Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian: 袥械胁 袧懈泻芯谢邪械胁懈褔 孝芯谢褋褌芯泄; 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.
At first I was bored. Then I was willing to finish. Then I loved every character. Then I started to admire Tolstoy. When it ended I was astounded. The Cossacks was an honest account of a young man's life on the road, albeit a rich young man. You leave home thinking you're gonna show the world what it means to be alive - the world shows you that you have yet to even begin living. The road exposes us as children and Tolstoy accurately delivers this sentiment. We lay our heads down in a new place and awake thinking we've grown but when it comes time to leave again we see that we've overestimated our growth.
The Cossacks is simple and balances perfectly a matter-of-fact attitude with sincere passions. It is a difficult feeling to be alive, to love, to hunt, to fear, and to be conscious of having to find one's place in all this.
For me as a programmer, going from reading most fiction to reading Tolstoy is like going from writing Java to writing Ruby. It just feels right, I feel more relaxed and at one with the world. I can't think of another author that apparently understands the thoughts and motivations of such a large swath of humanity and communicates them so simply and perfectly.
The Cossacks isn't as expansive as War and Peace or as dramatic as Anna Karenina, but it is a story worth reading. It has its share of suspense and murder, of philosophy and humor of nature and depravity, of love and heaving bosoms and of course, beautiful writing.
鈥淎 man is never such an egotist as at moments of spiritual ecstasy. At such times it seems to him that there is nothing on earth more splendid and interesting than himself.鈥� 鈥� Leo Tolstoy, The Cossacks
This is one Tolstoy that is easily overlooked, but shouldn't be missed. It combines Tolstoy's philosophy with his religious moralizing with his love of the land and the simplicity of nature and those close to it. The novel explores the nature of happiness, the purpose of life, and Tolstoy's particular interest in rural life vs the more urbane Moscow/Saint Petersburg society.
This minor masterpiece is full of Tolstoy's fascination with the Cossacks (both men and women) and the Chechen braves (abreks), his love of the mountains, rivers, and flora and fauna of the Caucuses. There is part of 'The Cossacks' that reminded me of an early Hemingway novel: a war, women, real men, horses and lots of food and drink. If you've read 'War & Peace' and 'Anna Karenina' and are looking for another good Tolstoy, this is a solid piece (it happened to be Turgenev's favorite Tolstoy novel).
Charming, but with a caveat... The great charm of this first full-fledged novel of Tolstoy (1863) of course is the setting: like some of his short stories the panoramic view of the mountainous Caucasus area is breathtaking, and Tolstoy really lets it come into its own. In essence this is a love story, between the failed young nobleman Oljenin and the pure but strong Cossack daughter Maryanka. In contrast with his preceding novel it doesn鈥檛 end well, but in the meanwhile as a reader you are swept away by the intense feelings of the protagonists, typically in line with the Romantic style. In the same vain, Tolstoy zooms in on the life and mores of the Cossacks, praised by the story teller as pure in mind and body. Clearly they are presented as the antidote for the moral bankruptcy of 鈥榗ivilized society鈥�, another Romantic trait. It鈥檚 a great, sweeping story, for sure, but it comes with a caveat: one mustn鈥檛 forget that what Tolstoy describes here is nothing less than the brutal submission of the Caucasus people by Russian troops. Like so many other great Russian writers also Tolstoy (Pushkin foremost) was a child of his time and an active defender of Russian imperialism. In these military operations, both in the south and the east the Cossacks, an independent people in what now is Ukraine, played the most important, and also the most cruel part. I know this spoils the reading pleasure of the novel a bit, but it鈥檚 best to keep this in mind whilst reading. ... and I want to add: of course this warning goes for a lot of other great, Russian 脿nd non-Russian writers!
Appunti Giugno 2015 Emozionante nella sua semplicit脿, la scrittura di Tolstoj 猫 luminescente, 猫 elettrizzante, elettrificante鈥� 猫 un materiale altamente conduttore.
La narrazione si struttura in brevi capitoli, con brevi dialoghi e brevi descrizioni che si alternano in modo uniforme, il ritmo 猫 comunque lento e riflessivo.
Il tema 猫 l'evoluzione di una esperienza intima, la ricerca della felicit脿 e di una auto-realizzazione attraverso il ricongiungimento con la natura, con una realt脿 essenziale e primitiva come quella dei Cosacchi, un tema che in Tolstoj ricorre spesso. Racconto autobiografico in cui il protagonista, alter ego dell'autore, 猫 un giovane aristocratico ingenuo, entusiasta e narciso che sceglie di abbandonare la vita nella buona societ脿 moscovita per andare alla ricerca di una immediatezza dell'essere: questo giovane Olenin parte da Mosca con la stessa inesperienza, la stessa presunzione, le stesse aspirazioni a compiere gesta eroiche e mirabolanti avventure e imprese, le stesse caratteristiche che si notano nel giovane Arturo ne L'isola di Arturo della Morante.
Al termine dell'avventura tra i Cosacchi il fallimento non sar脿 totale, una maturazione in lui avverr脿 comunque, ma il protagonista imparer脿 che il mondo di queste popolazioni 猫 un qualcosa di completamente diverso da quello che lui si aspettava e per sempre distante da quello lui 猫 o pu貌 essere.
"In quella sua nuova vita egli si sentiva di giorno in giorno pi霉 libero e pi霉 uomo. Il Caucaso gli si era rivelato completamente diverso da quel che egli si era immaginato; egli non vi aveva trovato assolutamente nulla di simile ai suoi sogni, n茅 a tutte le descrizioni di quella regione che gli era capitato di sentire. [鈥 Qui [鈥 la gente vive cos矛 come vive la natura: muoiono, nascono, si accoppiano, di nuovo nascono, lottano fra loro, bevono, mangiano, fanno festa e di nuovo muoiono. E non esiste nessuna legge, a parte quelle immutabili che la natura impone al sole, all'erba, alle belve o agli alberi. Questa gente non conosce altre leggi鈥� [...] E proprio per questa ragione quegli uomini gli apparivano, in confronto con se stesso, molto pi霉 belli, pi霉 forti e pi霉 liberi, tanto che, guardandoli, Olenin si sentiva preso da un sentimento di vergogna e di compassione per se stesso."
Si scoprir脿 in modo pratico, quasi concreto, che chi ha in s茅 - per sua natura o per educazione - determinate coscienza e sensibilit脿, pu貌 ammirare e tentare di condividere la vita di quelli che, quasi come animali, vivono a stretto contatto con la natura, in un mondo fatto di istinto e anche di violenza, secondo antichi ritmi e leggi, isolati e lontani dalla modernit脿. Ma alla fine egli non ce la far脿 mai del tutto a vivere come loro e sentirsi come loro, pu貌 capirli ma non pu貌 regredire e diventare come loro, e loro d'altro canto non saranno mai in grado di comprendere lui. Questa contrapposizione 猫 rappresentata sotto forma di un amore non corrisposto: il protagonista non pu貌 trasformarsi in quello che non 猫, nemmeno se lo desidera; e la vita selvaggia che lui ammira e desidera non pu貌 essere piegata alla sua esigenza, perch茅 se venisse piegata per definizione non sarebbe pi霉 libera e selvaggia. Lo stabilirsi di un rapporto richiederebbe necessariamente l'annullamento di uno dei due.
Questo racconto 猫 anche una descrizione piuttosto dettagliata e obiettiva delle popolazioni cosacche nel Daghestan con i loro usi, costumi, abitudini, attivit脿, le leggi, i valori, i sentimenti, ecc. a met脿 del XIX sec. La voce narrante spiega e descrive rivolgendosi direttamente al lettore; ma questo popolo viene presentato anche attraverso alcuni personaggi rappresentativi, specialmente il vecchio Zio Eroska: tramite la sua figura e i suoi racconti, si scopre che gi脿 all'epoca in cui si svolgono gli eventi narrati, l'et脿 dell'oro dei popoli cosacchi era ormai terminata e faceva gi脿 parte di racconti epici come una Iliade o un'Odissea.
Appunti Settembre 2020 In occasione della mia prima lettura, cinque anni fa, mi concentrai principalmente sui significati psicologici e i risvolti autobiografici dell'opera. Stavolta ho cercato di godermela un po' di pi霉 dal punto di vista narrativo e paesaggistico: funziona benissimo anche per questo verso.L'autunno, la steppa, il fiume, il villaggio, i monti incombenti. Funziona alla perfezione in qualsiasi verso lo si prenda, se cos矛 non fosse non sarebbe neanche Tolstoj.
Cinque stelle anche per la seconda lettura, niente da modificare alla mia prima recensione. Mi limito ad aggiungere qualche appunto riguardo le assonanze con altre opere famose: oltre al tema del rapporto con la natura, o ancora meglio di un "ritorno" alla natura, tema che come ben si sa verr脿 in seguito pi霉 ampiamente sviluppato da Tolstoj, ho osservato questa volta una netta somiglianza/assonanza con Le notti bianche: il giovane ed inesperto Olenin (alias conte Tolstoj) sembra dibattersi alla ricerca di una felicit脿 che non solo non sa trovare, ma non sa neanche bene come catalogare: felicit脿 猫 sacrificarsi per gli altri? Felicit脿 猫 cercare solo il proprio bene personale e fare poi cos矛, di riflesso, anche il bene degli altri (novello Adam Smith)? Felicit脿 猫 essere accettati dagli altri? Felicit脿 猫 amare o essere amati? Felicit脿 猫 affare di un secondo o qualcosa che deve durare tutta una vita? Abbastanza sorprendente la lucidit脿 e profondit脿 con cui un giovanissimo Tolstoj sa analizzarsi e un po' anche prendersi in giro quando si rivede dal punto di vista della voce narrante esterna onnisciente.
E a proposito del tema dell'essere accettato dagli altri, da quel gruppo di persone di cui si vorrebbe far parte, non so com'猫 ma mi 猫 venuto alla mente il racconto di Thomas Mann, Tonio Kr艔ger : per quanto Olenin si sforzi, non riesce a fare in modo che i cosacchi lo sentano come uno dei loro. Non con i gesti di generosit脿, non cercando di imitarli, non con il solo stare in loro compagnia. E risulta ancor pi霉 paradossale che il principe Beleckij, senza fare sforzo alcuno per piacere ai cosacchi, anzi disprezzandoli alquanto, raggiunga tutti quegli obiettivi che Olenin non riesce a raggiungere pur applicandovisi al massimo: il principe riesce a integrarsi, a scherzare e a godere della loro compagnia, si fa anche la morosa, tutto quello che Olenin desidera e non raggiunge, lui lo raggiunge pur non desiderandolo. Ed 猫 cos矛 che mi torna in mente Tonio in disparte che osserva Hans e Ingeborg, alle prese con l'amarezza, con l'incomprensione, forse anche con l'invidia.
Infine, la scena del duello finale cui Olenin desidera partecipare non solo per estremo tentativo di emulazione dei cosacchi ma anche per poter infine vedere di persona i montanari ribelli ceceni, riporta molto da vicino al Deserto dei Tartari di Buzzati. Il tenente Drogo questi tartari non arriver脿 a vederli mai, mentre Olenin ai suoi ceceni riesce a dare un'occhiata di sguincio, ma alla fin fine il risultato 猫 il medesimo: 猫 l'attesa spasmodica, 猫 l'anelare a un qualcosa che non verr脿 mai raggiunto, l'impresa che si deve abbandonare ancora prima di averla potuta davvero iniziare.
馃悗 Cossacks means free man or adventurer. Olenin, a Russian cadet (pre-officer) joins in with Cossack forces in the fight against the Chechens. He and Lukashka, a dashing Cossack fighter, become friends for a time. Until they both love the same woman, Maryanka, a strong and beautiful Cossack farm girl. Then their friendship quickly sours.
Olenin is enraptured by the Cossack lifestyle and most of this short novel is spent depicting a Cossack village in vibrant prose. Maryanka enjoys the attention both men lavish on her. To the end, we have no idea who she will choose. For Olenin, he is prepared to become a Cossack and to spend his life in that environment and forsake Russia.
However he never quite fits in. Russians are not well-liked and few Cossacks in the village open their arms to him. One who does is old, loud, big-hearted, full of himself, Uncle Ershoka. He seems to be fond of Olenin, yet also spreads lies and gossip about him, driving a larger wedge between Olenin and Lukashka. Nevertheless, Ershoka remains Olenin鈥檚 constant companion.
The novel was published in 1863, preceding both War & Peace and Anna Karenina. The realism Tolstoy employed in these works as a younger writer was dispensed with as he matured for a style that was more philosophical, theological, and moralistic. You see this style beginning to emerge in Anna Karenina.
Probably a good work for newcomers to Tolstoy to begin with though as a teen I myself immediately plunged into War and Peace.
Three stars! I liked some aspects of the novel, particularly one character - Eroshka! He is certainly NOT the central character, but for me he is the essence of the whole story. He is the only one that understands how to live life. Nobody else gets it.
It is a bit slow and the focus on a love affair left me cold. There was no passion. I want some passion if I am to follow a love story. Again, look at how Eroshka lives his life. For me, everything circles back to Eroshka. Not Dimitri Olenin. Not Lukashka and not Maryanka either. There is a love triangle - Dimitri, Lukashka and Maryanka. Who will get Maryanka and where does Mayanka's love lie? Eroshka is the uncle of Lukashka. I am not going to give you the whole story.
The love affair plays out in the Cauacasus. Chechnya to be more exact, in a small village along the Terek River. Fighting between Russians and Chechens has been going on for centuries AND Russia was again seeking to expand its borders. What I enjoyed was the historical aspect. The book depicts life in Chechnya back in the middle 1800s. The customs, the foods and the manner of life in the small villages located there. It is said that the book is semi-autobiographical, based on Tolstoy's own experiences fighting in the Caucasus during the last years of the Caucasian War 1817-1864. The book was first published in 1863 and is said to be Turgenev's favorite by Tolstoy.
The audiobook I listened to was narrated by David Thorn. I liked it. It was OK, but sometimes I had a hard time hearing the Russian names. He mumbles a bit, but you do get it!
鈥淟os cosacos鈥� es la cuarta novela que escribi贸 Lev Tolst贸i a mitad de la veintena de a帽os de su vida. En ella nos narra la historia de Olenin, un muchacho de buena posici贸n que parte de Mosc煤 para vivir en una aldea cosaca y as铆 descubrir nuevas cosas de la vida. La novela est谩 basada en su propia vida, ya que lo que Olenin hace lo mismo que loque 茅l intent贸 de joven. En la historia, lo que Olenin hace es describir la vida, quehaceres e idiosincrasia del pueblo cosaco. Personalmente, esperaba encontrarme con una novela al estilo de "Tar谩s Bulba" de Nikol谩i G贸gol, cuya descripci贸n visceral y violenta de los cosacos luchando contra los polacos se acerca m谩s al ideal de este aguerrido pueblo y no la almibarada y rom谩ntica versi贸n que Tolst贸i nos da en la suya. Todo lo relatado en la relaci贸n de Olenin con la hermosa Marianka y a su vez con Lukanka, el pretendiente de esta roza lo naif y tierno. Me esperaba otra cosa. Considero que "Los cosacos" es una nouvelle -puesto que es el t茅rmino m谩s apropiado- discreta y nada m谩s que eso.
This small scale story about a young man who is unhappy with his upbringing and past life is brilliant in many ways. I felt with the characters and was interested in them. The ending felt right. It fit the totality of the story.
It's a story about an upper class soldier and his journey. There is not a lot of combat.
I didn't absolutely enjoy seeing how traditional the story's characters were. However there is wisdom and insight in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
An absolute masterpiece by Tolstoy, and a less intimidating work than the later, monstrously long novels he is better known for. Dmitri Olenin is a young man who has ruined himself through gambling and scandalous love affairs, so he buys a commission in the Russian army and gets sent to the the Caucasus, where troops simultaneously protect the Cossack minority and seek to subdue the Chechens and other groups on Russia's imperialist frontier. Despite being written on the other side of the continent, The Cossacks shares a worldview with British and French literature dealing with imperialist regions. Olenin sees both the Chechens and the Cossacks as less civilized and simpler, but he also comes to see the Cossack way of life as preferable--he believes that culture has numbed Russians to the true joys of life and that the Cossacks, who farm, hunt, drink great quantities of homemade wine, fight skirmishes with enemies, and love with passion, live in the present and therefore more fully. Much of the book deals with Olenin's desire to marry a local girl and to befriend the young men of the village--in short, to become a Cossack. But how to become "simple" when you've already been "civilized"? He believes that he can understand Marianka, a young beauty, but that she can't understand him because of her simplicity--does this create an unbridgable rift between them, or is this duality even valid? Subtle, emotional, and thoughtful.
's is a roughly autobiographical novella about the author's stay in a Cossack town fronting Chechnya. Dimitri Olenin is a wealthy young cadet officer who falls in love with the whole Cossack way of life, and in particular one young maiden named Maryanka who catches his eye.
Olenin seems to be willing to give up his autocratic life as an owner of numerous serfs in order to enjoy the countryside of the unnamed village in the Caucasus where he is staying. He spends nights drinking with Eroshka, a 70-year-old Cossack who, like Olenin, loves to hunt.
I enjoyed this story so much that I will try to tackle Tolstoy's Tales of Army Life next.
This didn't really seem like the typical Russian novel-only a handful of characters, short chapters, aspects of a love story. Not what I expected. It was good but probably bot typical Tolstoy.
A short novel, yet very compact. At glance first I thought it was rather short to be so famous, but having completed it I think it's just the right length. The author seems to have resisted the temptation to provide too much information, and supplies just enough to tell his story. The story is that of a privileged young man from the capital, who, disillusioned with his life of selfish ease, decides to go and fight in Chechnya. There he enters into the local way of life with enthusiasm, only to discover at the end that he will never find what he is looking for, and that his wealthy background has cut him off forever from the true, traditional Russian way of life, that can only be experienced by the poor. The author very skilfully weaves his tale, introducing characters and settings step by step, allowing them to develop individually and interact, before exposing them to the final, tragic and irremediable culture clash that is Russian society, even today. Sad but exhilarating. My only disappointment was the lack of detailed description of the Chechens - but that is hardly surprising, given the author was Russian; and given the Chechens themselves only play the part of backdrop in the book, constituting the wild frontier against which the tale is told. Nevertheless, when I was working in Chechnya in the 1990s I heard Tolstoj spoken of with appreciation for his portrayal of them as noble savages. This book is rightly a classic.