The meaning of Tolstoy's novel War and Peace. Who wrote "War and Peace"? The central characters of the book and their prototypes
“War and Peace” is an extremely complex, multifaceted work: a historical, philosophical, family, psychological epic novel of modern times. The uniqueness of this epic novel lies in the fact that Tolstoy not only describes the history of Russia in the first quarter of the 19th century, talking about the Napoleonic Wars and the Patriotic War of 1812, but also tries to convey the spiritual, intellectual content of this era. The writer offers his philosophical understanding of both global - world and national - historical events, and the life of an individual. For Tolstoy, events from the history of the nation and the “little things” of private life are equalized, since the general and eternal laws of existence are equally manifested in them.
Tolstoy's philosophical arguments about the laws of history are scattered throughout the novel, but in the epilogue they are once again summarized. The author examines the most important questions about the driving forces of history and the role of the so-called “great people” in the historical process.
In “War and Peace” there are discussions about the purposes of historical events and the role of human will in them: “Why war or revolution occurs, we do not know; we only know that in order to perform this or that action, people form a certain combination and everyone participates, and we say that this is the nature of people, that this is the law” (epilogue, 2, VII). Further, Tolstoy continues: “In real life, every historical event, every human action is understood very clearly, without the feeling of the slightest contradiction, despite the fact that every event seems partly free, partly necessary” (epilogue, 2, IX).
A historical event, according to the writer, consists of the contradictory and diverse aspirations of millions of people living in the era of this historical event. Consequently, history does not depend on the will of one or several people, but on the will of all humanity, that is, it is an objective (unconscious, “swarm”) process. Tolstoy compares the historical process with a clock mechanism: “Just as in a watch the result of the complex movement of countless different wheels and blocks is only the slow and steady movement of the hand indicating the time, so is the result of all complex human movements ... - all passions, desires, repentances, humiliations, suffering, impulses of pride, fear, delight of people - there was only the loss of the Battle of Austerlitz..., that is, the slow movement of the world-historical hand on the dial of human history" (1.3, XI). In the novel, in addition to theoretical considerations, there are given artistic illustrations historical laws that, according to Tolstoy, govern people's lives. For example, the mass departure of Muscovites before the surrender of the city: “They left and did not think about the majestic significance of this huge, rich capital, abandoned by the inhabitants and given over to the fire (the large abandoned wooden city had to burn down); they each left for themselves, and at the same time, only as a result of the fact that they left, that magnificent event took place, which will forever remain the best glory of the Russian people” (3, 3, V). In other words, the reasonable and correct action of an individual, according to Tolstoy, is the embodiment of the will of the whole (history), each individual act is determined by the will of humanity.
Human society, according to Tolstoy, can be depicted as a cone (epilogue, 2, VI), at the base of which is the people, and at the top is the ruler. The paradox of history is presented to the author as follows: the higher a person stands on the social ladder, the less he can influence historical events: “The king is a slave of history.” Proof of this idea is, for example, the election of Kutuzov to the post of commander-in-chief in the Patriotic War. Kutuzov was personally disliked by Alexander the First, but when a serious danger loomed over Russia, Kutuzov was called up not by order of the authorities, but by the will of the people. The king, contrary to his personal wishes, was forced to fulfill the will of the people. In other words, the people, according to Tolstoy, are the makers of history. That is why in the novel there are many heroes from the people - peasants, soldiers, servants. This is how the author’s democratic beliefs are manifested.
The people are not only the main thing driving force history, but also the main judge of the so-called “great people”. A person who has earned the respect of the people will, according to Tolstoy, be great. Such a person does not carry out his own will in history, but perceives and fulfills the will of his people. Based on this situation, the writer considers Kutuzov great (he understood the meaning and liberating nature of Patriotic War) and denies greatness to Napoleon (this power-hungry cared exclusively about personal glory, which he founded on wars, on the blood of European peoples). Thus, philosophical views Tolstoy are not only democratic, but also humanistic. The writer condemns the war, which coincides with the popular assessment of this event.
War and Peace also sets out a philosophical understanding of individual human life, that is, Tolstoy puts the “eternal” moral problems and gives answers to them, offering his criteria right life. The author describes the personal quests and interests of the heroes, intertwining them with the quests, interests, and clashes of peoples. If the hero correctly understands his place in history (Kutuzov, Prince Andrei, Pierre), then his personal spiritual development goes in the same direction with human history. If the hero wants to slow down or push up the historical process with his will, then he looks naive and ridiculous. This is exactly how the author characterizes the behavior of Count Rastopchin on the eve of the surrender of Moscow, listing the contradictory orders and actions of this statesman: “... this man did not understand the significance of the event taking place, but only wanted to do something himself, to surprise someone, to accomplish something patriotic-heroic and, like a boy, frolicked over the majestic and inevitable event of the abandonment and burning of Moscow and tried with his small hand to either encourage or delay the flow of the enormous stream of people that was carrying him along with it” (3, 3, V).
Inner freedom, according to the writer, is at least a partial renunciation of the egoistic desire for personal good, because it obscures the common and undoubted blessing life as such. Tolstoy extremely simply formulates his understanding of morality: there is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth. The author applies these moral criteria to all the heroes of the novel, starting with emperors and generals and ending with simple Russian men. As a result, the heroes are divided into loved ones and unloved ones, depending on the extent to which their behavior in life corresponds to the principles of simplicity, goodness and truth.
Both in Tolstoy’s time and still today there is an opinion that statesman may behave differently private person. What is considered fraud for a private person is statesmanship for a statesman; What would be an unacceptable weakness in a public figure is considered humanity or gentleness of soul in a private person. Such morality, therefore, allows for two justices and two prudences for the same person. Tolstoy rejects double standards and proves that historical figure and the common man must be measured by one standard, that simple justice always constitutes the wisest and most advantageous policy. For the author, the life and feelings of a private person against the background of historical upheavals acquire the same importance as the life and actions of historical figures.
Tolstoy gives his own assessment of all the famous figures of the described historical era. This applies primarily to Napoleon, who in both Russian and especially European historiography is presented as greatest commander and statesman. But for Tolstoy, Napoleon is an aggressor who attacked Russia, who gave orders to burn cities and villages, exterminate Russian people, rob and destroy cultural values. Alexander the First, reformer Speransky, Count Rastopchin, German military strategists - all these historical figures are described by the author as empty and vain people who only imagine that they are making history.
The author applies the same criteria of simplicity, goodness and truth to evaluate fictional characters. Drawing the court aristocracy (the Kuragin family, the maid of honor Anna Pavlovna Sherer, the careerists Drubetsky, Berg, numerous adjutants), Tolstoy emphasizes their immorality and false patriotism. They live by empty interests, far from what the author believes to be true life. On the eve of the Battle of Borodino, when the soldiers from Prince Andrei’s regiment are preparing to win or die, the secular careerists “are busy only with their own small interests. ...for them this is only a moment in which they can dig under the enemy and get an extra cross or ribbon” (3, 2, XXV). Patriotism secular society During the Patriotic War, it manifests itself in the fact that the noble nobility does not go to the French Theater and tries to speak Russian.
Tolstoy's favorite heroes embody his ideal of life. Prince Andrei and Pierre after long moral quest come to the same conclusion: we must live for people, in truth and conscience. This, however, does not mean the abandonment of a different opinion, from the intense mental work characteristic of both.
So, “War and Peace” reflected the author’s philosophical views on the world and man. In Tolstoy’s time, history was usually presented as a chain of actions of kings and generals, while the people did not play any role in the historical arena, their purpose was to carry out the will of “great people.” A similar view of history is clearly reflected in Russian and European battle paintings: “... in the foreground, a huge general is sitting on a horse and waving some kind of drekoly; then clouds of dust or smoke - you can’t tell; then behind the clubs are tiny soldiers, placed in the picture only to show how great the commander is and how small the lower ranks are in comparison with him” (D.I. Pisarev).
Tolstoy, reflecting on the historical process, analyzing critical moments of Russian history, comes to the idea that the people are not two or three little kids in the background battle painting, the people are the creators of history. So the writer abandoned one extreme point of view (history - the deeds of “great people”), but began to defend the other extreme (history is impersonal): “The actions of Napoleon and Alexander, on whose words it seemed that an event would happen or not happen, depended just as little arbitrary as the action of each soldier who went on a campaign by lot or recruitment” (3, 1, I). It seems that the correct point of view is in the middle between the extremes - history is created by the whole nation: the tsar, and the generals, and senior and junior officers, and ordinary soldiers, and partisans, and civilians - in a word, all those who do at least something useful for the common cause, and even those who oppose the common cause. In other words, the historical process takes place according to a known Latin proverb: Fate leads the smart, but drags the stupid.
The philosophical concept in Tolstoy’s novel is expressed not only in special digressions, not only in the images of Napoleon and Kutuzov, but also in each hero of the work, since each image in one way or another illustrates the ideas of the author’s moral philosophy. Tolstoy, like all Russian writers mid-19th centuries, tried to solve the problem positive hero and looked for him among the nobility. In contemporary Russian life, the writer did not see such heroes, but, turning to history, he found positive images- these are the nobles of 1812 and 1825. They were ahead of their time, their moral character turned out to be closer to the advanced Russian people of the 60s of the 19th century than to their contemporaries in the first quarter of the 19th century.
Evaluating all the heroes according to the same moral criteria (simplicity, goodness, truth), Tolstoy brings a universal (philosophical) meaning to the historical novel about the Patriotic War of 1812, which makes the work deeper in content and allows it to be called an epic. Moral ideal the writer is, without a doubt, the people's ideal of moral life. Refusal of selfishness, vanity, idleness, the desire to rise to universal human interests, to elevate one’s feelings above everyday life - this is what Tolstoy calls for in his moral teaching, presented in War and Peace.
Portrait of Leo Tolstoy. 1868
The novel "War and Peace" is Tolstoy's largest work, the pinnacle of his artistic creativity. According to the writer, he devoted “five years of incessant and exceptional work, under the best living conditions,” to working on the novel. In fact, this work lasted even longer - from 1863 to 1869.
Having started the historical novel “The Decembrists” in 1860, Leo Tolstoy wanted to tell in it about the time of the Decembrists’ return from Siberian exile (mid-1850s), and then he decided to depict the period of the Decembrist uprising itself - 1825. This, in turn, led the writer to the idea of showing the era preceding the December uprising, that is, the Patriotic War of 1812. And events even more early time- 1805-1807 So Gradually, the concept of the work expanded and deepened until it took the form of a grandiose national heroic epic, covering almost a quarter of a century of Russian life.
Pierre on the Borodino field
The novel “War and Peace” is a work that has no equal in all world literature. With convincing force, Leo Tolstoy depicts the courage and heroism of the Russian army, which repelled the blows of Napoleonic hordes. Imbued with the consciousness of the rightness of their cause, Russian soldiers show unprecedented courage on the battlefield. Captain Tushin's battery, left alone on the battlefield near Shengraben, conducted hurricane fire at the enemy all day, delaying his advance. Legendary feats accomplishes Russian army on the Borodino field, where the fate of Moscow and all of Russia was decided.
Leo Tolstoy shows that the strength of the Russian army consisted not only in the courage of the soldiers and the military skill of the commanders, but also in the support of the entire people. “The goal of the people,” says Leo Tolstoy, “was one: to cleanse their land from invasion.” For the people there was no question whether things would be good or bad under the rule of the interventionists. The life of the fatherland is incompatible with the rule of the interventionists - this is the conviction that lived in the soul of every Russian person. And this is the origin of the extraordinary scope of the popular partisan movement and that “hidden warmth of patriotism” that determined the “spirit of the army” and the entire
countries. Hence the indestructible power of the “club” people's war", which destroyed the enemy invasion.
"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy. Ball at the Rostovs.
There was a war ordeal not only military power, but also the moral strength of the people. And the Russian people passed this test with honor. With a sense of national pride, Leo Tolstoy shows the courage, resilience and spiritual nobility of the people that manifested themselves during the difficult years of the war. To the heroic people, to his life wisdom stretch the best people noble society- Andrei Bolkonsky, Pierre Bezukhov, Natasha Rostova, Vasily Denisov and other heroes of the novel.
Closeness to the people lies the secret of Kutuzov’s enormous authority. Hated by the tsar, persecuted by court circles, Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov was strong in his inextricable connection with the mass of soldiers, the love of the people. A faithful son of his homeland, he understood with all his being the goal of the Patriotic War, and therefore his activities were the best and full expression the will of the people.
Justice, however, requires that it be noted that Leo Tolstoy, with all his amazing skill, did not recreate the image of Kutuzov in all its versatility. As a result of his false historical views, the writer in some of his author's reflections impoverished the image of the commander, underestimated his energy, foresight and strategic genius.
The fruit of Tolstoy's erroneous views is the image of the soldier Platon Karataev in the novel. He is depicted as a submissive, indifferent, passive person. In Karataev’s soul there is no protest against oppression, just as there is no burning hatred for the interventionists. Russian soldiers were not like that. Leo Tolstoy himself showed in his epic the mighty rise of national activity and patriotism.
The epic "War and Peace" is a work in which the victorious spirit of the people's liberation war. WITH enormous power The writer captured the Russian national genius, the height of self-awareness and military valor of the warrior people, the heroic people.
The exhibits in the hall are arranged in the following sections:
1) “Image of the war of 1805-1807,” 2) “From 1807 to 1812,” “The Beginning of the Patriotic War,” 3) “1812 Borodino,” 4) “The Club of the People’s War.” The end of the Napoleonic invasion. Epilogue of the novel." In the display cases there are materials characterizing the history of the creation of the novel, creative laboratory writer, reviews of the novel.
Image of the war of 1805-1807.
Anatol Kuragin. "War and Peace" 1866-1867
Exhibits illustrating the 1st volume of the novel, mainly dedicated to the War of 1805, are located on the wall to the left and on the walls adjacent to the windows. The inspection should begin from the central wall, where a portrait of Tolstoy from the 60s is exhibited. and A. M. Gorky’s review of “War and Peace.”
On the walls to the left and right are artistic illustrations of the main events of this era (Battle of Shengraben, Battle of Austerlitz, etc.).
Of outstanding interest in this section are the illustrations by the artist M. S. Bashilov for “War and Peace,” approved by Tolstoy.
From 1807 to 1812. The beginning of the Patriotic War.
Pierre Bezukhov
On the second wall of the hall, to the right of the entrance, there are exhibits illustrating the 2nd and the beginning of the 3rd volume of the novel “War and Peace” - the period between the war of 1805-1807. and the first stage of the War of 1812
1812 Borodino.
"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy. Militia build fortifications
On the central wall of the hall and the adjacent walls there are exhibits illustrating the formidable era of 1812, the events of which are depicted in the third volume of the novel “War and Peace.” main topic The novel's theme of the people's war is revealed in paintings and illustrations dedicated to the Battle of Borodino and the partisan movement.
The leading text for the section is Tolstoy’s words about Borodino: “The Battle of Borodino is the best glory of Russian weapons. It is victory” (“War and Peace”, manuscript).
"The Club of the People's War." The end of the Napoleonic Invasion. Epilogue of the novel.
Natasha lets the wounded into the courtyard of her house
On the fourth wall of the hall are exhibits illustrating The final stage war of 1812 - the defeat of the French army, the flight of the interventionists from Moscow, their extermination by partisans. These events are described in the 4th volume of the novel “War and Peace”.
The question of the “War and Peace” genre is one of the most difficult topics on school lessons. Students usually find it difficult to answer due to the large volume of this work, which does not allow you to understand all the features of the book the first time. Therefore, while reading, it is necessary to draw students’ attention to the main points in the construction of the composition, which will help determine genre features novel.
Plot Features
The problem of the “War and Peace” genre directly rests on the plot of the work. The novel covers several decades in the lives of the main characters. The author pays main attention to the period of the struggle of the Russian people with the French army of Napoleon. The epic scope of events determined the structure of the work, which consists of several storylines dedicated to different families, whose destinies are intertwined in the course of the story.
However, the Russian people are considered the main character of the work. Therefore, the genre of War and Peace should be defined as an epic. The wide scope of events also determined the features of the plot. The heroes of the work act against the backdrop of historical events of the early 19th century. They find themselves drawn into the military events of the period under review, and their destinies and lives turn out to be dependent on the vicissitudes of the war.
Historical background
When determining the genre of "War and Peace" one should take into account historical background plot. The author not only limited himself to describing the struggle of the Russian people for liberation from the French invasion, but also depicted a panorama of Russian public life early 19th century. His focus is on the lives of several noble families(Rostov, Bolkonsky and others). However, he did not ignore life common people.
His book contains sketches of peasant and village life, a description of life ordinary people. All this allows us to say that the novel “War and Peace” is a broad epic folk life. The book can be called a kind of encyclopedia of Russian history at the beginning of the reign of Alexander I. L. N. Tolstoy attracted a large number of archival material for the image real events And historical figures. Therefore, his work is distinguished by truthfulness and authenticity.
Characters
It is traditional to single out three main characters of the work - Natasha Rostova, Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov. It was in their images that the writer embodied the best qualities inherent in the noble class of the time in question. In addition, supporting characters also played a big role in the development of the plot: Natasha’s brother Nikolai Rostov, the family of Prince Andrei and other representatives noble class, which appear from time to time during the narrative.
Such a large number of characters gave scale work of art, which once again proves that the novel “War and Peace” is a work of epic nature.
Storylines
To determine the genre of a book, it is also necessary to pay attention to the large number of plot narratives in the work. In addition to the main stories - the lines of Pierre, Natasha and Prince Andrei - the novel contains a large number of additional auxiliary sketches from the life of society of the time in question. Tolstoy describes a number of noble families who in one way or another influence the main plot.
The heroes of the novel “War and Peace” belong to very different strata of society, and this complicates the composition of the narrative. In addition to secular paintings, the writer very truthfully shows the rise of the people's spirit during the French invasion. Therefore, military themes occupy a prominent, perhaps even the main place in the narrative.
Image of war
Tolstoy in his work focused on national character war. It is the ordinary Russian people who are rightfully considered the main character of the entire book. That is why the work is usually called an epic. This idea of the author determined the features of the plot. In the text, the life of the nobles during a common disaster is closely intertwined with the life of ordinary people.
The heroes of the novel “War and Peace” are for some time torn out of the usual circle of their lives and find themselves in the most terrible epicenter of events. Prince Andrei is mortally wounded, Pierre is captured by the French and, together with his new friend, an ordinary peasant peasant Platon Karataev, endures all the hardships of captivity, Natasha and her family leave Moscow and care for the wounded. Thus, the writer showed how, in a moment of danger, the entire population of Russia united to fight. This once again proves that the work “War and Peace” is an epic novel.
Main events
The fact that the book is written in the spirit of an epic is evidenced by the fact that the most important key events of the narrative are large-scale in nature. For example, the wounding of Prince Andrei on the Field of Austerlitz, when a revolution took place in his worldview, is a scene that amazes the reader with the grandeur and breadth of the panorama. After all, this battle was one of the most important during Napoleonic wars, it involved a large number of participants and was of great importance in consolidating the success of France. The same can be said about battle of Borodino. “War and Peace” is a novel in which the author sought, first of all, to show the common impulse of the entire Russian people in the fight against the enemy. And the scene of this battle best shows the patriotic uplift of all participants. Pierre helps ordinary soldiers as best he can during an artillery attack, and although he does not know how to handle weapons at all, he nevertheless acts to the best of his ability in order to help the soldiers.
Thus, the author places his heroes at the very epicenter of events in order to show their unity with the people. This once again proves the epic nature of the work. Coverage of all aspects of social life is an important feature of the work. The writer showed the history of Russia at the beginning of the 19th century using images of social and cultural life of all its classes. Therefore, his book is rightfully considered the most famous and significant epic in the literature of this century. And only in the 20th century M. Sholokhov managed to create an equally grandiose canvas of folk life in the novel “Quiet Don”.
Ten thousand handwritten pages(these are 6-7 copies of the Bible folded one on top of the other), another volume of 60 pages of typewritten text of rough drafts and unpublished passages, described in detail a complex historical period covering 15 years, more than 500 characters, most of whom are drawn in great detail…. And all this in six years of continuous painstaking work. This is how the brilliant work of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy was born - the book “War and Peace”.
The work was not written in one go. The author rewrote the novel by hand eight times. And scattered episodes were reworked more than a dozen times. And although Tolstoy himself was not too fond of his brainchild, “War and Peace” is a novel that received global recognition soon after its publication. And to date it has been translated into 40 languages.
Who wrote "War and Peace"?
In this regard, one very curious fact cannot be ignored - the influence of Tolstoy’s work on the young Mohandas Gandhi, who later became the inspirer and leader of the movement for Indian independence from Tolstoy’s position regarding the inappropriateness of fighting evil with violence found a response in the heart of the young Indian. And years later he was able to bring this idea into reality.
Lev Nikolaevich was a very gambling player. The one who wrote “War and Peace,” where there is a memorable scene in which Nikolai Rostov loses a lot of money at cards, once lost the main building of his estate. Moreover new owner He was not too lazy to dismantle the building and take it to his estate.
Tolstoy also founded his own religion. His followers actively tried to bring it to the masses of the common people. The main tenets of the teachings were forgiveness, renunciation of any kind of war (even renunciation of military service) and moral improvement.
Count Tolstoy himself actually tried to lead simple life. He renounced copyright (this is the first time in history), did not accept the Nobel Prize, and generally stated that he hated money. And indeed, in the photographs that have survived to this day, one can see rather the image of a simple Russian peasant, and not at all a sophisticated representative of the nobility.
The birth of the concept for the famous work
It all started small. Just three years before the birth of the one who wrote “War and Peace,” an outstanding thing happened: Lev Nikolaevich, who came from a noble family, literally grew up on stories about these events.
Years passed. Some participants in the failed coup were allowed to return to their homes. And Tolstoy plans to write a story about the return of the Decembrist family from exile. According to his plan, these were supposed to be Pierre and Natasha Bezukhov. Today they are well known to us as the heroes of the novel War and Peace.
However, thoughts about the fate of the Decembrists increasingly take the writer into the times of the uprising itself. And at the same time, many questions arise: what prompted young people to such a desperate decision? What were the prerequisites for the revolution in public life? How was the character of the future Decembrists formed?
Moving along these threads, Tolstoy becomes more and more immersed in history and dwells on the period of the war between Russia and Napoleon.
Working on a novel
The historical canvas that Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy painted stitch by stitch on the pages of his novel truly deserves admiration. It is by no means some kind of blurry background against which the play of the main characters develops. Rather, historical events carry away the heroes with their powerful flow, forcing them to act in one way or another.
Penetration into the development of the characters of his characters is what L. Tolstoy wanted to achieve. “War and Peace” is a description of a large-scale historical anvil, under the blows of which weak characters break, and strong ones gain new uniform and purpose.
Pierre Bezukhov
The author worked especially carefully on this character. Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" fully reveals the formation of the character of the future Decembrist. He goes through many trials, especially difficult ones emotionally, and faces betrayal and injustice. However, what was most important for the writer is that he does not lose faith in the possibility of changing the existing order.
Appearing in the first chapters as a clumsy youth, he later appears as a person too easily susceptible to any influence. At first, it’s even surprising what connects such a person with Andrei Bolkonsky.
Then the reader begins to involuntarily sympathize with the sincerity of this young man. As the plot of the novel develops, we become more and more attached to Pierre and begin to empathize with him. From a narrow-minded bumpkin, he turns into a man with strong principles. And although he continues to look for his place in life, he can no longer be called easily influenced.
The idyllic end of Pierre Bezukhov's ordeal even looks somewhat unusual for the always pessimistic Tolstoy. However, we should not forget that the author intended to bring the story to the uprising, exile and subsequent return. In addition, the novel “War and Peace” was written by Tolstoy during a happy period in family life writer. And his mood could not help but be reflected in the book itself.
Natasha Rostova
Young Natasha is the focus of positive energy uncontrollably flowing straight from the depths of her heart. She is cheerful and spontaneous. And often we observe moments when, it would seem, it would be more decent to cover up this spontaneity with appropriate manners. However, youth tends to go to extremes, and the heroes of the novel “War and Peace” appear before us so real and alive because we see their real emotions.
However, later frivolity played with her cruel joke, when, being the bride of the once so desired Prince Bolkonsky, Natasha accepts the courtship of Anatoly Kuragin and agrees to flee the country with him. But this same sincerity allows Natasha Rostova to maintain true purity of soul throughout her life. It motivates her to be compassionate and help others. Moreover, class does not matter to Natasha. The episode when she, without hesitation, gives away carts to transport the wounded is a clear confirmation of this.
Andrey Bolkonsky
This character is the embodiment of calm and prudence. Perhaps he seems boring to some, but he inner world no less rich than that of the same Pierre Bezukhov.
Andrey is balanced and purposeful. Yes, like other positive heroes of this work, his goals change throughout the narrative. However, every time, having decided on his desires and priorities, he acts decisively and specifically.
The young Prince Bolkonsky is very restrained in expressing his feelings. However, if you remember the character of his father, it becomes clear that he simply could not be otherwise. And the one who wrote “War and Peace” knew this very well. After all, the prototype of Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky was Leo Tolstoy’s own grandfather. And he understood perfectly well the conditions in which his hero grew up. In childhood, adolescence, and even in mature age Andrei, driven by respect for his father, had to remain silent and keep his emotions deep inside. Although this did not stop him from having his own opinion.
At first we see Andrei Bolkonsky as a very ambitious officer. However, after the memorable battle near Austerlitz, his system of values changes radically. Andrei strives to return to his family and catch up on lost time, but life takes a different course - his wife dies during childbirth.
The next serious turn in his life was his meeting with Natasha Rostova. He saw in her what was hidden inside - not just external naivety and spontaneity, but the original purity of a kind and sympathetic heart. All the more terrible for him was the blow that his bride’s infidelity dealt him.
True to his philosophy of forgiveness, Tolstoy invests this virtue in Andrei, who is dying. His forgiveness is not just a tribute to church dogma. The author describes it, rather, as the enlightenment of the soul. This is a sincere and all-consuming feeling that gives real peace.
Nikolay Rostov
Another positive character. He is simple and open, loyal and honest. And this is far from a complete description of him. “War and Peace” is a novel in which Tolstoy tried to reflect all classes of society. And Nikolai Rostov in this context is a representative of the best that the author saw in officers and ordinary soldiers.
Sonya
A girl who was initially pushed into the shadows both by her position in society and by the plot of the novel. However, if we take the trouble to look at it more closely, then instead of a modest little gray mouse we will see a real strong nature, unable to betray the trust of people close to her for the sake of personal happiness.
"War and Peace" - a novel worth reading
Tolstoy's War and Peace has been filmed several times. The film was first released in 1913. Talented directors took on this work, and world-famous stars took part in the films. Admittedly, the results were impressive.
The last film adaptation appeared in 2007. This collaboration a team that included representatives from Italy, France, Germany, Russia and Poland. The director really managed to convey both the spirit of that era and the characters.
However, if you want to truly touch this masterpiece of world literature, pick up the book and immerse yourself in a world accessible only to the reader.
"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy - not just classic novel, but the real one heroic epic, literary value which is incomparable to any other work. The writer himself considered it a poem in which a person’s private life is inseparable from the history of an entire country.
It took Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy seven years to perfect his novel. Back in 1863, the writer more than once discussed plans to create a large-scale literary canvas with his father-in-law A.E. Bersom. In September of the same year, the father of Tolstoy’s wife sent a letter from Moscow, where he mentioned the writer’s idea. Historians consider this date to be the official beginning of work on the epic. A month later, Tolstoy writes to his relative that all his time and attention is occupied by new novel, which he thinks about like never before.
History of creation
The writer's original idea was to create a work about the Decembrists, who spent 30 years in exile and returned home. Starting point The year described in the novel was supposed to be 1856. But then Tolstoy changed his plans, deciding to depict everything from the beginning of the Decembrist uprising of 1825. And this was not destined to come true: the writer’s third idea was the desire to describe the hero’s young years, which coincided with large-scale historical events: the War of 1812. The final version was the period from 1805. The circle of heroes was also expanded: the events in the novel cover the history of many individuals who went through all the hardships of different historical periods in the life of the country.
The title of the novel had several variations. “Workers” was the name “Three Times”: the youth of the Decembrists during the Patriotic War of 1812; The Decembrist uprising of 1825 and the 50s of the 19th century, when several events occurred at once important events in the history of Russia - the Crimean War, the passing of Nicholas I, the return of the amnestied Decembrists from Siberia. In the final version, the writer decided to focus on the first stage, since writing a novel, even on such a scale, required a lot of effort and time. So, instead of an ordinary work, a whole epic was born, which has no analogues in world literature.
Tolstoy devoted the entire autumn and early winter of 1856 to writing the beginning of War and Peace. Already at this time, he tried more than once to quit his job, because in his opinion it was impossible to convey the entire plan on paper. Historians say that in the writer’s archive there were fifteen versions of the beginning of the epic. In the process of his work, Lev Nikolaevich tried to find answers for himself to questions about the role of man in history. He had to study many chronicles, documents, materials describing the events of 1812. The confusion in the writer's head was caused by the fact that everything information sources they assessed both Napoleon and Alexander I differently. Then Tolstoy decided to move away from the subjective statements of strangers and reflect in the novel his own assessment of events, based on true facts. From diverse sources he borrowed documentary materials, notes from contemporaries, newspaper and magazine articles, letters from generals, archival documents Rumyantsev Museum.
(Prince Rostov and Akhrosimova Marya Dmitrievna)
Considering it necessary to visit the scene of events, Tolstoy spent two days in Borodino. It was important for him to personally tour the place where large-scale and tragic events. He even personally made sketches of the sun on the field during different periods days.
The trip gave the writer the opportunity to experience the spirit of history in a new way; became a kind of inspiration for further work. For seven years, the work proceeded with elation and “burning.” The manuscripts consisted of more than 5,200 sheets. Therefore, War and Peace is easy to read even after a century and a half.
Analysis of the novel
Description
(Napoleon is thoughtful before the battle)
The novel “War and Peace” touches on a sixteen-year period in Russian history. The starting date is 1805, the final date is 1821. The work contains more than 500 characters. It's like real existing people, and fictitious by the writer to make the description colorful.
(Kutuzov, before the Battle of Borodino, considers a plan)
The novel intertwines two main storylines: historical events in Russia and the personal lives of heroes. Real historical figures are mentioned in the description of the Austerlitz, Shengraben, Borodino battles; capture of Smolensk and surrender of Moscow. More than 20 chapters are devoted specifically to the Battle of Borodino, as the main decisive event of 1812.
(The illustration shows an episode of Natasha Rostova's Ball from their film "War and Peace" 1967.)
In opposition to “wartime,” the writer describes the personal world of people and everything that surrounds them. Heroes fall in love, quarrel, make peace, hate, suffer... Through the confrontation between different characters, Tolstoy shows the difference in the moral principles of individuals. The writer is trying to tell that various events can change one’s worldview. One complete picture of the work consists of three hundred thirty-three chapters of 4 volumes and another twenty-eight chapters located in the epilogue.
First volume
The events of 1805 are described. The “peaceful” part touches on life in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The writer introduces the reader to the society of the main characters. The “military” part is the Battle of Austerlitz and Shengraben. Tolstoy concludes the first volume with a description of how military defeats affected peaceful life characters.
Second volume
(Natasha Rostova's first ball)
This is a completely “peaceful” part of the novel, which affected the lives of the heroes in the period 1806-1811: the birth of Andrei Bolkonsky’s love for Natasha Rostova; Freemasonry of Pierre Bezukhov, Karagin's kidnapping of Natasha Rostova, Bolkonsky's refusal to marry Natasha. The volume concludes with a description of a formidable omen: the appearance of a comet, which is a symbol of great upheaval.
Third volume
(The illustration shows an episode of Borodinsky's battle in the film "War and Peace" 1967.)
In this part of the epic, the writer turns to wartime: Napoleon's invasion, the surrender of Moscow, the Battle of Borodino. On the battlefield the main male characters novel: Bolkonsky, Kuragin, Bezukhov, Dolokhov... The end of the volume is the capture of Pierre Bezukhov, who staged an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Napoleon.
Volume four
(After the battle, the wounded arrive in Moscow)
The “military” part is a description of the victory over Napoleon and the shameful retreat of the French army. Affects writer and period guerrilla warfare after 1812. All this is intertwined with the “peaceful” destinies of the heroes: Andrei Bolkonsky and Helen pass away; love arises between Nikolai and Marya; Natasha Rostova and Pierre Bezukhov are thinking about living together. And the main character of the volume is the Russian soldier Platon Karataev, through whose words Tolstoy tries to convey all the wisdom of the common people.
Epilogue
This part is devoted to describing the changes in the lives of the heroes seven years after 1812. Natasha Rostova is married to Pierre Bezukhov; Nikolai and Marya found their happiness; Bolkonsky’s son Nikolenka has matured. In the epilogue, the author reflects on the role of individuals in the history of an entire country, and tries to show historical relationships events and human destinies.
The main characters of the novel
More than 500 characters are mentioned in the novel. The author tried to describe the most important of them as accurately as possible, endowing them with special features not only of character, but also of appearance:
Andrei Bolkonsky is a prince, the son of Nikolai Bolkonsky. Constantly searching for the meaning of life. Tolstoy describes him as handsome, reserved and with “dry” features. He has strong will. Dies as a result of a wound received at Borodino.
Marya Bolkonskaya - princess, sister of Andrei Bolkonsky. Inconspicuous appearance and radiant eyes; piety and concern for relatives. In the novel, she marries Nikolai Rostov.
Natasha Rostova is the daughter of Count Rostov. In the first volume of the novel she is only 12 years old. Tolstoy describes her as not quite a girl beautiful appearance(black eyes, big mouth), but at the same time “alive”. Her inner beauty attracts men. Even Andrei Bolkonsky is ready to fight for your hand and heart. At the end of the novel she marries Pierre Bezukhov.
Sonya
Sonya is the niece of Count Rostov. In contrast to her cousin Natasha, she is beautiful in appearance, but much poorer mentally.
Pierre Bezukhov is the son of Count Kirill Bezukhov. An awkward, massive figure, kind and at the same time a strong character. He can be stern, or he can become a child. He is interested in Freemasonry. Tries to change the lives of peasants and influence large-scale events. Initially married to Helen Kuragina. At the end of the novel he takes Natasha Rostova as his wife.
Helen Kuragina is the daughter of Prince Kuragin. A beauty, a prominent socialite. She married Pierre Bezukhov. Changeable, cold. Died as a result of an abortion.
Nikolai Rostov is the son of Count Rostov and Natasha's brother. Successor of the family and defender of the Fatherland. He took part in military campaigns. He married Marya Bolkonskaya.
Fyodor Dolokhov is an officer, a participant in the partisan movement, as well as a big reveler and lover of ladies.
Countess of Rostov
Countess Rostov - parents of Nikolai, Natasha, Vera, Petya. A revered married couple, an example to follow.
Nikolai Bolkonsky is a prince, the father of Marya and Andrei. In Catherine's time, a significant personality.
The author pays much attention to the description of Kutuzov and Napoleon. The commander appears before us as smart, unfeigned, kind and philosophical. Napoleon is described as a small, fat man with an unpleasantly fake smile. At the same time, it is somewhat mysterious and theatrical.
Analysis and conclusion
In the novel “War and Peace” the writer tries to convey to the reader “ popular thought" Its essence is that each positive hero has his own connection with the nation.
Tolstoy moved away from the principle of telling a novel in the first person. Character evaluation and events are underway through monologues and author's digressions. At the same time, the writer leaves the right to the reader to evaluate what is happening. A striking example The scene of the Battle of Borodino, shown both from the side of historical facts and the subjective opinion of the hero of the novel, Pierre Bezukhov, can serve as a similar example. The writer does not forget about the bright historical figure- General Kutuzov.
The main idea of the novel lies not only in the disclosure of historical events, but also in the opportunity to understand that one must love, believe and live under any circumstances.
