Melissa Hanania Literature in Translation Professor Golden November 6, 2015 Clashing Leaders “Hadji Murat answered with a smile…Poltoratsky had never expected this fearsome mountaineer to be like that. He had expected to see a gloomy, dry, alien man, and before him was a most simple man, who smiled such a kindly smile that he seemed not alien, but a long-familiar friend.” (27). Leo Tolstoy’s Hadji Murat depicts numerous commanders, all of which obtain contrasting leadership qualities. However, being a cruel leader might not be as effective as being a humane one. Hadji Murat’s respectful and kind characteristics significantly differs Imam Shamil’s and Tsar Nicholas ruthless mindsets. Many argue that punishing others to make them frightened …show more content…
He sleeps warily; no matter how long he has been without rest, the slightest indication of danger has him ready to fight. For example, a group of Shamil loyalists try to block Hadji Murat’s departure from the Chechen village. While in the Russians’ custody he disarms a man who tries to execute him without the slightest hesitation; Tolstoy compares his cleverness and speed to those of a cat. Also, he demonstrates no fear of death, “If he kills me, it means Allah wants it so.” (93). He lives up to the warrior ideal: his motive is honor and he is kind to those who welcome him, “we saw nothing but good from him” (94). He is described as “Courteous, wise,” and “just” (94). He retains his dignity even in death. The opposing tyrant, Imam Shamil, acquires a few favorable characteristics that Hadji Murat fails to demonstrate. Shamil’s blunt and direct attitude prove to be effective throughout some parts of this novel. His attitude makes people frightened of him and therefore “people were afraid to disobey Shamil” (7). Tolstoy also introduces Tsar Nicholas, a ignorant and petty leader that is driven more by flattery and lust than any consideration for the citizens that obey his every
"Stalin, Joseph." International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Ed. William A. Darity, Jr. 2nd ed. Vol. 8. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. 86-87. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.
Another way in which the confidence in Tsarist rule could have been affected is by the fact that those who did criticise Rasputin usually exaggerated their points in order to actually be heard by the public, falsifying most of their arguments, although it still caught traction amongst the public in Russian cities. The reason as to why Rasputin was so close to the Tsar and Tsarina was due to the fact that he was believed to heal their son’s haemophilia, which coincidently, began to get better once Rasputin started treating him, overwhelming the Tsarina with admiration for Rasputin. This weakness in which their son had was kept from the public, which is why suspicion aroused as to the aim of the tsar for letting a Siberian peasant to live in the palace near his family. The people of Russia al...
Tolstoy transports the reader through these examples of sociological thought with the suffering of his hero. Ivan likely mirrors the thoughts that Tolstoy has in reference to his own life, shunning institutions of society, education and religion. It is in these examples of conformity that the reader sees err, and the justification of that err not to return to a life of perpetual discontentment and conformity, but to move ahead through the pain that Ivan experiences to learn a lesson of accepting freedom, not only on the terms of the freedom itself, but in the burden with which freedom presents itself.
First, Dostoevsky gives the reader the character, Raskolnokov. He is the main character, whom Fyodor uses to show two sides of people their admirable side and their disgusting side. He loves Raskolnokov, which is why Fyodor uses Raskolnokov’s point of view throughout the whole novel. Personally, Fyodor dislikes some of his qualities but understands that all people are plagued with some bad traits, and that Raskolnokv is trying to make emends for some of his wrong doings, i.e. the murder of the pawnbroker and her sister. He knows that what he did was wrong and is willing to suffer for his crime, and he does throughout the whole book with his constant depression. Dostoesky believes in punishment for your crimes, this is why he shows Raskolnokov suffering through most of the novel, to show his great love for penance. Dostoevsky likes the kind giving nature of people; this is why he portrays the main character as a kind, gentle, and giving, person. Often, Raskolnokov thinks only of others benefits such as when he helped Katerina by giving her all his money for Marmelodov, as well as his caring about what happens to his sister with her marriage to Luzhin. Raskolnokov hates Luzhin’s arrogant and pompous attitude, which reflects Dostoevsky’s animosity of the same qualities in people in the real world.
Though while some of the leaders were incompetent and maybe even slightly “defective”, there were many great leaders of the Ottoman Empire, such as Suleyman who was known as “The Magnificent” and brought the empi...
Nitze, Paul H. & Foreword. The Complete Idiots Guide to Leo Tolstoy. London: Henry Z. Walck, 1994.
a brave warrior in the face of battle and is not scared of any man.
Years of western propaganda has dehumanised Stalin into a maniacal dictator with no regard to human life. Obviously, this is merely slander; his ruthlessness and brutality are often exaggerated. In fact, this propaganda makes Stalin seem like a cartoonish villain who only wants to gain more power for himself. The question that stands is what was Stalin’s personality really like?
This ideology is represented in many historic figures such as Napoleon, Newton, Mahomet, Solon and other legislators and leaders of men. In his desire to become an extraordinary man, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov attempts to pursue this ideology. Yet, throughout Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov contradicts his selfset nihilistic
Later in the story, Tolstoy shows how this small act of perjury corrupts Vassily and changes him. This interaction producing more corruption is the manner in which Tolstoy believes his culture and society
Genghis Khan showed early promise of becoming both a leader and a fighter. Through the whole of his childhood upbringing Temujin was exposed to an array of extremely violent, unpredicta...
This paper seeks to review the themes found in the book entitled Heart of a Dog, which has been authored by Mikhail Bulgakov. In summary, the themes of the book are a satirical representation of the state of affairs in the Soviet Union under the leadership of Joseph Stalin. The book was written during the era in which censorship was in full force throughout the country. Mikhail was therefore forced to write his book in a satirical and subtle manner in order to himself from the dictatorial leadership (Bulgakov, 1988).
Like his fellow writer, Chekhov, he possessed realistic characteristics that he portrayed in his works of literature. Tolstoy is known as the author who created one of the longest novels ever written, War and Peace. Throughout this book, Tolstoy focuses on describing Russia after an invasion from Napoleon Bonaparte and his French soldiers. War and Peace shows how this event affected Russian society. Touching on a more sensitive, yet incredibly practical side, Tolstoy gives insight as to what romance was like. In this lengthy novel, Tolstoy explains, “The higher a man stands on the social ladder, the greater the number of people he is connected with, the more power he has over other people, the more obvious is the predestination and inevitability of his every action.” (“War”) This basically is Tolstoy’s way of stating that with a higher level of status, one is more likely to be a person of authority and a person who has the ability to persuade/influence others with great ease. This is something that has been true throughout history. If a person is ranked higher in terms of hierarchy, he/she is more likely to have strong influences on other people in comparison to an individual without a comparable standing. (Magee
The novel's epigraph sets a certain tone for us before we even begin reading; the biblically inflected "Vengeance is mine; I will repay," plants in our heads the idea that wrong will be done and punishment exacted. Indeed, we come across a wrong in the very first lines of the opening chapter, in Stepan Arkadyich's dalliance with the French governess, which has thrown the Oblonsky house into "confusion."(1) Tolstoy's descriptions of Stepan Arkadyich as a pleasant, honest, well-liked bon vivant seem at times to drip with contempt. He is "lazy and mischievous"(14), his life...
Violence, Hatred, and Pain in Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot. & nbsp; "There was a look of unbounded pride and contempt, almost hatred, in that face, and at the same time something confiding, something wonderfully simplehearted. " There began Prince Myshkin's curiosity of and infatuation with the complex Nastasya Filippovna as he sat in awe of this woman's picture in Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot. This story, set in Russia during the late 1860's, is one of continuous love rivalries which describe the life of the Russian aristocracy during that time period. & nbsp; Prince Myshkin is described as the "ideal" man due to his compassion for everyone and his firm belief that there is a good side to all people.