Tolstoy: The Cossacks

In my Tolstoy book club today, discussing The Cossacks. 

Leo Tolstoy began work on the short novel in August 1853. In August 1857, after having reread the Iliad, he vowed to completely rewrite The Cossacks. In February 1862, after having lost badly at cards he finished the novel to help pay his debts. The novel was published in 1863, in the popular literary magazine The Russian Messenger. 

Tolstoy in 1908

The Cossacks is believed to be somewhat autobiographical, partially based on Tolstoy's experiences in the Caucasus during the last stages of the Caucasian War. Tolstoy had a wild time in his youth, engaging in numerous promiscuous partners, heavy drinking and gambling problems; many argue Tolstoy used his own past as inspiration for the protagonist Olenin.

Overall, enjoying the discussion on this one. Lots on his descriptive language. 

From my hunt for articles on this work: 

Creation history and plot of Tolstoy’s story “The Cossacks”

Read about My Tolstoy Adventure. 

Alexander Litovchenko (1835-1890)
Portrait of a Cossack,
Wikipedia

I went hunting for a definition of the Cossacks: 

The Cossacks are a predominantly East Slavic Orthodox Christian people originating in the Pontic–Caspian steppe of eastern Ukraine and southern Russia. 

Historically, they were a semi-nomadic and semi-militarized people, who, while under the nominal suzerainty of various Eastern European states at the time, were allowed a great degree of self-governance in exchange for military service. 

The Cossack way of life persisted via both direct descendants and acquired ideals in other nations into the twentieth century, though the sweeping societal changes of the Russian Revolution disrupted Cossack society as much as any other part of Russia. 

Many Cossacks migrated to other parts of Europe following the establishment of the Soviet Union, while others remained and assimilated into the Communist state. Cohesive Cossack-based units were organized and many fought for both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during World War II. (Wikipedia)