Keyworlds: North Caucasus, Caucasian War, Russian literature, M. Yu. Lermontov, Decembrists, L. N. Tolstoy, mountain peoples, Russian and Caucasian cultural contacts

This article is about the original topical tradition of the Russian literature of the 19th century – the Caucasian motives in the works of writers, who were the participants of the military actions in the Caucasus. Within this literature trend a place of Caucasus in the Russian state was comprehended by the Russian public conscience as well as ethnic traditions and mental image of mountain peoples, ethic choice between military duty and sympathy to Caucasus’ dwellers were discussed.