Tolstoy war peace family Bolkonsky. Old Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky

The fate of the Bolkonsky family in the novel War and Peace is one of the key plot lines of the novel.

Throughout the story, characters evolve, develop, change their beliefs and change themselves, for better or worse.

Description and quotation characteristics of the Bolkonsky family

Let's imagine a description of each member of this family.

Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky

The head of the Bolkonsky family in the novel appears as a stingy, narrow-minded tyrant. He treats his daughter poorly and is not friendly with his son.

In relation to the peasants, Prince Nikolai is cruel and merciless; he does not delve into the needs of the people dependent on him, preferring benefits to human relations.

Above all virtues, the prince values ​​intelligence and activity, not paying attention to a person’s moral qualities.

However, the old prince is not an antagonist - he is an ardent patriot of Russia, serving his Fatherland faithfully.

Prince Andrei Bolkonsky

The character of Andrei Bolkonsky undergoes significant changes as the plot develops.

At an evening at Anna Scherer's, Andrei appears before us as an aristocrat, fed up with secular society, who is bored with everyone, first of all, his wife.

Quote: “Do you want to know if I’m happy? No. Is she happy? No. Why is this? I don’t know...” He is trying to escape from a life that has disgusted him by going to war, for which he does not feel mentally inclined. He considers marriage a big mistake, and has a bleak attitude towards future fatherhood.

Through the mouth of Pierre Bezukhov, Tolstoy gives Andrey the most flattering description:

• smart;
• well read;
• educated;
• has willpower;
• able to develop;
• physically beautiful.

From the beginning to the end of the novel, his character undergoes amazing changes - from an aristocrat, representing nothing, to a patriot and defender of the Russian people.

Princess Lisa Bolkonskaya

Princess Lisa, who got married a year before the events described in the novel, is expecting her first child.

Princess Lisa - a society woman, she speaks only French, highly values ​​her position in society, and is committed to social entertainment. She doesn't love her husband, he is necessary attribute a young woman, but she is not interested in Andrey as a person.

The princess does not want to leave for the village, she is afraid of childbirth and prefers to stay in the city. Her premonitions do not deceive her - having given birth to a baby, the princess dies.

Princess Marya Bolkonskaya

Princess Marya is physically ugly (the author describes the princess’s large, beautiful eyes, which leave an imprint on her entire appearance and hide her external unattractiveness), but she is noble and kind.

The princess is described as a deeply religious person prone to self-sacrifice.

She tries to secure the marriage of Mademoiselle Bourrien, replaces deceased mother nephew.

Nikolenka Bolkonsky

Andrei's son, Nikolenka, is a child who did not know his mother. He was raised by his grandfather, after whom he was named, and then by his aunt, who instilled in him the ideas of serving the people and a sense of patriotism.

Nikolenka is described as similar in appearance to his mother, but with facial features reminiscent of his father, a handsome and lively teenager. He is well-read, educated, and his thirst for knowledge amazes the older generation.

His manner of behavior is reminiscent of Prince Andrei, but without the latter’s isolation.

Tolstoy sees the future of Russia in the image of Nikolenka. The prototype of the Decembrists, the youngest son of the Bolkonsky princes, despite his title, will devote his life to the struggle for the liberation of the oppressed Russian people. The story about Nikolenka’s dream confirms this thesis.

Mademoiselle Bourrienne

A companion who has lived in the Bolkonsky house for so long that she is considered a member of the family, Mademoiselle Bourien is pretty and has a cheerful, lively character.

She is frivolous, loves to laugh, her demeanor does not allow one to suspect her of being an orphan, a girl without a family, completely dependent on the favors of the Bolkonskys.

Mademoiselle is looking for an opportunity that will allow her to find her place in life and no longer benefit from the Bolkonskys’ generosity.

Subsequently, she joins the French and goes over to their side in the War of 1812.

Description of the Bolkonsky estate Bald Mountains

Bald Mountains are located near Smolensk. main part estate - a house, is described as a large gloomy building in which rigor reigns, once and for all established order.

An important detail is the description of the clock strike in manor house- all the clocks, both in the living room and in the rooms, work in unison, which is a characteristic of the punctuality and scrupulousness with which life in the house is organized. Dinners on the estate are festive, with an abundance of different dishes and a lot of servants.

The house suppresses its inhabitants- several times in the novel it is emphasized big sizes, empty, echoing suites of rooms, art galleries with portraits of famous ancestors, their names and a list of deeds.

Peculiarities of upbringing and relationships between children in the Bolkonsky family

Andrei and Marya were friends as children and maintained a friendly relationship into older age. Their father, the old prince, was an intolerant and harsh parent. His pedantry, bordering on rudeness, often made his daughter cry.

However, in his own way, the old man loved his children, and they felt this love. Princess Marya was happy and satisfied with her life in the family.

What is the family closeness of the Bolkonskys based on?

As in many noble houses Russia, family members were united by common glorious ancestors, duty to the Fatherland, interests of family and clan. Animal, unreasoning affection for each other is not for the Bolkonskys - they are rationalistic, guided not by their hearts, but by their minds.

Family interests

All members of the Bolkonsky family highly value the interests of the clan and family. Prince Andrei married at the right time because of the need to produce an heir so that the family would not fade away.

Princess Marya does not consider a misalliance - a marriage with a person lower than her. social status, cannot satisfy a representative of an ancient family.

Old Prince is a patriot not only of the Fatherland, but also of his family, raising his children, and then his grandson, in the spirit of loyalty to the ideals of the nobility.

Home decor, family life and traditions

Thanks to the difficult character of the old prince, the atmosphere in family nest was tense and sad. Stiffness bordered on hypocrisy; fun and disregard for tradition were rejected.

Representatives younger generation most They preferred to spend time outside the home.

The old prince was a zealous follower of traditions - everything in the house, from the morning greeting to the serving of dinner, was subject to a routine once and for all, calculated to the minute. Routines and traditions unite the family.

Relationships with others in the Bolkonsky family

The family is a closed, self-sufficient world. Naturally, as befits aristocrats, the Bolkonskys attend dinner parties, receptions, and salons.

However The behavior of the princes is cold, distant, withdrawn. The only exception is the secular princess Lisa, who became part of the family as a result of marriage.

Everything is mixed up in the Bolkonsky house

The quote is not correct, the real one is “Everything was mixed up in the Oblonskys’ house” from “Anna Karenina.” These surnames, which belong to the pen of the great Russian writer, should not be confused, because each of them hides its own story.

This is interesting: The 2007 film adaptation of the novel War and Peace was considered a failure by film critics due to large quantity historical inaccuracies. The characters' clothing, jewelry, and military regalia do not correspond to the time. That is why, in relation to the film, one can find the paraphrased expression “Everything was mixed up in the Oblonskys’ house,” which is often found in essays on the topic of Leo Tolstoy’s work.

Comparison of the Bolkonsky and Rostov families

Brief comparative analysis life two families reveals both similarities and differences in their way of life, habits, and lifestyle.

Conclusion

The Bolkonsky family is atypical for the time being described. Strict lifestyle, rationality, inflexibility, high demands on morality characterize all its members.

The writer pins his hope for a better future for Russia on the successors of the Bolkonsky family and non-fictional people similar to them.

The role of the Bolkonsky family in the work

The Bolkonsky family plays an important role in the novel War and Peace. The main problems of the great writer’s work are inextricably linked with them. The text traces the stories of several families. The main attention is paid to the Bolkonskys, Rostovs and Kuragins. The author's sympathies are with the Rostovs and Bolkonskys. There is a big difference between them. The relationship between the Rostovs is sensual and emotional. The Bolkonskys are guided by reason and expediency. But it is in these families that Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy’s favorite heroes are brought up. Members of the Bolkonsky family are prominent representatives people of “peace and light”. Their destinies are closely intertwined with life paths other characters in the work. They accept Active participation in development storyline narratives. Psychological problems, issues of morality, morality, and family foundations are reflected in the depiction of these characters.

Characteristics of relationships

The Bolkonskys belong to an ancient princely family and live on the Bald Mountains estate, located not far from the capital. Each family member is an extraordinary personality, endowed with strong character and remarkable abilities.

Head of the family

Old Prince Nikolai Andreevich, his son Andrei Nikolaevich and Princess Marya Nikolaevna are members of the Bolkonsky family in the novel “War and Peace”.

The head of the family is the old Prince Bolkonsky. This is a person with a strong character and an established worldview. Successful career military man, honors and respect remained a thing of the distant past for him. On the pages of the book we see an old man who has withdrawn from military service and government affairs, secluded himself on his estate. Despite the blows of fate, he is full of strength and energy. An old man's day is scheduled minute by minute. His routine includes both mental and physical labor. Nikolai Andreevich draws up plans for military campaigns, works in a carpentry workshop, and is engaged in arranging the estate. He is of sound mind and good physical shape, does not recognize idleness for himself and forces all household members to live by his rules. It is especially difficult for the daughter, who is forced to study natural sciences and endure her father’s difficult temper.

The proud and unyielding character of the old prince causes a lot of trouble for those around him, and his integrity, honesty and intelligence inspire respect.

Prince Andrey

We meet Andrei Bolkonsky in the first chapter of the work. He appears among the guests of Anna Pavlovna Scherer's social salon and immediately attracts everyone's attention. The young man stands out from the general background not only with his appearance, but also with his behavior. We understand that the people around him cause irritation and even anger. He dislikes false masks, lies, hypocrisy and empty talk secular society. A sincere, kind smile appears on the hero’s face only when he sees Pierre Bezukhov. Andrei Bolkonsky is young, handsome, educated, but dissatisfied with his existence on this earth. He doesn't love his beautiful wife and is dissatisfied with his career. Throughout the development of the storyline, the image of the hero is revealed to the reader in all its depth.

At the beginning of the novel, Andrei is a man who dreams of becoming like Napoleon. Therefore, he decides to leave his pregnant wife, his bored way of life, and goes to military service. He dreams of heroic deeds, glory and popular love. The high sky of Austerlitz changes his worldview and adjusts his plans for life. He is constantly searching for himself. Feats and serious wounds, love and betrayal, disappointments and victories fill the life of one of Tolstoy’s favorite heroes. As a result, the young prince finds true meaning life in service to the Fatherland, defense of one’s Motherland. The hero's fate is tragic. He dies from a serious wound without realizing his dream.

Princess Marya

Andrei Bolkonsky's sister, Princess Marya, is one of the brightest and touching images narratives. Living next to her father, she is patient and submissive. Thoughts about her husband, her family and children seem to her pipe dreams. Marya is unattractive: “an ugly, weak body and a thin face,” insecure and lonely. The only remarkable thing about her appearance was her “large, deep, radiant” eyes: “She sees her purpose in serving the Lord. Deep faith gives strength and is an outlet in her difficult life situation. “I don’t wish for another life, and I can’t wish for it, because I don’t know another life,” the heroine says about herself.

The timid and soft Princess Marya is equally kind to everyone, sincere and spiritually rich. For the sake of her loved ones, the girl is ready to make sacrifices and take decisive actions. At the end of the novel, we see the heroine as the happy wife of Nikolai Rostov and a caring mother. Fate rewards her for her devotion, love and patience.

Family traits

In the novel War and Peace, the Bolkonsky house is an example of truly aristocratic foundations. Restraint reigns in relationships, although all family members sincerely love each other. The Spartan way of existence does not allow you to express your feelings and experiences, whine, or complain about life. No one is allowed to break the strict rules of conduct.

The Bolkonskys in the novel “War and Peace” personify the best features of the noble class that is fading into history. Once upon a time, representatives of this class were the basis of the state; they devoted their lives to serving the Fatherland, just like the representatives of this noble family.

Each of the Bolkonsky family has its own unique character traits. But there is something in common that unites these people. They are distinguished by family pride, honesty, patriotism, nobility, and a high intellectual level of development. Betrayal, meanness, cowardice have no place in the souls of these heroes. The characteristics of the Bolkonsky family develop gradually throughout the narrative.

The concept of a classic

Testing the strength of family ties, the writer takes his heroes through a series of tests: love, war and social life. Representatives of the Bolkonsky family successfully cope with difficulties thanks to the support of their relatives.

According to the plan of the great writer, chapters devoted to describing the life of the Bolkonsky family play a huge role in ideological content novel "War and Peace". They are people of “light”, worthy of deep respect. The depiction of the family life of the favorite characters helps the classic to display the “family thought”, to build his work in the genre of a family chronicle.

Work test

The Bolkonsky princes are representatives of an influential family Russian Empire. Noble origins indicates nobility royal court. Rumors spread throughout Moscow about their wealth.

The Bolkonsky family in the novel “War and Peace” is presented by the author as the basis of the monarchical power of Russia early XIX century.

Old Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky

The retired general was tough in dealing with his subordinates and his own children. At the dawn of his strength, he was called the Prussian king, he was known as the favorite of Prince Potemkin. During the reign of Paul, Nikolai Andreevich fell out of favor with the tsar and was exiled to the outback, where he remained until the events of 1812. It was necessary to travel 150 versts to Moscow or, if necessary, 60 versts to Smolensk.

The absence of urban living conditions hardened the old man, and his unsociability aroused in his interlocutors a feeling of fear mixed with deep respect. From Vienna, as a friend, Kutuzov wrote letters to Bolkonsky, who also sent him an answer when possible. The general was considered an original courtier, endowed with intelligence and insight.

Prince Andrei Bolkonsky

Andrey is married to the niece of Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov. The bonds of marriage bring little joy to a man; he wants to reach new heights, realize himself in military and political affairs without the high patronage of his wife’s uncle. Having gone to war with the French in 1805, Andrei manages to prove himself heroic at the cost of being seriously wounded.

Returning home to Bald Mountains is tragic. The hero does not have time to see his wife alive; she dies on the same day, having given birth to a son, Kolenka. The young father decides to leave forever military career. His worldview changes with the advent of his son. Bolkonsky is interested in government reforms carried out by Minister Speransky.

The adult Bolkonsky falls in love with the young Natasha Rostova and achieves reciprocity. The engagement has to be broken off in order to forget the failed love, Andrei leaves for Turkey, where the war finds him.

Death of Andrei Bolkonsky

Bolkonsky took out a fragment of a shell that exploded nearby. The wound was serious, but the officer was taken to Moscow by a retreating convoy. Natasha and Andrey are destined to meet before eternal separation. The eyes of the beloved man were closed forever a month after the Battle of Borodino.
Andrei Bolkonsky is the writer’s favorite character, personifying the patriotic image of defenders of the fatherland.

Princess Marya Nikolaevna

Contemporaries considered the girl's face ugly, although today her appearance would be considered unkempt, without style and taste. The princess inherited from her father a thin body, devoid of attractive feminine curves of the waist and hips. Maria Nikolaevna's eyes always looked sad; she looked at herself in the mirror hopelessly.

Only clever man could catch in her gaze the true light of kindness and philanthropy. Behind the lack of grace of the court lady lay timidity and natural feminine charm, meekness. Religion occupies a special place in the princess’s worldview; a wise woman is able to recognize and appreciate good human qualities.

The lack of female authority creates a condescending attitude towards everyday details. There is a masculine mess going on on Marya’s table, which is unacceptable for her father, for whom every little thing knew its place. There is a complex relationship between father and daughter.

Unwittingly, the old prince often offends his native pupil, tyrannizes her moral strength, and drives her into despair. Marya Nikolaevna sacrifices personal interests, and until the end of her father’s life, she adorns his old age. The woman will meet her happiness in 1812 in the person of Nikolai Rostov.

Princess Lisa Bolkonskaya

Having mentioned several times that the heroine is the niece of Field Marshal Kutuzov, the writer describes only the merits of the young woman. Perhaps, due to Lisa’s state of pregnancy, the author created an image without flaws. People around him consider Princess Bolkonskaya sweet. She came to Scherrer's party with her handicrafts to pass the time profitably.

The husband speaks favorably of Lisa, mentioning that with such women you don’t have to doubt your honor. Having tragically lost Lisa, the man changed his worldview, long years was in a state of searching for the meaning of life.

Leo Tolstoy presented the Bolkonsky family to the reader as an example of decency, honor and state consciousness.

Most of the novel “War and Peace” by L. N. Tolstoy is dedicated to the Russian nobility of the early 19th century. The reader is presented whole line families that are essentially close to each other - in the sense of regularity of life, calmness, subordination general rules that existed in the upper strata of society at that time. All their members go to balls, visit Anna Pavlovna Scherer’s living room, dance, have fun, and engage in small talk.

However, there is one family whose unique morals and traditions and homely atmosphere are immediately noticeable. This is how the Bolkonsky family is represented. She lives her own closed life, which sets her apart from others. Why did this happen? In fact, the Bolkonsky family is a hereditary military, and military affairs implies subordination, rigor, precision and toughness. Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky is such a “purebred” military man. It defines the spirit of the family. Life experience hardened not only his body, but also his soul, imbued him with strict military rules. The entire routine of his day is planned minute by minute and carried out with amazing precision: “... the main condition for activity is order, but order in his life is brought to the utmost degree of accuracy. His appearances at the table took place under the same unchanging conditions, and not only in one hour, but also in a minute.” And God forbid anyone to break this routine, which is the main law of Nikolai Andreevich’s existence. For example, during the arrival of Prince Andrei and his wife, the son does not immediately go to his father, but waits until his time of rest is over, because he is already accustomed to this.

The old prince is constantly engaged in physical and mental labor: “He himself was constantly busy either writing his memoirs, or calculations from higher mathematics, or turning snuff boxes on a machine, or working in the garden and observing buildings that did not stop...” The reader practically does not see Nikolai Andreevich idle. Even when his son leaves for military service, he continues to work, although he worries that Prince Andrei may die: “When Prince Andrei entered the office, the old prince, wearing old man’s glasses and in his white robe, in which he did not receive anyone except son, sat at the table and wrote.”

The elder Bolkonsky is not a tyrant, he is simply demanding not only of himself, but also of everyone around him. It can also be said that he led an ascetic lifestyle and, by his example, forced his loved ones to do the same. The prince aroused fear and respect in people who communicated with him in one way or another. Although he was retired and no longer had any significance in state affairs, every head of the province where the Bolkonsky estate was located considered it his duty to come to him and express his respect.

It would probably be wrong to think that the old prince was insensitive and hard-hearted, no, he was simply not used to showing his feelings and weaknesses even to his family. Firstly, he himself was raised this way from childhood, and secondly, serving in the army taught him another lesson: he saw how weak-willed people with high morals lost to those who were firm and focused.

Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky has two children in his family - Marya and Andrey. Their mother died early. All the main upbringing of the children fell on the father. Since the father has always been an ideal for children, many of his traits passed from him to the children. They grew up in an environment that was not conducive to laughter, fun, or jokes. The father interacted with them as with adults, kept a tight rein on them, and did not particularly dote on them or cherish them.

Princess Marya adopted more masculine character traits than she should have, because Nikolai Andreevich did not stand on ceremony with her and raised her equally with his son. It has the same rigidity, although expressed in a weaker form, along with deep moral principles, Marya Nikolaevna is not like other secular women. It contains real human values, which do not depend on time and environment, fashion and popular theories. Marya Nikolaevna did not appear at balls and in A.P. Sherer’s drawing room, because her father considered all this nonsense and stupidity, a useless waste of time.

Instead of balls and celebrations, Princess Marya studied mathematical sciences with her father: “...I don’t want you to be like our stupid ladies...”.

She is not beautiful, but she is not ugly either - she is a girl who is almost unnoticed by men, and because of this she is married to the eccentric Anatol Kuragin. She has only one friend - Julie, and she is only by correspondence. Princess Marya seems to live in her own little world, lonely and understood by almost no one.

Why is this heroine so obsessed with faith, why does she host beggars and wanderers? Perhaps she simply does not find a person in her life who is able to understand her, to advise her something practical... It seems to me that it is out of loneliness that she turns to God. Wanderers, in her mind, are approaching the image of Christ. Sometimes it seems that these strangers are closer to Princess Marya than her father and brother.

Andrei Nikolaevich Bolkonsky is the son of the old prince, almost identical to him in character. The same set of qualities of a military man: firmness, courage, determination; the same coldness and aloofness in his actions and thoughts. Most of all, in my opinion, Prince Andrei’s wife, Little Princess Lisa, suffers from all these traits. What did she do to deserve such an attitude from her husband? Only because she normal woman who goes to balls and loves entertainment, laughter and joy?

Another trait that Andrei Nikolaevich inherited from his father is isolation, closedness from people, isolation from what is happening in the outside world. He is taciturn with his father, as well as with other people in his circle. It would seem that Natasha is the angel who will save Prince Andrei by bestowing love, but we do not see this hero opening his soul to his beloved. Andrei Bolkonsky does not tell anyone about his past or future at all, he lives in the present. Lives an inner life.

Thus, the old noble family of the Bolkonskys preserves their traditions and passes them on to the new generation.

The first time we encounter the Bolkonsky family is in in full force at the end of the first part of the first volume, when everyone in Bald Mountains, on the Bolkonskys’ main estate, is awaiting the arrival of Prince Andrei and his wife. From this moment on, a lot, one might say almost everything, becomes clear about this family, about all their members. Starting with the old prince and ending with mlle Bourienne. Before we begin describing the family members, it should be said that everyone in the Bolkonsky family is special in their own way. If we draw a parallel with the Rostovs, we can immediately say: this is absolutely different people. The Rostovs are simple nobles, a good-natured father, a kind mother, a generous son, carefree children. Here everything is completely different. A dictator-father, a submissive daughter, a fearful daughter-in-law, and an independent son. This is an overview of the whole family, which gives some insight into the Bolkonskys. You can figuratively imagine the Bolkonskys as a triangle, at the top of which is their father, Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, on the other peak Andrei, and not the third, Princess Marya Bolkonskaya with Lisa, the wife of Prince Andrei. These are three fronts, three completely opposite groups (if one or two people can be called that) in the family.

Nikolai Bolkonsky

Most of all, the old prince valued “two virtues in people: activity and intelligence.” “He himself was involved in raising his daughter and, in order to develop both main virtues in her, he gave her lessons in algebra and geometry and distributed her whole life in continuous studies. He himself was constantly busy either writing his memoirs,” or “calculations from higher mathematics, either by turning snuff boxes on a machine, or by working in the garden and supervising the buildings that did not stop on his estate.” Living in the village, Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky reads a lot, he is aware of current events. Unlike the inhabitants of secular drawing rooms, he deeply worries about everything that happens in Russia, and believes that the duty of a nobleman is to serve his homeland. True love to his homeland and the consciousness of his duty to it resounds in his parting words son: “Remember one thing, Prince Andrei: if they kill you, it will hurt me, an old man... And if I find out that you did not behave like the son of Nikolai Bolkonsky, I will be... ashamed!” When in 1806 the theater of military operations approached Russian borders, Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, despite his venerable age, accepted the appointment as one of the eight commanders-in-chief of the militia. “He was constantly traveling around the three provinces entrusted to him; he was pedantic in his duties, strict to the point of cruelty with his subordinates, and he himself got down to the smallest details of the matter." In 1812, having learned about the capture of Smolensk by the French, the old Prince Bolkonsky decides to "stay in the Bald Mountains to the last extreme and defend himself." Thoughts about his homeland, about its fate, about the defeat of the Russian army do not leave him even in his dying hours. Nikolai Andreevich was a Russian gentleman, sometimes tyranny and despotism manifested themselves in him, but at the same time he was a man of enormous moral strength highly spiritually developed. The traits of Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky were inherited by his children - Prince Andrei and Princess Marya. Old Prince Bolkonsky did not want his daughter to be like secular women. He did not like idleness, worked himself and demanded that the princess’s life be filled with useful activities.

Andrey Bolkonsky

In Tolstoy's artistic world there are heroes who persistently and purposefully searching for meaning lives striving for complete harmony with peace. They are not interested in social intrigues, selfish interests, empty conversations in high society salons. They are easy to recognize among arrogant, self-satisfied faces. These, of course, include one of the most striking images of “War and Peace” - Andrei Bolkonsky. True, the first acquaintance with this hero does not evoke much sympathy, because he Beautiful face“with definite and dry features” spoils the expression of boredom and dissatisfaction. But it, as Tolstoy writes, is caused by the fact that “everyone who was in the living room was not only familiar, but was already so tired of him that he found it very boring to look at them and listen to them.” The author's extensive commentary suggests that a brilliant and idle, empty life does not satisfy the hero, who strives to break the vicious circle in which he finds himself. Prince Andrei, who, in addition to intelligence and education, strong will, decisively changes his life by entering service at the headquarters of the commander-in-chief. Bolkonsky dreams of heroism and glory, but his desires are far from vanity, for they are caused by the desire for the victory of Russian weapons, for the common good. Possessing hereditary pride, Andrei unconsciously separates himself from the world ordinary people. In the hero’s soul, the gap between his lofty dreams and earthly everyday life becomes deeper and deeper. His pretty wife Lisa, who once seemed perfect to him, turned out to be an ordinary, ordinary woman. And Andrei undeservedly insults her with his disdainful attitude. And the bustling life of the headquarters of the commander-in-chief, which Bolkonsky sees as the brain of the army, also turns out to be very far from ideal. Andrei firmly believes that his thoughts about saving the army will attract attention and interest and will serve the common good. But instead of saving the army, he has to save the doctor’s wife from the demands of the transport officer. This one, in general, Noble act seems too small and insignificant to Andrey in comparison with his heroic dream. The feat he accomplished during Battle of Austerlitz When he runs ahead of everyone with a banner in his hands, he is full of external effect: even Napoleon noticed and appreciated him. But why, having done heroic deed, Andrey does not experience any delight and elation? Probably because at that moment when he fell, seriously wounded, a new lofty truth was revealed to him, along with the high endless sky, spreading a blue vault above him. Against his background, everything former dreams and the aspirations seemed small and insignificant to Andrei, the same as his former idol. A reassessment of values ​​took place in his soul. What seemed beautiful and sublime to him turned out to be empty and vain. And what he so diligently fenced himself off from was the simple and quiet family life, - now seems desirable to him, full of happiness and harmony. It is not known how Bolkonsky’s life with his wife would have turned out. But when, having risen from the dead, he returned home kinder and gentler, a new blow fell upon him - the death of his wife, to whom he was never able to make amends. Andrei tries to live a simple, calm life, touchingly caring for his son, improving the lives of his serfs: he made three hundred people free cultivators, and replaced the rest with dues. These humane measures, testifying to Bolkonsky’s progressive views, for some reason still do not convince of his love for the people. Too often he shows contempt for a peasant or a soldier, whom one can pity, but cannot respect. In addition, the state of depression and the feeling of the impossibility of happiness indicate that all the transformations cannot completely occupy his mind and heart. Changes in the heavy state of mind Andrei's story begins with the arrival of Pierre, who, seeing his friend's depressed mood, tries to instill in him faith in the existence of a kingdom of goodness and truth that should exist on earth. Andrei's final revival to life occurs thanks to his meeting with Natasha Rostova. The description of the moonlit night and Natasha’s first ball emanates poetry and charm. Communication with her opens up a new sphere of life for Andrey - love, beauty, poetry. But it is with Natasha that he is not destined to be happy, because there is no complete mutual understanding between them. Natasha loves Andrei, but does not understand and does not know him. And she also remains a mystery to him with her own, special inner world. If Natasha lives every moment, unable to wait and postpone until a certain time the moment of happiness, then Andrei is able to love from a distance, finding a special charm in anticipation of the upcoming wedding with his beloved girl. The separation turned out to be too difficult a test for Natasha, because, unlike Andrei, she is not able to think about something else, to keep herself busy with something. The story with Anatoly Kuragin destroys the possible happiness of these heroes. Proud and proud Andrei is unable to forgive Natasha for her mistake. And she, experiencing painful remorse, considers herself unworthy of such a noble, ideal person. Fate separates loving people, leaving bitterness and pain of disappointment in their souls. But she will unite them before Andrei’s death, because Patriotic War 1812 will change a lot in their characters. When Napoleon entered Russia and began to rapidly advance, Andrei Bolkonsky, who hated the war after being seriously wounded at Austerlitz, went into the active army, refusing a safe and promising service at the headquarters of the commander-in-chief. Commanding a regiment, the proud aristocrat Bolkonsky becomes close to the mass of soldiers and peasants, learns to appreciate and respect the common people. If at first Prince Andrei tried to arouse the courage of the soldiers by walking under bullets, then when he saw them in battle, he realized that he had nothing to teach them. He begins to look at the men in soldiers' greatcoats as patriotic heroes who courageously and steadfastly defended their Fatherland. Andrei Bolkonsky comes to the idea that the success of the army does not depend on the position, weapons or number of troops, but on the feeling that exists in him and in every soldier. This means that he believes that the mood of the soldiers, the general morale of the troops are a decisive factor for the outcome of the battle. But still, the complete unity of Prince Andrei with common people Did not happen. It is not for nothing that Tolstoy introduces a seemingly insignificant episode about how the prince wanted to swim on a hot day, but due to his disgust towards the soldiers wallowing in the pond, he was never able to fulfill his intention. Andrei himself is ashamed of his feelings, but cannot overcome it. It is symbolic that at the moment of his mortal wound, Andrei experiences a great craving for simple earthly life, but immediately thinks about why he is so sorry to part with it. This struggle between earthly passions and ideal, cold love for people becomes especially acute before his death. Having met Natasha and forgiven her, he feels a surge of vitality, but this reverent and warm feeling is replaced by some kind of unearthly detachment, which is incompatible with life and means death. Thus, revealing in Andrei Bolkonsky many remarkable features of a patriotic nobleman. Tolstoy ends his path of quest with heroic death for the sake of saving his homeland. And in the novel, his friend and like-minded person Pierre Bezukhov is destined to continue this search for higher spiritual values, which remained unattainable for Andrei.

Maria Bolkonskaya

The princess lives permanently on the Bald Mountains estate with her father, an illustrious nobleman of Catherine’s, exiled under Paul and who has not gone anywhere since then. Her father, Nikolai Andreevich, is not a pleasant person: he is often grumpy and rude, scolds the princess as a fool, throws notebooks and, to top it all off, is a pedant. And here is the portrait of the princess: “The mirror reflected an ugly, weak body and a thin face.” And then Tolstoy seemed amazed by what he saw: “the princess’s eyes, large, deep and radiant (as if rays warm light sometimes they came out of them like sheaves), they were so beautiful that very often, despite the ugliness of the whole face, these eyes became more attractive than beauty*. Together with Prince Andrei, Princess Marya is shown to us in the novel as a perfect, absolutely integral psychologically, physically and morally human type. At the same time, like any woman, according to Tolstoy, she lives in a constant, unconscious expectation of love and family happiness. That the eyes are the mirror of the soul, common place. But the princess’s soul is truly beautiful, kind and gentle. And it is Marya’s eyes that shine with her light. Princess Marya is smart, romantic and religious. She humbly endures her father's eccentric behavior, his mockery and ridicule, without ceasing to endlessly deeply and strongly love him. She loves the “little princess,” loves her nephew Nikolai, loves her French companion who betrayed her, loves her brother Andrei, loves, without being able to show it, Natasha, loves the vicious Anatol Kuragin. Her love is such that everyone nearby obeys its rhythms and movements and dissolves in it. Tolstoy gives Princess Marya an amazing destiny. He realizes for her any of the wildest romantic dreams of a provincial young lady. She experiences betrayal and the death of loved ones, she is saved from the hands of her enemies by the brave hussar Nikolinka Rostov, her future husband(how can one not remember Kozma Prutkov: “If you want to be beautiful, join the hussars”). A long languor of mutual love and courtship, and in the end - a wedding and a happy family life. Sometimes one gets the impression that the author is elegantly and cleverly parodying countless French novels that were an integral part of " women's world"and had a significant influence on the formation spiritual world Russian young lady of the early 19th century. Of course, this is not a direct parody. Tolstoy is too big for this. Special literary device every time he takes Princess Marya outside the plot. Every time she sensibly and logically comprehends any “romantic” or similar combination of events. (Let us remember her reaction to the adultery of Anatol Kuragin and the French woman Bourien.) Her intelligence allows her to stand with both feet on the ground. Her dreaminess, developed by novels, allows her to think of some parallel, second “romantic” reality. Her religiosity stems from her moral sense, but it is kind-hearted and open to the world. Undoubtedly, its literary predecessor attracts attention in this context. This, of course, is Lizonka from Pushkin’s “The Queen of Spades”. In some cases, the pattern of their destinies coincides down to the smallest detail. “Lizaveta Ivanovna was a domestic martyr,” writes Pushkin, “she spilled tea and received reprimands for an extra piece of sugar; she read novels aloud and was to blame for all the author’s mistakes.” How can one not remember the life of Princess Marya with her father in Bald Mountains and Moscow! In the image of Princess Marya there is much less literary typicality and much more of a living, quivering soul and human attractiveness than others female characters novel. Together with the author, we, the readers, take an active part in her fate. In any case, real pleasure comes from the description of her cozy family happiness with her limited but deeply beloved husband among her children, relatives and friends.

Lisa Bolkonskaya

Prince Andrei's wife. She is the darling of the whole world, an attractive young woman whom everyone calls “the little princess.” “Her pretty upper lip, with a slightly blackened mustache, was short in teeth, but the more sweetly it opened and the more sweetly it sometimes stretched out and fell onto the lower one. As is always the case with quite attractive women, her shortcomings - short lips and half-open mouth - seemed to be special, actually her beauty. It was fun for everyone to look at this pretty expectant mother, full of health and liveliness, who endured her situation so easily." Lisa was everyone's favorite thanks to her always liveliness and courtesy secular woman, she could not imagine her life without high society. But Prince Andrei did not love his wife and felt unhappy in his marriage. Lisa does not understand her husband, his aspirations and ideals. After Andrei leaves for the war, Lisa lives in the Bald Mountains with the old Prince Bolkonsky, for whom she feels fear and hostility. Lisa foresees her imminent death and actually dies during childbirth.

Nikolenka Bolkonsky

Another Nikolai Bolkonsky - Nikolenka - will continue the ideas of his father. In "Epilogue" he is 15 years old. For six years he was left without a father. And even before the age of six, the boy spent little time with him. In the first seven years of Nikolenka’s life, his father participated in two wars, stayed abroad for a long time due to illness, devoted a lot of energy to transformative activities in the Speransky commission (of which the old prince was proud, who would probably have been upset if he had learned about Prince Andrei’s disappointment in government activities). The dying Bolkonsky leaves his son something like an old encrypted will about the “birds of the air.” He does not say these gospel words out loud, but Tolstoy says that the prince’s son understood everything, even more than a wise adult could understand life experience Human. As a “bird of heaven”, which in the Gospel is a symbol of the soul, not having “image and form”, but constituting one essence - love - Prince Andrei comes, as promised, to Nikolenka after his death. The boy dreams of the Father - love for people, and Nikolenka takes an oath to sacrifice himself (it is not for nothing that Mucius Scaevola comes to mind) at the command of the Father (Father is a word written, of course, not by chance with a capital letter).