, boldness and courage.

And from this it follows that the values ​​of life for him are completely different, they are spiritual and pure. Kostylin is the personification of passivity and inaction, the only thing that lives inside him is fear only for himself and anger towards other people.