Comparative characteristics of heroes war and peace table. The main characters of the novel “War and Peace”

Vasily Kuragin

Anatol Kuragin

Kuragina Elen

Anna Pavlovna Sherer

Boris Drubetskoy

Count Rostov

Countess of Rostov

The wife of Count Rostov, “a woman with an oriental type of thin face, about forty-five years old, apparently exhausted by children... The slowness of her movements and speech, resulting from weakness of strength, gave her a significant appearance that inspires respect.” R. creates an atmosphere of love and kindness in his family and is very concerned about the fate of his children. The news of the death of her youngest and beloved son Petya almost drives her crazy. She is accustomed to luxury and fulfillment of the slightest whims, and demands this after the death of her husband.

Natasha Rostova

Daughter of Count and Countess Rostov. She is “black-eyed, with a big mouth, ugly, but alive...”. N.'s distinctive features are emotionality and sensitivity. She is not very smart, but she has an amazing ability to read people. She is capable of noble deeds and can forget about her own interests for the sake of other people. So, she calls on her family to take out the wounded on carts, leaving their property behind. N. takes care of his mother with all his dedication after Petya’s death. N. has a very beautiful voice, she is very musical. With her singing, she is able to awaken the best in a person. Tolstoy notes N.'s closeness to the common people. This is one of her best qualities. N. lives in an atmosphere of love and happiness. Changes in her life occur after meeting Prince Andrei. N. becomes his bride, but later becomes interested in Anatoly Kuragin. After a while, N. understands the full force of her guilt before the prince; before his death, he forgives her, she remains with him until his death. N. feels true love for Pierre, they understand each other perfectly, they feel very good together. She becomes his wife and completely devotes herself to the role of wife and mother.

Nikolay Rostov

Son of Count Rostov. “A short, curly-haired young man with an open expression on his face.” The hero is distinguished by “impetuousness and enthusiasm”, he is cheerful, open, friendly and emotional. N. participates in military campaigns and the Patriotic War of 1812. In the Battle of Shengraben, N. goes on the attack very bravely at first, but is then wounded in the arm. This wound causes him to panic, he thinks about how he, “whom everyone loves so much,” could die. This event somewhat diminishes the image of the hero. After N. becomes a brave officer, a real hussar, remaining faithful to duty. N. had a long affair with Sonya, and he was going to do a noble deed by marrying a dowry woman against the will of his mother. But he receives a letter from Sonya in which she says that she is letting him go. After the death of his father, N. takes care of the family and retires. She and Marya Bolkonskaya fall in love and get married.

Petya Rostov

The youngest son of the Rostovs. At the beginning of the novel we see P. as a small boy. He is a typical representative of his family, kind, cheerful, musical. He wants to imitate his older brother and follow the military line in life. In 1812, he was full of patriotic impulses and joined the army. During the war, the young man accidentally ends up with an assignment in Denisov’s detachment, where he remains, wanting to take part in the real deal. He accidentally dies, having shown all his best qualities in relation to his comrades the day before. His death is the greatest tragedy for his family.

Pierre Bezukhov

Sonya

Dolokhov

Nikolai Bolkonsky

Andrey Bolkonsky

The son of Prince Bolkonsky, the brother of Princess Marya. At the beginning of the novel we see B. as an intelligent, proud, but rather arrogant person. He despises people of high society, is unhappy in his marriage and does not respect his pretty wife. B. is very reserved, well educated, and has a strong will. This hero is experiencing great spiritual changes. First we see that his idol is Napoleon, whom he considers a great man. B. gets into war and is sent to the active army. There he fights along with all the soldiers, showing great courage, composure, and prudence. Participates in the Battle of Shengraben. B. was seriously wounded in the Battle of Austerlitz. This moment is extremely important, because it was then that the spiritual rebirth of the hero began. Lying motionless and seeing the calm and eternal sky of Austerlitz above him, B. understands all the pettiness and stupidity of everything that is happening in the war. He realized that in fact there should be completely different values ​​in life than those that he had until now. All exploits and glory do not matter. There is only this vast and eternal sky. In the same episode, B. sees Napoleon and understands the insignificance of this man. B. returns home, where everyone thought he was dead. His wife dies in childbirth, but the child survives. The hero is shocked by the death of his wife and feels guilty towards her. He decides not to serve anymore, settles in Bogucharovo, takes care of the household, raising his son, and reads a lot of books. During a trip to St. Petersburg, B. meets Natasha Rostova for the second time. A deep feeling awakens in him, the heroes decide to get married. B.'s father does not agree with his son's choice, they postpone the wedding for a year, the hero goes abroad. After his fiancee betrays him, he returns to the army under the leadership of Kutuzov. During the Battle of Borodino, he was mortally wounded. By chance, he leaves Moscow in the Rostov convoy. Before his death, he forgives Natasha and understands the true meaning of love.

Lisa Bolkonskaya

Princess Marya

Kutuzov

Characteristics of the main characters of the work War and Peace, Tolstoy. Their images and description

One of the main characters of the novel. Pierre is the illegitimate son of the rich and influential Count Bezukhov, from whom he received the title and inheritance only after his death. The young count lived abroad until he was 20, where he received an excellent education. Arriving in St. Petersburg, he almost immediately became one of the richest young men, and was very confused, because he was not ready for such great responsibility and did not know how to manage estates and dispose of serfs.

One of the main characters of the novel, when we meet her she is only 13 years old. She was the daughter of a not very rich count, so it was believed that she should find herself a rich groom, although her parents were primarily concerned about her happiness.

One of the main characters of the work. He was the son of Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky, their family belonged to a very rich, noble and respected family. Andrey received an excellent education and upbringing. Bolkonsky had such qualities as pride, courage, decency and honesty.

The daughter of Prince Vasily, a society lady, a typical representative of the secular salons of her time. Helen is very beautiful, but her beauty is only external. At all the receptions and balls she looked dazzling, and everyone admired her, but when they got closer they realized that her inner world was very empty. She was like a beautiful doll, whose purpose was to lead a monotonous, cheerful life.

Son of Prince Vasily, officer, ladies' man. Anatole always gets into some unpleasant situations, from which his father always pulls him out. His favorite pastime is playing cards and carousing with his friend Dolokhov. Anatole is stupid and not talkative, but he himself is always confident in his uniqueness.

Son of Count Ilya Ilyich Rostov, officer, man of honor. At the beginning of the novel, Nikolai leaves the university and enrolls in the Pavlograd Hussar Regiment. He was distinguished by courage and bravery, although in the Battle of Shengraben he, having no idea about war, rushed into the attack too bravely, so when he saw a Frenchman in front of him, he threw a weapon at him and rushed to run, as a result of which he was wounded in the arm.

Prince, an influential person in society who occupies important court positions. He was known for his patronage and condescension, and was attentive and respectful when talking to everyone. Prince Vasily stopped at nothing to achieve his goals, although he did not wish harm on anyone, he simply took advantage of circumstances and his connections to carry out his plans.

Daughter of old Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky and sister of Andrei. Since childhood, she lived on her father's estate, where she had no friends except her companion Mademoiselle Bourrier. Marya considered herself ugly, but her huge, expressive eyes gave her a little attractiveness.

Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky was a retired general exiled to the village of Bald Mountains. The prince lived on the estate permanently with his daughter Marya. He loved order, punctuality, never wasted his time on trifles, and therefore raised his children according to his stern principles.

We first meet Fyodor Dolokhov in the company of Anatoly Kuragin and several young officers, who are soon joined by Pierre Bezukhov. Everyone plays cards, drinks wine and has fun: out of boredom, Dolokhov drinks a bottle of rum on a bet while sitting on the third floor window with his legs down outside. Fedor believes in himself, does not like to lose and loves to take risks, so he wins the argument.

The niece of Count Rostov, who lived and was raised in their family since childhood. Sonya was very quiet, decent and reserved, outwardly she was beautiful, but it was impossible to see her inner beauty, since she did not have the love of life and spontaneity, like Natasha.

The son of Prince Vasily, a secular man living in St. Petersburg. If his brother Anatole and sister Helen shone in society and were very beautiful, then Hippolyte was the complete opposite. He always dressed ridiculously, and this did not bother him at all. His face always expressed idiocy and disgust.

Anna Pavlovna Sherer is the first heroine we meet on the pages of the novel “War and Peace.” Anna Sherer is the owner of the most fashionable high-society salon in St. Petersburg, maid of honor and close associate of Empress Maria Feodorovna. The country's political news is often discussed in her salon, and visiting this salon is considered good manners.

Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace" is presented not only as the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, but also as a character connected by ordinary relationships with other heroes of the novel. We first meet Kutuzov at a review near Braunau, where he seems absent-minded, but shows his knowledge and pays great attention to all the soldiers.

In the novel "War and Peace" Napoleon Bonaparte is a negative hero, as he brings the hardships and bitterness of war to Russia. Napoleon is a historical figure, a French emperor, a hero of the War of 1812, although he did not become the winner.

Tikhon Shcherbaty is an ordinary Russian man who joined Denisov’s detachment to fight for his Motherland. He got his nickname because he was missing one front tooth, and he himself looked a little scary. In the detachment, Tikhon was indispensable, as he was the most dexterous and could easily cope with the dirtiest and most complex work.

In the novel, Tolstoy showed us many different images, with different characters and outlooks on life. Captain Tushin is a controversial character who played a big role in the War of 1812, although he was very cowardly. Seeing the captain for the first time, no one could think that he could accomplish at least some feat.

In the novel, Platon Karataev is considered an episodic character, but his appearance is of great importance. The modest soldier of the Absheron Regiment shows us the unity of the common people, the thirst for life and the ability to survive in difficult conditions. Plato had the ability to become attached to people and to devote himself completely to a common cause.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, with his pure Russian pen, gave life to a whole world of characters in the novel “War and Peace.” His fictional characters, who are intertwined into entire noble families or family ties between families, show the modern reader a real reflection of those people who lived in the times described by the author. One of the greatest books of world significance, “War and Peace,” with the confidence of a professional historian, but at the same time, as if in a mirror, presents to the whole world that Russian spirit, those characters of secular society, those historical events that were invariably present at the end of the 18th century. the beginning of the 19th centuries.
And against the backdrop of these events, it is shown in all its power and diversity.

L.N. Tolstoy and the heroes of the novel “War and Peace” experience the events of the past nineteenth century, but Lev Nikolaevich begins to describe the events of 1805. The coming war with the French, the decisively approaching the whole world and the growing greatness of Napoleon, the turmoil in Moscow secular circles and the apparent calm in St. Petersburg secular society - all this can be called a kind of background against which, like a brilliant artist, the author drew his characters. There are quite a lot of heroes - about 550 or 600. There are main and central figures, and there are others or just mentioned ones. In total, the heroes of War and Peace can be divided into three groups: central, secondary and mentioned characters. Among all of them, there are both fictional characters, prototypes of people who surrounded the writer at that time, and real historical figures. Let's consider the main characters of the novel.

Quotes from the novel “War and Peace”

- ... I often think how unfairly the happiness of life is sometimes distributed.

A person cannot own anything while he is afraid of death. And whoever is not afraid of her, everything belongs to him.

Until now, thank God, I have been a friend of my children and enjoy their complete trust,” said the countess, repeating the misconception of many parents who believe that their children have no secrets from them.

Everything, from napkins to silver, earthenware and crystal, bore that special imprint of novelty that happens in the household of young spouses.

If everyone fought only according to their convictions, there would be no war.

Being an enthusiast became her social position, and sometimes, when she didn’t even want to, she, in order not to deceive the expectations of people who knew her, became an enthusiast.

Everything, to love everyone, to always sacrifice oneself for love, meant not loving anyone, meant not living this earthly life.

Never, never marry, my friend; Here's my advice to you: don't get married until you tell yourself that you did everything you could, and until you stop loving the woman you chose, until you see her clearly; otherwise you will make a cruel and irreparable mistake. Marry an old man who is worthless...

The central figures of the novel "War and Peace"

Rostov - counts and countesses

Rostov Ilya Andreevich

Count, father of four children: Natasha, Vera, Nikolai and Petya. A very kind and generous person who loved life very much. His exorbitant generosity ultimately led him to wastefulness. Loving husband and father. A very good organizer of various balls and receptions. However, his life on a grand scale, and selfless assistance to the wounded during the war with the French and the departure of the Russians from Moscow, dealt fatal blows to his condition. His conscience constantly tormented him because of the impending poverty of his family, but he could not help himself. After the death of his youngest son Petya, the count was broken, but nevertheless revived during the preparations for the wedding of Natasha and Pierre Bezukhov. Literally a few months pass after the Bezukhovs’ wedding when Count Rostov dies.

Rostova Natalya (wife of Ilya Andreevich Rostov)

The wife of Count Rostov and the mother of four children, this woman, aged forty-five, had oriental features. The concentration of slowness and sedateness in her was regarded by those around her as solidity and the high importance of her personality for the family. But the real reason for her mannerisms probably lies in her exhausted and weak physical condition from giving birth and raising four children. She loves her family and children very much, so the news of the death of her youngest son Petya almost drove her crazy. Just like Ilya Andreevich, Countess Rostova was very fond of luxury and the fulfillment of any of her orders.

Leo Tolstoy and the heroes of the novel “War and Peace” in Countess Rostova helped reveal the prototype of the author’s grandmother, Pelageya Nikolaevna Tolstoy.

Rostov Nikolay

Son of Count Rostov Ilya Andreevich. A loving brother and son who honors his family, at the same time he loves to serve in the Russian army, which is very significant and important for his dignity. Even in his fellow soldiers, he often saw his second family. Although he was in love with his cousin Sonya for a long time, at the end of the novel he marries Princess Marya Bolkonskaya. A very energetic young man, with curly hair and an “open expression.” His patriotism and love for the Emperor of Russia never dried up. Having gone through many hardships of war, he becomes a brave and courageous hussar. After the death of Father Ilya Andreevich, Nikolai retires in order to improve the family’s financial affairs, pay off debts and, finally, become a good husband for Marya Bolkonskaya.

Introduced to Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich as a prototype of his father.

Rostova Natasha

Daughter of Count and Countess Rostov. A very energetic and emotional girl, considered ugly, but lively and attractive, she is not very smart, but intuitive, because she knew how to perfectly “guess people,” their mood and some character traits. Very impulsive towards nobility and self-sacrifice. She sings and dances very beautifully, which at that time was an important characteristic for a girl from secular society. Natasha’s most important quality, which Leo Tolstoy, like his heroes, repeatedly emphasize in the novel “War and Peace” is her closeness to the ordinary Russian people. And she herself completely absorbed the Russianness of culture and the strength of the spirit of the nation. However, this girl lives in her illusion of goodness, happiness and love, which, after some time, brings Natasha into reality. It is these blows of fate and her heartfelt experiences that make Natasha Rostova an adult and ultimately give her a mature, true love for Pierre Bezukhov. The story of the rebirth of her soul deserves special respect, how Natasha began to attend church after succumbing to the temptation of a deceitful seducer. If you are interested in Tolstoy's works, which take a deeper look at the Christian heritage of our people, then you need to read about how he fought temptation.

A collective prototype of the writer’s daughter-in-law Tatyana Andreevna Kuzminskaya, as well as her sister, Lev Nikolaevich’s wife, Sofia Andreevna.

Rostova Vera

Daughter of Count and Countess Rostov. She was famous for her strict disposition and inappropriate, albeit fair, remarks in society. It is unknown why, but her mother did not really love her and Vera felt this acutely, apparently, which is why she often went against everyone around her. Later she became the wife of Boris Drubetsky.

She is the prototype of Tolstoy’s sister Sophia, the wife of Lev Nikolaevich, whose name was Elizaveta Bers.

Rostov Peter

Just a boy, the son of Count and Countess Rostov. Growing up, Petya, as a young man, was eager to go to war, and in such a way that his parents could not restrain him at all. Having finally escaped from parental care and joined Denisov’s hussar regiment. Petya dies in the first battle, without having had time to fight. His death greatly affected his family.

Sonya

The miniature, nice girl Sonya was the niece of Count Rostov and lived all her life under his roof. Her long-term love for Nikolai Rostov became fatal for her, because she never managed to unite with him in marriage. In addition, the old count Natalya Rostova was very against their marriage, because they were cousins. Sonya acts nobly, refusing Dolokhov and agreeing to love only Nikolai for the rest of her life, while freeing him from his promise to marry her. She lives the rest of her life under the old countess in the care of Nikolai Rostov.

The prototype of this seemingly insignificant character was Lev Nikolaevich’s second cousin, Tatyana Aleksandrovna Ergolskaya.

Bolkonsky - princes and princesses

Bolkonsky Nikolai Andreevich

The father of the main character, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. In the past, the current general-in-chief, in the present, a prince who earned himself the nickname “Prussian king” in Russian secular society. Socially active, strict like a father, tough, pedantic, but wise master of his estate. Outwardly, he was a thin old man in a powdered white wig, thick eyebrows hanging over penetrating and intelligent eyes. He doesn’t like to show feelings even to his beloved son and daughter. He constantly torments his daughter Marya with nagging and sharp words. Sitting on his estate, Prince Nikolai is constantly on the alert for events taking place in Russia, and only before his death does he lose a full understanding of the scale of the tragedy of the Russian war with Napoleon.

The prototype of Prince Nikolai Andreevich was the writer’s grandfather Nikolai Sergeevich Volkonsky.

Bolkonsky Andrey

Prince, son of Nikolai Andreevich. He is ambitious, just like his father, restrained in the manifestation of sensual impulses, but loves his father and sister very much. Married to the “little princess” Lisa. He had a good military career. He philosophizes a lot about life, meaning and the state of his spirit. From which it is clear that he is in some kind of constant search. After the death of his wife, in Natasha Rostova he saw hope for himself, a real girl, and not a fake one as in secular society, and some light of future happiness, so he was in love with her. Having proposed to Natasha, he was forced to go abroad for treatment, which served as a real test for both of their feelings. As a result, their wedding fell through. Prince Andrey went to war with Napoleon and was seriously wounded, after which he did not survive and died from a serious wound. Natasha devotedly looked after him until the end of his death.

Bolkonskaya Marya

Daughter of Prince Nikolai and sister of Andrei Bolkonsky. A very meek girl, not beautiful, but kind-hearted and very rich, like a bride. Her inspiration and devotion to religion serves as an example of good morals and meekness to many. She unforgettably loves her father, who often mocked her with his ridicule, reproaches and injections. And he also loves his brother, Prince Andrei. She did not immediately accept Natasha Rostova as her future daughter-in-law, because she seemed too frivolous for her brother Andrei. After all the hardships she has experienced, she marries Nikolai Rostov.

The prototype of Marya is the mother of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy - Maria Nikolaevna Volkonskaya.

Bezukhovs - counts and countesses

Bezukhov Pierre (Peter Kirillovich)

One of the main characters who deserves close attention and the most positive assessment. This character has experienced a lot of emotional trauma and pain, possessing a kind and highly noble disposition. Tolstoy and the heroes of the novel “War and Peace” very often express their love and acceptance of Pierre Bezukhov as a man of very high morals, complacent and a man of a philosophical mind. Lev Nikolaevich loves his hero, Pierre, very much. As a friend of Andrei Bolkonsky, the young Count Pierre Bezukhov is very loyal and responsive. Despite the various intrigues weaving under his nose, Pierre did not become embittered and did not lose his good nature towards people. And having married Natalya Rostova, he finally found the grace and happiness that he so lacked in his first wife, Helen. At the end of the novel, his desire to change the political foundations in Russia can be traced, and from afar one can even guess his Decembrist sentiments. (100%) 4 votes

The image of Pierre Bezukhov in the novel “War and Peace”. Essay based on Tolstoy's novel - War and Peace. Pierre Bezukhov, by his character and by his make-up, is predominantly an emotional person. His characteristic features are a mind prone to “dreamy philosophizing,” free-thinking, absent-mindedness, weakness of will, and lack of initiative. This does not mean that Prince Andrei is not capable of experiencing deep feelings, and Pierre is a weak thinker; both are complex natures. The terms “intellectual” and “emotional” mean in this case the predominant features of the spiritual forces of these extraordinary individuals. Pierre stands out sharply from the crowd of people in the Scherer salon, where we first meet him. This is “a massive, fat young man with a cropped head, glasses, light trousers in the fashion of the time, a high frill and a brown tailcoat.” His look is “intelligent and at the same time timid, observant and natural.” His main feature is the search for “calmness, agreement with oneself.” Pierre's entire life path is a constant search for the meaning of life, a search for a life that would be in harmony with the needs of his heart and would bring him moral satisfaction. In this he is similar to Andrei Bolkonsky.

Pierre's path, like the path of Prince Andrei, this is the way to the people. Even during the period of his passion for Freemasonry, he decides to devote his energies to the improvement of the peasants. He considers it necessary to set his serfs free; he is thinking about establishing hospitals, orphanages and schools in his villages. True, the cunning manager deceives Pierre and only creates the appearance of reforms. But Pierre is sincerely confident that his peasants are now living well. His real rapprochement with the common people begins in captivity, when he meets the soldiers and Karataev. Pierre begins to feel the desire to become simpler, to completely merge with the people. The lordly life, the social salons, the luxury of the tomyaga do not satisfy Pierre. He painfully feels his isolation from

Images of Natasha and Princess Marie in the novel “War and Peace”. But Natasha and Princess Marya also have common features.. Both of them are patriots. Natasha did not hesitate to sacrifice the wealth of the Moscow Rostov house to save the wounded. And Princess Marya abandons the estate to the mercy of fate as the French approach. When the homeland is in danger, family traits awaken in it - pride, courage, firmness. This is what happened in Bogucharovo, when her French companion invited her to stay on the estate and trust the mercy of the French general, the mercy of the enemies of Russia, her homeland. And “although it didn’t matter to Princess Marya no matter where she stayed and no matter what happened to her, she at the same time felt like a representative of her late father and Prince Andrei. She involuntarily thought with their thoughts and felt them with their feelings.” And there is one more feature that makes Natasha and Princess Marya similar. Princess Marya marries Nikolai Rostov, and Tolstoy, depicting their family life, speaks of the happiness that she, like Natasha, found in the family. This is how Tolstoy solves the question of the purpose of a woman, limiting her interests to the framework of family life.

Let us recall another episode of Nikolai Rostov’s meeting with Sonya, when he, having arrived on vacation, does not know how to behave with his beloved girl. “He kissed her hand and called her you - Sonya, but their eyes, having met, said “you” to each other and kissed tenderly.”

Tolstoy's favorite heroes are people with a complex spiritual world. In revealing such characters, Tolstoy resorts to various techniques: direct characterization from the author, self-characterization of the hero, internal dialogues and reflections, etc. Internal monologues and internal dialogues allow the author to discover the innermost thoughts and moods of the characters, which can be conveyed in another way ( for example, using direct authorial characterization) would be difficult without violating the laws of artistic realism. Tolstoy resorts to such monologues and dialogues very often. An example of an “internal monologue” with elements of dialogue can be the reflections of the wounded Prince Andrei in Chapter XXXII of the third volume of the novel. Here is another example of an “inner monologue” - the reflections of Natasha, childishly and spontaneously reasoning about herself: “What a charm this Natasha is!” - she said again to herself in the words of some third collective male person. “She’s good, she has a voice, she’s young, and she doesn’t bother anyone, just leave her alone” (Chapter XXIII of the second volume).

The image of Andrei Bolkonsky. The outside world with its things and phenomena is also skillfully used by Tolstoy to characterize the heroes. Thus, describing Natasha’s mood after the unexpected departure of Andrei Bolkonsky (before the matchmaking), Tolstoy reports that Natasha completely calmed down and “put on that old dress that she was especially known for the gaiety it brought in the morning.” Tolstoy is a brilliant landscape painter. He will note the young “green sticky leaves” of the birch, and the bush turning green somewhere, and the “juicy, dark green of the oak,” and the moonlight bursting into the room, and the freshness of the spring night. Let us remember the wonderfully described hunt in Otradnoye. Both people, animals, and nature appear here as indicators of the powerful force of life, its plethora. The landscape serves various functions in the novel. The most common feature of Tolstoy's landscape is the correspondence of this landscape to the mood of the hero. The disappointment and gloomy mood of Prince Andrei after the break with Natasha colors the surrounding landscape in gloomy tones. “He looked at the strip of birch trees, with their motionless yellow, green and white bark, glistening in the sun. “To die... so that they would kill me, tomorrow, so that I wouldn’t exist... so that all this would happen, but I wouldn’t exist...” He is tormented by terrible premonitions and painful thoughts about death. And these birches with their light and shadow, and these curly clouds, and this smoke from the fires - all this around was transformed for him and seemed something terrible and threatening. And the poetry of Natasha’s nature, on the contrary, is revealed against the backdrop of a spring moonlit night in Otradnoye. In other cases, the landscape directly affects a person, enlightening and making him wise. Prince Andrei, wounded at Austerlitz, looks at the sky and thinks: “Yes! Everything is empty, everything is deception, except this endless sky.” The oak tree, which Prince Andrei meets twice on his way, reveals to him the “meaning of life” in completely different ways: in one case it seems to Prince Andrei the personification of hopelessness, in the other - a symbol of joyful faith in happiness.

Finally, Tolstoy uses landscape as a means of characterizing the real situation. Let us just remember the heavy fog that spread like a continuous milky-white sea over the outskirts of Austerlitz. Thanks to this fog, which covered the French positions, the Russian and Austrian troops were put in a worse position, since they did not see the enemy and unexpectedly came face to face with him. Napoleon, standing at a height where it was completely light, could accurately lead his troops.

The image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace". Napoleon confronts in the novel Napoleon. Tolstoy debunks this commander and outstanding historical figure. Drawing the appearance of Napoleon, the author of the novel says that he was a “little man” with an “unpleasantly feigned smile” on his face, with “fat breasts”, “a round belly” and “fat spoons of short legs”. Tolstoy shows Napoleon as a narcissistic and arrogant ruler of France, intoxicated with success, blinded by glory, attributing to his personality a driving role in the course of historical events. Even in small scenes, in the slightest gestures, one can feel, according to Tolstoy, the insane pride of Napoleon, his acting, the conceit of a man accustomed to believing that every movement of his hand scatters happiness or sows grief among thousands of people. The servility of those around him raised him to such a height that he truly believed in his ability to change the course of history and influence the destinies of nations.

In contrast to Kutuzov, who does not attach decisive importance to his personal will, Napoleon puts himself, his personality above all else, and considers himself a superman. “Only what happened in his soul was of interest to him. Everything that was outside of him did not matter to him, because everything in the world, as it seemed to him, depended only on his will.” The word "I" is Napoleon's favorite word. Napoleon emphasizes selfishness, individualism and rationality - traits that are absent in Kutuzov, the people's commander, who thinks not about his own glory, but about the glory and freedom of the fatherland. Revealing the ideological content of the novel, we have already noted the originality of Tolstoy's interpretation of individual themes of the novel. Thus, we have already said that Tolstoy, going against the revolutionary peasant democracy, obscures in the novel the severity of the class contradictions between the peasantry and the landowners; revealing, for example, the restless thoughts of Pierre Bezukhov about the plight of the serf slaves, he at the same time paints pictures of the idyllic relationships between landowners and peasants on the Rostov estate and house. We also noted the features of idealization in the image of Karataev, the originality of the interpretation of the role of the individual in history, etc.

How can these features of the novel be explained? Their source must be sought in Tolstoy’s worldview, which reflected the contradictions of his time. Tolstoy was a great artist. His novel “War and Peace” is one of the greatest masterpieces of world art, a work of genius in which the breadth of epic scope was combined with an amazing depth of penetration into the spiritual life of people. But Tolstoy lived in Russia in a transitional era, in an era of disruption of the social and economic foundations of life, when the country was moving from a feudal-serf system to capitalist forms of life, violently protesting, in the words of Lenin, “against all class domination.” Tolstoy, landowner and aristocrat , found a way out for himself in the transition to the position of the patriarchal peasantry. Belinsky, in his articles about Tolstoy, revealed with remarkable depth all the contradictions that affected Tolstoy’s worldview and work in connection with his transition to the position of the patriarchal peasantry. These contradictions could not help but be reflected in the artistic structure of the novel War and Peace. Tolstoy, the great realist and Protestant, ultimately defeated Tolstoy, the religious philosopher, and created a work that has no equal in world literature. But reading the novel, we still cannot help but feel the contradictions in the worldview of its author.

The image of Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace". In the novel, Tolstoy ridicules the cult of “great personalities” created by bourgeois historians. He correctly believes that the course of history is decided by the masses. But his assessment of the role of the masses takes on a religious overtones. He comes to the recognition of fatalism, arguing that all historical events are predetermined from above. Tolstoy makes the commander Kutuzov the exponent of his views in the novel. The basis of his view is the consciousness that the creator of history and historical events is the people, and not individuals (heroes), and that all sorts of rationalistically constructed theories, no matter how good they may seem, are nothing compared to the force that is the mood, the spirit of the masses.

"Long years of military experience“, Tolstoy writes about Kutuzov, “he knew and with his senile mind understood that it was impossible for one person to lead hundreds of thousands of people fighting death, and he knew that the fate of the battle is not decided by the orders of the commander-in-chief, not by the place where the troops stand, not by the number guns and killed people, and that elusive force called the spirit of the army, and he watched over this force and led it, as far as it was in his power.” Tolstoy also attributed to Kutuzov his erroneous fatalistic view of history, according to which the outcome of historical events was predetermined. Andrei Bolkonsky says about Kutuzov: “He won’t come up with anything, won’t do anything, but he will listen to everything, remember everything, put everything in its place, won’t interfere with anything useful and won’t allow anything harmful. He understands that there is something stronger and more significant than his will - this is the inevitable course of events - and he knows how to see them, knows how to understand their meaning and, in view of this meaning, knows how to renounce participation in these events, from his personal will aimed at other..."

Denying the role of personality in history, Tolstoy sought to make Kutuzov only a wise observer of historical events, only a passive contemplator of them. This, of course, was Tolstoy's mistake. It inevitably had to lead to a contradictory assessment of Kutuzov. And so it happened. The novel features a commander who extremely accurately assesses the course of military events and unerringly directs them. With the help of a well-thought-out plan of counter-offensives, Kutuzov destroys Napoleon and his army. Consequently, in a number of essential features, Kutuzov is shown historically correctly in the novel: he has great strategic skill, spends long nights thinking through the campaign plan, acts as an active figure, hiding enormous volitional tension behind external calm. This is how the realist artist overcame the philosophy of fatalism. A bearer of the people's spirit and people's will, Kutuzov deeply and correctly understood the course of things, in the midst of events he gave them the correct assessment, which was confirmed later. Thus, he correctly assessed the significance of the Battle of Borodino, saying that it was a victory. As a commander, Kutuzov stands above Napoleon. To wage a people's war, such as the war of 1812, such a commander was needed, says Tolstoy. With the expulsion of the French, Kutuzov's mission was completed. Transferring the war to Europe required a different commander in chief. “The representative of the Russian people, after the enemy was destroyed, Russia was liberated and placed on the highest level of its glory, the Russian person, as a Russian, had nothing more to do. The representative of the people's war had no choice but death. And he died."

Portraying Kutuzov as people's commander, as the embodiment of people's thoughts, will and feelings. Tolstoy never falls into schematism. Kutuzov is a living person. We get this impression primarily because Tolstoy clearly, vividly paints us a portrait of Kutuzov - his figure, gait and gestures, facial expressions, his eyes, now glowing with a pleasant, affectionate smile, now taking on a mocking expression. Tolstoy gives it to us either in the perception of persons of different character and social status, or draws it from himself, delving into the psychological analysis of his hero. What makes Kutuzov deeply human and alive are scenes and episodes depicting the commander in conversations with people close and pleasant to him, such as Bolkonsky, Denisov, Bagration, his behavior at military councils, in the battles of Austerlitz and Borodino. Kutuzov's speech is diverse in its lexical composition and syntactic structure. He is fluent in high society speech when speaking or writing to the tsar, generals and other representatives of aristocratic society. “I say only one thing, General,” says Kutuzov with a pleasant elegance of expressions and intonations, forcing you to listen carefully to every leisurely spoken word. “I only say one thing, General, that if the matter depended on my personal desire, then the will of His Majesty Emperor Franz would have been completed long ago." But he also has an excellent command of simple folk language. “Here’s what, brothers. I know it’s difficult for us, but what can we do! Be patient: there’s not long left... We’ll see the guests out, then we’ll rest,” he told the soldiers, meeting them on the road from Krasny to Dobroye. And in a letter to the old man Bolkonsky, he reveals the archaic features of the clerical style of this era: “I flatter myself and you with hope that your son is alive, for otherwise, among the officers found on the battlefield, about whom the list was submitted to me through parliamentarians, he would was named."

In the novel “War and Peace,” Leo Tolstoy conveyed the author’s vision of morals, the state of thoughts and worldview of the advanced stratum of Russian society at the beginning of the 19th century. Problems of the state arise as a result of great world events and become the concern of every conscious citizen. The main characters of the novel “War and Peace” are representatives of influential families at the emperor’s court.

Andrey Bolkonsky

The image of a Russian patriot who died in the fight against the French occupiers. He is not attracted to a quiet family life, social receptions and balls. The officer takes part in every military campaign of Alexander I. The husband of Kutuzov's niece, he becomes the adjutant of the famous general.

In the Battle of Schoenberg, he raises a soldier to attack, carrying a fallen banner, like a real hero. In the Battle of Austerlitz, Bolkonsky is wounded and captured, freed by Napoleon. In the Battle of Borodino, a shell fragment hits a brave warrior in the stomach. The ladle died in agony in the arms of his beloved girl.

Tolstoy showed a man whose life priorities are national duty, military valor and the honor of his uniform. Representatives of the Russian aristocracy have always been bearers of the moral values ​​of monarchical power.

Natasha Rostova

The young countess grew up in luxury, surrounded by parental care. A noble upbringing and excellent education could provide a girl with a profitable match and a cheerful life in high society. The war changed the carefree Natasha, who suffered the loss of dear people.

Having married Pierre Bezukhov, she became a mother of many children, finding peace in family concerns. Leo Tolstoy created a positive image of the Russian noblewoman, patriot and keeper of the hearth. The author is critical of the fact that after giving birth to four children, Natasha stopped taking care of herself. The author wants to see a woman unfading, fresh and well-groomed throughout her life.

Maria Bolkonskaya

The princess was raised by her father, Potemkin’s contemporary and friend of Kutuzov, Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky. The old general attached importance to education, especially the study of technical sciences. The girl knew geometry and algebra and spent many hours reading books.

The father was strict and biased, he tormented his daughter with lessons, this is how he demonstrated his love and care. Marya sacrificed her youth to her parent's old age and was with him until his last days. She replaced the mother of her nephew Nikolenka, trying to surround him with parental tenderness.

Maria met her fate during the war in the person of her savior Nikolai Rostov. Their relationship developed for a long time, both did not dare to take the first step. The gentleman was younger than his lady, this embarrassed the girl. The princess had a large inheritance from the Bolkonskys, which stopped the guy. They made a good family.

Pierre Bezukhov

The young man was educated abroad and was allowed to return to Russia at the age of twenty. High society received the young man with caution, because he was the illegitimate son of a noble nobleman. However, before his death, the father asked the king to recognize Pierre as the legal heir.

In an instant, Bezukhov became a count and the owner of a huge fortune. The inexperienced, slow and gullible Pierre was used in selfish intrigues; he was quickly married to his daughter by Prince Vasily Kuragin. The hero had to go through the pain of betrayal, humiliation of his wife's lovers, a duel, Freemasonry and drunkenness.

The war cleansed the count’s soul, saved him from empty mental ordeals, and radically changed his worldview. Having gone through fire, captivity and the loss of dear people, Bezukhov found the meaning of life in family values, in the ideas of new post-war political reforms.

Illarion Mikhailovich Kutuzov

The personality of Kutuzov is a key figure in the events of 1812, because he commanded the army defending Moscow. Leo Tolstoy in the novel “Vona and Peace” presented his vision of the general’s character, his assessment of his actions and decisions.

The commander looks like a kind, fat old man who, with his experience and knowledge of conducting large battles, is trying to lead Russia out of a difficult retreat situation. The Battle of Borodino and the surrender of Moscow was a cunning military combination that led to victory over the French army.

The author described the famous Kutuzov as an ordinary person, a slave to his weaknesses, who has experience and wisdom accumulated over many years of life. The general is an example of an army commander who takes care of the soldiers, worries about their uniforms, food and sleep.

Leo Tolstoy tried, through the image of the main characters of the novel, to convey the difficult fate of representatives of high society in Russia who survived the European military storm of the early 19th century. Then a generation of Decembrists was formed, who would lay the foundation for new reforms, the result of which would be the abolition of serfdom.

The main feature that unites all the heroes is patriotism, love for the Motherland, and respect for parents.