Hadji Murad

Hadji Murad is Leo Tolstoy’s historical novella about a Caucasian leader caught between rival powers and concern for his family. His dealings with Russian authorities are shaped by his break with Shamil and the danger facing those he hopes to protect. Scenes at different levels of military and political life reveal how decisions made at a distance bear upon particular people. The framing image of a damaged thistle connects resistance with vulnerability. Tolstoy’s attention to character and circumstance challenges grand accounts of power that leave the human cost out of view.