The Tsar is portrayed as an unapologetically cruel man with a bad conscience. Despite lavish living conditions, he sleeps on a "hard narrow bed", rubs his body with ice, and recites his prayers daily. These practices point to a hint of guilt within his subconscious, indicating some kind of regret over his past and present behavior.
Military action is portrayed with surprising lightness of tone. What should be epic battles are seen by Russian characters as "delightful", not as an opportunity to behave heroically or serve their country. In contrast, the Chechens seem more aware of the graveness of their situation. They refer to hero tropes such as divine will, revenge, and honor. There is much more immediacy in the Chechens' struggle.
No comments:
Post a Comment