Life in the village of a Caucasian captive Tolstoy. Story Prisoner of the Caucasus. Life and traditions of the Aula. How do mountaineers live? Tolstoy, Analysis of the work Prisoner of the Caucasus, Plan

In the middle of the last century, a heavy, bloody war was going on in the Caucasus. Tsar Nicholas I sent his troops to conquer the Caucasian lands. The mountain peoples who lived there offered stubborn resistance to the tsarist troops. On steep mountain roads, in forests and gorges, at river crossings, the highlanders set up ambushes, 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 military service in the Caucasian army, participated in the hostilities of the Russian troops.

Once, having driven far from his detachment, he almost got 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 horse. Friends - Tolstoy and Sado, according to the Caucasian custom, exchanged horses. Sado gave Tolstoy his horse, and he gave him his strong pacer.

And so, when the Chechens began to overtake friends, Tolstoy could easily get away from them on a frisky horse, but he would not have agreed to leave a comrade in trouble for anything in the world. Sado had a gun, but it turned out to be unloaded. However, Sado was not taken aback. He menacingly aimed his gun at the approaching pursuers and shouted at them. And they wanted to capture Sado and Tolstoy alive and therefore did not shoot. They were especially angry with their fellow tribesman Sado, who was friends with a Russian officer.

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

During the Caucasian War, which dragged on for more than twenty years, magazines and newspapers willingly published stories about Russian officers and soldiers captured by the highlanders, especially if these stories were written down from the words of people who were captured.

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

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

Half a century later, the writer again returned to the Caucasian theme and wrote a wonderful story "Hadji Murad".

In these works, Tolstoy severely condemned the tsarist government for the cruelty with which it waged a war for the annexation of the Caucasus. The tsarist troops ravaged and burned the villages, aroused the hatred of the mountain tribes. At the same time, in the story "Hadji Murad" and in stories about the Caucasian War, the writer condemns the leader of the mountaineers Shamil and his associates, who were not inferior to the tsarist generals in their cruelty.

Tolstoy opposes national strife, against those who incite one nation against another.

In The Prisoner of the Caucasus, Tolstoy tells how the brave Russian officer Zhilin was taken prisoner by the Nogai Tatars and taken to the village. The inhabitants of the village looked at the prisoner with fear. “Like looking at the beast,” says Tolstoy. And one old highlander, it happened, “as soon as he sees Zhilina, he will snore and turn away.” He almost shot the prisoner for coming close to his shakla. Seven sons of this old man died in the war, and he himself killed the eighth when the son went over to the Russians. This old man "was the first horseman", he beat many Russians, he was rich.

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

Ordinary highlanders treated Zhilin differently. They soon got used to him, began to appreciate him for his cheerful, sociable character, for his mind.

The heroine of the story, young Dina, was also afraid of Zhilin at first. Here is how the writer describes it.

The father ordered Dina to bring water to drink the captive. Dina brought a tin jug, served water and "sits, opens her eyes, looks at Zhilin, how he drinks - like what kind of animal." And when Zhilin got drunk and gave her a jug - "how she jumps away like a wild goat." But with each new meeting, Dina's fear passed. The kind and sympathetic girl attached herself to the captive with all her heart, pitied him and helped him in any way 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, officer Kostylin was Zhilin’s companion and his fellow prisoner. This is a heavy, clumsy, cowardly man, through whose fault Zhilin was captured. he also failed and the first escape of captives from the village.

Comparing their actions, their behavior in difficult times, 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 steadfast person in trouble, boldly going towards dangers.

And people like Kostylin cannot be relied upon for anything. They will let down a comrade in a difficult moment and ruin themselves. On the way out of captivity, Kostylin was completely exhausted and began to persuade Zhilin: “Go alone, why should you disappear because of me.” There is no doubt that in Zhilin's place he would have done just that. And he, although he was angry with Kostylin and was no less tired than he, 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. That's the only way real warriors can do it.

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 rise not only the episodes of the Caucasian war, but also the life of the mountain village. Not many of the word artists are able to describe nature in the way Tolstoy could. In his works, nature lives one life with people.

Remember the description of that night when Zhilin escapes from captivity for the second time: “Zhilin is coming, all the shadows are holding on. He is in a hurry, and the month is getting out even faster; the tops of the head were already lit up to the right. He began to approach the forest, a month got out from behind the mountains - white, light, just like during the day. All the leaves are visible on the trees. Quiet, light in the mountains; how everything died. You can only hear - the river murmurs below.

Everything moves in the picture drawn by Tolstoy: the moon, 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, “and shine like stars”, with her little hands “thin as twigs”, with her calls, joyful laughter. Here is Zhilin - fine, dexterous, short in stature, very lively, agile, quick-witted. And here is his unfortunate companion Kostylin - "a heavy, plump man ...".

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

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

Becoming a teacher, Tolstoy realized that for the people rural schools good study books and manuals are needed.

Tolstoy's "ABC" was a good educational book, according to which several generations of Russian children learned to read and write. "ABC" "consists of four books. Each of them contains fables, fairy tales, fascinating stories. Tolstoy included in the "ABC" a lot of riddles (proverbs, sayings. The writer tried to ensure that it contained as much interesting and instructive material as possible. To do this, he did a lot of physics, mathematics, astronomy and other sciences, got acquainted with "Greek, Indian, Arabic literature, studying fairy tales, were the historical traditions of many peoples.

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

K. Lomunov

Sources:

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

Annotation: In this book you will read about the adventures of the brave and smart 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 heroes for the rest of their lives.

Updated: 2011-09-12

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The story "Prisoner of the Caucasus" Leo Nikolavevia Tolstoy wrote under the impressions of his life in the Caucasus during the war between the highlanders and Russian soldiers. We can see the first mention 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 even for children language in which it was written. In addition to a realistic description of the life of the highlanders and the beautiful, wild nature of the Caucasus, Tolstoy pays attention to another theme of the story, more moral and psychological.

This topic is a confrontation, which is revealed on the example of two personalities, the two main characters of the "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 to readers the theme of his story. Under the external contrast of the energetic Zhilin and the heavy Kostylin, the contradictions of their inner worlds are hidden.

Zhilin gives 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, both of them are Russian officers, both take part in the war of Russia against the Caucasus.

But between them there is an abyss; their inner 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 through the fault of his cowardice and stupidity.

After all, Zhilin could not even think that it was possible to do otherwise, and when he rushes to a friend for a gun to protect himself from the highlanders, he is sure that he will help him. And even when they are captured, he still takes the cowardly soldier along with him during the 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 the long rescue from the captivity of the Tatars. And both heroes again fall into the place where they hardly got out, only now they are put into 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 make friends during captivity, with the help of a stick helps Zhilin escape. And the weak and weak-willed Kostylin is afraid to run away and thinks that it would be better if one of his relatives paid 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, courage 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.

The genre of the work is determined by the writer himself - a true story, it indicates the reality of the events described. Tie. Life goes to his mother. Highlights:

2. Unsuccessful escape.

The denouement is the happy release of Zhilin, he finds himself in a Cossack detachment. Barely alive, Kostylin, having paid off, ends up in his camp.

The story is based on a comparison of two characters. By the way, their names are significant. Zhilin - from the word "vein", the popular name for blood vessels and tendons. This is a strong, strong-willed, calm, courageous person, able to withstand a lot. Kostylin - from the word "crutch", a wooden tool that helps the lame move. This is a weak-willed person, easily succumbing to despondency, he needs to be supported, guided. From the very beginning, the characters behave differently. Both of them do not want to move with a barely crawling convoy. However, Zhilin thinks about whether it is worth risking his life by getting to dangerous places on his own. This hero always thinks first, makes a decision, and then acts. Kostylin's thoughts here (and below) are intentionally hidden from us by the author. He does not think about his actions in advance. He invites Zhilin to go together, without thinking about the consequences, and tacitly agrees with Zhilin's proposal not to leave in case of danger. When meeting with the Tatars, Kostylin instantly forgets his promise and, seeing that Zhilin is almost a prisoner, shamelessly flees.

Kostylin in captivity is just waiting for help from home, while Zhilin relies only on himself. He prepares an escape: he examines the area in order to know where to move when escaping, he feeds the owner's dog in order to tame it, he digs a hole from the barn. In an effort to escape from captivity, he does not forget Kostylin, takes him with him. Zhilin does not remember evil (after all, Kostylin once betrayed him). After an unsuccessful escape, Zhilin still does not give up, and Kostylin completely loses heart. Thanks to a happy coincidence (the help of Dina, the absence of the Tatars), his own perseverance, courage and ingenuity, Zhilin manages to get out of captivity.

Tolstoy, Analysis of the work Prisoner of the Caucasus, Plan

Analysis of the work

The genre of the work is a story. It is dedicated to military operations in the Caucasus in the second half of the 19th century. At this time, there was a bloody war for the annexation of the Caucasus to Russia. The mountain peoples offered stubborn resistance, captured Russian soldiers. Russian convoys could move from one fortress to another only under heavy guard. L. N. Tolstoy himself was a participant in the hostilities and described the events, having an idea of the real picture of events, so the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus” can rightfully be called a true story.

Zhilin receives a letter from his mother with a request to come home to visit her, asks for leave and leaves the fortress. This is the plot of the piece. There are several highlights here:

1) when Zhilin was first captured;

2) unsuccessful escape of Zhilin and Kostylin and their repeated captivity;

3) the happy rescue of Zhilin by the Cossacks.

Truthfully describing the details of the capture of Zhilin by the Tatars, Tolstoy shows that war is a terrible evil, condemns ethnic strife, and is horrified by what mutual hatred leads to. Suffice it to recall an old highlander who almost shot Zhilin because he came close to his sakla. This old man had seven sons killed in this war, and he shot the eighth himself when he went over to the Russians.<…>The old man was blinded by hatred and demanded immediate reprisals against Zhilin.

Ordinary highlanders treated Zhilin differently. They soon got used to him, began to appreciate him for his skillful hands, for his sharpness, for his sociable character. The girl Dina, who at first treated him like a beast, became attached to the prisoner, felt sorry for him, and then helped to escape from captivity and thereby saved his life.

The story is based on a comparison of the main characters. It starts with their last names. Zhilin - from the word "lived", that is, a strong, hardy person. A piece of wood called "crutch" always serves only as a support, and even a burden to his companion. So Kostylin interfered with Zhilin in everything. Through the fault of Kostylin, Zhilin was captured and their first escape failed.

Comparing the two heroes in everything - from appearance to actions and thoughts, we see that the sympathies of the writer, and, accordingly, of the readers, are completely on the side of Zhilin - a simple, brave, honest Russian officer. You can't rely on Kostylin for anything.

Tolstoy skillfully depicts the life and customs of the Caucasians in the story. We get an idea of how the dwelling of a local resident looked like, what they ate and drank, how they led their life and household.

The story delights with the image of the magnificent Caucasian nature. Descriptions of landscapes seem to take us to the place of unfolding events.

Tolstoy is a master of the portrait, and not only of the psychological one. A few words are enough for us to see Dina with her little hands, "thin as twigs", eyes shining like stars. The appearance of the two officers is also characteristic. Zhilin is a fit, slender, energetic person who clings to life. Kostylin is overweight, cowardly, clumsy, dishonorable.

The story "Prisoner of the Caucasus" is written by such a master of words, with such perfection that, having read it once, we remember its heroes for life.

1. Zhilin receives a letter from his mother and straightens his vacation.

2. Zhilin and Kostylin decide to get ahead of the convoy and go ahead of it.

3. Zhilin is captured by the Tatars because of Kostylin's cowardice.

4. Zhilin is brought to the village and put in stocks in a barn.

5. The first close acquaintance with the kidnappers. Dina's girl brings him a drink.

6. The new "owners" demand that Zhilin write a letter home asking for his own ransom.

7. They bring Kostylin, from whom they also demand a ransom. Kostylin agrees.

8. Closer acquaintance of Zhilin with the inhabitants of the village. Friendship with a girl Dina.

Analysis of the story "Prisoner of the Caucasus" by Leo Tolstoy

General analysis of the story

Comparative characteristics of the heroes: Kostylin and Zhilin

Passive Hero and Active Hero

He is lazy and weak-willed, he relies on others for everything, and Zhilin prefers to create his own destiny, and he succeeds, because his motives and intentions are pure and sincere.

Composition "Prisoner of the Caucasus" - Grade 5

The story tells the story of two colleagues who fall into captivity. They find themselves in the same conditions of coexistence, but behave quite differently, hence our attitude towards them is formed. Comparing the portraits of the two heroes, from the first moments we have a feeling of contempt for Kostylin, even from the description of his appearance. The author describes him as a heavy, fat man, from which he constantly sweats. This causes negative associations in us, because such a pathetic and insignificant character is not capable of good deeds. Zhilin is another matter. He is given such a definition as "remote", which speaks not only of his life position but strength of mind and courage. Zhilin is full of compassion even for animals. He calls the horse "mother" and takes pity on her when he sees her suffering. Kostylin, on the other hand, is not capable of showing love, he does not understand anyone but himself and puts his life needs above anyone else. He has no internal torments and the author describes his behavior with a great deal of irony.

The actions of the characters also speak for themselves. Zhilin, feeling sorry for his old mother, does not want to disturb her, so he tries to find a way out of this situation on his own. Kostylin, on the contrary, is completely convinced that everyone should help him, including relatives. They are obliged to ransom him and stop all the torment associated with captivity. He passively submits to circumstances, goes with the flow.

Zhilin is a purposeful and fearless person. Having set himself the goal of escaping from captivity, he ponders ways to do it. First, he carefully studies the life of the village in which he is being held, makes a dig, waiting for a favorable moment for release. He is a fighter by nature and a very brave person. Not without reason, all the inhabitants of the village, the owner himself and even the Tatar girl Dina, are imbued with sympathy for him. She is so sincere, direct and a little deprived of the caress of her parents that she wants to admire and at the same time regret. Zhilin is paternally kind to her and she reciprocates his affection. Dina at first stealthily walks to the pit where he is sitting, then begins to bring him food, milk, and finally arranges his escape.

The main participants in the events in the story were two Russian officers - Zhilin and Kostylin.

Zhilin receives a letter from his mother with a request to come home to visit her, asks for leave and leaves the fortress. This is the plot of the piece. There are several highlights here:

when Zhilin was first captured; unsuccessful escape of Zhilin and Kostylin and their repeated captivity; happy rescue of Zhilin by the Cossacks.

The denouement comes when Zhilin finds himself in a fortress among his own and remains to serve in the Caucasus, and Kostylin is brought barely alive a month later, ransomed for five thousand rubles.

The story delights with the image of the magnificent Caucasian nature. Descriptions of landscapes seem to take us to the place of unfolding events.

The language of the "Prisoner of the Caucasus" is very similar to the language of fairy tales and epics. Sentences begin with a verb-predicate followed by a subject. “Zhilin hears ...”, “how Kostylin will scream ...”, etc.

The story "Prisoner of the Caucasus" is written by such a master of words, with such perfection that, having read it once, we remember its heroes for life.

Zhilin receives a letter from his mother and straightens his vacation. Zhilin and Kostylin decide to get ahead of the convoy and ride ahead of it. Zhilin is captured by the Tatars because of Kostylin's cowardice. Zhilin is brought to the village and put in stocks in a barn. The first close acquaintance with the kidnappers. Dina's girl brings him a drink. The new "owners" demand that Zhilin write a letter home asking for his own ransom. They bring Kostylin, from whom they also demand a ransom. Kostylin agrees. A closer acquaintance of Zhilin with the inhabitants of the village. Friendship with a girl Dina. Description of the funeral of a local resident. Zhilin decides to escape from captivity. Kostylin follows him. The escape fails because of Kostylin. The Russians are put in the pit again. Redemption deadlines are getting tighter. Dina secretly visits Zhilin and helps him escape. Happy rescue of Zhilin. Interchange.

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The theme of my work is “The Image of the Caucasian Prisoner in Russian Literature”. For research, I chose three works: A. Pushkin's poem "Prisoner of the Caucasus", L. Tolstoy's story "Prisoner of the Caucasus", V. Makanin's story "Prisoner of the Caucasus". I decided to turn to this topic after reading Makanin's story "Prisoner of the Caucasus". I remembered that we had read the story "Prisoner of the Caucasus" by Tolstoy, and Pushkin has a poem with that title. The theme of the Caucasus is relevant today. And we decided to find out how the image of the Caucasian prisoner is interpreted in the works of Pushkin, Tolstoy and Makanin.

The topic predetermined the goals of the work:
1. analyze texts works of art
2. compare the methods and techniques of depicting the main character
3. highlight the distinctive features of the Caucasian prisoner in each of the considered works.

All the events that happened to the heroes of the works we have chosen for research take place in the Caucasus. It's not hard to tell from the titles of the stories. The Caucasus attracts authors with its exoticism and beauty. Russia's relations with the Caucasus during the 19th and 20th centuries were not easy. Leo Tolstoy himself served in the Caucasus, the material for the story was the events from the life of the writer and the stories he heard in the service. Pushkin was also in the Caucasus, where he began his poem inspired by the beauty of the Caucasus and the stories of the highlanders. Makanin writes about the real events of the 90s in Chechnya. Makanin's story - a controversy with traditions classical literature, this was manifested in the title of the work.
In the history of Russian literature there are such facts when writers different eras, directions, aesthetic positions they refer to the same titles of their works, for example: “Prisoner of the Caucasus” by A. Pushkin and “Prisoner of the Caucasus” by L. Tolstoy, “Prisoner of the Caucasus” by V. Makanin.
In the 19th century, the Caucasus was an emblematic space of freedom, unrestricted spiritual movement as opposed to the conventional world of "civilization". We noticed that in Tolstoy's prose, the Caucasus began to acquire details of everyday life, details of relationships, and the little things of everyday life. The invariable component of the Caucasian theme is the mountain landscape: “Before it, the desert plains lie in a green veil; There, monotonous peaks stretch in a ridge of hills ... ”- Pushkin wrote
"Prisoner of the Caucasus" is a romantic poem by Pushkin, written during his southern exile. The author set himself the goal of reproducing the character young man of his time, dissatisfied with reality and seized with a thirst for freedom. AT romantic poem the epic line (the Caucasus, the exotic life of the highlanders, the arrival of Russian conquerors) is intertwined with the lyrical one (the love of a captive Russian and a Circassian woman). For the first time, Pushkin depicts a contemporary romantic hero. The author does not indicate either the name of the hero or his past, but we can learn a little about the hero from hints and understatements. The hero of the poem is severely disappointed. He went to the Caucasus - the land of strong and freedom-loving people - to find such a desired and necessary freedom of spirit, but was captured.
Tolstoy's "Prisoner of the Caucasus" is a true story. Zhilin is captured by the Gentiles on completely legal grounds. He is an adversary, a warrior, according to the customs of the highlanders, he can be captured and ransomed for him. The main character is Zhilin, his character corresponds to his surname. Therefore, we conclude: it is strong, resistant, sinewy. He has golden hands, in captivity he helped the highlanders, repaired something, they even came to him for treatment. The author does not indicate the name, only that he is called Ivan, but that was the name of all Russian captives.
Makanin's the protagonist- Rubakhin. The surname, like that of Tolstoy, is speaking, corresponding to the character of the hero: a shirt-guy. Analyzing the story, we see that Rubakhin is in a constant state of war, not only real, but also spiritual. He is so used to this state that he is no longer able to get out of it. Having served his time, he is always going to go home forever to the “steppe beyond the Don”, and each time he remains in the Caucasus, he wants to understand what the beauty of the mountains wanted to say to him, “why did she call out”? We don't know his name either.
Makanin interestingly plays with the title of the story "Prisoner of the Caucasus" and not a prisoner. According to the dictionary of S.I. Ozhegov, the lexical meaning of the word “captive” is taken prisoner, being in captivity. A "prisoner" is one who is held captive by something. In the story, not only the young man is captivated, but also the main character is captivated by the beauty of the mountains: “for a year their majesty, mute solemnity stirs his heart”
How did the prisoners manage to escape?
Thanks to the love of a young Circassian woman, Pushkin's hero gets the opportunity to gain freedom. “You are free,” the maiden says, “run.” Because of unrequited love, the "maiden of the mountains" perishes.
Zhilin was helped by a mountain girl Dina, with whom they became friends. In both cases, human feelings played a role: love, friendship, compassion, as well as the beauty of the human soul, kindness.
After analyzing the relationship between the characters in the works, we can note the following. Makanin Rubakhin and Vovka the shooter have comrades in the service, but the Caucasian youth causes vague and incomprehensible feelings for Rubakhin. His first reaction to the appearance of the young man: "the face surprised." The protagonist only then understands why. He was very handsome, which was strange: the militants always appreciated masculinity and cruelty, and they would not have taken such a handsome man into their squad. At the end, Rubakhin kills the prisoner for his own salvation.
Comparing the heroes of the stories, we see: Tolstoy's hero is a good comrade. He does not leave Kostylin in trouble, although it was because of him that they were captured. Zhilin became sympathetic to the whole village, except for the old man, who hated the Russians.
In Pushkin, the hero has a negative attitude towards the highlanders, and does not respond to the love of the Circassian woman, his heart is no longer able to love.
Thus, we found out that the authors do not indicate the names of the heroes, that the heroes of Makanin and Tolstoy serve in the Caucasus, and Pushkin's hero went to the Caucasus in search of freedom. In Pushkin and Tolstoy, the heroes are captured and get out of it, and in Makanin, the hero captured a young man for the purpose of exchange.
In all the considered works, the theme of true and false values, true beauty. Beauty, not only of mountains, but also of a person. For Pushkin and Tolstoy, this is the beauty of the soul, deeds, human feelings, while Makanin has the external beauty of the captive, and the beauty of the local landscape frightening soldiers. “Gray mossy gorges. Poor and dirty houses of the highlanders, stuck together like bird's nests. But still, mountains? Here and there their peaks, yellow from the sun, crowd. The mountains. The mountains. The mountains. For many years their majesty, mute solemnity has tormented his heart ... In The Prisoner of the Caucasus, Dostoevsky's phrase is constantly present - "beauty will save the world", but in the story she "did not have time to save."
Pushkin's hero is romantic. Tolstovsky is a good friend and comrade, and Makaninsky is a soldier, tired of the war, but he just can’t go home.
We analyzed the texts, ways of depicting the main character and identified the distinctive features of the Caucasian captives.

While in the middle of the 19th century in the Caucasus, Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy became participants in a dangerous event that inspired him to write The Prisoner of the Caucasus. While escorting the convoy to the Groznaya fortress, he and a friend fell into a trap for the Chechens. The life of the great writer was saved by the fact that the highlanders did not want to kill his companion, so they did not shoot. Tolstoy and his partner managed to ride to the fortress, where they were covered by the Cossacks.

The key idea of the work is the opposition of an optimistic and strong-willed person to another - sluggish, lack of initiative, grouchy and compassionate. The first character retains courage, honor, courage and achieves release from captivity. The main message: in no case should you give up and give up, there are hopeless situations only for those who do not want to act.

Analysis of the work

Story line

The events of the story unfold in parallel with the Caucasian War and tell about the officer Zhilin, who at the beginning of the work, at the written request of his mother, leaves with a convoy to visit her. On the way, he meets another officer - Kostylin - and continues on his way with him. Having met the highlanders, Zhilin's fellow traveler runs away, and the main character is captured and sold to the rich Abdul-Marat from the mountain village. The fugitive officer is caught later and the prisoners are kept together in a barn.

The highlanders seek to get a ransom for Russian officers and force them to write letters home, but Zhilin writes a false address so that his mother, who cannot collect so much money, does not find out about anything. During the day, prisoners are allowed to walk around the village in stocks and the main character makes dolls for local children, thanks to which he wins the favor of 13-year-old Dina, the daughter of Abdul-Marat. In parallel, he plans an escape and prepares a tunnel from the barn.

Upon learning that the villagers are worried about the death of one of the mountaineers in battle, the officers decide to flee. They exit through the tunnel and go towards the Russian positions, but the highlanders quickly discover and return the fugitives, throwing them into the pit. Now the captives are forced to sit in stocks around the clock, but from time to time Dina brings Zhilin mutton and cakes. Kostylin finally loses heart, begins to get sick.

One night, the main character, with the help of a long stick brought by Dina, gets out of the pit and, right in the stocks, runs away through the forest to the Russians. Kostylin remains in captivity until the end, until the highlanders receive a ransom for him.

main characters

Tolstoy portrayed the main character as an honest and authoritative person who treats his subordinates, relatives and even those who captivated him with respect and responsibility. Despite obstinacy and initiative, he is cautious, prudent and cold-blooded, has an inquisitive mind (he navigates by the stars, learns the language of the highlanders). He has self-respect and demands from the "Tatars" respect for the captives. A jack-of-all-trades, he repairs guns, watches and even makes dolls.

Despite the meanness of Kostylin, because of which Ivan was captured, he does not hold a grudge and does not blame his prisoner, plans to run away together and does not leave him after the first almost successful attempt. Zhilin is a hero, noble in relation to enemies and allies, who retains a human face and honor even in the most difficult and insurmountable circumstances.

Kostylin is a wealthy, overweight and clumsy officer, portrayed by Tolstoy as weak both physically and mentally. Because of his cowardice and meanness, the heroes are captured and fail the first attempt to escape. He meekly and unquestioningly accepts the fate of a prisoner, agrees to any conditions of detention and does not even believe Zhilin's words that it is possible to escape. For days on end, he complains about his situation, sits idle, and becomes more and more “limp” from his own pity. As a result, Kostylin is overtaken by illness, and at the time of Zhilin's second attempt to escape, he refuses, saying that he does not even have the strength to turn around. Barely alive, he is brought from captivity a month after the ransom comes from his relatives.

Kostylin in the story of Leo Tolstoy is a reflection of cowardice, meanness and weakness of will. This is a person who is not able, under the yoke of circumstances, to show respect for himself and, moreover, for others. He is afraid only for himself, not thinking about risk and brave actions, because of which he becomes a burden for the active and energetic Zhilin, prolonging the joint imprisonment.

General analysis

One of the most famous stories by Leo Tolstoy, “The Prisoner of the Caucasus,” is based on a comparison of two extremely opposite characters. The author makes them antagonists not only in character, but even in appearance:

Zhilin is not tall, but has great strength and dexterity, while Kostylin is fat, clumsy, overweight.
Kostylin is rich, and Zhilin, although he lives in abundance, cannot (and does not want to) pay ransoms to the highlanders.
Abdul-Marat himself speaks about the obstinacy of Zhilin and the meekness of his partner in a conversation with the main character. The first is an optimist, from the very beginning he expects to run, and the second says that it is reckless to run away, because they do not know the terrain.
Kostylin sleeps for days on end and waits for a response letter, while Zhilin does needlework and repairs.
Kostylin leaves Zhilin at their first meeting and runs away to the fortress, but during the first attempt to escape, he drags a comrade with wounded legs on himself.

Tolstoy acts in his story as a bearer of justice, telling a parable about how fate rewards an enterprising and brave person with salvation.

An important idea lies in the title of the work. Kostylin is a prisoner of the Caucasus in the literal sense of the word, even after the ransom, because he did nothing to deserve freedom. However, Tolstoy seems to be ironic about Zhilin - he showed his will and escaped from captivity, but does not leave the region, because he considers his service to be fate and duty. The Caucasus will captivate not only Russian officers who are forced to fight for their homeland, but also mountaineers, who also have no moral right to give up this land. In a certain sense, everyone here remains Caucasian captives. characters, even the generous Dina, who is destined to continue to live in her native society.