Севастопольские рассказы

Sevastopol Stories" by Tolstoy consists of 3 short stories describing the defense of Sevastopol in 1854 and 1855. Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy in his stories about Sevastopol appears before us as a war correspondent, even though the stories are not so documentary (rather artistic), as we are accustomed to. Being a direct participant in the events described, Tolstoy describes the life, mood and thoughts of the participants in the defense without embellishment. Some sincerely want to defend their Fatherland, others do not understand why they had to give up everything and go to war. Some count on medals, others are afraid to die. Some are ready to make any sacrifice, others strive to extract all possible benefits from the war, including material ones. Despite the pride in the defending Russian army, Tolstoy’s Sevastopol Stories cycle is rather anti-war in nature. The senselessness of the war is shown by the large number of killed and wounded people, the oppressive atmosphere of hospitals, the thirst for profit of those in charge, the desire for rewards at any cost, etc.. Plunging into this atmosphere, almost anyone begins to think a little more about the meaning of what is happening. The depiction of war in Tolstoy's Sevastopol Stories is very truthful, naturalistic, unpoetic and unromantic: heroes who go to war because of exalted ideas about it inevitably lose them, sometimes along with their health or life. As Tolstoy himself says, the main character of Sevastopol Stories is true.