External images of Kutuzov and Napoleon. Essay on the topic “Images of Kutuzov and Napoleon in the novel “War and Peace.” c) Battle of Austerlitz

In the novel L.N. Tolstoy's "War and Peace", the most important role is played by the images of Kutuzov and Napoleon. With the help of these two great commanders, Tolstoy tries to understand who is the main one in the historical process: certain individuals or the people?

Kutuzov and Napoleon are depicted in the novel as two opposing personalities. Napoleon was the idol of the people of that time; they imitated him and saw him as a genius.

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However, the author does not idealize Napoleon, but rather tries to expose all his shortcomings and dispel the image of the great commander, showing his real essence. Napoleon is blinded by glory and considers himself a superman. He is selfish and thinks only about himself, about what glory victory in this war will bring him. He doesn't even care about his own people who suffer during the war. He makes decisions based on his own benefit and desires. Napoleon looks indifferently at the death of soldiers crossing the river. For him they are only a tool to achieve his own goal. He was far from simple soldier, although it was thanks to his army that he reached such heights. Tolstoy denies him greatness because he believes that “there is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth.”

Tolstoy’s attitude towards Kutuzov is completely different. There is admiration for the commander, love, respect, understanding and compassion. Kutuzov appears modest before us, a simple person. He is close to the people, knows and understands their feelings. War for Kutuzov is evil, fear, murder. He believes that in order to win a war, you need to count a lot and think about a lot, because he doesn’t want meaningless victims. Kutuzov was ready to go against the opinion of government officials and sacrifice his position in the name of the Motherland. He is one of the few who understood the absurdity, unnecessaryness and cruelty of war.

Thus, by revealing these images, Tolstoy wanted to show his attitude towards great personalities and their role in history. Although the writer believed that history is made by the people, and not by one specific person, the huge role of Napoleon and Kutuzov in history cannot be denied, because all the battles were carried out under their leadership and the course of events depended on their orders.

Updated: 2018-12-03

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Alexandrov Slava, 10th grade "A"

A student of class 10A, Vyacheslav Alexandrov, is a passionate person about Russian classical literature. Over the course of several years of study, he showed himself to be a well-read, educated, intelligent person. In works classical literature, studied in 10th grade lessons, aroused in him great interest in the history of the Russian State; the student’s favorite work was the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace". Excited young man two extraordinary personalities, Napoleon and Kutuzov. Therefore, for the test work, it was selected and developed comparative characteristics two commanders of the novel Kutuzov and Napoleon. The work is interesting.

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A smart commander is never warlike. A skilled warrior is never angry. He who knows how to defeat an enemy does not attack. Lao Tzu Napoleon and Kutuzov in L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace” work: Alexandrova Vyacheslav 10 a

L.N. Tolstoy There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth.

L. N. Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" is, in the opinion famous writers and critics, "the greatest novel in the world." "War and Peace" is an epic novel that tells about significant and grandiose events from the history of the country, highlighting important aspects folk life, views, ideals, life and morals of various strata of society.

Antipodes

Antithesis Kutuzov Napoleon Contrast

People's commander. For Tolstoy, Kutuzov is the ideal of a historical figure and the ideal of a person.

Kutuzov's wisdom lies in the ability to accept “the need for submission to the common cause” and in the willingness to sacrifice his personal feelings for the common cause.

Kutuzov embodies the image of a commander who thinks about his soldiers and knows everyone by sight: “he knew that the fate of the battle was decided not by the orders of the commander-in-chief, not by the place where the troops stood, not by the number of guns and killed people, but by that elusive force called the spirit of war , and he watched over this force and directed it, as far as it was in his power."

They don't even influence the course of history. historical figures Napoleon is shown in a comic form. ...It was not Napoleon who controlled the course of the battle, because nothing was carried out from his disposition and during the battle he did not know about what was happening in front of him. Therefore, the way in which these people killed each other did not happen at the will of Napoleon, but happened independently of him, at the will of hundreds of thousands of people who participated in the common cause. It only seemed to Napoleon that the whole thing was happening according to his will. (L.N. Tolstoy) Kutuzov is like the savior of Russia. He knew and with his senile mind understood that it was impossible for one person to lead hundreds of thousands of people fighting death, and he knew that the fate of the battle was decided not by the orders of the commander-in-chief, not by the place where the troops stood, not by the number of guns and killed people, but by that elusive a force called the spirit of the army, and he watched over this force and led it as far as it was in his power. (L.N. Tolstoy)

The image of Napoleon Napoleon is the idol of his time; people worshiped him, imitated him, saw him as a genius and a great man. “A little man in a gray frock coat... He was in a blue uniform, open over a white vest that hung down to his round belly, in white leggings that hugged the fat thighs of his short legs.”

The fame of Napoleon spread throughout almost the entire world. But Tolstoy did not idealize this universal “idol”; the novel gradually dethrones him as a commander and as a great personality. This is how Tolstoy describes Napoleon’s “great army”: “It was a crowd of marauders, each of whom carried or carried a bunch of things that seemed valuable and necessary to him.”

According to legend, Kutuzov went to Fili with the words: “Is my head good or bad, but there is no one else to rely on.” “This day will remain forever unforgettable for Russia, because the council assembled with Field Marshal Prince Kutuzov in the village of Fili decided to save the army with a donation from Moscow” “Moscow, like a sponge, will absorb the French into itself”

Morality always triumphs over brute force. The imaginary greatness of Napoleon is especially clearly manifested in the scene when he stands on Poklonnaya Hill and admires the panorama of Moscow: “One word of mine, one movement of my hand, and this ancient capital perished...” But he did not have long to enjoy his greatness. He found himself in a pitiful and ridiculous position, never receiving the keys to the majestic city. Tolstoy contrasts Napoleon (both as a military leader and as a person) with Field Marshal Kutuzov. Unlike the Emperor of France, the Russian commander did not consider the leadership of military operations to be a “game of chess.” Moreover, he never took credit for himself main role in the successes achieved by the Russian army. Unlike Napoleon, he relied not on his genius, but on the strength of the army. Kutuzov was convinced that the “spirit of the army” was of decisive importance in war.

there is no greatness where there is no simplicity and truth. Cruelty in the desire to satisfy one’s ambition at the cost of thousands of lives, in an attempt to impose one’s will on an entire country. His behavior is determined not by his heart, but by his mind, therefore he is doomed to defeat. Tolstoy is not impressed by the number of states he won - he has a different measure: “There is no greatness where there is no simplicity and truth.” He is depicted as a commander not so much directing the actions of the army as not interfering with the flow of events. It is not the commander’s experience, but the experience of his heart that tells him that the outcome of the war is predetermined by the moral superiority of the Russians. Therefore, he sees his first task as raising morale among the troops and instilling faith in victory. I won’t try to defeat ambition and warmth, I’ll try to outwit it

Pettiness and wisdom Petty irritability, acting - he doesn’t resemble a great man in any way. Coldness and pomposity are emphasized; he poses all the time, playing the role of a genius. “He was like a child who, holding on to the strings tied inside the carriage, imagines that he is driving.” He is kind, wise, simple and open to people, like an ordinary – old and morally experienced – person. The image is given in perception different people. He is depicted as a man and alive in conversations (with Bolkonsky, Denisov, Bagration), at military councils, in the Battles of Austerlitz and Borodino.

Of all the historical figures shown in the novel, only Kutuzov is called by Tolstoy a truly great man: “... it’s hard to imagine historical figure, whose activity would be so invariably and constantly directed towards the same goal.” In the novel “War and Peace,” Kutuzov is presented as a folk hero, all of whose power lay “in the national feeling that he carried within himself in all its purity and strength.” We can conclude that Tolstoy saw the main difference between these commanders in the anti-national activities of Napoleon and the popular principle underlying all the actions of Kutuzov. Kutuzov - folk hero

In the images of Napoleon and Kutuzov, Tolstoy depicted the idea of ​​war and peace. Heroes who gravitate towards Napoleon, endowed with Napoleonic traits, contribute to the outbreak of wars between people. These are Kuragins, Anna Pavlovna Sherer, Vera Rostova and others who are far from battles. The heroes, who gravitate towards Kutuzov’s pole, carry ideas of peace, spirituality and love. These are Natasha Rostova, Marya Bolkonskaya and, paradoxically, “military” people - Tushin, Timokhin, Denisov. The main characters of the novel - Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky - go from Napoleon to Kutuzov, from false values to true ideals. Conclusion

In the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy created two symbolic characters completely opposite to each other, concentrating polar features. These are the French Emperor Napoleon and the Russian commander Kutuzov. The contrast of these images, embodying two different ideologies - ambitious, aggressive and humane, liberating - prompted Tolstoy to retreat somewhat from the historical truth. The importance of Napoleon as one of the greatest commanders world and the greatest statesman of bourgeois France. But the French emperor organized a campaign against Russia at a time when he had turned from a bourgeois revolutionary into a despot and conqueror. While working on War and Peace, Tolstoy sought to debunk the unjustified greatness of Napoleon. The writer was an opponent of artistic exaggeration, both in the depiction of good and in the depiction of evil. Tolstoy managed to debunk the French emperor without violating historical and everyday authenticity, removing him from the pedestal and showing him at normal human height.

Kutuzov and Napoleon- the main human and moral-philosophical problem of the novel “War and Peace”. These figures, deeply connected with each other, occupy central place in the story. They are compared not only as two outstanding commanders, but also as two extraordinary personalities. They are connected with many of the novel's characters by different threads, sometimes obvious, sometimes hidden. The writer embodied the ideal idea of ​​a people's commander in the image of Kutuzov. Of all the historical figures shown in the novel, only Kutuzov is called by Tolstoy a truly great man.

For the writer, Kutuzov is a type of military leader who exists in inextricable connection with the people. Appointed commander-in-chief against the will of Alexander I, he set himself a goal that, at a decisive moment for Russia, coincided with the will of the entire people. Based on historical materials, in the process of working on the novel, Tolstoy created the image of a military leader, in all of whose actions there was a national and therefore true and great principle. There are completely no personal motives in Kutuzov’s activities. All his actions, orders, instructions were dictated by the humane and noble task of saving the Fatherland. Therefore, the highest truth is on his side. He appears in the novel as an exponent of patriotic “people's thought”, relying on the support and trust of the broad masses.

Tolstoy deliberately focuses on the apparent indifference of the commander at defining moments for Russia. And in the scene before the Battle of Austerlitz, and during the military council in Fili, and even on the Borodino field, he is depicted as a dozing old man. He didn't even listen to what other military leaders suggested. But this external passivity of Kutuzov is a unique form of his wise activity. After all, Kutuzov categorically told the emperor that the battle at Austerlitz could not be fought, but they did not agree with him. Therefore, when the Austrian General Weyrother read out his disposition, Kutuzov was openly asleep, because he understood that it was already impossible to change anything. But still, already during the battle, which ended in the defeat of the Allied army, the old general honestly fulfilled his duty, giving clear and expedient orders. When Alexander I arrived during the formation of the army, Kutuzov, giving the command “at attention”, took on the appearance of a subordinate and unreasoning person, for he really was put in such a position. Unable to interfere with the imperial will, Kutuzov nevertheless managed to express his attitude towards it with incomprehensible courage. When the emperor asked why he did not start the battle, Kutuzov replied that he was waiting for all the columns to gather. The tsar did not like the defiant answer, who noticed that they were not in Tsarina’s Meadow. “That’s why I’m not starting, sir, that we are not at the parade and not in Tsaritsyn’s Meadow,” Kutuzov said clearly and distinctly, causing murmurs and glances in the sovereign’s court retinue. The Russian Tsar poorly understood the nature of the war, and this greatly bothered Kutuzov.

Despite the fact that outwardly Kutuzov looks passive, he acts intelligently and concentratedly, trusts the commanders - his military comrades-in-arms, and believes in the courage and fortitude of the troops entrusted to him. His independent decisions are balanced and deliberate. At the right moments, he gives orders that no one would dare to make. The Battle of Shengraben would not have brought success to the Russian army if Kutuzov had not decided to send Bagration’s detachment forward through the Bohemian Mountains. The remarkable strategic talent of the great commander was especially clearly manifested in his firm decision to leave Moscow without a fight. At the council in Fili, the words of the foreigner Bennigsen: “the sacred ancient capital of Russia” sound false and hypocritical. Kutuzov avoids loud patriotic phrases, transferring this issue to a military plane. He shows firmness, determination and amazing courage, taking the burden of a difficult decision on his senile shoulders. When he gave the order to leave Moscow, he understood that the French would scatter throughout the huge city, and this would lead to the disintegration of the army. And his calculation turned out to be correct - the death of Napoleonic troops began in Moscow, without battles and losses for the Russian army.

Talking about events Patriotic War 1812, Tolstoy introduces Kutuzov into the narrative at the moment of the retreat of the Russian army: Smolensk has been surrendered, the enemy is approaching Moscow, the French are ruining Russia. The commander-in-chief is shown through the eyes of various people: soldiers, partisans, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky and the author himself. The soldiers believe Kutuzov folk hero, capable of stopping a retreating army and leading it to victory. The Russian people believed in Kutuzov and worshiped him. At decisive moments for Russia, he is always next to the army, speaking to the soldiers in their language, believing in the strength and fighting spirit of the Russian soldier.

The Russian people won the War of 1812 thanks to Kutuzov. He turned out to be wiser than Napoleon, because he understood better the nature of the war, which was not similar to any of the previous wars. According to Tolstoy, it was detachment that helped Kutuzov see what was happening more clearly, maintain an independent mind, have his own point of view on what was happening and use those moments of the battle when the enemy was at a disadvantage in the interests of the Russian army. The defense of the Motherland and the salvation of the army are in the first place for Kutuzov. When inspecting a regiment on a march, he carefully notes the smallest details. appearance soldiers, in order to draw a conclusion about the state of the army based on this. The high position of the commander-in-chief does not separate him from the soldiers and officers. Possessing a remarkable memory and deep respect for people, Kutuzov recognizes many participants in previous campaigns, remembers their exploits, names, and individual characteristics.

If Napoleon, in his tactics and strategy, completely does not take into account the moral factor, then Kutuzov, having taken command of the army, sees his first task as raising the morale of the troops, instilling in the soldiers and officers faith in victory. So, having approached the guard of honor, he uttered just one phrase with a gesture of bewilderment: “And with such fine fellows, keep retreating and retreating!” His words were interrupted by loud cries of “Hurray!”

Kutuzov, according to the author, was not only an outstanding historical figure, but also wonderful person, an integral and uncompromising personality - “a simple, modest and therefore truly majestic figure.” His behavior is always simple and natural, his speech is devoid of pomposity and theatricality. He is sensitive to the slightest manifestations of falsehood and hates exaggerated feelings, sincerely and deeply worries about the failures of the military campaign of 1812. This is how he appears before the reader at the beginning of his activities as a commander. “What... have they brought us to!” “Kutuzov suddenly said in an excited voice, clearly imagining the situation in which Russia was.” And Prince Andrei, who was next to Kutuzov when these words were spoken, noticed tears in the old man’s eyes. “They will eat my horse meat!” - he promises the French, and at this moment it is impossible not to believe him.

Tolstoy portrays Kutuzov without embellishment, repeatedly emphasizing his senile decrepitude and sentimentality. So, at an important moment of a general battle we see the commander at dinner, with fried chicken in a plate. For the first time, a writer will call Kutuzov decrepit, speaking about the Battle of Tarutino. The month of the French's stay in Moscow was not in vain for the old man. But the Russian generals are forcing him to lose last strength. On the day he appointed for the battle, the order was not transmitted to the troops and the battle did not take place. This infuriated Kutuzov: “Shaking, gasping for breath, old man, having entered that state of rage into which he was able to enter when he was lying on the ground in anger,” he attacked the first officer he came across, “screaming and swearing in vulgar words...” However, all this can be forgiven for Kutuzov, because he right If Napoleon dreams of glory and feat, then Kutuzov first of all cares about the Motherland and the army.

The image of Kutuzov was influenced by Tolstoy’s philosophy, according to which a person’s actions are driven by a higher power, fate. The Russian commander in the novel "War and Peace" is a fatalist, convinced that all events are predetermined by a will from above, who believes that there is something in the world stronger than his will. This idea is present in many episodes of the novel. At the conclusion of the story, the author seems to sum it up: “...at the present time... it is necessary to abandon the perceived freedom and recognize the dependence that we do not feel.”

The personality of Napoleon, opposed to Kutuzov in the novel, is revealed differently. Tolstoy destroys Bonaparte's cult of personality, which was created as a result of the victories of the French army. The author's attitude towards Napoleon is felt from the first pages of the novel. Where the French emperor acts like one of the heroes of the novel, Tolstoy emphasizes his ineradicable desire to always look great, an outright thirst for glory. He “could not renounce his actions, praised by half the world, and therefore had to renounce truth, goodness and everything human,” says Tolstoy.

Until the Battle of Borodino, Napoleon was surrounded by an atmosphere of glorification. This is a vain, selfish person who thinks only about his own personal interests. Wherever he appears - on the Pratzen Heights during the Battle of Austerlitz, in Tilsit at the conclusion of peace with the Russians, on the Neman, when French troops crossed the Russian border - everywhere he is accompanied by a loud “Hurray!” and stormy applause. According to the writer, admiration and universal adoration turned Napoleon’s head and pushed him to new conquests.

If Kutuzov constantly thinks about how to avoid the unnecessary death of soldiers and officers, then for Napoleon human life is of no value. Suffice it to recall the episode of the Napoleonic army crossing the Neman, when, hastening to carry out the emperor’s order to find a ford, many of the Polish lancers began to drown. Seeing the senseless death of his people, Napoleon makes no attempt to stop this madness. He calmly walks along the shore, occasionally glancing at the lancers who entertained his attention. His statement on the eve of the Battle of Borodino, which was to cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, emanates extraordinary cynicism: “The chess is set, the game will begin tomorrow.” People for him are chess pieces that he moves as he pleases, for the sake of his ambitious goals. And this reveals the main features of the French commander: vanity, narcissism, confidence in one’s own rightness and infallibility. With a feeling of satisfaction, he circles the battlefield, smugly examining the bodies of the killed and wounded. Ambition makes him cruel and insensitive to the suffering of people.

Revealing the character of Napoleon, Tolstoy focuses on his acting, because everywhere and in everything he tries to play the role of a great man. So, in front of the portrait of his son, which is brought to him, he “takes on an appearance of thoughtful tenderness,” because he knows that he is being watched and his every movement and word is recorded for history. Unlike Napoleon, Kutuzov is simple and humane. He does not cause awe or fear in his subordinates. His authority is based on trust and respect for people.

Kutuzov's strategy in Tolstoy's novel is sharply contrasted with Napoleon's limitations. The writer focuses on the tactical mistakes of the French emperor. So, Napoleon is rapidly advancing into the depths of such a huge and unknown country, not caring about strengthening the rear. In addition, the forced idleness of the French army in Moscow corrupted its discipline, turning soldiers into robbers and marauders. The ill-conceived actions of Napoleon are evidenced by his retreat along the Smolensk road, which he had destroyed. Tolstoy not only talks about these mistakes of Napoleon, but also comments on them, giving the French commander a direct authorial description. He does not hide his deep indignation at the meanness of the emperor-commander-in-chief, who, fleeing for his life, abandoned and doomed the army he had led to death in a foreign country.

Admiring Kutuzov’s humanity, wisdom, and leadership talent, the writer considers Napoleon an individualist and ambitious man who suffered a well-deserved punishment. In the images of Napoleon and Kutuzov, Tolstoy showed two important for him human type, embodying two worldviews. One of them, expressed in the image of Kutuzov, is close to the writer, the other, revealed in the image of Napoleon, is false. At the center of Tolstoy's epic is a high and deep thought about the dignity of the majority of humanity. For the author of War and Peace, the view “established to please the heroes” is a false view of reality, and “human dignity tells” him “that each of us, if not more, then no less, is a man than the great Napoleon.” Throughout his entire work, Tolstoy instills in the reader this conviction, which morally strengthens everyone who gets acquainted with the novel “War and Peace.”

Comparative characteristics of Kutuzov and Napoleon in the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace". Comparison table is at the end of the article.

What kind of commanders-in-chief: Kutuzov and Napoleon appear in Tolstoy’s depiction?

L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace” is, according to famous writers and critics, “the greatest novel in the world.” In his work, the writer glorified Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov as the inspirer and organizer of the victories of the Russian people. Tolstoy repeatedly emphasizes that Kutuzov is a real folk hero. Kutuzov appears to us in the novel as a simple Russian man and at the same time as a wise historical figure and commander. For Tolstoy, the main thing in Kutuzov is his blood connection with the people - “that national feeling that he carries within himself in all its purity and strength.” The author presents Kutuzov as a wise commander who deeply and correctly understands and assumes the course of events. It is no coincidence that Kutuzov’s correct assessment of the course of events is always confirmed later. For example, he correctly assessed the significance of the Battle of Borodino, noting that it was a victory. In Tolstoy's depiction, Kutuzov is living face. The author shows his gait, gestures, facial expressions, his famous eye, which is either affectionate or mocking.

The opposite figure to Kutuzov is Napoleon. Tolstoy strongly opposes the “cult” of Napoleon. For the writer, Napoleon is an aggressor who attacked Russia. He burned cities and villages, killed Russian people, robbed, destroyed great cultural values, even gave the order to destroy the Kremlin. Napoleon is a narcissistic, domineering commander who strives for world domination. In the first parts of the novel, Tolstoy ironically talks about servility to Napoleon, which arose and spread in the highest secular circles of Russia. From the very beginning of the novel, Tolstoy clearly expresses his attitude towards this statesman. Thus, he shows that in Napoleon’s actions there was nothing but whim. However, Napoleon “believed in himself and the whole world believed in him.”

Each character in the novel thinks about Napoleon in his own way. The writer paints this famous commander as “ little man“with an unpleasantly feigned smile on his face, with a “round belly.” Napoleon appears before us as a man in love with himself, who is far from thinking about the people. It is no coincidence that the word “I” is Napoleon’s favorite word. In this one can see the contrast between Kutuzov and Napoleon. According to the author, the real hero is the people's commander, the one who really cares for the freedom of his Fatherland.

Thus, the reader concludes that the two commanders are diametrically opposed. Napoleon is the embodiment of self-confidence and ambition. The only positive thing about this character is his acting ability. Tolstoy helps the reader conclude that Napoleon became famous in Europe only thanks to these abilities. The sharp contrast between Kutuzov and Napoleon is presented by the author of the novel from the point of view of the attitude of each of them to the people, as well as to their own personality. Tolstoy believes that Kutuzov embodied the best features of a public figure of that time - patriotism, simplicity, modesty, sensitivity, determination and sincerity in achieving goals, subordinating his own interests and goals to the will of the people. At the same time, Napoleon, according to Leo Tolstoy, is a selfish man who neglects the interests of the people.

All thoughts, feelings and actions of Kutuzov are aimed at achieving a goal that meets the interests of the people - to preserve their independence, to get rid of an evil and insidious enemy. All his activities are folk character, is determined by his love for the Motherland, the people, and faith in its strength. Appointed commander-in-chief against the will of the tsar, but at the request of the people, Kutuzov sees the patriotism of the army and the population as a decisive prerequisite for victory.
The activities of Napoleon have a completely different, anti-national character. It is directed against interests European peoples which he robbed and killed.

He presented himself as a superman who is not fit to care about the spiritual state of the people who surround him.

In the behavior of the Russian commander, Tolstoy notes modesty and accessibility to the people. Moreover, for Kutuzov, it is his opinion about himself that is important ordinary people. Napoleon appears to us completely differently. He cannot meet high moral standards, so he lacks true majesty.

And finally, the main difference between these two commanders is that Kutuzov always tried to act in complete unity with the entire Russian people in battles. Leo Tolstoy sees this main reason Russia's victory in the difficult war of 1812. In contrast to Kutuzov, Napoleon not only did not understand, but did not even try to understand the mood of his people.
Based on the above, we can conclude that an outstanding figure becomes a real winner only if he is unified with the people. The unity of the leader and the people is the key to victory. The absence of such unity leads to defeat.

Drunk with unchanging glory,
You walked through the world, crushing, crushing...
And finally the universe became
I can't bear to carry you.
V.Ya.Bryusov

In the novel War and Peace, Tolstoy poses a philosophical question: what is great man? - and formulates his answer as follows: there is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth. The images of Napoleon and Kutuzov most clearly illustrate the author's understanding of the great man.

In Napoleon the writer constantly emphasizes the outstanding acting skills, that is, lack of simplicity. Very indicative in this sense is the scene when the emperor, on the eve of the Battle of Borodino, examines the portrait of his son (3, 2, XXVI). Tolstoy shows that Napoleon is concerned about how he will look in the eyes of others, and decides to himself what expression he should give to his own face. After some hesitation, Napoleon chooses, as the most appropriate, an expression of tenderness and with this expression on his face enters the section of the tent where the courier of the Empress Bosset is installing the portrait. At this moment, an unexpected glitch occurs in the touching scene of the meeting loving parent with a portrait of his son: they didn’t have time to install the portrait. Then Napoleon turns to some courtier and starts a conversation with him to give him time to prepare the portrait. And when the courier, with a theatrical gesture, tears the blanket from the picture, Napoleon’s face again receives the desired expression, and everyone around him remembers the tenderness with which the great man looks at the portrait of his little son playing the globe like a ball for a billboke. An excellent acting instinct saves Napoleon in many situations when, in his own words, there is only one step from the great to the ridiculous. Tolstoy also agrees with this Napoleonic aphorism, painting a scene of the emperor standing on Poklonnaya Hill and waiting for the boyars with the keys to Moscow (3, 3, XIX). The wait was clearly prolonged, and the retinue behind the emperor’s back was already whispering that the boyars could not be found in Moscow. No one dares to tell Napoleon about this, and he himself feels that the solemn scene that he wanted to play here is turning into a comedy. He gets into the carriage and quietly enters Moscow.

In the image of Kutuzov, Tolstoy, on the contrary, emphasizes naturalness and simplicity. At the height of the Battle of Austerlitz, Kutuzov cries as he watches Russian soldiers flee in droves from the battlefield (1.3, XVI). At this critical moment, Prince Andrei sees him, but Kutuzov is not afraid to appear weak. In the scene of the prayer service on the eve of the Battle of Borodino (3.2, XXI), the field marshal behaves very naturally: he kneels with difficulty in front of the shrine, crosses himself, and then, groaning and breathing heavily, cannot get up for several minutes, because he is old and fat. But it never even occurs to him to be ashamed of his senile infirmity. The prim German officer standing right there (to maintain the morale of the Russians!) only emphasizes the simplicity of Kutuzov’s behavior.

Tolstoy does not see kindness in Napoleon's behavior. For example, the emperor is proud of those habits that the nature of a normal person opposes. This refers to Napoleon's interest in viewing those killed on the battlefield after another victory French army. This interest in corpses, according to the author, is unnatural, but Napoleon, in his morbid curiosity, sees the greatness of his own spirit. The dying Prince Andrei, observing the emperor just during such an inspection of the battlefield, saw before him not a great man, but a petty, self-satisfied egoist playing the role of a great man. Now Napoleon loses the halo of a hero for Prince Andrei and becomes insignificant in comparison with the sky of Austerlitz, with the truth of life, which was revealed to Bolkonsky on the verge of life and death: “At that moment all the interests that occupied Napoleon seemed so insignificant to him, the hero himself seemed so petty to him him, with this petty vanity and joy of victory, in comparison with this high, fair and kind sky, which he saw and understood...” (1.3, XIX).

Kutuzov is portrayed by Tolstoy as a wise and therefore kind (but not kind) person. General Bennigsen, a Hanoverian in Russian service, opened the council in Fili with the question: “Should we leave the sacred and ancient capital of Russia without a fight or defend it?” (3.3, IV). The question is posed in such a way that, most likely, the answer that Count Bennigsen sought from the young Russian generals will follow: we will die, but we will not surrender Moscow to the enemy. However, Bennigsen’s patriotism is explained by the intrigue that he started against Kutuzov: if the defense of Moscow is successful, he will attribute the success to himself; if unsuccessful, blame Kutuzov; if his, Bennigsen’s, proposal is not accepted, relieve himself of responsibility for leaving Moscow (3, 3, III). All the generals on the council are excited, making their proposals for saving Moscow, and only Kutuzov calmly (even sleepily) observes this skirmish and does not succumb to Bennigsen’s provocation, covered with a patriotic phrase. Finally, without entering into fruitless disputes, he says: “... with the power entrusted to me by my sovereign and fatherland, I order a retreat” (3.3, IV). It is the peasant girl Malasha who sympathizes with Kutuzov, and not Bennigsen, who observes the military council, hiding on the stove. She does not understand the meaning of what is happening, but she feels that “grandfather” Kutuzov is right in his dispute with the “long-haired” Bennigsen.

Prince Andrei respects Kutuzov for his responsiveness and fairness. These qualities of the field marshal were evident during their last meeting in the summer of 1812. Kutuzov found simple words sympathy when he spoke about the recent death of old Prince Bolkonsky and about his respect for his son. Prince Andrei refused to transfer to serve from the regiment to the headquarters, and Kutuzov agreed with this decision: “I’m sorry, I would need you; but you’re right, you’re right. We don’t need people here. There are always a lot of advisers, but no people. (. ..) I remember you from Austerlitz... I remember, I remember, I remember with the banner,” said Kutuzov, and a joyful color rushed into the face of Prince Andrei at this memory” (3, 2, XVI).

A striking scene for the characterization of Kutuzov is his arrival at the regiment at the end of the novel. The soldiers show him captured French banners and prisoners - pitiful and frostbitten. The field marshal utters his famous words addressed to the Russian soldiers: “It’s difficult for you, but still you are at home; and what have they come to? Worse than the last beggars. While they were strong, we did not feel sorry for them, but now we can feel sorry for them. They are people too” (4, 4, VI). After this short speech, all the Russians began to smile, because Kutuzov expressed feelings that they carried in their souls, but did not know how to formulate so simply and correctly. And Napoleon on the Field of Austerlitz counts the corpses of French and enemy soldiers and rejoices that for every Frenchman killed, there are several foreign dead. He compares the battle to a chess game (3, 2, XXIX), people for him are chess pieces, which the commander rearranges according to his desire and plan. Prince Andrei and the author dispute this view of the war (3, 2, XXV).

Napoleon, according to Tolstoy, never understood the truth. This idea is expressed in the description of the French emperor during the Battle of Borodino. Napoleon demonstrates vigorous activity and self-confidently thinks that he controls people and events, that is, he creates history. In this delusion, he is like a child who is sure that he controls the carriage with the help of ribbons sewn to the front wall of the carriage (4, 1, XI). In fact, according to Tolstoy, Napoleon is only an instrument of history. This truth was revealed to him once when, tired and frightened, he drove along the edge of the Borodino field, returning to headquarters. He, a seasoned commander, was horrified by the number of corpses in a small space. And suddenly, as Tolstoy writes, the thought of the error of his entire life, associated with continuous wars, crept into his head. He was horrified because the truth was revealed to him. But this terrible thought for Napoleon quickly disappeared, and he again believed in his infallibility, in his greatness. So “never, until the end of his life, could he understand either goodness, beauty, truth, or the meaning of his actions, which were too opposite to goodness and truth, too far from everything human for him to understand their meaning.” (3, 2, XXXVIII).

Kutuzov in Tolstoy's novel, unlike Napoleon, understands very well, on the one hand, that not a single person can change history. A wise historical figure, Kutuzov does not interfere with the course of history, but puts everything in its place, does not interfere with anything useful and does not allow anything harmful (3, 2, XVI). On the other hand, General Kutuzov understands that war is a tragic event in the life of the people. Therefore, before Austerlitz, he pulls Emperor Alexander back, reminding him that war is not a parade on Tsaritsyn Meadow. And when in the winter of 1813 Russian troops reached the Polish border, he wrote a report to the emperor that the Patriotic War was over, and therefore there was no sufficient reason to fight further.

Kutuzov is shown in the Napoleonic wars of 1805-1807, his participation in Russian-Turkish war(1806-1812), but he certainly became a great historical figure precisely in the war of 1812, when he understood the idea of ​​the Patriotic War (to liberate the Russian land from enemy invasion) and received the trust of the people and the army. Kutuzov is a man who, according to philosophical views Tolstoy, like no one else, was able to “guess so correctly the meaning folk meaning events that he never once betrayed him throughout his entire career... The source of this extraordinary power of insight into the meaning of occurring phenomena lay in that popular feeling that he carried within himself in all its purity and strength” (4, 4, V). In the novel, Kutuzov renounces personal glory, which always guides the actions of Emperor Napoleon and the “Napoleons” (staff officers of the Russian army), and devotes all his activities to the main goal - the expulsion of the French from Russia.

So, the images of Napoleon and Kutuzov allow the author to express his own view of history and the great historical figure.

Napoleon, according to the writer, is an arrogant, cruel conqueror, whose activities cannot be justified either by the goals of history or by the interests of France. All his actions contradict the moral ideal of humanity - goodness, simplicity, truth. If Kutuzov embodies folk wisdom in the novel, then Napoleon is extreme individualism. If Kutuzov correctly understands the laws of history and obeys them, then Napoleon wants to control events according to his will and thereby dooms himself and his people to inevitable defeat. Thus, Tolstoy denies Napoleon greatness, because the French (for patriotic reasons) and the Germans declared him great (to justify their military defeats: after all, it is not offensive to a genius to lose a war). The Russians paid with blood and numerous victims for the right not to consider Napoleon great (4, 1, VIII).

Kutuzov, according to Tolstoy, is a great man: his glory is inseparable from the victorious glory of Russia. At the same time, debunking Napoleon as a commander, the writer willy-nilly belittles historical significance the activities of Kutuzov and the Russian army in the defeat of Napoleonic France. The writer’s reasoning, of course, deserves serious attention and respect, but many historians will not agree with them. Tolstoy, for example, writes that Kutuzov did not want a war abroad (4, 4, V), but historical documents indicate otherwise. While in Poland at the beginning of 1813, Kutuzov was already considering the foreign campaign of the Russian army, as he understood that only after the capture of Paris could lasting peace be achieved in Europe.

The French consider their emperor a great man not even for his military victories (although for them too), but for his civil reforms. These government reforms were so successful that the judicial, administrative, and educational systems, created during the era of Napoleon and with his personal participation, still function in France. Tolstoy does not discuss this aspect of Napoleon’s activities in the novel because, probably, the civil laws of France do not have serious significance for Russia, but the Russians were directly affected by Napoleon’s military activities: Napoleon came to Russia with an army of five hundred thousand as an aggressor. In the novel, the author shows that the smug and arrogant emperor turns into a cowardly fugitive who has lost all his greatness when faced with a people who have risen to defend their independence.