Kaukaz cez kaleidoskop ruskej literatúry
Caucasus through the kaleidoscope of Russian Literature

Summary/Abstract: The article describes the representation of the Caucasus in the Russian literature throughout the individual cultural periods. The first writers were banished out of Russia to this unknown part of the world that Russia has been trying to conquer since the 18th century. The Russian writers put on mental projections, adapted the image of the countryside and of the local habitants according to their desires and wishes. We take note of repeating themes, as e. g. the prisoners of Caucasus, the story of queen Tamara and Demon, the motifs of the blood vengeance that takes part of the Caucasian traditions, the creation of the erotic ideal from the local highlanders and the category of the “noble” wild man. Finally we expose how much the British mountaineers in the 19th century were wrong to accuse the Russians of the indifference towards beauty of the mountains.

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