Outline of contents of volume 1 war peace. "War and Peace": characters. "War and Peace": characteristics of the main characters. The central figures of the novel "War and Peace"
In his novel, Tolstoy depicted a whole series heroes. It is not for nothing that the author presented detailed characteristics characters. "War and Peace" is a novel in which the components of wholes noble families, show the reader a reflection of people who lived during the war with Napoleon. In "War and Peace" we see the Russian spirit, the features of historical events characteristic of the period of the late 18th - early 19th centuries. The greatness of the Russian soul is shown against the background of these events.
If you make a list of characters ("War and Peace"), you will only get about 550-600 heroes. However, they are not all equally important to the narrative. "War and Peace" is a novel whose characters can be divided into three main groups: main, minor characters and simply mentioned in the text. Among them there are both fictional and historical figures, as well as heroes who have prototypes among the writer’s environment. This article will introduce the main characters. "War and Peace" is a work in which the Rostov family is described in detail. So let's start with it.
Ilya Andreevich Rostov
This is a count who had four children: Petya, Nikolai, Vera and Natasha. Ilya Andreevich is a very generous and kind-hearted person who loved life. As a result, his excessive generosity led to wastefulness. Rostov is a loving father and husband. He is a good organizer of receptions and balls. But living in grand style, as well as selfless assistance to wounded soldiers and the departure of Russians from Moscow dealt fatal blows to his condition. Ilya Andreevich’s conscience constantly tormented him because of the approaching poverty of his relatives, but he could not help himself. After the death of Petya, his youngest son, the count was broken, but perked up as he prepared the wedding of Pierre Bezukhov and Natasha. Count Rostov dies a few months after these characters got married. “War and Peace” (Tolstoy) is a work in which the prototype of this hero is Ilya Andreevich, Tolstoy’s grandfather.
Natalya Rostova (wife of Ilya Andreevich)
This 45-year-old woman, the wife of Rostov and the mother of four children, had some oriental. Those around her regarded the focus of sedateness and slowness in her as solidity, as well as her high significance for the family. However the real reason these manners lies in the weak and exhausted physical condition because of childbirth and the energy devoted to raising children. Natalya loves her family and children very much, so she was almost driven crazy by the news of Petya’s death. Countess Rostova, like Ilya Andreevich, loved luxury and demanded that everyone follow her orders. In her you can find the features of Tolstoy’s grandmother, Pelageya Nikolaevna.
Nikolay Rostov
This hero is the son of Ilya Andreevich. He is a loving son and brother, respects his family, but at the same time faithfully serves in the army, which is very important and significant feature in his characteristics. He often saw even his fellow soldiers as a second family. Even though Nikolai was in love for a long time to Sonya, his cousin, nevertheless marries Marya Bolkonskaya at the end of the novel. Nikolai Rostov is a very energetic man, with open and curly hair. His love for the Russian emperor and patriotism never dried up. Having gone through the hardships of the war, Nikolai becomes a brave and courageous hussar. He retires after the death of Ilya Andreevich in order to improve financial situation of the family, pay off debts and finally become good husband for your wife. Tolstoy sees this hero as a prototype of his own father. As you have probably already noticed, the presence of prototypes in many heroes characterizes the character system. "War and Peace" is a work in which the morals of the nobility are presented through the features of the family of Tolstoy, who was a count.
Natasha Rostova
This is the Rostovs' daughter. A very emotional and energetic girl who was considered ugly, but attractive and lively. Natasha is not very smart, but at the same time she is intuitive, as she could “guess people” well, their character traits and mood. This heroine is very impetuous and prone to self-sacrifice. She dances and sings beautifully, which was an important characteristic of a girl belonging to secular society at that time. Leo Tolstoy repeatedly emphasizes Natasha's main quality - closeness to the Russian people. It absorbed nations and Russian culture. Natasha lives in an atmosphere of love, happiness and kindness, but after a while the girl is faced with a harsh reality. Blows of fate, as well as heartfelt experiences, make this heroine an adult and ultimately give her true love for her husband, Pierre Bezukhov. The story of the rebirth of Natasha’s soul deserves special respect. She began attending church after becoming the victim of a deceitful seducer. Natasha is a collective image, the prototype of which was Tolstoy’s daughter-in-law, Tatyana Andreevna Kuzminskaya, as well as her sister (the author’s wife) Sofya Andreevna.
Vera Rostova
This heroine is the daughter of the Rostovs ("War and Peace"). The character portraits created by the author are distinguished by their diversity of characters. Vera, for example, was famous for her strict disposition, as well as for the inappropriate, although fair, remarks she made in society. Her mother, for some unknown reason, did not love her very much, and Vera felt this acutely, and therefore often went against everyone. This girl later became the wife of Boris Drubetsky. The prototype of the heroine is Lev Nikolaevich (Elizaveta Bers).
Peter Rostov
The Rostovs' son is still just a boy. Petya, growing up, was eager to go to war as a young man, and his parents could not stop him. He escaped from their tutelage and joined Denisov’s regiment. In the very first battle, Petya dies before he has even had time to fight. The death of their beloved son greatly devastated the family.
Sonya
With this heroine we finish the description of the characters ("War and Peace") belonging to the Rostov family. Sonya, a nice miniature girl, was Ilya Andreevich’s own niece and lived her whole life under his roof. Love for Nikolai became fatal for her, since she failed to marry him. Natalya Rostova, the old countess, was against this marriage, since the lovers were cousins. Sonya acted nobly, refusing Dolokhov and deciding to love only Nikolai all her life, freeing him from the promise given to her. She spends the rest of her life in the care of Nikolai Rostov, under the old countess.
The prototype of this heroine is Tatyana Aleksandrovna Ergolskaya, the writer’s second cousin.
Not only the Rostovs in the work are the main characters. "War and Peace" is a novel in which the Bolkonsky family also plays a large role.
Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky
This is the father of Andrei Bolkonsky, general-in-chief in the past, in the present - a prince who has earned a nickname in Russian secular society"Prussian king" He is socially active, strict like a father, pedantic, and a wise owner of the estate. Outwardly, he is a thin old man with thick eyebrows that hang over intelligent and penetrating eyes, wearing a powdered white wig. Nikolai Andreevich does not like to show his feelings even to his beloved daughter and son. He torments Marya with constant nagging. Prince Nicholas, sitting on his estate, follows the events taking place in the country, and only before his death he loses the idea of the scale of the Russian war with Napoleon. Nikolai Sergeevich Volkonsky, the writer’s grandfather, was the prototype of this prince.
Andrey Bolkonsky
This is the son of Nikolai Andreevich. He is ambitious, like his father, and is reserved in expressing his feelings, but he loves his sister and father very much. Andrei is married to Lisa, the “little princess.” He made a successful military career. Andrey philosophizes a lot about the meaning of life, the state of his spirit. He is in constant search. In Natasha Rostova, after the death of his wife, he found hope for himself, because he saw a real girl, and not a fake one, as in secular society, and that’s why he fell in love with her. Having proposed to this heroine, he was forced to go abroad for treatment, which became a test of their feelings. The wedding ended up being cancelled. Andrei went to war with Napoleon, where he was seriously wounded and died as a result. Until the end of his days, Natasha devotedly looked after him.
Marya Bolkonskaya
This is Andrei's sister, daughter of Prince Nikolai. She is very meek, ugly, but kind-hearted and also very rich. Her devotion to religion serves as an example of meekness and kindness to many. Marya unforgettably loves her father, who often pesters her with his reproaches and ridicule. This girl also loves her brother. She did not immediately accept Natasha as her future daughter-in-law, since she seemed too frivolous for Andrei. After all the hardships, Marya marries Nikolai Rostov.
Its prototype is Maria Nikolaevna Volkonskaya, Tolstoy’s mother.
Pierre Bezukhov (Peter Kirillovich)
The main characters of the novel "War and Peace" would not be fully listed if Pierre Bezukhov were not mentioned. This hero plays one of the most important roles in the work. He has experienced a lot of pain and mental trauma, and has a noble and kind disposition. Lev Nikolaevich himself loves Pierre very much. Bezukhov, as a friend of Andrei Bolkonsky, is very responsive and devoted. Despite the intrigues weaving under his nose, Pierre did not lose trust in people and did not become embittered. By marrying Natasha, he finally found the happiness and grace that he lacked with his first wife, Helen. At the end of the work, his desire to change the political foundations in Russia is noticeable; one can even guess from afar Pierre’s Decembrist sentiments.
These are the main characters. "War and Peace" is a novel in which a large role is given to such historical figures as Kutuzov and Napoleon, as well as some other commanders-in-chief. Others are presented social groups, except for the nobility (merchants, burghers, peasantry, army). The list of characters ("War and Peace") is quite impressive. However, our task is to consider only the main characters.
Materials for 10th grade students to compile a table for a lesson on the topic “The Spiritual Quest of Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov.” The table should have four columns: the main period (it is named and marked with a Roman numeral), a description of the actions of Andrei Bolkonsky at this time (marked “AB”) and Pierre Bezukhov (marked “PB”). The fourth column of the table is short quotes, examples of episodes illustrating the corresponding points of the table (you should look for them in the indicated chapters).
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General
periods
Bolkonsky's life path. "Road of Honor"
Pierre Bezukhov. "...you see what a kind and nice fellow I am"
I. First acquaintance. Attitude towards secular society
Andrey Bolkonsky:
Evening in the salon of A.P. Scherer. Relationships with others. Why is he a “stranger” here? (vol. 1. part 1. chapter III--IV)
Pierre Bezukhov:
Origin. Evening at A.P. Scherer's. Attitude towards others. Where did you come from? How does he behave? (vol. 1. part 1. chapter II--V)
Portrait. Speech. Behavior. Comparison with other heroes
II. Life mistakes - erroneous dreams and actions - crisis:
AB:
Service in the army, at Kutuzov's headquarters. Attitude towards officers and officers towards him. Secret dream of heroism (vol. 1. part 1. chapter III, XII).
Shengraben. Why does Prince Andrei join Bagration’s army? The goal of the Battle of Shengraben. Episode at the Tushin battery.
War council after the battle. Prince Andrei's honest act. The feeling that “all this is not right” (vol. 1. part 2. chapter XXI).
Austerlitz. The feat of Prince Andrei. Wound. Meeting with my idol, Napoleon. The feeling of the insignificance of what is happening (vol. 1. part 3. chapters XVI--XIX)
PB:
Revelry in the company of Anatoly Kuragin. The story with the quarterly. Fighting with yourself, with your contradictory impulses (vol. 1, part 1, chapter VI, part 3, chapters I--II. vol. 2, part 1, chapter IV--VI.)
Marriage to Helen Kuragina. Realizing the madness of this step. Gradual conflict with the secular environment (vol. 2. part 2. chapter I)
Portrait. Speech. Behavior.
III. Spiritual crisis
AB:
Return after injury. Death of his wife. Disappointment in ambitious dreams. The desire to move away from society, limiting itself to family problems (raising a son) (vol. 2. part 2. chapter XI).
PB:
Spiritual crisis.
At a crossroads
IV. A gradual awakening from the moral crisis and the desire to be useful to the Fatherland.
AB:
New disappointment, crisis
Progressive transformations in estates (vol. 2, part 3, chapter I).
Visit to Otradny on guardianship matters. Meeting with an oak tree. Conversation with Pierre on the ferry (vol. 2, part 3, chapters I--III).
Participation in the legislative activities of Speransky and disappointment in it (vol. 2. part 3. chapters IV--VI, XVIII).
Love for Natasha and breaking up with her
PB:
Gradual "awakening" from the crisis.
The desire for moral improvement; passion for Freemasonry. An attempt to reorganize the activities of Masonic lodges (vol. 2, part 2, chapters III, XI, XII, vol. 2, part 3, chapter VII).
An attempt to benefit the peasants; transformations in the village (vol. 2. part 2. chapter X).
Disappointment both in public endeavors and in personal ones (vol. 2. part 5. chapter I)
V. Prince Andrey during the War of 1812. Getting closer to the people, giving up ambitious dreams.
Pierre and the War of 1812.
AB:
Refusal to serve at headquarters. Relations with officers (vol. 3. part 1. chapter XI; part 2. chapter V, XXV).
The attitude of the soldiers towards Prince Andrei. What does the fact that he was called “our prince” indicate? How does Andrey talk about the defense of Smolensk? His thoughts about the French invaders. Participation in the Battle of Borodino, injury (vol. 3. part 2. chapter IV--V, XIX--XXXVI)
PB:
Pierre and the War of 1812. On the Borodino field. Raevsky's mound - observation of the fighters. Why is Pierre called “our master”? The role of Borodin in the life of Pierre.
The thought of killing Napoleon. Life in abandoned Moscow (vol. 3, part 1, chapter XXII; part 2, chapter XX, XXXI--XXXII; part 3, chapters IX, XXVII, XXXIII--XXXV)
VI. The last moments of life and death of Andrei Bolkonsky. Further fate Pierre Bezukhov
AB:
Meeting with Anatoly Kuragin in the hospital - forgiveness. A meeting with Natasha means forgiveness.
Death. Internal state Andrei before his death (vol. 3. part 2. chapter XXXVII; volume 3. part 3. chapter XXX--XXXII)
PB:
The role of captivity in the fate of Pierre. Acquaintance with Platon Karataev (vol. 4. part 1. chapter X--XIII)
Dialogue, internal monologue, portrait, comparison with other prisoners
VII. After the war with Napoleon. (Epilogue).
AB:
The son of Andrei Bolkonsky is Nikolenka. A conversation with Pierre, in which there is an assumption that Andrei would become a member of a secret society. Epilogue. Part 1. Ch. XIII
PB:
The role of family in Pierre's life. Love for Natasha and Natasha's love.љ Participation in secret societies. Epilogue. Part 1 Ch. V.
what are the problems in the novel "War and Peace" and received the best answer
Answer from Yatyan *******[guru]
The problem of honor and dishonor is raised in L.N. Tolstoy’s novel War and Peace. Honor and dignity are the main qualities human character, and the one who has lost them is alien to any high aspirations and searches. The problem of moral self-improvement of the individual has always been one of the most important in the work of L. N. Tolstoy.
The problem of finding the meaning of life. The hero of the epic novel, Pierre Bezukhov, at the beginning of his journey is far from the truth: he admires Napoleon, participates in empty entertainment, and easily succumbs to rude flattery, the reason for which is his enormous fortune. And as a result - loss of the meaning of life. Only after passing the test of war and captivity, having learned ordinary people(such as Platon Karataev), Pierre was able to truly understand life and his place in it. He comes to the conclusion that only love moves the world and man lives.
One of philosophical problems The novel is a question of freedom and necessity. Tolstoy solves this question in his own and original way. He says that the freedom of a person, a historical figure, is apparent; a person is free only in not going against events, not imposing his will on them, but simply corresponding to history, changing, growing and in this way influencing its course. Tolstoy’s profound thought is that a person is less free the closer he is to power.
Source: http://m.seznaika.ru/russkiy/ege/3912-2011-06-17-05-03-53
Reply from Vladislav Bessarab[newbie]
The problem of real life.
Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. He tried to find a real life in the war, joining the army and becoming disillusioned with the life he led. The prince understood one thing: boring, monotonous social life not for him. In the war, he longed for glory, recognition, wanted to distinguish himself, drawing up strategic plans and imagining how he would save the army at a critical moment. But after being wounded at Austerlitz, when Prince Andrei returned home and his wife died before his eyes, leaving him with a small son, everything he strived for in the war faded into the background. Bolkonsky realized that this is not real life, and his search for one continued.
The problem of happiness in L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace”
Pierre returns to the society he had previously left, returns in search of happiness, but, on some hand, he is saved by the war that broke out with the French. He tries to devote himself to the war in order to again try to forget the past and find the happiness he so needs. But, as always, his attempts are in vain and no army is not only not happy for him, but even a burden. Pierre understands that he is not born for military life. And everything returns to normal again.
The Great Man's Problem
In his novel, L. N. Tolstoy vividly expressed the idea that a great person can only be if he is inextricably linked with the people, if he sincerely shares their views, aspirations, and faith. If he lives by the same ideals, thinks and acts in the same way as any conscious person would act. Only among the people - main strength, only in connection with the people can a real, strong personality emerge.
Showing the special nature of the War of 1812 as a people's war.
The national character of the war is shown by Tolstoy in various ways. The author's historical and philosophical arguments about the role of the individual and the people in history in general and the War of 1812 in particular are used, vivid pictures of outstanding historical events; the people can be depicted (albeit extremely rarely) as a whole, general (for example, remarks that the men did not bring hay to Moscow, that all the residents left Moscow, etc.) and as a countless number of living ordinary characters. The motives and feelings of the entire nation are concentrated in the image of the “representative people's war"commander Kutuzov, are felt the best representatives nobility who became close to the people.
The problem of true and false patriotism.
Russian soldiers are true patriots. The novel is replete with numerous episodes depicting the varied manifestations of patriotism by Russian people. We see true patriotism and the heroism of the people in the image classic scenes near Shengraben, Austerlitz, Smolensk, Borodin.
Count Rastopchin also displays false patriotism, posting stupid “posters” around Moscow, calling on city residents not to leave the capital, and then, fleeing the people’s anger, deliberately sending the innocent son of the merchant Vereshchagin to death.
Anatol Kuragin
Son of Prince Vasily, brother of Helen and Hippolyte. Prince Vasily himself looks at his son as a “restless fool” who constantly needs to be rescued from various troubles. A. very handsome, dandy, impudent. He is frankly stupid, not resourceful, but popular in society because “he had both the ability of calm and unchangeable confidence, precious for the world.” A. Dolokhov’s friend, constantly participates in his revelries, looks at life as a constant flow of pleasures and pleasures. He doesn't care about other people, he is selfish. A. treats women with contempt, feeling his superiority. He was used to being liked by everyone without experiencing anything serious in return. A. became interested in Natasha Rostova and tried to take her away. After this incident, the hero was forced to flee Moscow and hide from Prince Andrei, who wanted to challenge the seducer of his bride to a duel.Kuragina Elen
Daughter of Prince Vasily, and then wife of Pierre Bezukhov. A brilliant St. Petersburg beauty with an “unchanging smile”, white full shoulders, glossy hair and a beautiful figure. There was no noticeable coquetry in her, as if she was ashamed “of her undoubtedly and too powerfully and victoriously acting beauty.” E. is unperturbed, giving everyone the right to admire herself, which is why she feels, as it were, a gloss from many other people’s glances. She knows how to be silently worthy in the world, giving the impression of a tactful and intelligent woman, which, combined with beauty, ensures her constant success. Having married Pierre Bezukhov, the heroine reveals to her husband not only limited intelligence, coarseness of thought and vulgarity, but also cynical depravity. After breaking up with Pierre and receiving a large part of the fortune from him by proxy, she lives either in St. Petersburg, then abroad, or returns to her husband. Despite the family breakup, the constant change of lovers, including Dolokhov and Drubetskoy, E. continues to remain one of the most famous and favored ladies of the St. Petersburg society. She is making very great progress in the world; Living alone, she becomes the mistress of a diplomatic and political salon, gaining a reputation as an intelligent womanAnna Pavlovna Sherer
Maid of honor, close to Empress Maria Feodorovna. Sh. is the owner of a fashionable salon in St. Petersburg, the description of the evening in which opens the novel. A.P. 40 years old, she is artificial, like all the high society. Her attitude towards any person or event depends entirely on the latest political, courtly or secular considerations. She is friends with Prince Vasily. Sh. is “full of animation and impulse,” “being an enthusiast has become her social position.” In 1812, her salon shows false patriotism, eating cabbage soup and being fined for speaking French.Boris Drubetskoy
Son of Princess Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya. From childhood he was brought up and lived for a long time in the house of the Rostovs, to whom he was a relative. B. and Natasha were in love with each other. Outwardly, he is “a tall, blond young man with regular, subtle features of a calm and beautiful face" Since his youth, B. has dreamed of a military career and allows his mother to humiliate herself in front of her superiors if it helps him. So, Prince Vasily finds him a place in the guard. B. is going to make a brilliant career and makes many useful contacts. After a while he becomes Helen's lover. B. manages to be in in the right place at the right time, and his career and position are especially firmly established. In 1809 he meets Natasha again and becomes interested in her, even thinking about marrying her. But this would hinder his career. Therefore, B. begins to look for a rich bride. He eventually marries Julie Karagina.Count Rostov
Rostov Ilya Andreevi - count, father of Natasha, Nikolai, Vera and Petya. Very good-natured generous man, loving life and not very good at calculating his funds. R. is capable of hosting a reception or a ball better than anyone; he is a hospitable host and an exemplary family man. The count is accustomed to living in grand style, and when his means no longer allow this, he gradually ruins his family, from which he suffers greatly. When leaving Moscow, it is R. who begins to give carts for the wounded. So he deals one of the last blows to the family budget. The death of Petya's son finally broke the count; he comes to life only when he prepares a wedding for Natasha and Pierre.Countess of Rostov
The wife of Count Rostov, “a woman with an oriental type of thin face, about forty-five years old, apparently exhausted by children... The slowness of her movements and speech, resulting from weakness of strength, gave her a significant appearance that inspires respect.” R. creates an atmosphere of love and kindness in his family and is very concerned about the fate of his children. The news of the death of her youngest and beloved son Petya almost drives her crazy. She is accustomed to luxury and fulfillment of the slightest whims, and demands this after the death of her husband.
Natasha Rostova
Daughter of Count and Countess Rostov. She is “black-eyed, with a big mouth, ugly, but alive...”. Distinctive Features N. - emotionality and sensitivity. She is not very smart, but she has an amazing ability to read people. She is capable of noble deeds and can forget about her own interests for the sake of other people. So, she calls on her family to take out the wounded on carts, leaving their property behind. N. takes care of his mother with all his dedication after Petya’s death. N. is very beautiful voice, she is very musical. With her singing, she is able to awaken the best in a person. Tolstoy notes N.'s closeness to the common people. This is one of her best qualities. N. lives in an atmosphere of love and happiness. Changes in her life occur after meeting Prince Andrei. N. becomes his bride, but later becomes interested in Anatoly Kuragin. After a while, N. understands the full force of her guilt before the prince; before his death, he forgives her, she remains with him until his death. true love N. has feelings for Pierre, they understand each other perfectly, they feel very good together. She becomes his wife and completely devotes herself to the role of wife and mother.
Nikolay Rostov
Son of Count Rostov. “A short, curly-haired young man with an open expression on his face.” The hero is distinguished by “impetuousness and enthusiasm”, he is cheerful, open, friendly and emotional. N. participates in military campaigns and Patriotic War 1812. In the Battle of Shengraben, N. goes on the attack at first very bravely, but then is wounded in the arm. This wound causes him to panic, he thinks about how he, “whom everyone loves so much,” could die. This event somewhat diminishes the image of the hero. After N. becomes a brave officer, a real hussar, remaining faithful to duty. N. had a long affair with Sonya, and he was going to do a noble deed by marrying a dowry woman against the will of his mother. But he receives a letter from Sonya in which she says that she is letting him go. After the death of his father, N. takes care of the family, resigning. She and Marya Bolkonskaya fall in love and get married.
Petya Rostov
Youngest son Rostov. At the beginning of the novel we see P. as a small boy. He typical representative his family, kind, cheerful, musical. He wants to imitate his older brother and follow the military line in life. In 1812, he was full of patriotic impulses and joined the army. During the war, the young man accidentally ends up with an assignment in Denisov’s detachment, where he remains, wanting to take part in the real deal. He accidentally dies, having shown his best in relation to his comrades the day before. best qualities. His death is the greatest tragedy for his family.
Pierre Bezukhov
The illegitimate son of the wealthy and socially famous Count Bezukhov. He appears almost before his father’s death and becomes the heir to the entire fortune. P. is very different from people belonging to high society even externally. He is a “massive, fat young man with a cropped head and glasses” with an “observant and natural” look. He was brought up abroad and received a good education there. P. is smart, has a penchant for philosophical reasoning, he has a very kind and gentle disposition, and he is completely impractical. Andrei Bolkonsky loves him very much, considers him his friend and the only “living person” among all high society.In pursuit of money, P. is entangled by the Kuragin family and, taking advantage of P.’s naivety, they force him to marry Helen. He is unhappy with her, he understands that this scary woman and breaks off relations with her.
At the beginning of the novel we see that P. considers Napoleon his idol. Afterwards he becomes terribly disappointed in him and even wants to kill him. P. is characterized by a search for the meaning of life. This is how he becomes interested in Freemasonry, but when he sees their falsehood, he leaves from there. P. tries to reorganize the lives of his peasants, but he fails due to his gullibility and impracticality. P. participates in the war, not yet fully understanding what it is. Left in burning Moscow to kill Napoleon, P. is captured. He experiences great moral torment during the execution of prisoners. There P. meets with the exponent of “people's thought” Platon Karataev. Thanks to this meeting, P. learned to see “the eternal and infinite in everything.” Pierre loves Natasha Rostova, but she is married to his friend. After the death of Andrei Bolkonsky and the revival of Natasha to life, best heroes Tolstoy is getting married. In the epilogue we see P. a happy husband and father. In a dispute with Nikolai Rostov, P. expresses his beliefs, and we understand that before us is a future Decembrist.
Sonya
She is “a thin, petite brunette with a soft look, shaded by long eyelashes, a thick black braid that wrapped around her head twice, and a yellowish tint to the skin on her face and especially on her bare, thin but graceful arms and neck. With the smoothness of her movements, the softness and flexibility of her small limbs, and her somewhat cunning and restrained manner, she resembles a beautiful, but not yet formed kitten, which will become a lovely cat.”S. is the niece of the old Count Rostov, and is being brought up in this house. Since childhood, the heroine has been in love with Nikolai Rostov, and is very friendly with Natasha. S. is reserved, silent, reasonable, and capable of sacrificing herself. The feeling for Nikolai is so strong that she wants to “love always, and let him be free.” Because of this, she refuses Dolokhov, who wanted to marry her. S. and Nikolai are bound by word, he promised to take her as his wife. But the old Countess of Rostov is against this wedding, he reproaches S... She, not wanting to pay with ingratitude, refuses the marriage, releasing Nikolai from his promise. After the death of the old count, he lives with the countess in the care of Nicholas.
Dolokhov
“Dolokhov was a man of average height, curly hair and with light blue eyes. He was about twenty-five years old. He did not wear a mustache, like all infantry officers, and his mouth, the most striking feature of his face, was completely visible. The lines of this mouth were remarkably finely curved. In the middle upper lip energetically sank onto the strong lower one with a sharp wedge, and something like two smiles constantly formed in the corners, one on each side; and all together, and especially in combination with a firm, insolent, intelligent look, made an impression such that it was impossible not to notice this face.” This hero is not rich, but he knows how to position himself in such a way that everyone around him respects and fears him. He loves to have fun, and in a rather strange and sometimes cruel way. For one case of bullying a policeman, D. was demoted to soldier. But during the hostilities he regained his rank of officer. He is a smart, brave and cold-blooded person. He is not afraid of death, is reputed to be an evil person, and hides his tender love for his mother. In fact, D. does not want to know anyone except those he really loves. He divides people into harmful and useful, sees mostly harmful people around him and is ready to get rid of them if they suddenly get in his way. D. was Helen's lover, he provokes Pierre into a duel, dishonestly beats Nikolai Rostov at cards, and helps Anatole arrange an escape with Natasha.Nikolai Bolkonsky
The prince, general-in-chief, was dismissed from service under Paul I and exiled to the village. He is the father of Andrei Bolkonsky and Princess Marya. It's very pedantic, dry, active person who cannot stand idleness, stupidity, or superstition. In his house, everything is scheduled according to the clock; he has to be on the job all the time. The old prince did not make the slightest changes to the order and schedule.N.A. short in stature, “in a powdered wig... with small dry hands and gray drooping eyebrows, sometimes, as he frowned, obscuring the brilliance of intelligent and seemingly young sparkling eyes.” The prince is very restrained in expressing his feelings. He constantly torments his daughter with nagging, although in fact he loves her very much. N.A. proud, smart man, constantly cares about preserving family honor and dignity. He instilled in his son a sense of pride, honesty, duty, and patriotism. Despite leaving public life, the prince is constantly interested in political and military events taking place in Russia. Only before his death does he lose sight of the scale of the tragedy that happened to his homeland.
Andrey Bolkonsky
Son of Prince Bolkonsky, brother Princess Marya. At the beginning of the novel we see B. as an intelligent, proud, but rather arrogant person. He despises people of high society, is unhappy in his marriage and does not respect his pretty wife. B. is very reserved, well educated, and has a strong will. This hero is experiencing great spiritual changes. First we see that his idol is Napoleon, whom he considers a great man. B. gets into war and is sent to the active army. There he fights along with all the soldiers, showing great courage, composure, and prudence. Participates in the Battle of Shengraben. B. was seriously wounded in Battle of Austerlitz. This moment is extremely important, because it was then that the spiritual rebirth of the hero began. Lying motionless and seeing the calm and eternal sky of Austerlitz above him, B. understands all the pettiness and stupidity of everything that is happening in the war. He realized that in fact there should be completely different values in life than those that he had until now. All exploits and glory do not matter. There is only this vast and eternal sky. In the same episode, B. sees Napoleon and understands the insignificance of this man. B. returns home, where everyone thought he was dead. His wife dies in childbirth, but the child survives. The hero is shocked by the death of his wife and feels guilty towards her. He decides not to serve anymore, settles in Bogucharovo, takes care of the household, raising his son, and reads a lot of books. During a trip to St. Petersburg, B. meets Natasha Rostova for the second time. It awakens in him deep feeling, the heroes decide to get married. B.'s father does not agree with his son's choice, they postpone the wedding for a year, the hero goes abroad. After his bride's betrayal, he returns to the army under the leadership of Kutuzov. During the Battle of Borodino, he was mortally wounded. By chance, he leaves Moscow in the Rostov convoy. Before his death, he forgives Natasha and understands the true meaning of love.
Lisa Bolkonskaya
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 flaw—short lips and half-open mouth—seemed special to her, her actual beauty. It was fun for everyone to look at this pretty expectant mother, full of health and vivacity, who endured her situation so easily.” L. was everyone’s favorite thanks to her constant liveliness and courtesy of a society woman; she could not imagine her life without high society. But Prince Andrei did not love his wife and felt unhappy in his marriage. L. does not understand her husband, his aspirations and ideals. After Andrei leaves for the war, L. lives in the Bald Mountains with the old Prince Bolkonsky, for whom he feels fear and hostility. L. has a presentiment of his imminent death and actually dies during childbirth.Princess Marya
D the daughter of old Prince Bolkonsky and the sister of Andrei Bolkonsky. M. is ugly, sickly, but her whole face is transformed by beautiful eyes: “... the princess’s eyes, large, deep and radiant (as if rays of warm light sometimes came out of them in sheaves), were so beautiful that very often, despite the ugliness of her whole face , these eyes became more attractive than beauty." Princess M. is distinguished by her great religiosity. She often hosts all kinds of pilgrims and wanderers. She has no close friends, she lives under the yoke of her father, whom she loves but is incredibly afraid of. Old Prince Bolkonsky was distinguished bad character, M. was absolutely overwhelmed by him and did not believe in her personal happiness at all. She gives all her love to her father, brother Andrey and his son, trying to replace little Nikolenka deceased mother. M.'s life changes after meeting Nikolai Rostov. It was he who saw all the wealth and beauty of her soul. They get married, M. becomes a devoted wife, completely sharing all the views of her husband.Kutuzov
Real historical figure, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army. For Tolstoy, he is the ideal of a historical figure and the ideal of a person. “He will listen to everything, remember everything, put everything in its place, will not interfere with anything useful and will not allow anything harmful. He understands that there is something stronger and more significant than his will - this is the inevitable course of events, and he knows how to see them, knows how to understand their meaning and, in view of this meaning, knows how to renounce participation in these events, from his personal will directed to something else." K. knew that “the fate of the battle is decided not by the orders of the commander-in-chief, not by the place where the troops stand, not by the number of guns and killed people, but by that elusive force called the spirit of the army, and he followed this force and led it, as far as it was in his power." K. blends in with the people, he is always modest and simple. His behavior is natural; the author constantly emphasizes his heaviness and senile weakness. K. is the exponent of folk wisdom in the novel. His strength lies in the fact that he understands and knows well what worries the people, and acts in accordance with it. K. dies when he has fulfilled his duty. The enemy has been pushed beyond the borders of Russia, more than that folk hero nothing to do.The diverse world of a work of art is not only difficult, but even impossible to “squeeze” into some specific framework, “sort out on the shelves,” explain the thread with the help of logical formulas, concepts, graphs or diagrams. The wealth of artistic content actively resists such analysis. But it is still possible to try to detect some kind of system, although necessary condition, of course, that it will not contradict the author's intention.
What was most important for Tolstoy when creating War and Peace? Let us open the beginning of the third part of the second volume: “Meanwhile, life, the real life of people with their essential interests of health, illness, work, rest, with their interests of thought, science, poetry, music, love, friendship, hatred, passions, proceeded, as always, independently and outside of political closeness or enmity with Napoleon Bonaparte, and outside of all possible transformations.
As you can see, the most important thing for a writer is real life, understood as a powerful and indomitable element, opposing any phenomena, events, established laws, if they do not coincide with the interests of simple, ordinary people. This is what the system of images in War and Peace is based on.
There are people who live a normal, natural life. This is one world. There is another, built on other, unnatural interests (career, power, wealth, pride, etc.). This is a doomed world, devoid of movement and development, a world subject to pre-established rules, rituals, regulations, all kinds of conventions, abstract theories, a world that is basically dead.
Tolstoy fundamentally does not accept any theoretical scholasticism that is disconnected from real, simple, normal life. Thus, it is said about General Pfuhl in the novel that, out of love for theory, he “hated all practice and did not want to know it.” It is for this reason that Prince Andrei does not like Speransky with his “unshakable faith in the power of the mind.” And even Sonya turns out to be a “dummy” in the end, because in her virtue there is an element of rationality and calculation. Any artificiality, role, which a person tries to play, willingly or unwillingly, programmedness (as we would say today) is rejected by Tolstoy and his beloved heroes. Natasha Rostova says about Dolokhov: “He has everything planned, but I don’t like it.”
An idea arises of two principles in life: war and peace, evil and good, death and life. And all the characters in one way or another gravitate toward one of these poles. Some choose the purpose of life right away and do not experience any hesitation - Kuragins, Berg. Others go through a long path of painful hesitation, mistakes, searches, but ultimately “nail” on one of two shores. It was not so easy, for example, for Boris Drubetsky to overcome himself, his normal human feelings, before he decided to propose to the rich Julie, whom he not only does not love, but, it seems, generally cannot stand. Material from the site
The system of images in the novel is based on a fairly clear and consistent antithesis (opposition) of nationality and anti-nationality (or pseudo-nationality), natural and artificial, human and inhuman, and finally, “Kutuzovsky” and “Napoleonic”.
Kutuzov and Napoleon form two unique moral poles in the novel, towards which various characters gravitate or are repelled. As for Tolstoy's favorite heroes, they are shown in the process of constant change, overcoming isolation and selfish one-sidedness. They are on the road, on the go, and this alone makes them dear and close to the author.
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On this page there is material on the following topics:
- The antithesis of natural and artificial in Tolstoy's novel War and Peace
- family ties in the novel war and peace diagram
- system characters in the novel war and peace
- system of images in the novel war and peace part 1
- system of images of the novel war and peace
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