Hadjí Murat

Escrito por León Tolstoi

Narrado por Martin Untrojb

“Hadjí Murat” es una novela histórica escrita de primera mano, ya que Tolstói conoció a algunos de sus protagonistas durante su permanencia en el Cáucaso. La acción transcurre en torno a 1850, bajo el reinado del zar Nicolás I, que se caracterizó por llevar a cabo una política expansionista y de absolutismo represivo. De hecho, el retrato que del zar se hace en la obra nos le describe como un hombre arbitrario, poco justo y demasiado orgulloso. “Hadjí Murat”es la historia de un djiguit, término árabe para designar a un jinete y, por extensión, a un valiente. Es un musulmán del Cáucaso que lucha en contra de las tropas rusas que tratan de dominar Chechenia, Osetia, Daguestán. Un tema que, siglo y medio después, aún colea, como sabemos. Pero nuestro héroe tiene un conflicto con el fiero Shamil, el jefe de las tropas rebeldes, por lo que decide pasarse al bando de los rusos, donde es acogido con gran regocijo.

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: BookaVivo
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 27 abr 2021
• ISBN: 9781638111719

León Tolstoi

<p><b>Lev Nikoláievich Tolstoi</b> nació en 1828, en Yásnaia Poliana, en la región de Tula, de una familia aristócrata. En 1844 empezó Derecho y Lenguas Orientales en la universidad de Kazán, pero dejó los estudios y llevó una vida algo disipada en Moscú y San Petersburgo.</p><p> En 1851 se enroló con su hermano mayor en un regimiento de artillería en el Cáucaso. En 1852 publicó <i>Infancia</i>, el primero de los textos autobiográficos que, seguido de <i>Adolescencia</i> (1854) y <i>Juventud</i> (1857), le hicieron famoso, así como sus recuerdos de la guerra de Crimea, de corte realista y antibelicista, <i>Relatos de Sevastópol</i> (1855-1856). La fama, sin embargo, le disgustó y, después de un viaje por Europa en 1857, decidió instalarse en Yásnaia Poliana, donde fundó una escuela para hijos de campesinos. El éxito de su monumental novela <i>Guerra y paz</i> (1865-1869) y de <i>Anna Karénina</i> (1873-1878; ALBA CLÁSICA MAIOR, núm. XLVII, y ALBA MINUS, núm. 31), dos hitos de la literatura universal, no alivió una profunda crisis espiritual, de la que dio cuenta en <i>Mi confesión</i> (1878-1882), donde prácticamente abjuró del arte literario y propugnó un modo de vida basado en el Evangelio, la castidad, el trabajo manual y la renuncia a la violencia. A partir de entonces el grueso de su obra lo compondrían fábulas y cuentos de orientación popular, tratados morales y ensayos como <i>Qué es el arte</i> (1898) y algunas obras de teatro como <i>El poder de las tinieblas</i> (1886) y <i>El cadáver viviente</i> (1900); su única novela de esa época fue <i>Resurrección</i> (1899), escrita para recaudar fondos para la secta pacifista de los dujobori (guerreros del alma).</p><p> Una extensa colección de sus <i>Relatos</i> ha sido publicada en esta misma colección (ALBA CLÁSICA MAIOR, núm. XXXIII). En 1901 fue excomulgado por la Iglesia Ortodoxa. Murió en 1910, rumbo a un monasterio, en la estación de tren de Astápovo.</p>

Comentarios para Hadjí Murat

[garypatella · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Hadji Murat is a really good story. Tolstoy seems to send a message about understanding other cultures, and decides to write about a non-Russian protagonist. You sympathize with Hadji and have a vested interest in the character by the end.

[lukes_171461 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

This is my first immersion in Tolstoy. This is novella-length, and tells the true story of a Chechen leader who goes over to the Russian side and assists Nicholas II conquer the Caucasus in 1852. Tolstoy's focus, I believe, is to bring out the pointlessness of war, and the horrific, wasteful-on-a-grand scale Czarist policies of the time.By reputation, I understand Russian translates well into English, but this edition of this story is not a good example. I wouldn't say it's stilted, but it is quite stiff in places.There are interesting descriptions of the broad landscapes, and the broad designs of the rapacious Russian royalty. I doubt this is high in the Tolstoy canon. It probably doesn't deserve to be.

[ben_a_11 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

The master.

[richardderus · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Book Circle Reads 160TITLE: [HADJI MURAD]Author: [[LEO TOLSTOY]]Rating: 3* of fiveThe Publisher Says: In [Hadji Murat], Tolstoy recounts the extraordinary meeting of two polarized cultures--the refined, Europeanized court of the Russian tsar and the fierce Muslim chieftains of the Chechen hills. This brilliant, culturally resonant fiction was written towards the end of Tolstoy's life, but the conflict it describes has obvious, ironic parallels with current affairs today. It is 1852, and Hadji Murat, one of the most feared mountain chiefs, is the scourge of the Russian army. When he comes to surrender, the Russians are delighted. Or have they naively welcomed a double-agent into their midst? With its sardonic portraits--from the inscrutable Hadji Murat to the fat and bumbling tsar--Tolstoy's story is an astute and witty commentary on the nature of political relations and states at war. Leo Tolstoy is one of the world's greatest writers. Best known for his brilliantly crafted epic novels [War and Peace] and [Anna Karenina], he used his works to address the problems of Russian society, politics, and traditions.My Review: Flat prose exposing the bones of a story better told in the Wikipedia entry on Hadji Murad, the historical Avar leader.The story was among Tolstoy's papers at his death. Louise Shanks Maude, the wife of Tolstoy's good friend and primary translator of non-fiction Aylmer Maude, included Hadji Murad in their 21-volume Oxford University Press edition of the Collected Works of Tolstoy. The Maudes were Fenians, communal-living enthusiasts, and both came from English families firmly rooted in Russia. This constellation of characteristics made them uniquely sympathetic to Tolstoy's rather unusual social views.Louise Maude did no service to Tolstoy's memory by publishing this story after Tolstoy's death. His own attitude towards the work, based on his correspondence, seems to have focused more on finishing it and with it putting a flourish on his life-long argument with the deterministic world he saw about him. Tragedy being inevitable, Tolstoy takes the historical tale of Hadji Murad (known to him from his service to Russia in the Caucasus) and presents an honorable man's desperate struggle to escape the inescapable fate awaiting him: Death in the attempt to save his beloved family from death, which they will suffer anyway because of his foredoomed death attempting to save them from death.How Russian.There's a very involving tale here. What there isn't is a novel or novella of any satisfying substance. The story as it's published reads more like notes towards a novel. The action and the characters are crudely carved from Tolstoy's accustomed fine marble, but lack any fine detail and indeed are only partially revealed; most of the work needed to create a memorable character is left to the imagination of the reader. That it can be done at all is down to the artist's eye for good materials that Tolstoy possessed, refined by a long lifetime's work. What a pity that its audience isn't legally confined to Tolstoy scholars.

[jwhenderson_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Hadji Murat is a remembered story: "an old story from the Caucasus, part of which I saw, part of which I heard from witnesses, and part of which I imagined to myself." The story depicts the life of soldiers, of nobility, of family life, of the politics of war and the larger-than-life character of Hadji Murat.Hadji Murat was a real Chechen leader and Tolstoy probably first heard of him while he was serving in the Caucasus, based on his own letters home to his brother. Although it is historical the story reads like a myth in spite of its realism. The primary theme is Murat's struggle to resist his enemies while remaining faithful to himself and his family. But there are many other ideas that can be found in the novel, such as determinism, the struggle between a Christian Russia and Muslim Chechnya, and the classic West versus East theme.The story is told in short chapters or vignettes that ultimately introduce dozens of characters from all levels of Russian and Chechen society. The first two pages of the story are like an overture that depicts the discovery of a thistle bloom in the field that will not "submit" and that reminds the narrator of his memory of the hero, Hadji Murat. The story as remembered begins with Murat and two of his followers fleeing from Shamil, the commander of the Caucasian separatists, who is at war with the Russians. They find refuge at the house of Sado, a loyal supporter of Murat. However, the local people learn of his presence and chase him out of the village.Murat decides to make contact with the Russians and sends his aide to them eliciting a promise to meet Murat. Arriving at the fortress of Vozdvizhenskaya, he joins the Russian forces, in hopes of drawing their support in order to overthrow Shamil and save his family. Before his arrival, a small skirmish occurs with some Chechens outside the fortress, and Petrukha Avdeyev, a young Russian soldier bleeds out in a local military hospital after being shot. There is a chapter-length aside about the childless Petrukha who volunteered as a conscript in place of his brother who had a family of his own. Petrukha's father regrets this because he was a dutiful worker compared to his complacent brother.While at Vozdvizhenskaya, Murat befriends Prince Semyon Vorontsov, his wife Maria and his son, and wins over the good will of the soldiers stationed there. They are at once in awe of his physique and reputation, and enjoy his company and find him honest and upright. The Vorontsovs give him a present of a watch which fascinates him.On the fifth day of Murat's stay, the governor-general's adjutant, Mikhail Loris-Melikov arrives with orders to write down Murat's story, and through this some of his history is told. He was born in the village of Tselmes and early on became close to the local khans due to his mother being the royal family's wet nurse. When he was fifteen some followers of Muridism came into his village calling for a holy war (ghazavat) against Russia. Murat declines at first but after a learned man is sent to explain how it will be run, he tentatively agrees. However, in their first confrontation, Shamil—then a lieutenant for the Muslims hostile to the Russians—embarrasses Murat when he goes to speak with the leader Gamzat. Gamzat eventually launches an attack on the capital of Khunzakh and kills the pro-Russian khans, taking control of this part of Dagestan. The slaughter of the khans throws Hadji and his brother against Gamzat, and they eventually succeed in tricking and killing him, causing his followers to flee. Unfortunately, Murat's brother is killed in the attempt and Shamil replaces Gazmat as leader. He calls on Murat to join his struggle, but Murat refuses because the blood of his brother and the khans are on Shamil.Once Murat has joined the Russians, who are aware of his position and bargaining ability, they find him the perfect tool for getting to Shamil. However, Vorontsov's plans are ruined by the War Minister, Chernyshov. A rival prince who is jealous of him, and Murat has to remain in the fortress because the Tsar is told he is possibly a spy. The story digresses into a depiction of the Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, which reveals his lethargic and bitter nature and his egotistical complacency, as well as his contempt towards women, his brother-in-law, Frederick William IV of Prussia, and Russian students.The Tsar orders an attack on the Chechens and Murat's remains in the fortress. Meanwhile, Murat's mother, wife and eldest son Yusuf, whom Shamil hold captive, are moved to a more defensible location. Realizing his position (neither trusted by the Russians to lead an army against Shamil, nor able to return to Shamil because he will be killed), Hadji Murat decides to flee the fortress to gather men to save his family.At this point the narrative jumps forward in time, to the arrival of a group of soldiers at the fortress bearing Murat's severed head. While Maria Dimitriyevna—the companion of one of the officers and a friend of Murat—comments on the cruelty of men during times of war calling them 'butchers', the soldiers then tell the story of Murat's death. The nightingales, which stopped singing during the battle, begin again and the narrator ends by recalling the thistle that had been the catalyst for his original remembrance of Hadji Murat.The story is filled with realistic details that bring the family of Murat and his comrades to life. His original decision to go over to the Russian side, while understandable, ultimately puts Murat in an untenable position. A scene between his son and Shamil, who his holding him captive, is both poignant and terrifying when Shamil tells the boy that he will slice off his head. The two cultures seem to be both very different yet similar. For example, the Tsar demonstrates condescension and enmity for his peers but this is also true of Shamil. The literary style of Tolstoy where every detail is important and the structure is held together by the mystical union of man and nature makes this short novel a major masterpiece.

[greeniezona · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I picked up this book at the library thinking, "Hey, Tolstoy! A book from the 1800s!" (for book bingo). But it's not! But, as a trade-off for being one of Tolstoy's last books, it does serve as my second book by an author over the age of 65. Which I'll happily take.

This novella about a Chechen rebel is strangely relevant again. The things that I knew about Chechnya, present-day or in the time of this story, sum to approximately zero, so I spent a lot of time in the first dozen pages thumbing back and forth to the handy glossary in the back, which turned out to be a lot about clothes.

The deeper you get into this story, the more its brilliance is revealed. All the characterizations of all the people involved in Murat's story, all of them acting along their personal, selfish interests. Whether or not their actions end up benefitting Murat, or Russia, or Chechnya, they are all, in the end, perfectly self-centered. Yet the story is somehow empathetic with each of the characters, even as it makes clear the sometimes disastrous effects of their selfishness.

Such an absorbing read. A wonderful book.

[lillian3_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

The struggle to stay alive ... to exist. How strong the life force is in some people ... and what a waste to see such strength carelessly crushed.

[magicians_nephew · Calificación: 1 de 5 estrellas]

Hadji Murad is the last book written by Count Leo Tolstoy before his death. It's a sympathetic portrait of a real life Chechnyan Freedom Fighter going toe to toe with the Russian invaders (and his own tribal politics) circa 1850 in the Caucasus. It does not end well. The author begins the work with a little story about finding a brightly colored thistle in the fields, cut and broken by the reaper, but still standing proudly. It is the theme of the work - the individual standing upright and proud even under adversity. OK. So why did it leave me so cold? Maybe just that Hadji Murad is such a good and noble guy that he just ain't that interesting. And the comic set pieces about the Russian army in the fields - drinking, gambling, shuffling paperwork - seem rushed and formulaic and fails to engage. Usually Tolstoy is better at it than this. Perhaps we're meant to see the "Savage" tribesman as more civilized than the Western cultured Russians. OK. Tolstoy has written a lot of amazing books. He's entitled to take a Mulligan on this one. Read for a Book Circle.

[dekedastardly · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Hadji Murat feels like an epic read in spite of its relative brevity.The story contains portents for our modern era especially in understanding historic grievances between the Caucasus and Russia, Islam and Christianity, which have survived the Communist Soviet era. This tale of power and brutality,subterfuge and corruption, personal and military loyalties divided or switched in unlikely and unholy alliances depending upon who needs what most and when, kidnappings, human shields, sham religiosity, and so on resonates strongly today only the cult of personality, with princes and tsars inspiring military loyalty, was stronger pre World War 1 than the nationhood which supercedes it today especially with the demises of dictatorship.Tolstoy even manages to throw in romantic interludes with the rugged and elegant rebel dangerously and familiarly attractive to the otherwise loyal concubines.Ultimately it is a personal story which ends in sheer futility and the lesson that nothing changes so long as bad and morally weak men can inspire loyalty to the death in return for power and influence.Although at times I found keeping up with the various factions a little difficult and re read many passages for clarification, the book had my attention throughout and what I believe was the desired effect.

[ctpress_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Hadji Murad is a story difficult to interprete. Tolstoy seems to be taking shots at Czarism and Russian imperialism holding up for us with admiration Hadji Murad, a muslim and a Chechen repel commander. Bound by honor and duty and reverence for his religion. Yet there’s brutality on each side - maybe more a disillusionment attitude towards war of any kind seems to be preeminent in Tolstoy’s retelling of this story - a mixture of history and fiction, facts and myth.

[sirroger · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

A fictionalized account of a real event that occurred during the Russian/Chechen conflict in the Caucasus in the late 1800's. Hadji Murad was a great chieftain, both feared and revered. He breaks with the Chechen leader, and attempts to negotiate with the Russians for assistance to rescue his family. As the political events play out, he is unable to trust either side, and is killed in a final battle. This book may initially be more difficult for many to appreciate than Anna Karenina or Resurrection. It contains Tartar words and descriptions of Chechen villages, dress, and customs that may be just as confusing as the details of the 19th century Russian court. Luckily, the persistent will discover that Hadji Murad also contains the key elements that make Tolstoy's longer works so enjoyable to read. It is his gift for realistic description and his omniscient narrator that make the characters come alive. Since the story of Hadji Murad is a true one, there are several characters that each play a smallish part, but each character is presented clearly and concisely, with insight that allows the reader to know them better than they know themselves. Recommended for fans of Tolstoy.

[fuzzy_patters · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I found Hadji Murad to be reminiscent of some of the great American western movies of the mid-twentieth century, which made me wonder how many western authors and movie-makers had been influenced by this book. The book had many aspects of the American western including political intrigue, blood feuds, frontier skirmishes, and a woman who understands the horrors of war and violence much more than the men do.On the whole, I would say that this was a good read that was very interesting because of all of the aforementioned elements. On the other hand, I would not say that it is a great novel because it never really left me reconsidering or challenging preconceptions or even empathizing with others, which I believe are hallmarks of great literature. Instead, it was a very entertaining read that just never quite lived up to some of Tolstoy's other works.