Image of the people in war and peace. Essay The People in Tolstoy's novel War and Peace
The people in the novel "War and Peace".
In War and Peace, Tolstoy raised the question of the role of the individual and the people in history.
Tolstoy was faced with the task of comprehending the War of 1812 artistically and philosophically.
"The truth of this war is that it was won by the people."
Carried away by the thought of national character war, Tolstoy was unable to resolve the issue of the role of the individual and the people in history; in part 3 of volume 3, Tolstoy enters into an argument with historians who claim that the course of the entire war depends on “great people.”
Tolstoy tries to convince that a person’s fate does not depend on their will.
When depicting Napoleon and Kutuzov, the writer almost never shows them in the sphere government activities. He focuses his attention on those qualities that characterize him as a leader of the masses.
Tolstoy believes that not man of genius leads events, and events lead him. Tolstoy portrays the council in Fili as advice that makes no sense, because Kutuzov had already decided that Moscow should be abandoned: “The power entrusted to me by the sovereign and the fatherland is an order to retreat.” Of course, this is not true; he has no power. The departure from Moscow is a foregone conclusion. It is not in the power of individuals to decide where history will turn.
But Kutuzov managed to understand this historical inevitability. It is not he who says this phrase, it is fate that speaks through his lips. It is so important for Tolstoy to convince the reader of the correctness of his views on the role of the individual and the masses in history that he considers it necessary to comment on each episode of the war from the perspective of these views. The idea does not develop, but is illustrated by new facts in the history of the war. Any historical event was the result of the interaction of thousands of human wills. One person cannot prevent what is about to happen due to the confluence of many circumstances. The offensive became necessary for many reasons, the sum of which led to the Battle of Tarutino.
main reason- the spirit of the army, the spirit of the people, which had a decisive influence on the course of events.
Tolstoy wants to emphasize with a variety of comparisons that great people are confident that the fate of humanity is in their hands, that ordinary people do not talk or think about their mission, but do their job.
The individual is powerless to change anything.
The story of Pierre's meeting with Karataev is the story of a meeting with the people, figurative expression Tolstoy. Tolstoy suddenly saw that the truth was among the people, and therefore he learned it by becoming close to the peasants. Pierre must come to this conclusion with the help of Karataev.
Tolstoy decided this last stage novel.
The role of the people in the War of 1812 - main topic third part. People - main strength, which determines the fate of the war. But the people do not understand and do not recognize the game of war. The war poses a question of life and death.
Tolstoy is a historian, thinker, and welcomes partisan warfare. Finishing the novel, he praises the “club of the people’s will,” considering the people’s war an expression of just hatred of the enemy.
In War and Peace, Kutuzov is shown not at headquarters, not at court, but in the harsh conditions of war. He inspects them and speaks kindly to the officers and soldiers. Kutuzov is a great strategist, he uses all means to save the army. He sends a detachment led by Bagration, entangles the French in the networks of their own cunning, accepting the proposal for a truce, and energetically advances the army to join forces with troops from Russia.
During the battle, he was not just a contemplator, but fulfilled his duty.
Russian and Austrian troops were defeated. Kutuzov was right - but the realization of this did not soften his grief. To the question: “Are you wounded?” - he replied: “The wound is not here, but here!” - and pointed to the running soldiers. For Kutuzov, this defeat was a serious mental wound. Having taken command of the army when the War of 1812 began, Kutuzov’s first task was to raise the morale of the army. He loves his soldiers.
battle of Borodino shows Kutuzov as an active, exceptionally strong-willed person. With his bold decisions he influences the course of events. Despite the Russian victory at Borodino, Kutuzov saw that there was no way to defend Moscow. All of Kutuzov's latest tactics were determined by two tasks: the first - the destruction of the enemy; the second is the preservation of Russian troops, for his goal is not personal glory, but the fulfillment of the will of the people, the salvation of Russia.
Kutuzov is shown in various life situations. Peculiar portrait characteristic Kutuzova - a “huge nose”, the only seeing eye in which thought and care shone. Tolstoy repeatedly notes Kutuzov's senile obesity and physical weakness. And this testifies not only to his age, but also to hard military labor and a long combat life.
Kutuzov's facial expression conveys complexity inner world. The face bears a stamp of concern before decisive matters.
Extraordinarily rich speech characteristic Kutuzova.
He talks to the soldiers in simple language, in elegant phrases - with the Austrian general.
Kutuzov's character is revealed through the statements of soldiers and officers.
Tolstoy, as it were, sums up this entire multifaceted system of methods for constructing an image with a direct description of Kutuzov as a bearer of the best features of the Russian people.
The inherent qualities of the Russian
people are vigor, courage,
resourcefulness, hard work, wisdom,
heroism in the fight against foreigners
invaders.
V. G. Belinsky
"War and Peace" is one of greatest works a brilliant Russian writer, rightfully included in the treasury of Russian and world literature. “War and Peace” is not just a novel, but an epic novel. Tolstoy depicts in it an entire era in the life of the people, explains the course of history, its driving forces, combines description historical events with a narration about the fate of the main characters of the novel, creates a holistic image of the Russian people, describes the life of the people and the life of high society. The novel shows a wide panorama of Russian life. All this together made up that unique genre called the epic novel.
The image of the people... Undoubtedly, the people play a very important role in the novel “War and Peace”. Every page of the work is permeated with love for the people and understanding of their role in the course of history. The most vivid image of the people is presented during military operations, the Patriotic War of 1812.
The Patriotic War of 1812 is a truly “people's war”, which became such after the French invasion of Russian soil. During this war, the enormous moral strength of the Russian people, their resilience and courage. The peak of the Patriotic War of 1812 is the Battle of Borodino. It was here that the moral strength of the Russian army, which Andrei Bolkonsky understood so well, manifested itself. It is no coincidence that his answer to Vezukhov’s question about what determines the success of the battle: “Success has never depended and will not depend on position, weapons, or even numbers. Success depends on the feeling that is in me, in him,” he pointed to Timokhin, “in every soldier.” And then Bolkonsky says: “The battle depends not on the skill of the commander leading the army, but on the will of the soldiers themselves who make up this army. If a commander understands this, then he is great, and the army led by him will win.”
This is exactly how Tolstoy painted the image of Kutuzov on the pages of his novel. Tolstoy emphasizes the unheroic appearance of Kutuzov, thereby exalting his moral strength. Kutuzov was convinced that the “spirit of the army” was of decisive importance in war. “The spirit of the army” is the understanding by soldiers and officers of the tasks of a holy defensive war. Therefore, Kutuzov sought to raise the “spirit of the army” and inspire the Russian army.
It was not easy for Kutuzov to decide to leave Moscow. Scary question stood before him in Fili: “Did I really allow Napoleon to reach Moscow, and when did I do it?” But still he did not give in to despair. "No! They will eat horse meat like the Turks.” Kutuzov remains confident in victory over the enemy to the end and instills this in everyone - from the general to the soldier. A “national feeling” lived in Kutuzov, making him similar to all the true defenders of the Motherland. In all of Kutuzov’s actions there was a national and therefore truly great and invincible principle.
In his novel, Tolstoy created paintings of folk guerrilla warfare and revealed its true meaning and significance. While waging a guerrilla war, the Russian people “did everything that could be done to achieve a goal worthy of the people.” Participants in the Patriotic War of 1812 believed that “the men, more than the troops, defeated the French.” Kutuzov believed that victory was achieved through the combined efforts of the army and the people.
Tolstoy shows the Battle of Borodino mainly through the eyes of Pierre, a non-military, open-minded person. It seems to me that it is no coincidence that during the Battle of Borodino, Pierre ends up at the Raevsky battery, in the very thick of hostilities. “These soldiers immediately mentally accepted Pierre into their family, appropriated them and gave him a nickname. They nicknamed him “Our Master” and laughed affectionately about him among themselves.” Here it is, unity ordinary soldiers, folk heroes, and the nobleman Bezukhov, a representative of the upper class. Bezukhov feels completely free among the soldiers, in those moments he is one of them, he feels the same inspiration as them, he is concerned about the same problems, he experiences the same feelings.
One of the main semantic parts The novel is a communication between Pierre Bezukhov in captivity and Platon Karataev, a simple Russian peasant. Why is it Pierre who is captured, and not, for example, Andrei Bolkonsky? It seems to me that Prince Andrei would not have understood everything that Pierre learned from his communication with Karataev. Prince Andrei is an aristocrat, and he could not get so close to Plato, he would be taller than him. Pierre, in those circumstances, is absolutely equal to Karataev. Pierre gets to know the simple Russian soul. The main thing that captivates him in Karataev is loving relationship to the world. Karataev has a healing effect on Pierre's soul, wounded by the spectacle of the execution. This influence is hidden in the special gift of love. For Pierre Karataev “was an incomprehensible, large and eternal personification of the spirit of simplicity and truth.” It is communication with Platon Karataev that leads Pierre to a deeper understanding of the meaning of life. Pierre learns the truth, and with it a feeling of harmony and happiness. It is significant that this truth was revealed to him by the people in the person of Platon Karataev, who brought peace to his soul.
The line of influence of the people on the character of the heroes of the novel runs through Tolstoy’s entire work. How Natasha was shocked by her mother’s refusal to take the wounded with her when leaving Moscow! Natasha cannot understand how it is possible to abandon the wounded in Moscow, abandoned to the French, but take away carpets, feather beds and trinkets with them. She understands what a great feat these people accomplished in defending Russia, and therefore she bows to them and to the entire Russian people.
More than a century has passed since the novel “War and Peace” was first published, but people around the world are still admired by the moral beauty and strength of the Russian people, depicted by Tolstoy on the pages of his novel. L.N. Tolstoy showed the greatness of the Russian spirit, Russian culture, Russian self-sacrifice. All this helped our people defeat Napoleon in 1812, this makes the novel great. And in conclusion, I would like to quote the words of Maxim Gorky, said about the great Russian writer Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, the author of the immortal novel “War and Peace”: “I am not an orphan on earth as long as this man is on it.”
It is believed that wars are won and lost by generals and emperors, but in any war, a commander without an army is like a needle without a thread. After all, it is soldiers, officers, generals - people who serve in the army and take part in battles and battles - who become the very thread with which history is embroidered. If you try to sew with only one needle, the fabric will be pierced, perhaps even marks will remain, but there will be no result of the work. Likewise, a commander without his regiments is just a lonely needle, which is easily lost in the haystacks formed by time, if there is no string of his troops behind him. It is not sovereigns who fight, it is the people who fight. Sovereigns and generals are just needles. Tolstoy shows that the theme of the people in the novel “War and Peace” is the main theme of the entire work. The people of Russia are people of different classes, both the high society and those who make up middle class, and ordinary people. They all love their homeland and are ready to give their lives for it.
The image of the people in the novel
Two main storylines The novel reveals to readers how the characters are formed and the destinies of two families - the Rostovs and the Bolkonskys.
Using these examples, Tolstoy shows how the intelligentsia developed in Russia; some of its representatives came to the events of December 1825, when the Decembrist uprising occurred.
The Russian people are represented in "War and Peace" different characters. Tolstoy seemed to have collected the features inherent in ordinary people, and created several collective images, embodying them in specific characters.
In Platon Karataev, met by Pierre in captivity, they embodied character traits serf peasants. Kind, calm, hard-working Plato, talking about life, but not thinking about it: “He, apparently, never thought about what he said and what he would say...”. In the novel, Plato is the embodiment of a part of the Russian people of that time, wise, submissive to fate and the tsar, loving their homeland, but going to fight for it only because they were caught and “given as soldiers.” His natural kindness and wisdom revive the “master” Pierre, who is constantly looking for the meaning of life and cannot find and comprehend it.
But at the same time, “When Pierre, sometimes amazed by the meaning of his speech, asked to repeat what was said, Plato could not remember what he said a minute ago.” All these searches and tossing are alien and incomprehensible to Karataev, he knows how to accept life as it is at this very moment, and he accepts death humbly and without grumbling.
Merchant Ferapontov, an acquaintance of Alpatych, typical representative merchants, on the one hand stingy and cunning, but at the same time burning their property so that it does not fall to the enemy. And he doesn’t want to believe that Smolensk will be surrendered, and he even beats his wife for her requests to leave the city.
And the fact that Ferapontov and other merchants themselves set fire to their shops and houses is a manifestation of patriotism and love for Russia, and it already becomes clear that Napoleon will not be able to defeat the people who are ready to do anything to save their Motherland.
The collective image of the people in the novel “War and Peace” is created by many characters. These are partisans like Tikhon Shcherbaty, who fought the French in their own way, and, as if playfully, destroyed small detachments. These are wanderers, humble and religious, such as Pelageyushka, who walked to holy places. The militia men, dressed in simple white shirts, “to prepare for death,” “with loud talking and laughter,” were digging trenches on the Borodino field before the battle.
In difficult times, when the country was in danger of being conquered by Napoleon foreground All these people had one main goal - the salvation of Russia. Before her, all other matters turned out to be petty and unimportant. At such moments, people show their true face, and in War and Peace Tolstoy shows the difference between common people, ready to die for their country and other people, careerists and opportunists.
This is especially evident in the description of the preparations for the battle on the Borodino field. A simple soldier with the words: “The whole people want to attack...”, some officers, for whom the main thing is that “for tomorrow big rewards should have been given out and new people brought forward,” soldiers praying in front of the Smolensk icon Mother of God, Dolokhov asking Pierre for forgiveness - all these are brush strokes big picture, who stood in front of Pierre after a conversation with Bolkonsky. “He understood that hidden... warmth of patriotism that was in all those people he saw, and which explained to him why all these people were calmly and seemingly frivolously preparing for death” - this is how Tolstoy describes the general state of people before the Battle of Borodino.
But the author does not at all idealize the Russian people; in the episode where the Bogucharov men, trying to preserve their acquired wealth, do not let Princess Marya out of Bogucharov, he clearly shows the meanness and baseness of these people. In describing this scene, Tolstoy shows the behavior of the peasants as alien to Russian patriotism.
Conclusion
In an essay on the topic “The Russian people in the novel “War and Peace”” I wanted to show Lev Nikolaevich Tolstov’s attitude towards the Russian people as a “whole and unified” organism. And I want to end the essay with a quote from Tolstov: “... the reason for our triumph was not accidental, but lay in the essence of the character of the Russian people and troops, ... this character should have been expressed even more clearly in an era of failures and defeats...”
The theme of the people in the novel “War and Peace” - an essay on the image of the Russian people |
1867 L. M. Tolstoy finished work on the epochal novel of his work “War and Peace”. The author noted that in “War and Peace” he “loved the people’s thought,” poetizing the simplicity, kindness and morality of the Russian people. L. Tolstoy reveals this “folk thought” by depicting the events of the Patriotic War of 1812. It is no coincidence that L. Tolstoy describes the war of 1812 only on the territory of Russia. The historian and realist artist L. Tolstoy showed that the Patriotic War of 1812 was a just war. In defense, the Russians raised “the club of people’s war, which would punish the French until the invasion was stopped.” The war radically changed the life of the entire Russian people.
The author introduces into the novel many images of men, Soldiers, whose thoughts and considerations together make up the people's worldview. The irresistible power of the Russian people is fully felt in the heroism and patriotism of Moscow residents who were forced to abandon hometown, your treasure, but not conquered in the soul; peasants refuse to sell food and hay to enemies, create partisan detachments. Real heroes, persistent and firm in fulfilling their military duty, showed L. Tolstoy in the images of Tushin and Timokhin. The theme of the people's element is revealed more expressively in the depiction of guerrilla warfare. Tolstoy creates bright image partisan Tikhon Shcherbatov, who arbitrarily joined Denisov’s detachment and was “the most useful person in the squad." Platon Karataev is a generalized image of a Russian peasant. In the novel, he appears on those pages where Pierre's stay in captivity is depicted. The meeting with Karataev changes a lot of things in relation to
Pierre to life. Deep folk wisdom as if concentrated in the image of Plato. This is calm, sensible wisdom, without tricks and cruelty. From her, Pierre changes, begins to experience life in a new way, and is renewed in his soul.
Hatred of the enemy was felt equally by representatives of all layers of Russian society, and patriotism and closeness to the people were most inherent in Tolstoy’s favorite heroes - Pierre Bezukhov, Andrei Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova. The simple Russian woman Vasilisa, the merchant Feropontov, and the family of Count Rostov feel unity in their desire to help the country. The spiritual strength that the Russian people showed in Patriotic War 1812, this is the same force that supported the activities of Kutuzov as a talented Russian and commander. He was elected commander-in-chief “against the will of the sovereign and in accordance with it. with the will of the people." That is why, Tolstoy believes, Kutuzov was able to fulfill his great historical mission, since each person is worth something not on his own, but only when he is part of his people. Thanks to unity, high patriotic enthusiasm and moral strength, the Russian people won the war.
“People's Thought” - main idea novel "War and Peace". Tolstoy knew that simple life people, with their “personal” destinies, vicissitudes, and joy constitute the fate and history of the country. “I tried to write the history of the people,” said Tolstoy, of the people in the broad sense of the word. Therefore, “people's thought” plays a huge role for the author, affirming the place of the people as a decisive force in history.
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Let's consider how the people were portrayed in the novel "War and Peace" by L. N. Tolstoy. The author finished work on his work in 1867. Speaking about him, he admitted that he loved “folk thought” in his novel.
The world of the peasantry in the work
The people in the novel "War and Peace" are widely represented. The peasantry is described in detail by the author. In Tolstoy's depiction, the world of the peasantry is self-sufficient and harmonious. The writer did not believe that his representatives needed intellectual influence. The noble heroes do not even think about the need to “develop” the peasants. On the contrary, it is the latter who are often closer to understanding the meaning of life. Lev Nikolaevich portrays a complex spiritual world representatives of the nobility and the artless spirituality of the Russian peasant as different, but at the same time complementary principles of the existence of our country. The ability to establish contact with the people is an indicator of the moral health of the nobles in the novel.
Fluctuating boundaries between classes
Tolstoy repeatedly emphasizes the fragility of boundaries between classes. Humanity, commonality makes them “transparent”. The people in the novel "War and Peace" often get closer and interact with the higher strata of society. The hunter Danilo, for example, is filled with “contempt for everything” and “independence.” This hunter allows himself to look at the master Nikolai Rostov “with contempt.” However, this was not offensive to Nicholas. He understood that this man still belonged to him. Everyone is equal during the hunt, everyone obeys the order established once. Only in the heat of the hunt can Danilo curse Ilya Andreevich, who missed the wolf, and even swing his arapnik at him. Such behavior of a serf under normal conditions is impossible in relation to the master.
Let us give another example of how the nobility and the people interact in the novel War and Peace. An important step The spiritual life of one of the main characters, Pierre Bezukhov, was a meeting in a barracks for prisoners with Platon Karataev. It was this peasant soldier who restored his lost faith in life. The main moral criterion in the epilogue of the novel becomes for Pierre Karataev’s possible attitude towards his activities. And he concludes that he is probably his social activities I wouldn’t understand, but I would definitely approve because I loved “pretty” in everything.
Depiction of a peasant revolt
The theme of the people in the novel "War and Peace" is diverse. Tolstoy, depicting the rebellion of Bogucharov’s peasants, expressed his own attitude towards the conservative layers of the patriarchal-communal world, accustomed to resisting any changes. There is spontaneity in Bogucharovo folk life much more noticeable than in other areas, since there were very few landowners, literate and domestic servants. Peasants live here in a small closed community. They are virtually isolated from the rest of the world. The peasants, for no apparent reason, suddenly begin to move in a certain direction, obeying the incomprehensible laws of existence. Tolstoy emphasizes that in the life of the peasants from Bogucharovo, the mysterious currents of life of the Russian people were stronger and more noticeable than in other areas, the meaning and reasons of which are inexplicable to contemporaries. Through the depiction of rebellion, the theme of the people in the novel "War and Peace" is revealed from a new side.
The reason for the peasant revolt
The general mood, the element of rebellion, completely subjugates every peasant. Even the elder Dron was caught up in the general impulse. Princess Marya's attempt to distribute the master's bread to the peasants ended in failure. Only Rostov’s “unreasonable animal anger,” his “unreasonable act” could sober up this indignant crowd. The men submitted to brute force unquestioningly, admitting that they had rebelled “out of stupidity.” Lev Nikolaevich in his work showed not only external reasons rebellion (“relations with the French” and rumors about the “will” that the gentlemen had taken away). The hidden, deep socio-historical reason for this event lay in the internal “force” that accumulated gradually and, like lava, burst out of a boiling volcano. This is why the common people rebelled in the novel War and Peace.
Image of Tikhon Shcherbaty
The image is important detail frescoes about people's war, which was created by Tolstoy. Tikhon was the only one from his entire village who attacked the French. He joined in own initiative to Denisov’s “party” and soon became one of the most necessary people, showing great ability and willingness to Through his image, the common people are also analyzed in the novel "War and Peace".
Tikhon served in the partisan detachment special place. He did all the menial work and was the bravest and most useful person. Tikhon, in addition, played the role of a jester and willingly succumbed to this rank. In his behavior and appearance the writer sharpened the features of the holy fool. Yellowfang had a face pitted with wrinkles and pockmarks, with narrow, small eyes.
Tikhon's attitude to the murder of the French
Tikhon is a cold-blooded, merciless warrior. When killing the French, he obeys only the instinct of exterminating the enemy, and treats them practically as inanimate objects. Tikhon resembles a predator with his cruelty. It is no coincidence that the author compares him to a wolf: Jagged-Tooth wielded an ax the way a wolf wielded his teeth.
Image of Platon Karataev
One of key images the work is It is especially important when revealing the topic: “The people in the novel “War and Peace”. It is impossible to write an essay on this topic without mentioning this character. who was cut off from the usual way of life and placed in new conditions (French captivity, the army), in which his spirituality manifested itself especially clearly. The hero lives in harmony with the whole world. He treats all people with love. Plato deeply feels life, directly and vividly perceives people. In Tolstoy’s depiction, Karataev is an example of a “natural” person who came from the people, embodiment folk morality, largely instinctive.
This hero, personifying the Russian people in the novel “War and Peace,” is shown in the work mainly through Bezukhov’s perception of him. Pierre notes that the very presence of this man in the barracks created a feeling of comfort for the prisoners. Bezukhov was interested in how Plato took off his shoes and settled in his corner, since something “round,” “calming,” and “pleasant” was felt even in this.
Karataev looked very youthful, although he was over 50 years old. He seemed healthy and physically strong man. Particularly striking was Plato’s “youth,” which had the appearance of “youth” and “innocence.” Karataev was always doing something that probably became a habit for this hero. Having been captured, he did not seem to feel what illness and fatigue were, he felt in the barracks just like at home.
Return of Karataev to peasant life in unusual conditions
Outside of the usual conditions, outside of everything that pressed on him, Karataev naturally and imperceptibly returned to the serf way of life. He threw away everything alien that was forcefully imposed on him from the outside. For Plato, who represents the people in Tolstoy's novel War and Peace, peasant life is especially attractive: dear memories, as well as ideas about decency, are associated with it. Therefore, he spoke mainly about the events of “Christian” life, as he called it.
Plato died naturally, experiencing tenderness and “quiet delight” before the mystery of death. He did not perceive it as torment or punishment, therefore there was no suffering on his face: it was illuminated by the expression of “quiet solemnity.”
The image of Platon Karataev is the image of a righteous peasant who not only lived in harmony with people and the whole world, admiring the manifestations of life, but was also able to resurrect Pierre Bezukhov, who had reached a spiritual impasse. For Pierre, he forever remained the personification of “simplicity and truth.”
"People's Thought" in the novel
“People's thought” is the main idea of the work “War and Peace”. Lev Nikolaevich knew that the simple life of the Russian people, with its “private” interests, destinies, joys, proceeds regardless of Napoleon’s meetings with Alexander, Speransky’s state plans or the diplomatic game. Only those events of history that lead masses into movement, affect national destinies, are capable of changing, always beneficially, albeit dramatically, individual person. It was the patriotism of the people (in the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy also describes their patriotic feelings) that led to the victory of the Russians over the French.
