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The Raid
The Raid is a novella written by the renowned Russian author Leo Tolstoy. The story is set in the Caucasus Mountains during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The main character, Vasili Andreevich, is a Russian officer who leads a group of soldiers on a raid against a group of Chechen rebels. The novella explores themes of war, violence, and the morality of killing. Tolstoy's writing style is characterized by his vivid descriptions of the natural landscape and the emotional turmoil experienced by the characters. As the raid progresses, Vasili becomes increasingly disillusioned with the violence of war and begins to question the morality of his actions. The story culminates in a dramatic confrontation between Vasili and the Chechen leader, Hadji Murat. Overall, The Raid is a powerful exploration of the human cost of war and the complexities of morality in times of conflict. Tolstoy's masterful storytelling and insightful commentary on the nature of violence make this novella a must-read for fans of Russian literature and anyone interested in the human experience of war.THIS 36 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE Master and Man and Other Parables and Tales, by Leo Tolstoy. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 1417913304.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1853
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About the author
Leo Tolstoy
7,461books26.9kfollowersLev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian: Лев Николаевич Толстой; most appropriately used Liev Tolstoy; commonly Leo Tolstoy in Anglophone countries) was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist fiction. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the world's greatest novelists. Tolstoy is equally known for his complicated and paradoxical persona and for his extreme moralistic and ascetic views, which he adopted after a moral crisis and spiritual awakening in the 1870s, after which he also became noted as a moral thinker and social reformer.
His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him in later life to become a fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist. His ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, were to have a profound impact on such pivotal twentieth-century figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him in later life to become a fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist. His ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, were to have a profound impact on such pivotal twentieth-century figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
January 19, 2022
“Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man’s heart can harbor, amid such a ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows? All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness.�
Oh Tolstoy, I adore you!
Oh Tolstoy, I adore you!
March 21, 2020
الغارة
قصة قصيرة أُلحقت برواية الحاج مراد في طبعة دار التنوع الثقافي السورية
إنها مجرد مشهد قصير جداً عن أحداث معركة لم تدم سوى ليلة واحدة
لكنها تلخص مواقف البشر الذين يخوضونها في فصيل واحد وفقاً لدوافع مختلفة
الخلاصة دائماً
الحرب هي أقذر نتاجات البشرية
قصة قصيرة أُلحقت برواية الحاج مراد في طبعة دار التنوع الثقافي السورية
إنها مجرد مشهد قصير جداً عن أحداث معركة لم تدم سوى ليلة واحدة
لكنها تلخص مواقف البشر الذين يخوضونها في فصيل واحد وفقاً لدوافع مختلفة
الخلاصة دائماً
الحرب هي أقذر نتاجات البشرية
January 8, 2020
Feels like notes on War and Peace!
August 20, 2020
The Caucasus region was the 'wild west' of Imperial Russia. It was where the young men of Russia went to prove their manhood. Tolstoy too, as a young man, volunteered for military duty in the Caucasus. Out of this experience came many memorable stories, among them, The Raid.
The narrator joins an army contingent stationed in the Caucasus and engaged in fighting the Muslim rebels of the region. The senior officers have an air of resignation about them. The periodic engagements with the enemy are for them a requirement of the job, nothing more nothing less. They know how to protect their skin.
As the company moves out for a raid on an enemy village, the narrator meets a young ensign who is excited to see action for the first time. He brims with patriotism and is keen to prove himself.
While the company under the command of the phlegmatic Captain exchanges fire with the enemy, sheltered behind a protective cover, the young ensign ventures out into the enemy camp with a small contingent. The raid is a success but the ensign is mortally wounded.
What are we to make of the action of the young officer? Was it foolhardiness or bravery? Tolstoy quotes an officer as saying: "He who does what he ought to do is brave". The officer is echoing Plato who stated that courage is knowledge of what should be and should not be feared.
Like all good stories, the author does not give us a definite answer. It is open-ended. It is for the reader to decide whether the young ensign showed courage or not.
Tolstoy also problematizes the Russian attitude of seeing the Chechens as enemies. After all, the Chechens were only defending their home with the resources at their command.
This early story lacks the directness and simplicity of Tolstoy's later stories. The richness of the narration can sometimes be overwhelming. Nevertheless, it is disturbing and thought-provoking.
The narrator joins an army contingent stationed in the Caucasus and engaged in fighting the Muslim rebels of the region. The senior officers have an air of resignation about them. The periodic engagements with the enemy are for them a requirement of the job, nothing more nothing less. They know how to protect their skin.
As the company moves out for a raid on an enemy village, the narrator meets a young ensign who is excited to see action for the first time. He brims with patriotism and is keen to prove himself.
While the company under the command of the phlegmatic Captain exchanges fire with the enemy, sheltered behind a protective cover, the young ensign ventures out into the enemy camp with a small contingent. The raid is a success but the ensign is mortally wounded.
What are we to make of the action of the young officer? Was it foolhardiness or bravery? Tolstoy quotes an officer as saying: "He who does what he ought to do is brave". The officer is echoing Plato who stated that courage is knowledge of what should be and should not be feared.
Like all good stories, the author does not give us a definite answer. It is open-ended. It is for the reader to decide whether the young ensign showed courage or not.
Tolstoy also problematizes the Russian attitude of seeing the Chechens as enemies. After all, the Chechens were only defending their home with the resources at their command.
This early story lacks the directness and simplicity of Tolstoy's later stories. The richness of the narration can sometimes be overwhelming. Nevertheless, it is disturbing and thought-provoking.
July 2, 2013
This is one of those stories you have to read several times...the first time to get the story, the second to appreciate the beauty and imagery of the writing, and again several more times to understand the complexity and meaning behind each and every character and event.
November 27, 2017
A short exploration of bravery, cowardice, fear, morality, and anxiety (among other things) in the face of death.
January 22, 2022
3.5*
"Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man's heart can harbour, amid such ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows? All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with Nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness."
"Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man's heart can harbour, amid such ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows? All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with Nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness."
December 29, 2022
“Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man’s heart can harbour, amid such ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows? All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with Nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness.�
Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
May 27, 2018
Üç hikayeden oluşan eserin ilk kısmında savaşın cesaret mi ahmaklık mı olduğu, ikinci kısımda can çıkmadan huy çıkar mı ve son kısımda ise menkıbe başlıkları yer alıyor. İlk hikayeyi çıkarırsak "İnsan ne ile yaşar?"tadında bir kitap. Yazın kalitesi oldukça yüksek ama öğüt biz gençlere ters bir olgu olduğu için beklediğim keyifi alamadım.
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September 10, 2024To short to feel the need to rate; however, I think might be a masterpiece (this is my first Tolstoy though so my thoughts on it might change once I have a broader sense of his work after reading the other stories in the colllection)
January 23, 2022
If this is what Tolstoy is like I need to read more. New favourite. Bam. Tolstoy just mended my life in 30 pages. This book was just what I needed, the commentary on bravery is something I will return to for sure!!!
March 31, 2017
التقييم ممكن يكون بين 3 ونص من النجوم او 4
قصة قصيرة رائعة ، فعلا انها احدى روائع تولستوي
تدور احداث القصة عن عملية هجوم مجموعة من الجنود هل من الممكن معرفة من يقع عليه دور الموت؟! هل يمكن للجندي ان يتخيل ان تكون هذه اخر معركة له في مسيرته العسكرية! من الممكن ان يموت اعز اصدقائه ! هذا مايصوره لنا تولستوي في اثنى عشر فصلا بالاضافة الى مشاعر الجنود ومايحدث في نفوسهم اثناء القتاال وماهي مشاعرهم
ابدع تولستوي في تصوير جميع المعاني في ١٠٠ صفحه
قصة قصيرة رائعة ، فعلا انها احدى روائع تولستوي
تدور احداث القصة عن عملية هجوم مجموعة من الجنود هل من الممكن معرفة من يقع عليه دور الموت؟! هل يمكن للجندي ان يتخيل ان تكون هذه اخر معركة له في مسيرته العسكرية! من الممكن ان يموت اعز اصدقائه ! هذا مايصوره لنا تولستوي في اثنى عشر فصلا بالاضافة الى مشاعر الجنود ومايحدث في نفوسهم اثناء القتاال وماهي مشاعرهم
ابدع تولستوي في تصوير جميع المعاني في ١٠٠ صفحه
September 6, 2024
If you have read War and Peace, you know Tolstoy is adept at painting scenes of battle and depictions of the men who fight them. His understanding of both the thrill of going into battle and the incomprehensible nature of man to kill others offers the reader a unique opportunity to see and feel what a battle in the 1870s would have been.
April 2, 2024
As the name of this short story suggests, it is a tale about a singular raid. It takes advantage of the reader POV, with minor Anti-War thoughts. Tolstoy's ability in drawing the countrysides shines a lot here because of his poetic descriptions. It felt like an experiment and added nothing to my opinion Tolstoy's writing.
Can it be possible that in the midst of this entrancing Nature, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the passion for exterminating their fellows, can endure in the souls of men?
Can it be possible that in the midst of this entrancing Nature, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the passion for exterminating their fellows, can endure in the souls of men?
It was late in the day when the detachment, with songs, and formed into a broad column, approached the Fort. The sun had hidden behind the snowy mountain range and threw its last rosy beams on a long thin cloud that stretched motionless across the clear horizon. The snow peaks began to disappear in purple mists, and only their top outline was visible, wonderfully distinct on the crimson sunset glow. The delicate moon, risen long since, began to grow pale against the deep azure. The green of the grass and trees was turning black, and was becoming covered with dew.
The troops in dark masses moved with measured sounds along the luxuriant meadows. Tambourines, drums, and merry songs were heard here and there. The voice of the second tenor of the Sixth Company rang with full force, and the sounds of his clear chest-notes, full of feeling and power, floated away through the clear evening air.
November 3, 2021
I remembered Plato’s definition of bravery as the knowledge of what should and should not be feared. Now, despite the generality and vagueness of the Captain’s definition, I felt he wasn’t so far from Plato and that, if anything, his definition was more accurate than that of the Greek philosopher. Had he been as articulate as Plato, he might have said that brave is the man who fears not what should not be feared and fears what should.
I thought of a remark I heard a Tartar make: only a poor man can be brave. ‘When you become rich,� he said, ‘You become a coward.�
Was it possible that there was no place for men in this beautiful world under this immense starry sky- that hatred, vengeance and the passion for destruction could lurk in the hearts of men amid such natural beauty? Surely all these evil instincts should vanish in contact with nature- the most direct expression of beauty and goodness.
I thought of a remark I heard a Tartar make: only a poor man can be brave. ‘When you become rich,� he said, ‘You become a coward.�
Was it possible that there was no place for men in this beautiful world under this immense starry sky- that hatred, vengeance and the passion for destruction could lurk in the hearts of men amid such natural beauty? Surely all these evil instincts should vanish in contact with nature- the most direct expression of beauty and goodness.
August 8, 2024
As far as short stories on war go, this one was pretty nondescript. I feel like one would read this simply because of the notoriety of the author, as opposed to the quality of the content. It was a pleasant short read regarding Russian and Tartar conflicts, in which a main character narrates his experiences with the Russian battalion. I must say, the narrator seemed quite similar in situation as well as mental condition to Mr. Watson (Sherlock Holmes's sidekick), who was enraptured by the beauty of nature, confounded as to how man could go about such horrible deeds when the world is so lovely. Nothing particularly novel in this ideology, just a succinct description of how life goes on after death, how the wheels of society keep turning even when the misery of loss dampens it. I wouldn't particularly recommend this to anyone, unless they are wishing to get a more comprehensive understanding of Tolstoy's works. I rate this three bananas out of 13 creeks.
January 24, 2022
A short story by Tolstoy where we follow the narrator as he observes a battle in the Caucasus. Tolstoy writes beautifully about the human condition, nature, and his own philosophy regarding war and bravery. A lot of the messages from this short story are still prevalent today. This one quote stood out to me: “Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man’s heart can harbor, amid such a ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows? All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness.�
January 10, 2023
Это одно из тех работ Льва Николаевича Толстого, в котором свободно видно, насколько он был мастером художественного слова и насколько неглубоким было его сознание и мышление про самое главное на всей живой планете Земля. К сожалению, он был шовинистом в самой высокой степени и не сознавал это, или сознавал, но не подавал виду об этом. Этот короткий рассказ сильно перекликается с великой трагедией нашего времени и й реальности � это про безжалостную, нечеловечную, подлую, фашистскую, бессмысленную, захватническую войну русской империи против свободной и мужественной Украины и Украинского народа, против кавказских народов, против многих народов мира; это про зверства русских нацистских фашистов, это про отвратительный русизм, породивший современный, неприкрытый фашизм.
September 10, 2024
A raw, up-close look at the realities of war. Told from the perspective of a young volunteer, it starts off with the excitement and thrill of battle but quickly shifts to something much deeper. Instead of a heroic adventure, you get a glimpse into the fear, confusion, and moral dilemmas soldiers face in the heat of combat. The storytelling feels real and relatable, making you question what courage really means and whether there’s any real glory in war. It's not just about action but rather what war does to people on a personal level. If you're into stories that make you think and feel, this one packs a punch without needing to be long or flashy. A powerful, reflective read that stays with you.
September 23, 2024
“It seems to me that in every danger there is a choice, and the choice that springs from a sense of duty, for example, is courage, while a choice made under the influence of base feelings is cowardice. Therefore, the man who risks his life from vanity, curiosity or greed cannot be called brave. Conversely, the man who avoids danger from an honest sense of responsibility to his family, or simply out of conviction, cannot be called a coward�
“Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man's heart can harbour, amid such ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows?�
My first of Leo Tolstoy works and it was incredible
November 17, 2020
It raised some good questions, the prose was good although i do not know who the translator is for The Short Stories Easton Press of Leo Tolstoy. It was an entertaining read and it followed very well but i do not think it`s a great story. But a fine place to start with Tolstoy since he`s masterpieces are quite intimidating both in sheer size and in reputation. I will definetly read more of Tolstoy`s short stories
September 12, 2023
The philosophical definitions given for bravery and courage were really profound.
The way Tolstoy described the beauty of nature before and after the climax made the point of the story, that nature will keep being beautiful and breathtaking in spite of the hatred inculcated in the minds of men and the hatred they reflect.
Why send hatred when you can send love and enjoy the beauty of nature?
The way Tolstoy described the beauty of nature before and after the climax made the point of the story, that nature will keep being beautiful and breathtaking in spite of the hatred inculcated in the minds of men and the hatred they reflect.
Why send hatred when you can send love and enjoy the beauty of nature?
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September 12, 2024Juhani Konkan suomennos: "Hyökkäys". Tolstoin ajatelmat sodan mielettömyydestä kietoutuvat platonilaisiin ajatuksiin urheudesta. Pääroolin novellissa varastaa luonto, jota Tolstoi kuvailee kauniisti eikä lainkaan yksitoikkoisesti.
Lopussakin jäljelle jää luonto, joka jatkaa elämäänsä. Ihminen sitä vastoin sortuu typeryyteen ja turhuuteen. Sellainen ei ole urheaa.
Lopussakin jäljelle jää luonto, joka jatkaa elämäänsä. Ihminen sitä vastoin sortuu typeryyteen ja turhuuteen. Sellainen ei ole urheaa.
February 23, 2025
this was fine and thought provoking and managed to have a good amount of depth for being so short. however i don’t know if it’s fair to say it feels very underdeveloped since it is quite literally less than 50 pages but it was hard to get into after you’ve read anna karenina and feel like you know the characters so well
May 21, 2018
لم يعجبني أعتقاد تولستوي بفكرة أن صنف من الأنسان يكون أبله عندما يقوم بحرب ضد صنف أخر ...وتصديقه بفكرة السلام العالمي :3
October 23, 2021
beautiful scenery
January 2, 2022
2,5 stars
January 11, 2022
Interesting short story contemplating what it means to be brave..
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