Cossacks

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The brilliant story of a young Russian nobleman seeking happiness amongst the peasantry of the Caucasus - Rated
The novella focuses on the character of Olenin, a young,wealthy and extremely likeable Russian soldier, who abandons his hedonistic Muscovite lifestyle in order to serve with the Russian army in the Caucasus. Throughout much of the story Olenin maintains a grandiose perception of his surroundings and naively dreams of forging a life for himself amongst the native Cossacks. The character intentionally marginalizes himself from his Russian military counterparts and attempts to become immersed within Cossack culture by hunting with,and bestowing gifts upon, local villagers; he even proposes to a local Cossack girl. The inherently flawed nature of Olenin's dream is what makes Tolstoy's story so brilliant.

A wonderful book - Rated
Tolstoy's COSSACK is another fascinating story where purpose is found in the atmosphere of war. This goes for the jaded Olenin, an heir to a fortune that he had half squandered until he abandons his jaded life as a Moscow socialite for the adventures as a soldier in the Caucasus where he finds his purpose and true love. It compliments such stories like TARAS BULBA, UNION MOUJIK, EUGENE ONEGIN, and WAR AND PEACE. This book is not as popular as Tolstoy's other works but it is equally as good.

Trademark Tolstoi - Rated
Tolstoi's first novel and acknowledged as one of his best shorter novels, overshadowed by the likes of the mammoth epic War and Peace and the quintessential 19th century tale of adultery Anna Karenina.

In The Cossacks, Tolstoi provides a rich and vivid description with meticulous detail of Cossack appearance, everyday life, and its society, showing its warmth and unity all set against the backdrop of the Caucasus. And in true Tolstoi fashion it deals with matters of the human heart, the author's abilities to present and translate the intangible feelings and transfer them to print has long been acknowledged as one of his gifts. We are shown Olyénin's yearning for Maryánushka and his feelings of futility towards the betrothed maiden coupled with the universal indecisiveness that exists within us all and the inner struggle of human nature. He yearns for but lacks the strength even to approach her, only watching from afar, feeling worthless against her and at the same fighting a conflict within him to acknowledge his feelings. Each character is well developed, embodying human shortcomings and the disappointments of real life (we never get what we want). We see the young arrogance of Lushkashka, the snobbery of Vasílyevitch and the old sage Cossack 'uncle' Yeroshka with his stubborn old ways. All of this we are invited to watch by the author without prejudice, for Tolstoi writes without judging.

The theme of "love for all" that runs through so many of Tolstoi's books is by no means absent here, with a love triangle between Olyénin, Maryánushka and Lushkashka. Olyénin is willing to abandon his philosophy of self renunciation for Maryánushka, he as an outsider desperately wanting to be integrated and accepted into this society. And in surrendering to his feelings would go against Cossack tradition and run the risk of being ostracised with Maryánushka, a theme explored more in depth in his later work Anna Karenina.

Tolstoi served as a yunker (Olyénin is also one) in the Caucasus in 1851, there he met the Cossacks and later becoming the subject of this book, their simplicity of life used as a comparison to the decadence of Russian society. The character Olyénin is a reflection of his own quest for happiness through self sacrifice and self renunciation, trying to escape the shallow empty meaningless existence of a Russian gentleman in Moscow society.

In conclusion, this book provides a rich and lush description based upon his encounter. The characters are human, flawed, rounded and real with depth, this is what he does best, his favoured themes such as the complexity of love, finding true happiness through a simple existence and the shunning of the aristocratic society are all included, this will not disappoint his followers.