Small Details from History of the Creation of Tolstoy’s Story “Haji Murat”

Abstract

The article refers to the details of writing store  “Haji Murad” by the great Russian writer Lev Tolstoy. Lev Tolstoy had close friendship with Georgian writers Nino and Ilia Nakashidze. They often shared thoughts in the writing of this story. The story was written during  eight years. This issue will be very interesting, for Tolstoy creative people.The author, who was fascinated  by the romantic character of Caucasus from the early age, spent four years in Georgia, first as the civilian and then as a military figures. Tolstoy had to fight against mountaineers several times in Caucasus.He visited several places in Caucasus.  His domicile was Stanitsa Starogladovskaya which he described in ‘The Cossacks’ in detail. Besides this place Tolstoy also visited Tbilisi, Khasavyurt, Old Yurt, Grozno, Pyatigorski, Zheleznogorsk, Mozdok, Caspian Sea coast. Tolstoy with great enthusiasm describes his impressions of travelling and the greatness of Caucasus nature in his numerous diaries, letters and stories.L. Tolstoy was fascinated not only by the Caucasus landscapes but also by people. Though he could not get on with the officers’ society, he became closer with Cossacks and mountaineers. He made friends with the old Cossack Epishka (Epiphane Sekhini), who later became the prototype of one of the characters of ‘Cossacks’ – Eroshki. Cossacks loved Tolstoy in its turn and respected him greatly. They liked his courage, boldness and obstinacy. The author showed his great spiritual strength and stubbornness in the clashes with Chechens, when he was almost captured.