Islam and Mountain traditions in determining the character of the protagonist in Lev Tolstoy's novella "Hadji Murat"

Abstract

The article deals with the last novella of Lev Tolstoy, called Hadji Murat, on the Caucasus. Here, for the first time in Russian classical literature, the main character of a great realist work is an Eastern Man, a Muslim, a Mountaineer and a Tatar. The main subject of Tolstoy's research on history and art is the fate of Hadji Murat, one of the leaders of the mountain peoples' liberation movement. Hadji Murat is more than a historical figure, he is a legend of his time. For 20 years, he fought relentlessly with Russian troops, who were much stronger, professional and equipped than himself. He surprised everyone with his daring raids, his bravery and legendary invincibility. It is very important how the author of "Hadji Murat" comprehends the world of people from a different culture. One of the most important indicators of this is the author's skilful use of folkloric and religious materials that constitute the basic dynamics of the people. The article tackles this issue fundamentally. Muslim and pagan values are strangely intertwined under the consciousness of the protagonist of the novella, and although they complement each other in some ways, they fundamentally contradict each other. In this novella written by Tolstoy, Hadji Murat is shown as a religious person. Various artistic and folkloric functions take place in the novella. Aphorisms, proverbs, concise expressions, idioms, tales and folk songs about mountains and mountain dwellers helped the author reproduce the national consistency and priorities of the national cultural paradigm.