46 pages • 1 hour read
Leo TolstoyHadji Murat
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1912A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 7-12Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 7 Summary
Avdeev, injured, reaches Fort Vozdvizhensk's hospital. He describes the battle under Poltoratsky, where he was wounded during a wood-chopping expedition. A doctor finds a bullet lodged in his body that can't be removed. His friends Panov and Seryogin visit, and Avdeev entrusts them with a final message for his family, wishing for his brother's long life. Anticipating death, he requests a candle. Holding the candle, Avdeev soon passes away.
Chapter 8 Summary
On the day Avdeev dies, his family in a distant village are threshing oats amidst a harsh winter. Avdeev enlisted in place of his brother, leaving behind a family grappling with the everyday realities of rural life.
As the family learns of Avdeev's death, their grief is compounded by the return of a letter and money sent to him. Their letter never reached Avdeev, who died "defending the tsar, the fatherland, and the Orthodox faith" (38). Avdeev's mother and his widow, Aksinya, each process his death in their own ways. Aksinya, unfaithful to Avdeev, faces her grief alongside relief of being freed from societal judgment, given she is pregnant by another man.
Chapter 9 Summary
Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov, the son of the Russian Ambassador, stands out among Russian officials for his European education. Ambitious and adept at navigating social hierarchies, Vorontsov is a respected commander known for his role in the Napoleonic Wars. By 1851, he is over 70 but remains vibrant and intellectually engaged, utilizing his wealth and position as a Viceroy to build a palace in Crimea.
On a December evening in 1851, a courier arrives at his Tiflis palace with news of Hadji Murat's surrender to the Russians. Vorontsov shares the news with his guests, captivating everyone with the announcement of Murat's defection. Dinner conversation shifts to Murat's exploits; they praise his courage, intelligence, and magnanimity.
Post-dinner, Vorontsov, receives another letter, this time from his son, Prince Vorontsov, describing the details of Murat's surrender and the confrontation involving General Meller-Zakomelsky.
Chapter 10 Summary
When Hadji Murat arrives at Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov’s palace, dressed in traditional Caucasian attire, he proclaims his official allegiance to the Russian Tsar, pledging to fight against their common enemy, Shamil. Despite mutual skepticism, Vorontsov and Murat understand the strategic necessity of their alliance. Murat requests support for a military campaign to release his family from Shamil's capture as a condition for his service. The meeting concludes with Vorontsov considering Murat’s proposals.
The next day, Murat attends a grand ball at Vorontsov's, where he remains detached and unimpressed by the festivities, focused instead on the safety of his family. Despite Murat’s attempts to discuss this matter with Vorontsov at the ball, Vorontsov dismisses him, telling him they will discuss it later.
Chapter 11 Summary
Five days after Hadji Murat arrives in Tiflis, Vorontsov's aide, Loris-Melikov, visits Murat to document his life story. Communicating in Tartar, Loris-Melikov expresses Vorontsov's interest in Hadji Murat's detailed past. Feeling honored, Hadji Murat narrates his life, starting from his birth in the small village of Tselmess. His mother was a nurse for the Khans of the nearby village of Khunzakh, where he grew up alongside Umma Khan. When Murat was 15, the murids began going around the villages, advocating jihad against Russian influence, which gradually persuaded the local populace of Chechens and Avars toward resistance.
When Imam Hamzad rose to power, he threatened the village of Khunzakh to join the Ghazavat (holy war). Not wanting to take up Ghazavat, Murat and Umma Khan sought Russian support in Tiflis, only to be rebuffed. Disenchanted with the Russians, Murat's resolve against them strengthened, pushing him toward the Ghazavat. Khunzakh's elders considered joining Hamzad's Ghazavat and attempted negotiation. However, they were humiliated by Hamzad, who demanded hostages. Eventually, the Khansha sent her son, Bulatch Khan, followed by Umma Khan and Murat, to Hamzad as hostages.
Despite promises of safety, they walked into a deadly trap. In Hamzad's camp, Murat discovered Umma Khan's brutal murder in Hazmad’s tent. Overcome with fear, Murat fled. This moment haunts Hadji Murat, who feels shame for his flight. It instilled a lasting sense of disgrace that fuels his future courage and determination.
Chapter 12 Summary
Hadji Murat checks the watch Vorontsov gifted him and decides it's time to pray. Alone, Loris-Melikov writes down the key points from Murat's story. He overhears Murat’s murids speaking in Tartar in the other room. They are debating the merits of Shamil and other leaders before shifting to casual topics like smoking and shopping. Observing the murids, especially Gamzalo's praise for Shamil and disdain for Russians, raises Loris-Melikov's suspicions about Murat's true motives. Murat calls Loris-Melikov back to resume their conversation.
Chapters 7-12 Analysis
Chapter 7 depicts the realities of military service and war through Avdeev's final moments. The fatal bullet in his body and his resigned acceptance of death capture the ultimate sacrifice of a soldier. He requests a candle as his final act, symbolically marking the extinguishment of his life due to the cruelty of war. On the day of Avdeev's death, his family, oblivious to his fate, worries about the winter cold while threshing oats in a distant village; this juxtaposition reveals the vast divide between their daily lives and his ultimate sacrifice. This contrast emphasizes the disconnection between the battlefield’s horrors and the comfort of home. The aftermath of Avdeev's death, marked by an undelivered letter and returned money, illustrates the deep losses and severed connections wrought by war. Through weaving these narratives together, Tolstoy portrays the horrors of war and conflict by offering commentary on the topics of sacrifice, the cruel realities of conscription, and the personal grief experienced by those left behind.
In Chapter 11, the narrative shifts to a reflective recounting of Hadji Murat's life, offering insights into his motivations and the historical context of his resistance against Russian influence and his eventual defection to the Russian side. His early refusal to join the Ghazavat, followed by the betrayal and violence he experienced, shapes his complicated relationship with both Russian and Chechen forces. This backstory humanizes Hadji Murat and sheds light on the broader cultural and religious conflicts in the Caucasus region. The narrative brings into focus the brutal murder of Umma Khan, Murat’s close friend and brother-in-arms, by Imam Hamzad. This act underlines the savagery of war and the enduring personal wounds it inflicts, further illustrating the cycle of violence that defines the tumultuous history of the area and its people. Through this recounting, Tolstoy not only enriches the reader’s understanding of Hadji Murat’s character but also paints a vivid picture of the atrocities and the deeply personal nature of conflict in the Caucasus.
Chapter 12 reveals the ideological divide between Chechens and Russians, evidenced by Loris-Melikov's eavesdropping on the murids' conversation. The murids engage in casual debate, alternating between praise for Shamil and contempt for the Russians, inadvertently raising Loris-Melikov's doubts about Hadji Murat's loyalty. This dialogue probes the nature of allegiance and evolving perceptions of friends and foes within the context of cultural identity and personal convictions. Despite Murat's formal alliance with the Tsar, a relationship marked by mutual skepticism, the narrative highlights the pragmatism of wartime alliances, wherein shared adversaries create unexpected partnerships. Murat's request for assistance to rescue his family from Shamil's grasp highlights the personal layer of his political maneuvering. Earlier, in Chapter 10, Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov's spirits are lifted by the news of Hadji Murat's defection, extolling his bravery, intellect, and benevolence. Vorontsov's life, characterized by ambition, a European education, and a distinguished military career, epitomizes the detached and privileged existence of the elite. His ability to stay influential into his seventies, along with his investments in opulence, such as constructing a palace in Crimea, stands in contrast to the sacrifices of soldiers and the rugged life of mountaineers like Murat. The lavish ball at Vorontsov's palace further alienates Murat from the Russian elite, as he remains solely focused on his family's safety, indifferent to the lavish displays of wealth by the Russians. This juxtaposition not only highlights the disparities in lifestyle and priorities between the Russian elite and individuals like Hadji Murat but also offers a critique of the superficial values of high society. These narratives articulate the nuances of cross-cultural tensions, the essence of alliances formed in times of war, and the reality of the personal sacrifices of soldiers overshadowed by the grandeur of the elite.
Related Titles
By Leo Tolstoy
