Based on the story Hadji Murat by Leo Tolstoy it seems death, revenge, and empathy highlights Tolstoy’s view of the outcome between Russia and the Caucasian Mountaineers. Hadji Murat plays an important role because he becomes a pawn between two brutal leaders; Imam Shamil and Tsar Nicholas. Page 344 of Hadji Murat shows exactly what Hadji Murat’s alliance would do to the villagers, “…after his quarrel with Shamil an announcement had gone out to all who lived in Chechnia forbidding them on pain and death to receive Hadji Murat…” Hadji Murat chooses sides to fight on depending on whatever serves in his best interests in that moment. For Hadji Murat, his family always comes first and he vows to kill and take revenge on anyone who threatens his family.
When Hadji Murat was a supporter of Shamil he used to fight and raid against the Russians but now that Shamil has taken his family hostage and killed so many of his people he wants to join forces with the Russians and take revenge. The Russians feel ecstatic because they hope to benefit from Hadji Murat’s defection from Shamil and take him in with open arms. Now that Hadji Murat is with the Russians all the villagers following…show more content… The simple reason for Hadji Murat’s involvement between the two leaders is for his family’s sake. Page 358, “…he could see himself attacking Shamil, making him his prisoner and taking his revenge…” these thought show that Tolstoy understood the emotions brought out in his characters. It was clear throughout the story of Hadji Murat that Tolstoy scorned Russia under the rule of Tsar Nicholas because Tolstoy was particularly ruthless when describing Tsar Nicholas. He portrayed him as ignorant, weak, and someone who lacks care for his country. He made Tsar Nicholas out as an incompetent leader yet gave him some ruthlessness by showing him carrying out capital punishment of whipping against a