Defense of Sevastopol in the literary interpretation of L. N. Tolstoy and his contemporaries

In the given article the statement about the special author’s vision of the events of the Crimean War presented in “The Sevastopol Sketches” by L.N. Tolstoy is concept-forming. This thesis exists as the axiom in studies of L. N. Tolstoy’s “The Sevastopol Sketches” from the moment of their writing to the present day. In order to clarify the writer’s position, to concretize its differences with the generally accepted point of view, “The Sevastopol Sketches” are compared with the official military chronicle, published in the section “Military Sheet” on the pages of the newspaper “Russky Invalid”, journalistic and literary works about the defense of Sevastopol by L.N. Tolstoy’s contemporaries: essays by V. A. Kokorev “The Way of Sevastopol defenders” (1858) and A. N. Suponev “Stories about the Sevastopol people” (1904), the story by I. I. Mitropolsky “Sinop cabin boy” (1917). It is noted that cycle by L. N. Tolstoy, with its photographic naturalism of the everyday life of the besieged city, contrasts with the major and solemn tone of the publications of “Russky Invalid”, emphasized the folk nature of the war; the sufferings of human bodies – with the ceremonial splendor of military marches; the natural human sense of self-preservation and fear, does not exclude, however, the ability to die for the Fatherland, – with romanticized heroism of “Russky Invalid”. Conceptual differences in the depiction of the Crimean War, the defense of Sevastopol in the works of L. N. Tolstoy and his contemporaries is considered. In the notes by V. A. Kokorev, “Stories about the Sevastopol people” by A. N. Suponev, the Crimean War has a religious character; Sevastopol defenders’ deed is moral pattern and spiritual ancestor for Russian people. In “The Sevastopol Stories” by L.N. Tolstoy, war is senseless and contrary to human nature. This leitmotif of the cycle sets the tone for following works about the defense of the city (“Sinop cabin boy” by I. I. Mitropolsky). The inclusion of “The Sevastopol Sketches” in the historical and cultural context of 19th century reveals, however, not only differences, but also essential similarities in the concept of war of L. N. Tolstoy and his contemporaries. L.N. Tolstoy, like V.A. Kokorev, sees the guarantee of a person’s spiritual rebirth in the renunciation of selfish, vain aspirations, in a general, communal sense of participation in great history.

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