Description
Tolstoy’s final work—a gripping novella about the struggle between the Muslim Chechens and their inept occupiers—is a powerful moral fable for our time.
Inspired by a historical figure Tolstoy heard about while serving in the Caucasus, this story brings to life the famed warrior Hadji Murat, a Chechen rebel who has fought fiercely and courageously against the Russian Empire. After a feud with his commander, he defects to the Russians, only to find that he is now trusted by neither side. He is at first welcomed but then imprisoned by the Russians on suspicion of being a spy. When he hears that his wife and son are being held captive by the Chechens, Murat risks everything to try to save his family. Hadji Murat is a thrilling and provocative portrait of a tragic figure that has lost none of its relevance.