The role of antithesis in the figurative system of the novel. Antithesis in "War and Peace"

Antithesis (contrast) is one of the most frequently used techniques used to reveal images in work of art. The essence of antithesis as a trope is the comparison of opposites, concepts or images that are antagonistic to each other. One of the most striking works built on the technique of opposition is the novel by L.N.

Tolstoy "and the world". In it, antithesis is the main technique, laid in the foundation of constructing a system of images. All the characters in the epic novel can be quite clearly divided into two camps, or two worlds - “living” and “dead”.

The action in the novel takes place in two parallel planes - the plane of “peace” and the plane of “war”. For each of the planes, the author selects certain differentiations of the heroes, and their belonging to the “dead” or “living” principle is determined. When describing the world, the dominant criterion on the basis of which the characters are contrasted is the attitude towards the family and children.

In a “dead” world, where everything is subordinated to a single goal, which is to increase one’s own fortune by any means, marriage acts only as one of the possible means. It is not difficult for anyone belonging to this camp to step over the family, as well as through other moral principles. In this regard, the most striking is the image of Helen. The only purpose for which she married Pierre Bezukhov, the heir to the entire fortune of Count Bezukhov, was to receive part of the inheritance.

Breaking up with your husband and taking more than half of his wealth is logical conclusion the intrigue she built. As an example of the absolute insignificance of moral principles for representatives of the “dead” world, one can cite the scene of the “fight” for the mosaic briefcase of the dying Count Bezukhov. The “battle” actually unfolds before the eyes of the dying man, but this circumstance has no significance for either Prince Vasily or the princess Drubetskaya, equally striving to win the “battle” by any means necessary.

Completely opposite attitude towards moral values reigns in the living world. For its representatives, family, children represent the highest, become the true goal human life. Most significant in in this regard the Rostov family, the atmosphere in which - love and complete mutual understanding - is directly opposite to the intrigue, envy and anger in the Kuragin family. The Rostov house is open to everyone, and anyone who comes to them will be received with due kindness and cordiality.

It is no coincidence that after returning from the front, Nikolai Rostov headed specifically to parents' house. The difference between the attitude towards children in the Kuragin and Rostov families is also characteristic. Prince Vasily’s only desire is to quickly get rid of the “calm fool” Ippolit and the “restless fool” Anatole, while also increasing his fortune. On the contrary, for the Rostovs, children represent important value and no child can be unloved.

But in addition to the plane of the world, in the novel there is a plane of war, where the heroes appear in a completely different form. The main criterion in this regard, by which people are divided into “camps,” is the attitude towards the Motherland, the manifestation of patriotism. The “living” world is the world of true patriots, whose feelings towards the Motherland are completely sincere and genuine.

Andrei Bolkonsky is not guided by any other considerations other than thoughts of defending the Fatherland when he tries to resist general panic and retreat at Austerlitz. Prince Andrei does not think about promotion or awards; he obeys only his own sense of duty. The complete opposite of Andrei Bolkonsky is Boris Drubetskoy.

He sees his main task not as defending the Fatherland, but as promotion, not through merit on the battlefield, but through flattery, hypocrisy, and sycophancy towards his superiors. The fate of people means nothing to him; he is ready to sacrifice them for the sake of his own promotion and nomination for an award. The Rostovs show patriotism in a slightly different form. Nikolai cannot kill a person, regardless of which side he is on, but when retreating from Moscow, the Rostovs sacrifice their own property to save the wounded.

Berg behaves completely differently. Taking advantage of the general distress and confusion, he manages to purchase a “dressing room” for a pittance. low price, and this “deal” becomes a source of pride for him. True patriotism They also demonstrate heroes who do not belong to any of the worlds and act only in the plane of war, but are also opposed to the “dead” camp.

The most indicative in this regard is Captain Tushin, and especially his perception of his heroism. didn't even think about heroic essence of his action - on the contrary, he tries to justify himself and asks for help from Andrei Bolkonsky. According to Tolstoy, true patriot does not even notice the fact that he is performing a feat - for him it is only a duty to the Motherland, devoid of any heroic flair. The feat of both Tushin’s battery and Raevsky’s battery, accomplished by the most ordinary, unremarkable people, fits this definition.

Thus, the technique of antithesis is basic for constructing a system of images of the novel and characterizing the main characters. In fact, the antithesis, the opposition of two worlds - “dead” and “living” - forms the basis of the work and determines its structure. And, building the novel on the principle of antithesis, L.

N. Tolstoy debunks the “dead” world, shows its inconsistency and affirms the human and Christian ideals that guide the “living” world.

And Peace" and F. M. Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment", already contained in their titles. It manifests itself on all levels artistic embodiment: from problems to building a system of characters and techniques psychological image. However, in the very use of antitheses Tolstoy often demonstrates different methods. The origins of this difference are in their views on man. The works of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky have one characteristic: general feature: their names are ambiguous and polysemantic. The word “war” in “War and Peace” means not only military actions, not only events taking place on the battlefield; war may take place in Everyday life people (remember such a war over the inheritance of Count Bezukhov) and even in their souls. Even more intense in semantically is the word “peace”: peace as the antithesis of war and “peace” as a community of people.

The title of the final edition of L.N. Tolstoy’s novel was “War and Peace,” that is, peace as the antithesis of war. But in numerous drafts and sketches of Tolstoy there is different variants writing this word. We can find the very combination of “war and peace” in A.S. Pushkin in “Boris Godunov”; Describe, without further ado, everything that you will witness in life: War and peace, the government of sovereigns, Saints, holy miracles, In Pushkin’s context, the combination of “war and peace” becomes the key to historical process generally. Thus, the world is a universal category, it is life, it is the universe.

On the other hand, it is absolutely clear that the concepts of “crime” and “punishment” do not interest Dostoevsky in their narrow legal sense. “Crime and Punishment” is a work that poses deep philosophical and moral problems.

Art space Tolstoy's novel is, as it were, limited to two poles: on one pole - good and peace, uniting people, on the other - evil and enmity, leading to their disunity. Tolstoy tests his heroes from the point of view of the law of “continuous movement of personality in time.” Heroes capable of mental movement and internal changes, according to the author, carry within themselves the principles of “living life” and the world. Heroes, motionless, unable to feel and understand internal laws life, are assessed by Tolstoy as carriers of the beginning of war and discord. In his novel, Tolstoy sharply contrasts these characters. Thus, it is not for nothing that the writer compares Anna Pavlovna Scherer’s salon to a spinning workshop, to a soulless machine. The antithesis “correctness - incorrectness” runs through the entire novel, “ outer beauty- living charm." For Tolstoy, the irregular and even ugly features of Natasha’s face are much more attractive than the ancient beauty of Helen, the cheerful (even if out of place) Natasha is a thousand times sweeter than Helen’s “unchangeable” smile. In the behavior of the characters, the author also contrasts the spontaneous with the rational, the natural with the theatrical. For Tolstoy, Natasha’s “mistakes” are much more natural and natural than Sonya’s rational behavior. “Family Thought” contrasts the Rostov family with the “clan” of the Kuragins,

The complete embodiment of war in the novel was Napoleon. He not only constantly plays to the public, but also remains an actor in private. He thinks of himself as a great commander, focusing on certain antique samples. The complete antipode of Napoleon is in the novel Kutuzov, the true exponent of the spirit of the nation.

The antithesis “false - true” is also used by Tolstoy when depicting the spiritual movements of the characters. So, Pierre, feeling the stupidity and falsity of the situation, does nothing to successfully resolve it, but demands to “start quickly” and intensively loads his pistol.

Unlike Tolstoy, Dostoevsky never portrays his heroes unambiguously: his people are always contradictory, completely unknowable. His characters combine two abysses at once: an abyss of goodness, compassion, sacrifice and an abyss of evil, selfishness, individualism, and vice. Each of them has two ideals: the ideal of the Madonna and the ideal of Sodom. The main core of “Crime and Punishment” is the trial of Raskolnikov, the internal court, the court of conscience. The techniques that Dostoevsky uses in creating his figurative system differ from Tolstoy’s techniques. Dostoevsky resorts to the technique of double portraiture. Moreover, the first portrait, more generalized, usually argues with the second. So, before the crime is committed, the author talks about Raskolnikov’s beauty, about his beautiful eyes. But the crime not only stained his soul, but left a tragic imprint on his face. This time we have a portrait of a killer. In Dostoevsky's novel, it is not the characters who argue, but their ideas.

So the antithesis is like artistic technique turned out to be very productive and controversial for two great realist artists - L. N. Tolstoy and F. M. Dostoevsky.

Antithesis is the main ideological and compositional principle of “War and Peace” and “Crime and Punishment”, already inherent in their titles. It manifests itself on all levels literary text: from problems to the construction of a system of characters and techniques of psychological depiction. However, in their very use of antitheses, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky often demonstrate different method. The origins of this difference are in their
views on a person.
The works of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky themselves contain a problem: the titles are not unambiguous, they are polysemantic. The word “war” in “War and Peace” means not only military actions, not only events taking place on the battlefield; war can occur in the everyday lives of people (remember such a war over the inheritance of Count Bezukhov) and even their souls. The word “peace” is even more meaningful in terms of meaning: peace as the antithesis of war and “kpr” as a community of people, the title of the final edition of the novel JI. N. Tolstoy became “War and Peace”, that is, peace as the antithesis of war. But in numerous drafts and sketches, Tolstoy varies the spelling of this word, as if hesitating. We can find the very combination of “war and peace” in Pushkin’s “Boris Godunov”:
Describe without further ado,
All that you will witness in life:
War and peace, the rule of sovereigns,
Holy miracles for the saints.
Already in Pushkin’s context, the combination of “war and peace” becomes the key to the historical process as a whole. Thus, the world is a universal category, it is life, it is the universe.
On the other hand, it is absolutely clear that Dostoevsky is not interested in the concepts of crime and punishment in their narrow legal sense. “Crime and Punishment” is a work that poses deep philosophical and moral problems.
The artistic space of Tolstoy's novel is, as it were, limited by two poles: on one pole - good and peace, uniting people, on the other - evil and enmity, dividing people. Tolstoy tests his heroes from the point of view of the law of “continuous movement of personality in time.” Heroes capable of mental movement and internal changes, according to the author, carry within themselves the principles of “living life” and the world. The heroes, motionless, unable to feel and understand the internal laws of life, are assessed by Tolstoy as the bearers of the beginning of war and discord. In his novel, Tolstoy sharply contrasts these characters. Thus, it is not for nothing that Tolstoy compares Anna Pavlovna Sherer’s salon to a spinning workshop, to a soulless machine.
The antithesis “correctness - incorrectness”, “external beauty - living charm” runs through the entire novel. For Tolstoy, Natasha’s irregular and even ugly facial features are much more attractive than Helen’s ancient beauty, Natasha’s cheerful (if out of place) laughter is a thousand times sweeter than Helen’s “unchangeable” smile. In the behavior of the characters, the author also contrasts the spontaneous with the rational, the natural with the theatrical. For Tolstoy, Natasha’s “mistakes” are much more natural and natural than Sonya’s rational behavior.
The complete embodiment of the beginning of the war in the novel was Napoleon. He not only constantly plays to the public, but also remains an actor in private. He thinks of himself as a great commander, focusing on certain ancient examples. Kutuzov is the complete antipode of Napoleon in the novel. He is a true exponent of the spirit of the nation.
“Family Thought” contrasts the Rostov family with the Kuragin “clan”.
The antithesis “false - true” is also used by Tolstoy when depicting the mental movements of his heroes. So, Pierre in a duel, feeling the stupidity and falsity of the situation, does nothing to resolve it successfully, but demands to “start quickly” and intensively loads his pistol.
Unlike Tolstoy's heroes, Dostoevsky's heroes are never portrayed unambiguously: Dostoevsky's man is always contradictory, completely unknowable. His heroes combine two abysses at once: an abyss of goodness, compassion, sacrifice and an abyss of evil, selfishness, individualism, and vice. Each of the heroes has two ideals: the ideal of Madonna and the ideal of Sodom. The content of “Crime and Punishment” is the trial of Raskolnikov, the internal court, the court of conscience.
The techniques that Dostoevsky uses in creating the figurative system of his work differ from Tolstoy’s techniques. Dostoevsky resorts to the technique of double portraiture. Moreover, the first portrait, more generalized, usually argues with the second. So, before the crime is committed, the author talks about Raskolnikov’s beauty, about his beautiful eyes. But the crime not only stained his soul, but also left a tragic imprint on his face. This time we have a portrait of a killer. In Dostoevsky's novel, it is not the characters who argue, but their ideas.
Thus, we see that antithesis as an artistic device turned out to be very productive for the two largest realist artists, for Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.

L.N. Tolstoy is a classic of world literature, greatest master psychologism, the creator of the epic novel genre, who skillfully used the means of artistic representation. One of Tolstoy's main ideological and compositional techniques is antithesis. The functions of antithesis in the novel "War and Peace" are very diverse. This stylistic device underlies the principle of composition, a system of characters is built on it, and with its help, artistic images and opens up inner world actors.

The technique of antithesis underlies the construction of a character system. The heroes are contrasted on the basis of the “naturalness” or “falsity” of their natures.

Tolstoy's heroes, embodying naturalness, the truth of life, have no doubts. Angular, impetuous, with irregular features, Natasha Rostova is the embodiment of the beauty of existence. Despite her lordly upbringing, she personifies folk traditions. Natasha, a gifted nature, is loved by everyone, spontaneous in her feelings, simple, feminine, truthful. Her caring soul was completely dissolved in the anxieties of 1812, in the general misfortune of the people and their feat. Natasha’s spiritual qualities were especially revealed in her courtship of the dying Prince Andrei. The Rostovs were late leaving Moscow, and Natasha insisted that an outbuilding and half of the house be provided for wounded soldiers. Natasha devoted herself entirely to this matter, without emphasizing her merits anywhere or in anything, without saying phrases about patriotism and duty. It is simple and natural, just as Russian soldiers are simple and natural, performing feats without a single thought of glory. They, just like Platon Karataev and Field Marshal Kutuzov, are endowed by nature with an intuitive knowledge of the truth. Kutuzov appears in the novel as the embodiment of the author’s philosophy of history. Tolstoy creates a lively, charming image of a commander. The main advantages of Kutuzov are naturalness and simplicity. He does not play a role, but lives. He can cry both from frustration and from joy. It is Kutuzov’s simplicity that allows him to feel part of “paradise” and not interfere with the movement of history.

These heroes are contrasted with the skillful “poseur” Napoleon in the novel - the embodiment of extreme individualism. He seeks to impose his will on the world. Tolstoy's image of Napoleon is not without grotesque and satirical overtones. He is characterized by theatrical behavior, narcissism, and vanity (he portrays a tenderly loving father, although he has never seen his son). Many people from secular society spiritually similar to Napoleon, especially the Kuragin family. All members of this family aggressively interfere in the lives of other people, try to impose their desires on them, use others to satisfy their own needs (“a vile, heartless breed” Pierre called this family). Also close to Napoleon are the Russian Emperor Alexander, who does not understand the mood prevailing in the Russian army, the dignitary Speransky, the lady-in-waiting Anna Pavlovna Scherer, the careerist Boris Drubetskoy, the calculating Julie Karagina and many others. All of them are internally empty, insensitive, thirst for fame, care about their careers, and love to talk a lot and beautifully.

Tolstoy's searching heroes Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky go through a difficult spiritual path in search of truth. They get carried away false ideas, are mistaken, change internally and ultimately approach the ideal of simplicity.

Both Pierre and Andrei Bolkonsky free themselves from petty selfish feelings and come to understand the true values ​​of life. And ordinary Russian people help them in this. Prince Andrey - Captain Tushin and the artillery soldiers subordinate to him, whom the prince met at the battle of Shengraben. For Pierre - the soldiers whom he sees on the Borodino field and then in captivity, especially Platon Karataev. Watching Karataev, who accepts life as it is, Pierre begins to understand that the meaning of life lies in itself, in its natural joys, in the humble acceptance of the troubles that befall a person.

Prince Andrei, mortally wounded at Borodino, acquires endless love for all people, and then, on the eve of death, complete detachment from earthly worries and worries, supreme peace.

The images of nature in “War and Peace” are symbols of the highest harmony, revelations about the truth of the world. They are opposed to vanity, selfishness, the immutability of people’s lives, and alien spiritual aspirations. Captured by the French and experiencing the horror of execution, Pierre Bezukhov understands that the main value, beyond the control of anyone, is his immortal soul. This liberating feeling comes to him when he contemplates the starry night sky. Devastated, having lost the meaning of existence, Andrei Bolkonsky meets on the road an old oak. This same oak tree, which has sprouted young shoots, symbolizes Bolkonsky’s revival after meeting Natasha Rostova on the Otradnoye estate, where he accidentally overheard Natasha’s conversation, excited by the beauty of the summer night, with Sonya.

The "historical" chapters in the novel are contrasted with the chapters describing " living life", carried out despite the invasion of Napoleon (it is noteworthy that Tolstoy describes in equal detail Battle of Austerlitz, the battle of Borodino and Natasha’s first ball, the hunt of the old Count Rostov, giving these events the same place in history). This antithesis manifests itself at the compositional level. Tolstoy needs to show the contrast between false life and true life, and he combines various episodes in the novel in such a way that this contrast becomes especially obvious. So, after depicting an unnatural meeting of the heads of two states (Napoleon and Alexander I), the writer abruptly moves on to describe the meeting of Natasha and Andrei Bolkonsky.

But in addition to the composition and system of characters, the technique of antithesis is also used to characterize the images of the heroes themselves, highlighting their most striking individual traits. In "War and Peace" this is most clearly manifested when comparing the images of Napoleon and Kutuzov (which are symbols that determine the direction of movement of all other heroes). In every feature of the portrait, behavior, manner of speaking and holding one can feel the huge difference between these heroes. Napoleon is unpleasantly fat (fat thighs, belly, white full neck), strong. And if in Napoleon sleekness and constant care for the body are emphasized, then in Kutuzov there is an old man’s corpulence, flabbiness, physical weakness, which is quite natural for a man of his age. Napoleon's gait is smug, assertive, and he calls the painful trembling of his left calf a great sign. Kutuzov walks awkwardly, poorly, sits awkwardly in the saddle. During the Battle of Borodino, when Napoleon, fussing and worrying, gives many meaningless and contradictory orders, Kutuzov gives almost no orders, leaving the course of the battle to God's will. Kutuzov emphasizes the contradiction between his ordinary, unremarkable appearance and heroic essence. In Napoleon, on the contrary, there is a contradiction between the claim to great role in history and an empty, inanimate entity.

Thus, the technique of antithesis plays an important role in the novel "War and Peace". At the ideological and compositional level, it helps to distinguish between good and evil, to show the danger of selfish separation of people, to outline ways of moral improvement of the individual, i.e. serves as a means of expression author's position in the novel.

52. The use of the antithesis technique in L.N. Tolstoy (“War and Peace”) and

F.M. Dostoevsky ("Crime and Punishment").

Antithesis is the main ideological and compositional principle of "War and Peace"

ra" and "Crimes and Punishments", already contained in their titles. He

manifests itself at all levels of literary text: from issues to

constructing a system of characters and psychological depiction techniques.

However, in the very use of the antithesis, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky often de-

They demonstrate a different method. The origins of this difference are in their views on humanity.

The very titles of the works of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky contain

There is a problem: the titles are not unambiguous, they are polysemantic. The word "war"

means in “War and Peace” not only military actions, not only events

events occurring on the battlefield; war can happen at any time

in the everyday life of people / let us remember such a war over the inheritance of Count Bezu-

how/ and even their souls. Even more semantically rich is

The word “peace” is used: peace as the antithesis of war and “peace” as a community of love

dey. The title of the final edition of Leo Tolstoy’s novel was “War

and peace", that is, peace as the antithesis of war. But in numerous drafts

In his sketches, Tolstoy varies the spelling of this word, as if hesitating

lying. We can find the very combination of “war and peace” in Pushkin’s “Bo-

Rice Godunov":

Describe without further ado,

All that you will witness in life:

War and peace, the rule of sovereigns,

Holy miracles for the saints.

Already in Pushkin’s context, the combination of “war and peace” becomes

the key to the historical process as a whole. Thus, the world is a

The category is universal, this is life, this is the universe.

On the other hand, it is absolutely clear that the concepts of crime and

Dostoevsky is not interested in punishment in its narrow legal sense.

"Crime and Punishment" is a work that poses the deepest

losophical and moral problems.

The artistic space of Tolstoy’s novel is, as it were, limited

has two poles: on one pole - goodness and peace, uniting people

On the other hand, there is evil and enmity that separates people. Tolstoy is experiencing

their heroes from the point of view of the law of “continuous movement of the individual in

time". Heroes capable of mental movement, internal changes -

swarms, motionless, unable to feel and understand internal laws

life, are assessed by Tolstoy as carriers of the beginning of war and discord. In his

In the novel, Tolstoy sharply contrasts these characters. So, salon An-

It is not in vain that Tolstoy compares Pavlovna Sherer with a spinning workshop, with

a soulless machine.

The antithesis “correctness - incorrectness” runs through the entire novel.

ity", "external beauty is living charm". For Tolstoy, it is wrong

Natasha's beautiful and even ugly facial features are much more attractive than

ancient beauty Helen: cheerful / albeit out of place / Natasha’s laughter

a thousand times sweeter than Helen’s “unchanging” smile. In the behavior of the heroes the author

also contrasts the elemental with the rational, the natural with the theatrical

mu. For Tolstoy, Natasha’s “mistakes” are much more natural and natural,

than Sonya's rational behavior.

The complete embodiment of the beginning of the war in the novel was Napoleon.

He not only constantly plays to the public, but also remains alone with himself.

being an actor. He thinks of himself as a great commander, focusing on certain

antique samples. The complete antipode of Napoleon is in the novel Coutu-

call. He is a true exponent of the spirit of the nation.

"Family Thought" contrasts the Rostov family with the Ku-

The antithesis “false - true” is used by Tolstoy when depicting

expression of the emotional movements of their heroes. So, Pierre is in a duel, feeling

all the stupidity and falsity of the situation, does nothing to make it successful -

resolution, but demands to “start quickly” and intensively charges its

gun.

Unlike Tolstoy's heroes, Dostoevsky's heroes never

are depicted unambiguously: Dostoevsky’s man is always contradictory,

completely unknowable. His heroes combine two abysses at once:

an abyss of goodness, compassion, sacrifice and an abyss of evil, selfishness, individual

dualism, vice. Each of the heroes has two ideals: the ideal of Madonna and

ideal of Sodom. The contents of "Crimes and Punishments" are compiled by the court

over Raskolnikov, internal trial, court of conscience.

Techniques that Dostoevsky uses in creating figurative

systems of his work differ from Tolstoy’s techniques. Dostoevs-

cue resorts to the technique of double portraiture. Moreover, the first port

ret, more generalized, usually argues with the second. Yes, before committing

eyes. But the crime not only stained his soul, but also left

tragic imprint on the face. This time we have a portrait of a killer.

In Dostoevsky's novel, it is not the characters who argue, but their ideas.

Thus, we see that antithesis as an artistic device

turned out to be very productive for two major realist artists,

for Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.