At all times, there have been people who prefer life in solitude. The reasons for this are different: religious, ideological, or related to the character of a person. And the more civilization captures the planet, the more such loners become. What is pushing a modern person to flee, why is this topic so interesting to him, since it is widely reflected in art, literature and cinema?
Hermit - meaning of the word
Initially, it had religious roots. A hermit was called a person who refused to communicate with people and from contacts with the outside world. In the outdated meaning of the word hermit, it is an ascetic, a monk, who has renounced worldly fuss from religious motives.
Hermit, Hermit, husband. (book). A monk who refused to communicate with people, an ascetic, a hermit. Explanatory dictionary Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935-1940.
Hermit (husband. Nice woman.) - living in solitude, separate from a residential or inhabited place, by itself, for the sake of saving the soul; a hermit, a desert-killer, retired from the bustling world to the desert. Explanatory Dictionary of Dahl.
Synonyms for this meaning are: recluse, silencer, ascetic, caveman, hermit, hermit, old man, schemnik.
In a figurative sense, more often used now, a hermit is a person who leads a more secluded lifestyle than other people, who prefers loneliness. Synonyms can be such words: loner, savage, unsociable.
Famous hermits of Russia
The Lykov family is considered the most famous people among Russian hermits. These are Old Believers who went into the forest as early as the 30s, during the Soviet era, which they perceived as the arrival of the Antichrist. Now the only family left is Agafya Lykova, who still lives in the forest.
But hundreds of families and individuals prefer to live in solitude, not only for religious reasons, but also for ethical, spiritual, ideological reasons.
Such, for example, was the head of the Antipins family. These people led a very ascetic, on the verge of survival, lifestyle, not even bothering to build good housing. So they lived for 20 years, since 1982. Then the wife Anna, tired of constant malnutrition, left with four children against her husband’s will to live in the village. Victor remained in the taiga and a year later died of starvation.
Another famous family of hermits is Alexander Gordienko and Regina Kuleshaite. They also lived in the taiga for more than 20 years. It is amazing that these people began to live in isolation, and they met already in the forest. The couple has two kids. Regina eventually left with the children in a big world, her husband was left to live alone.
These are isolated examples, but in fact, hundreds and thousands of people around the world are changing the benefits of civilization for a secluded life far from everyone. Perhaps this is an animal, a natural desire to preserve human survival skills in the wild. Or the rejection of a "fake" life, in which a person means so little, and so much - a system.
Hermit in Art
Russian photographer Danila Tkachenko made a series of shots of people leading a hermit lifestyle. These photos are presented in the article.
The topic of survival is interesting not only for those who decide to live in a fusion with nature. Various survival shows are now very popular. For example, Naked and Frightened, Survive in the Forest, Robinsons.
A lot of feature films and documentaries are shot about hermits. Among the artistic ones, one can name: “Captain Fantastic” (2016), “In the Wild” (2007), “Wild” (2014). From the documentary: "Lost in the Taiga", "Taiga hermits", "Hermits. Peekaboo".