Makeup. Hair care. Skin care » Health and beauty The epic novel “War and Peace” - analysis of the work. Extended analysis of the novel “War and Peace War and Peace literary analysis

The epic novel “War and Peace” - analysis of the work. Extended analysis of the novel “War and Peace War and Peace literary analysis

" is a monumental epic by L. N. Tolstoy, included in the golden fund of world literature. The famous novel by the Russian classic is still extremely popular. It has been translated into many languages of the world. A large number of literary studies are devoted to the book.

It is of some value even for professional historians, since Tolstoy used a wide variety of sources in his work, from memoirs to archival documents. Interest in the novel cannot fade away, since universal human values, goodness and justice are in the foreground.

2. History of creation. In the mid-50s. In the 19th century, Tolstoy came up with the idea of a story about a Decembrist returning with his family from Siberia. This work fascinated the writer more and more, and the time frame of the work moved further into the past.

The writer sought to reveal the inner world of his hero and explain the motives of his actions. There was a need to portray an entire generation. Thus, by 1863, the idea of the short story had completely changed; it grew into a novel, work on which took several years. In its final form, the epic "War and Peace" was completed and published in 1867-1869.

3. The meaning of the name. The title of the novel “War and Peace” in the minds of modern people is understood as the opposite of two antonyms. In pre-revolutionary Russia, the word “peace” had two meanings, depending on its spelling: “mir” (harmony, tranquility) and “mir” (the whole world and the human race). Tolstoy in 1867 gave the title to the novel - “War and Peace”. His intention was to show the war and its destructive impact on humanity as a whole.

4. Genre. An epic novel.

5. Theme. The main theme of the novel is the highest ideals of simplicity, truth and goodness, rooted in the Russian national character. This theme is developed against the backdrop of the central event - the Patriotic War of 1812. Napoleon's invasion brought enormous troubles and suffering to the Russian people. But at the same time, it acted as a kind of cleansing tool that showed the true face of many people. The writer tears off the masks from the false, brilliant-looking high society.

Behind graceful behavior and lofty conversations hide the lowest, semi-animal instincts. Most members of the nobility are absolutely indifferent to who emerges victorious from the war. They are confident that they can maintain their position under any regime. Their patriotic speeches are hypocritical and disgusting. The complete opposite of these people is represented by the positive heroes of the novel (Bolkonsky, Bezukhov) and the entire Russian people.

Napoleon was the culprit of the war, so the truth remained on Russia's side. Critic N. N. Strakhov called “War and Peace” “the apotheosis of the Russian peaceful type.” Tolstoy was convinced that carefully developed plans for a military campaign and the actions of commanders played no role at all. The Russians won because they realized the justice of their cause. The great Russian writer, after the publication of War and Peace, was subjected to numerous attacks for the unique view he presented on the Patriotic War of 1812. According to Tolstoy, Kutuzov’s main merit was that he delayed the decisive battle for as long as possible, allowing the French army to fall apart on the fly. .

For Tolstoy, the events of 1812 were a real people's war. He contrasts the actions of the high command of both armies with the sentiments and thoughts of true patriots of their country. At that time, the war was viewed as a chess match between commanders in chief. Having taken Moscow, Napoleon had no doubt that Alexander I would immediately seek a peace treaty. According to all the rules of military art, the Russians were defeated.

The French emperor was unpleasantly surprised to learn that Moscow was abandoned by its inhabitants, and no one was giving him a worthy welcome. The opposite view is clearly expressed in the words of Prince Andrei: “What are prisoners? ... The French destroyed my house ... They are my enemies ... We must execute them.” Princess Marya does not even allow the thought of staying and submitting to the French general. Most of all, the ordinary Russian people, who suffered from Napoleon's invasion, see before them not gallant Europeans, but robbers and murderers, from whom they need to get rid of as soon as possible.

6. Issues. The main problem of the novel is stated in its title. Tolstoy had a sharply negative attitude towards any war that represented the senseless destruction of a large number of people. The writer sees the greatest danger not even in this. During war, huge masses are torn away from their usual activities and herded into organized detachments, the main goal of which is to kill their own kind. This causes irreparable damage to the moral state of the nation.

An individual person no longer belongs to himself; he must unquestioningly obey orders, which are often meaningless and downright stupid. The attitude towards war is clearly illustrated by the example of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. At first, he dreams of a successful military career, exploits and glory. But, once at war, Andrei sees how far his ideal ideas are from the harsh reality. The repulsive sight of so many dead and wounded makes him think about the meaning of his own life.

The wounding of the prince finally opens his eyes and fills his soul with disgust for his former naive dreams. Tolstoy noted that there is a deep gulf between official documents, historical research and real events. This idea is confirmed in a humorous form in a letter from diplomat Bilibin to Prince Andrei. He refutes the news of victory in the Battle of Pultu.

Describing the maneuvers of the Russian armies in the campaign of 1805-1807, Bilibin states that the main opponent of General Bennigsen was not Napoleon, but General Buxhoeveden. Two generals, in the struggle for the post of commander-in-chief, forget about the real purpose of the war. But after confirmation at the post of Buxhoeveden, a “third enemy” appears - the Orthodox army, engaged in looting. An important problem for Tolstoy is the admiration of people for imaginary heroes and outstanding personalities in history.

The writer did not recognize heroes in the war in the generally accepted sense of the word. During the campaign of 1805-1807. he singles out Captain Tushin, a modest and quiet man who feels timid in front of his superiors. But this timid captain, finding himself in a hopeless situation, retained the steadfastness of his battery, which repelled the attacks of the French throughout the entire battle. Tushin turned out to be the true hero of the battle, but according to official reports he was guilty of the loss of two guns. Only the intervention of Andrei Bolkonsky saved the captain. Such situations are common in war.

The collective image of a Russian person is Platon Karataev. He doesn't look like a hero at all, boldly cutting into the thick of his enemies. Karataev's superiority lies in his kindness and gentleness, which defeat a superior, strong and predatory opponent. Tolstoy describes outstanding commanders as ordinary people, tearing off the halo of greatness from them.

If you look closely at Napoleon's personality, you will see an unusually complacent, vengeful, irritable person. The writer believes that a chain of completely random events led him to the pinnacle of power. Gradually, more and more speculation and legends accumulated around Napoleon’s name, strengthening his self-esteem.

Tolstoy treats Kutuzov in exactly the same way. This is an old sick man who with great difficulty endures the hardships of camp life. Vast life experience tells him that the surest way to achieve victory is to allow events to develop in a natural order. Regarding the Battle of Borodino, there is still debate about who emerged victorious.

Tolstoy gives a clear answer. Neither losses nor occupied territory played any role. The Russian army won a “moral victory”, after which Napoleon’s troops were doomed to a shameful retreat. The next most important issue in the novel is the problem of emptiness and meaninglessness of the life of high society. Tolstoy was often reproached for the fact that many passages in the novel were written in French. But this precisely strengthens the criticism of the writer.

The Russian nobility became so divorced from their national roots that they preferred a foreign language to their native one. And not just a foreign language, but the language of your opponent. Is it possible to imagine that during the Great Patriotic War, Soviet leaders and military commanders spoke German to each other? And at the beginning of the 19th century, this situation did not surprise anyone.

Ostentatious sophistication disappears immediately when big money is involved. This is perfectly shown by Tolstoy in the fierce struggle of claimants to the inheritance of the dying Count Bezukhov. The simple-minded Pierre who received the inheritance turns out to be a toy in the hands of Prince Vasily and his daughter Helen. Helen and Anatole are the main negative characters of the novel, typical representatives of high society.

Helen is incredibly beautiful, but also stupid. Possessing innate cunning and cunning, she knows how to attract attention to herself and achieve everything she wants. Anatole is a spoiled and vicious young man. He is not far behind his sister mentally, but he is able to please women. Love and family relationships in the novel are very complex and confusing. For most representatives of high society, love has long been a subject of purchase and sale. Marriages are concluded solely for selfish reasons.

Young Natasha Rostova first encounters this when her mother forbids her to communicate with Boris. She dreams of finding a more worthy and rich groom for her daughter. But already on her first trip out into the world, Natasha finds her chosen one - Prince Andrei. Bolkonsky was depressed after the death of his wife. The young girl revived his hope for happiness. The lovers were only a year away from the wedding, but during this time Natasha fell into the skillfully woven networks of Anatole and his sister Helen. The inexperienced girl, suffering from separation from Andrei, fell in love again.

Anatole’s cruel and calculated deception became the cause of her serious illness. Naturally, after the rumor spread about Natasha’s relationship with Anatole, there could be no talk of any wedding. Andrei considered himself deeply offended. The reconciliation of the lovers took place too late, when Andrei was dying. Only through mistakes and endless suffering does Natasha find happiness in her marriage to Pierre Bezukhov.

Pierre is one of the purest and noblest people in the novel. Because of its simplicity and responsiveness, it often becomes a puppet in the wrong hands. Pierre is literally “married” to Helene, making him believe that he has been in love with her for a long time. In their own way, Sonya and Princess Marya are unhappy in love. It is very difficult for Sonya, who does not have an inheritance, to find a groom.

Princess Marya has a good inheritance, but God deprived her of her appearance. The princess dreams of family life, but, realizing her unattractiveness, she plunges headlong into religion. Both women suffer equally from love for Nikolai Rostov. In the end, happiness smiles on Princess Marya. Sonya is forced to once again sacrifice herself for the sake of someone else's well-being. In the epilogue, Natasha uses a very correct word in relation to her - “barren flower”.

7. Heroes. Andrei Bolkonsky, Pierre Bezukhov, Natasha Rostova, other members of the Bolkonsky and Rostov families. Real historical figures: Napoleon, Kutuzov, Bagration, Alexander I and many others. The epic as a whole has a huge number of heroes, described in great detail. On this occasion, N. N. Strakhov wrote: “Thousands of faces, thousands of scenes... all moments of human life, from the cry of a newborn child to the last flash of feeling of a dying old man...”.

8. Plot and composition. "War and Peace" covers a large time period: from 1805 to 1812. The action of the epilogue takes place in 1820. In the finale, Tolstoy provides a lengthy author's digression, in which he sums up his thoughts on the most important issues raised in the novel. The spatial scope of the novel is also extensive: Moscow, St. Petersburg, abroad, battlefields. Tolstoy pays great attention to the central event - the Patriotic War of 1812.

9. What the author teaches? The most important moralizing meaning of the novel "War and Peace" lies in the inevitable triumph of goodness and justice. Tolstoy the patriot glorifies the victory of the Russian people over the bloodthirsty conqueror. Tolstoy the humanist argues that Russia's greatness could be achieved through peaceful means.

The Patriotic War of 1812 became the highest manifestation of national character. For the first time in Russian history, a large-scale partisan movement unfolded there. This movement was only partially controlled by the military command, but it played a leading role in the defeat of the retreating French army. The main positive quality of the novel's heroes is an unconscious craving for good. In this regard, the fate of Pierre Bezukhov is indicative. A sincere and simple-minded young man is destined to go through many trials. In search of truth, he enters Freemasonry, but becomes disillusioned with it. An unsuccessful marriage, a duel, French captivity and a meeting with Platon Karataev - all these events gradually brought him closer to the main conclusion. Pierre acquired the ability to “see the great, the eternal and the infinite in everything,” that is, not with his mind, but with his soul, he felt the existence of an omnipotent God.

Tolstoy teaches that this ability achieved by Pierre should underlie the aspirations of every person. If everyone feels God within themselves, then wars, troubles and suffering will simply disappear. The views of the great writer may seem too idealistic, but there is nothing to oppose them. Simplicity, goodness and truth really are the saving means thanks to which humanity is still kept from mutual self-destruction.

Analysis of the epic novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace"

L.N. Tolstoy argued that “War and Peace” (1863-1869) is not a novel, not a poem, not a historical chronicle. Referring to the entire experience of Russian prose, he wanted to create and created a literary work of a completely unusual type. In literary criticism, the definition of “War and Peace” as an epic novel has taken root. This is a new genre of prose, which after Tolstoy became widespread in Russian and world literature.

Fifteen years of the country's history (1805-1820) are captured by the writer on the pages of the epic in the following chronological order:

Volume I - 1805

Volume II - 1806-1811

Volume III - 1812

Volume IV - 1812-1813

Epilogue - 1820

Tolstoy created hundreds of human characters. The novel depicts a monumental picture of Russian life, full of events of enormous historical significance. Readers will learn about the war with Napoleon, which the Russian army waged in alliance with Austria in 1805, about the battles of Schöngraben and Austerlitz, about the war in alliance with Prussia in 1806 and the Peace of Tilsit. Tolstoy depicts the events of the Patriotic War of 1812: the passage of the French army across the Neman, the retreat of the Russians into the interior of the country, the surrender of Smolensk, the appointment of Kutuzov as commander-in-chief, the Battle of Borodino, the council in Fili, the abandonment of Moscow. The writer depicts events that testified to the indestructible power of the national spirit of the Russian people, which destroyed the French invasion: Kutuzov’s flank march, the Battle of Tarutino, the growth of the partisan movement, the collapse of the invading army and the victorious end of the war.

The novel reflects the largest phenomena in the country's political and social life, various ideological movements (Freemasonry, Speransky's legislative activity, the emergence of the Decembrist movement in the country).

Pictures of great historical events are combined in the novel with everyday scenes drawn with exceptional skill. These scenes reflected the essential characteristics of the social reality of the era. Tolstoy depicts high-society receptions, entertainment of secular youth, ceremonial dinners, balls, hunting, Christmas fun of gentlemen and servants.

Pictures of Pierre Bezukhov's anti-serfdom reforms in the countryside, scenes of the rebellion of Bogucharov's peasants, episodes of indignation among Moscow artisans reveal to the reader the nature of the relationship between landowners and peasants, the life of the serf village and the urban lower classes.

The action of the epic takes place now in St. Petersburg, now in Moscow, now in the Bald Mountains and Otradnoe estates. The military events described in Volume I take place abroad, in Austria. Events of the Patriotic War ( Volumes III and IV) take place in Russia, and the location depends on the course of military operations (Drissky camp, Smolensk, Borodino, Moscow, Krasnoye, etc.).

“War and Peace” reflects the entire diversity of Russian life at the beginning of the 19th century, its historical, social, everyday and psychological features.

The main characters of the novel - Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov - stand out noticeably among the heroes of Russian literature for their moral originality and intellectual wealth. In terms of character, they are sharply different, almost polar opposites. But the paths of their ideological quests have something in common.

Like many thinking people in the first years of the 19th century, and not only in Russia, Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky were fascinated by the “Napoleonism” complex. Bonaparte, who has just proclaimed himself Emperor of France, by inertia retains the aura of a great man, shaking the foundations of the old feudal-monarchical world. For the Russian state, Napoleon is a potential aggressor. For the ruling elite of Tsarist Russia, he is a daring plebeian, an upstart, even the “Antichrist,” as Anna Pavlovna Scherer calls him. And the young Prince Bolkonsky, like the illegitimate son of Count Bezukhov, has a semi-instinctive attraction to Napoleon - an expression of the spirit of opposition to the society to which they belong by birth. It will take a long journey of searching and testing before both former admirers of Napoleon feel their unity with their own people and find a place for themselves among those fighting on the Borodin field. For Pierre, it will take an even longer and more difficult path before he becomes a figure in a secret society, one of the future Decembrists. With the conviction that his friend, Prince Andrei, if he were alive, would have been on the same side.

The image of Napoleon in “War and Peace” is one of Tolstoy’s brilliant artistic discoveries. In the novel, the Emperor of the French acts at a time when he has transformed from a bourgeois revolutionary into a despot and conqueror. Tolstoy's diary entries during the period of work on War and Peace show that he followed a conscious intention - to remove the aura of false greatness from Napoleon. The writer was an opponent of artistic exaggeration both in the depiction of good and in the depiction of evil. And his Napoleon is not the Antichrist, not a monster of vice, there is nothing demonic in him. The debunking of the imaginary superman is carried out without violating everyday authenticity: the emperor is simply removed from the pedestal and shown at his normal human height.

The image of the Russian nation, victoriously resisting the Napoleonic invasion, is given by the author with a realistic sobriety, insight, and breadth unparalleled in world literature. Moreover, this breadth is not in the depiction of all classes and strata of Russian society (Tolstoy himself wrote that he did not strive for this), but in the fact that the picture of this society includes many types, variants of human behavior in conditions of peace and conditions of war. In the last parts of the epic novel, a grandiose picture of popular resistance to the invader is created. It involves soldiers and officers who heroically give their lives in the name of victory, and ordinary residents of Moscow who, despite Rostopchin’s calls, leave the capital, and men Karp and Vlas who do not sell hay to the enemy.

But at the same time, in the “greedy crowd standing at the throne,” the usual game of intrigue is going on. Tolstoy's principle of removing the halo is directed against all bearers of unlimited power. This principle is expressed by the author in a formula that brought upon him the angry attacks of loyal criticism: “The Tsar is a slave of history.”

In an epic novel, the psychological characteristics of individual characters are distinguished by strict certainty of moral assessments. Careerists, money-grubbers, court drones, living a ghostly, unreal life, in days of peace can still come to the fore, draw naively noble people into the orbit of their influence (like Prince Vasily - Pierre), can, like Anatol Kuragin, charm and deceive women. But in the days of a nationwide test, people like Prince Vasily, or careerist officers like Berg, fade away and quietly drop out of the circle of action: the narrator does not need them, just as Russia does not need them. The only exception is the rake Dolokhov, whose cold cruelty and reckless courage come in handy in the extreme conditions of partisan warfare.

For the writer, the war itself was and is “an event contrary to human reason and all human nature.” But in certain historical conditions, a war in defense of one’s native country becomes a severe necessity and can contribute to the manifestation of the best human qualities.

Thus, the homely captain Tushin decides the outcome of a major battle with his courage; Thus, the feminine, charming, generous-hearted Natasha Rostova performs a truly patriotic deed, persuading her parents to sacrifice family property and save the wounded.

Tolstoy was the first in world literature to show through artistic expression the importance of the moral factor in war. The Battle of Borodino became a victory for the Russians because for the first time “the hand of a powerful enemy was laid upon Napoleon’s army.” Kutuzov's strength as a commander is based on the ability to feel the spirit of the army and act in accordance with it. It is the feeling of internal connection with the people, with the mass of soldiers, that determines the way he acts.

Tolstoy's philosophical and historical reflections are directly related to Kutuzov. In his Kutuzov, both the mind and the will of a proven commander are revealed with complete clarity, who does not succumb to the elements, and wisely takes into account factors such as patience and time. Kutuzov's willpower and sobriety of his mind are manifested especially clearly in the scene of the council in Fili, where he - in defiance of all the generals - makes a responsible decision to leave Moscow.

The image of war is presented in the epic with high innovative art. In various scenes of military life, in the actions and remarks of the characters, the mood of the soldier masses is revealed, their steadfastness in battles, irreconcilable hatred of enemies and a good-natured and condescending attitude towards them when they are defeated and taken prisoner. In military episodes, the author’s thought is concretized: “A new force, unknown to anyone, rises - the people, and the invasion perishes.”

Platon Karataev occupies a special place among the characters in the epic. In the naively enthusiastic perception of Pierre Bezukhov, he is the embodiment of everything “Russian, kind and round”; Sharing with him the misfortunes of captivity, Pierre becomes familiar with folk wisdom and the people's destiny in a new way. Karataev seems to concentrate the qualities developed in the Russian peasant over centuries of serfdom - endurance, meekness, passive submission to fate, love for all people - and for no one in particular. However, an army consisting of such Platos could not defeat Napoleon. The image of Karataev is to a certain extent conventional, partly woven from the motifs of proverbs and epics.

“War and Peace,” the result of Tolstoy’s long-term research work on historical sources, was at the same time the artist-thinker’s response to the pressing problems that modernity posed to him. The social contradictions of Russia at that time are touched upon by the author only in passing and indirectly. But the episode of the peasant revolt in Bogucharovo, the pictures of popular unrest in Moscow on the eve of the arrival of the French there speak of class antagonisms. And it is quite natural that the action ends (not “unravels”) together with the denouement of the main plot conflict - the defeat of Napoleon. The sharp political dispute between Pierre Bezukhov and his brother-in-law Nikolai Rostov that unfolds in the epilogue, the dream-prophecy of young Nikolenka Bolkonsky, who wants to be worthy of the memory of his father - all this reminds of the new upheavals that Russian society is destined to experience.

The philosophical meaning of the epic is not limited to Russia. The opposition between war and peace is one of the central problems of the entire history of mankind. “Peace” for Tolstoy is a multi-valued concept: not only the absence of war, but also the absence of hostility between people and nations, harmony, commonwealth is the norm of existence to which we must strive.

The system of images of “War and Peace” refracts the thought formulated much later by Tolstoy in his diary: “Life is the more life, the closer its connection with the lives of others, with common life. It is this connection that is established by art in its broadest sense.” This is the special, deeply humanistic nature of Tolstoy’s art, which resonated in the souls of the main characters of War and Peace and determined the attractive power of the novel for readers of many countries and generations.

The main thing in today’s reading of Tolstoy remains his magical power, which he wrote about in a letter in 1865: “The artist’s goal is not to undeniably resolve the question, but to make one love life in its countless, never-exhaustible manifestations. If they had told me that I could write a novel, with which I would undeniably establish what seemed to me to be the correct view of all social issues, I would not have devoted even two hours of work to such a novel, but if I had been told that what I would write would be if today’s children read it in 20 years and will cry and laugh over it and love life, I would devote my whole life and all my strength to him.”

L.N. Tolstoy is the greatest colossus of all Russian literature. This iconic figure has become the personification of Russia in the cultural sphere. It is difficult to find a person who has never heard of this writer. "War and Peace" became the culmination of Tolstoy's work. This novel had a huge impact on the perception of both Russian literature and the entire world history.

Initially, Tolstoy planned to write a novel about the return from exile of a participant in the Decembrist uprising. However, having begun to develop the character, Tolstoy realized that he must first describe the uprising itself. After this, the writer was forced to return even further into the past of his hero, talking about his formation during the War of 1812. And over time, it was the era of the Napoleonic Wars that became the stage on which the action of the novel unfolded.

Almost every character in the novel was based on real people who lived in those times. We can find prototypes of many of them in the author’s family tree (almost 200 characters out of 559 are real):

Members of the Rostov and Bolkonsky family are similar to Tolstoy’s relatives - the Volkonsky and Tolstoys (the old Prince Nikolai, Count and Countess Rostov are the grandfathers and grandmothers of the writer himself, as he himself wrote about in the article “A few words about “War and Peace””).
The Kuragin family refers us to the rich noble family of the Kurakins.
Fyodor Dolokhov has a modified surname “Dorokhov”.
The Drubetsky family is an allusion to the famous noble surname “Trubetsky. As you know, a nobleman from this family took part in the Decembrist uprising, and his wife followed him to hard labor.
The legendary officer and partisan Denis Davydov in the person of hussar Vasily Denisov was also reflected in the novel.
There is an opinion that Prince Andrei Bolkonsky was based on the Russian Lieutenant General Nikolai Tuchkov, who also died on the Borodino field.
The author directly mentions some historical figures: Count Apraksin, Napoleon Bonoparte, Mikhail Kutuzov, Alexander the First, etc.

Interesting facts about the creation of the novel “War and Peace”:

The author wrote the book for 6 years - from 1863 to 1869 - and rewrote it 8 times;
The novel was originally called "1805", later "All's Well That Ends Well" and "Three Times".
Tolstoy, for obvious ethical reasons, denied that his heroes (except for Abrosimova and Denisov) had prototypes (article “A few words about “War and Peace””).

Direction, genre, composition

"War and Peace" certainly belongs to the direction of realism. The writer strives for the most reliable depiction of reality. The development of heroes takes place in accordance with the events of the surrounding world.

What is "War and Peace"? This is not a novel, still less a poem, even less a historical chronicle. “War and Peace” is what the author wanted and could express in the form in which it was expressed.

Before us is undoubtedly a worthy example of a historical epic novel. The author talks about epoch-making events taking place over a long period of time. Moreover, the action of the novel takes place against the backdrop of real historical events; the plot contains real historical figures and places.

The composition of the novel (linear) is notable for the author’s frequent monologues, during which we are taken away from the main characters and given a broader look at the situation. The structure of the book is multi-level: 4 volumes, each with several parts, which are divided into chapters.

Meaning of the name

Of the many theories that interpret the meaning of the title “War and Peace,” three stand out:

The first theory is that the title “War and Peace” reflects two states of society. In the first half of the novel, Tolstoy depicts “war” in a divided and weak society. And in the second, he shows us a people united by an external threat, who are at “peace” with themselves.
The second theory is based on the fact that the word “world” in the name actually means “people”. Thus, in a modern way, the title of the novel sounds like “War and the People.” This emphasizes the main theme of the novel - the people during the war and their role in it.
The third is related to the composition of the novel: some parts tell about peace, others about war. In contrast, the author shows how the character of the Russian people is revealed in different states and realities.

The essence

The novel is divided into many interconnected storylines, of which three stand out in particular:

Pierre Bezukhov's line tells the story of the hero's desire to find the meaning of his life. Throughout the entire novel, he goes through an unsuccessful marriage, carousing and luxury, Freemasonry, the Battle of Borodino, and only in the burned-out Moscow he left behind does he find a spiritual mentor in the person of a simple Russian soldier Karataev, who allows Bezukhov to find inner peace.
At the beginning of the novel, Andrei Bolkonsky strives for fame, but a serious injury raises questions about the meaning of existence. Trying to realize himself and find meaning in his life, Bolkonsky works in the government, tries to find happiness in marriage, defends the country from the French invasion, and only before his death from injury does he find peace and accept his fate.
Natasha Rostova goes through the hypocrisy and vulgarity of noble society and family problems, so that at the end of the story she turns from a flighty girl into a loving wife and mother.

In addition to these events, we can observe the fate of the Rostov, Bolkonsky and Kuragin families, as well as the historical events of the first half of the nineteenth century.

The main characters and their characteristics

The system of images in the novel “War and Peace” consists of several levels: division by family (these are the main families), classification by vocation (people of war and people of peace), typology by status (people and elite), and also by beliefs (independent loners like Bezukhov and Bolkonsky, and a secular society that equalizes people).

Pierre Bezukhov. Illegitimate son of a wealthy nobleman. An overweight and awkward person. He doesn't see well. He has remarkable physical strength, but a gentle disposition. Throughout the novel, he strives to understand the meaning of life, having gone through many trials, he finds peace of mind. At the end of the novel, a hint is made about Pierre's connection with the Decembrists. More details about the image of Bezukhov are written in a short summary from the Much-Wise Litrecon.
Andrey Bolkonsky. A representative of an ancient and noble family. Dry and cold person. At the beginning of the novel, he is obsessed with Napoleon and strives to follow his path. During the Battle of Austerlitz, he leads soldiers into the attack and is seriously wounded. Disillusioned with Napoleon and his past life. Returning to Russia, the prince falls into despondency, which Natasha Rostova’s cheerfulness helps him to dispel. Bolkonsky tries to improve life in Russia by participating in Speransky’s reforms, but soon realizes their impracticability. An attempt to marry Natasha also fails due to the intrigues of Anatoly Kuragin. During the war of the twelfth year, Bolkonsky goes to war. During the Battle of Borodino, he is mortally wounded, crossing the threshold of death for the second time, the prince resigns himself to his fate and calmly dies a few weeks later. And here it is.
Natasha Rostova. A naive, sincere and cheerful girl from a noble noble family. Throughout the novel, he serves as a source of spiritual strength for those around him. She was engaged to Bolkonsky, but succumbed to the charms of young Kuragin and almost ran away with him. In the twelfth year, she convinced her family to give up all the carts to save the wounded. She took care of the dying Prince Andrei. Helped her mother survive the death of Peter Rostov. After the war, she married Bezukhov and became a loving mother. The image of Natasha became the main theme of this.
Marya Bolkonskaya. Sister of Andrei Bolkonsky. An ugly, religious girl, intimidated by her father. She sincerely loves her family, sacrifices her happiness so as not to leave her parent alone. At the end of the novel she becomes the wife of Nikolai Rostov.
Nikolay Rostov. The eldest son in the Rostov family. He goes from a flighty and frivolous young man who wanted to go to war for adventure, to a disciplined officer and a real hero. He took upon himself all the worries about the family after the death of the old Count Rostov and the bankruptcy of the family. At the end of the novel, he marries Maria Rostova, becomes a die-hard conservative and a martinet.
Helen Kuragina. A beautiful, but vicious and empty woman. She used her beauty to marry Pierre and get his money. During the war with Napoleon, she converted to Catholicism and began divorce proceedings from Bezukhov, but soon died of illness.
Anatol Kuragin. Young nobleman. Beautiful on the outside, but ugly on the inside. A frivolous and self-righteous red tape. He almost seduced Natalya Rostova, disrupting her wedding with Bolkonsky and destroying her good name. During the Battle of Borodino, he lost his leg, lay in a field hospital next to Andrei Bolkonsky and received his forgiveness.
Vasily Kuragin. A cunning old careerist. Incredibly cynical. He doesn't love anyone, not even his children. Does not have firm beliefs, changes them so quickly that sometimes he gets confused.
Boris Drubetskoy. A young man from an impoverished noble family. With the help of his mother, he was able to break into high society and the highest echelons of power. A prudent careerist. Pleasant and courteous in communication. In any situation, strive for personal gain. In the twelfth year he looted in abandoned Moscow.
Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya. Boris's old mother, who has lost her position in the world. A cunning and stubborn woman. Loving and generous mother. She managed to pave the way for her son into the world. Helped Pierre get his father's entire inheritance.
Ilya Rostov. Old Count. Responsive, cheerful and sincere person. The loving father, without hesitation, paid off his son’s huge gambling debt. He sacrificed his property to take the wounded out of Moscow. Impractical, wasteful and narrow-minded in matters of economy. He died of grief after the loss of his son, leaving his family in a difficult situation.
Natalia Rostova. A courteous, kind woman whose meaning in life lies in motherhood. A good mother who supported her daughter Natasha after her failed escape with Kuragin. After the death of Peter, Rostova lost her mind.
Nikolai Bolkonsky. A retired general who suffered from his independence (he refused to marry to please the emperor). Patriot. A tough, businesslike and stubborn old man. He avoids the capital's salons and lives on his Bald Mountains estate. He is inclined to physical labor and considers idleness to be the greatest sin. He raised his children in an atmosphere of severity and moderation, but intimidated his daughter with his severity. He did not survive the news of the French invasion and died from overexertion.
Platon Karataev(the speaking name Plato comes from the ancient Greek philosopher). A simple Russian soldier. He is kind and sympathetic, strives for a simple and understandable truth - to help people, pity the weak, respect the strong, bring light and mercy. Becomes Pierre's spiritual mentor. Dies at the hands of the French during Napoleon's retreat.
Napoleon. Emperor of France. A smug fat guy who doesn't listen to anyone but himself. A nervous and ardent man, a good speaker, but a ruler indifferent to his people who walks over corpses for his glory. The image of Napoleon is briefly described
Kutuzov. He looks like a sleepy and narrow-minded old man, but has a sharp mind, a kind heart and true patriotism. He feels and understands his people, which allows him to defeat Napoleon. He cares not about glory, but about the lives of people, so he endures the wrath of the emperor, but still moves away from the enemy, without giving a decisive battle. More details have been written about him.

Themes

The themes of the novel “War and Peace” are very rich and diverse.

Family thought. Family is the most precious thing a person can have, and the author proves this truth in the text: using the example of the correct families of the Rostovs and Bolkonskys and the example of the incorrect family of the Kuragins, Tolstoy displays his vision of healthy family relationships. The theme of family in the novel “War and Peace” is discussed in more detail in.
Love. Tolstoy puts love between family members in first place. In most cases, only close relatives are capable of real feelings. So, Anna Drubetskaya, in a conversation with a friend, mentions that she doesn’t care about her reputation, and the meaning of her life is in her son. But these revelations were poured out on a childhood friend with the goal of getting money for Boris’s uniform. Love in the classical sense often turns out to be false, erroneous or simply unhappy. So, Andrei lost Natasha because of her mistake: she fell in love with the rake Anatole.
Patriotism. Tolstoy tries to draw a clear line between false patriotism and real patriotism. False patriotism is ostentatious bravado, which is used for their own purposes by scoundrels and hypocrites. True patriotism is a deep and unadvertised desire to protect your country, your home and your loved ones. This topic is central and is enriched with examples in.
People's thought. By naturalistically and often even repulsively depicting historical figures, Tolstoy seeks to show the insignificance of the individual in the historical process. In his opinion, great things are accomplished not by emperors, but by ordinary people. Famous personalities only find themselves on the crest of a wave, rising on a spontaneous rise. The writer brings to the fore the popular masses, on whom people like Napoleon rise.
Nature theme. Nature in the novel “War and Peace” is depicted as an integral part of man, as the personification of his soul. Heaven and earth symbolize the entire universe, of which man is a part.
Spiritual exploration. Tolstoy considers spiritual search and self-knowledge vital for a person. Only those characters in the novel who strive for truth find their happiness, and those who simply live their lives in pursuit of material values disappear, leaving nothing behind. The spiritual quest of Prince Bolkonsky (for example) is described in this.

Problems

The problems of the novel “War and Peace” are as multifaceted and extensive as the author’s narrative.

Speaking on conservative Russian positions, Tolstoy glorified the patriotic war of the Russian people with a foreign conqueror. However, at the same time, he noted the injustice of the world in general and Russian society in particular. The meaning of the author’s position is that it is hardly possible to solve these problems at the global level (Prince Andrei’s attempts will be in vain). But he showed how a simple person, with the help of love, can overcome evil in himself, which will undoubtedly help all of humanity find happiness in the future. This is the main idea of the novel “War and Peace”.

Each of us must listen to ourselves and look for our own individual path of development, without allowing society to adversely influence our beliefs. In working on oneself, the writer saw a person’s opportunity to change the world, starting, of course, with himself. Inner freedom and dependence are the key to understanding Tolstoy’s ideas:

...The less our activity is connected with the activities of other people, the freer it is, and vice versa, the more our activity is connected with other people, the more unfree it is. The strongest, unbreakable, difficult and constant connection with other people is the so-called power over other people, which in its true meaning is only the greatest dependence on them. (L.N. Tolstoy)

Thus, emperors and generals who think that they control the course of history only convince themselves of this by self-deception. History is “ruled by providence,” and people gather and kill each other not by order, but by the powerful force of the interdependence of phenomena, which led to such consequences. True personal freedom is possible only when one is alone, away from society.

Historicism

The novel covers a large period of time from 1805 to 1820. The author describes the Battle of Austerlitz, the Peace of Tilsit, Speransky's reforms, the Battle of Borodino, and the burning of Moscow.

When working on the novel, Tolstoy used a huge amount of historical materials, so the historicity of the novel is at a very high level, right down to the presence in the novel of real statements of historical figures.

Wherever historical figures speak and act in my novel, I did not invent, but used materials from which during my work I formed a whole library of books, the titles of which I do not find the need to write out here, but which I can always refer to.

The historian and the artist, when describing a historical era, have two completely different subjects. Just as a historian will be wrong if he tries to present a historical person in all his integrity, in all the complexity of his relationships to all aspects of life, so the artist will not fulfill his task if he always presents a person in his historical meaning. Kutuzov, not always with a telescope, pointed at enemies, rode on a white horse.

Criticism

The novel was enthusiastically received not only by the Russian, but by the entire world literary community. All critics noted the scale and significance of the work done. The work was highly appreciated by such outstanding writers and publicists as Turgenev and Pisarev.

“I just finished the 4th volume of War and Peace. There are unbearable things and there are amazing things; and these amazing things, which essentially prevail, are so magnificently good that nothing better has ever been written by anyone; Yes, it’s unlikely that anything so good was written. Volume 4 and Volume 1 are weaker than Volume 2 and especially Volume 3; Volume 3 is almost all “chef d’œuvre.” (I. A. Turgenev - A. Fet, letter dated April 12, 1868)

“...The novel by Count L. Tolstoy can be called an exemplary work regarding the pathology of Russian society.<…>He sees for himself and tries to show others clearly, down to the smallest details and shades, all the features that characterize the time and people of that time - people of the circle that is most interesting to him or accessible to his study. He only tries to be truthful and accurate... (D.I. Pisarev, article “The Old Nobility: (“War and Peace.” Works by Count L.N. Tolstoy. Volumes I, II and III. Moscow, 1868)”

At the same time, the author’s views on historical processes could not help but meet with protest from both literary critics and historians. The innovation of the novel “War and Peace” was perceived by many as an insult to the memory of the soldiers and officers who fought:

...In the book mentioned, it is difficult to decide and even guess where the story ends and where the novel begins, and vice versa. This interweaving, or rather confusion, of history and novel, undoubtedly harms the former and ultimately ... does not elevate the true dignity ... of the novel.” (P. A. Vyazemsky, article “Memories of 1812”, “Complete Works of P. A. Vyazemsky”, 1878-1896)

“I myself was a participant in the Battle of Borodino and a close eyewitness to the pictures so incorrectly depicted by Count Tolstoy, and no one can convince me of what I am proving. A surviving witness of the Patriotic War, I could not finish reading this novel, which has a claim to be historical, without an offended patriotic feeling...” (A.S. Norov, article “War and Peace” from a historical point of view and according to the memoirs of a contemporary,” “Military collection", 1868, No. 11)

At the moment, the novel is a recognized masterpiece among novels, and thanks to it Tolstoy’s views on history have become widespread.

“We base our right to speak about a new, unfinished work by gr. L. N. Tolstoy, firstly, on his enormous success in the public... and secondly, on the very richness and completeness of the content of the three parts of the novel that have now been published, which revealed the author’s entire plan and all his goals, along with an amazing talent for implementation and achieving them.<…>(P.V. Annenkov, “Historical and aesthetic issues in the novel by Count L.N. Tolstoy “War and Peace””, 1868)

Critic and literary critic P.V. Annenkov also noted the originality of the novel “War and Peace” - it lies in the fact that the novel is the “cultural history” of the noble class and reflects the values and guidelines on which the worldview of our ancestors was based.

(1863-1869)
The genre nature of a work largely determines its content, composition, and the nature of plot development and manifests itself in them. L. Tolstoy himself found it difficult to determine the genre of his work, he said that it was “not a novel, not a story... even less a poem, even less a historical chronicle,” he preferred to claim that he wrote simply a “book.” Over time, the idea of “War and Peace” as an epic novel became established. Epic presupposes comprehensiveness, depiction of the most important phenomena of national life in a historical era that determines its further development. The life of the highest noble society, the fate of men, officers and soldiers of the Russian army, public sentiments and mass movements characteristic of the depicted time form the broadest panorama of national life. The author's thought and his openly sounding word connect the pictures of a bygone era with the modern state of Russian life, substantiate the universal, philosophical meaning of the events depicted. And the novel’s beginning is manifested in “War and Peace” through the depiction of various characters and destinies in complex interweaving and interaction.
The very title of the novel "War and Peace" reflects its synthetic genre nature. All possible meanings of the ambiguous words that make up the title are important for the writer. War is a clash of armies, and a confrontation between people and groups, interests as the basis of many social processes and personal choices of people. Peace can be understood as the absence of military action, but also as the totality of social strata, individuals that make up a society, a people; in another context, the world is the people closest to, most dear to a person, phenomena, or all of humanity, even everything living and inanimate in nature, interacting according to the laws that the mind seeks to comprehend. All these aspects, questions, problems arise in one way or another in “War and Peace” and are important for the author.
The system of characters in the epic novel is extremely complex, researchers count over five hundred characters in the work, and at the same time, the author manages to make their connections and relationships quite transparent, the most important characters prominent, clearly defined, not obscuring others. The hard work on the work, which was revised and simply rewritten by the author himself several times, had an effect.
The heroes of "War and Peace" are difficult to divide according to the traditional principle: positive - negative. There are no unambiguous characters in the novel, and especially among the heroes who most actively participate in the action and pass through the entire work. The author's greatest attention is attracted to people who are capable of change, who are not frozen, who are developing. Pierre Bezukhov, Andrei Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova, of all the characters in the novel, go through the most complex evolution, and they stand at the center of the work. It is in the search for such personalities, wanderings, mistakes, intellectual and moral gains and losses that history and era reveal themselves. For Tolstoy, in general, it is very important to show that history is not impersonal, that it is the combined activity of all people: “The movement of humanity, resulting from countless human tyranny, occurs continuously,” says the author. Let us also recall one of Pierre Bezukhov’s dreams in captivity, where he sees the world in the form of a sphere with chaotically moving drops to an outsider’s eye. And these drops are people, their movements make up life, history.
Tolstoy radically rethinks the role of the individual in history. He abandons the concept of an outstanding, exceptional personality. The development of the image of Napoleon is consistently subordinated to the debunking of this concept in the novel. Napoleon, as depicted by the writer, is a selfish poseur, a man who believes that his will determines the movement of millions of people and the fate of history. The writer offers a classic comparison of Napoleon with a boy pulling the strings inside the carriage, believing that he controls its movement. However, the individual is brought to the forefront of history or overthrown into the darkness of historical oblivion at the behest of larger forces. Tolstoy generalizes the idea of them in the concept of “people”. The War of 1812 was a clash between the Russian people and the peoples of Western Europe. Moreover, aggressively minded peoples acquire signs of a crowd. It is she who puts forward the kind of leader she needs, like Napoleon was - cruel, unprincipled, selfish, vain. With his internal qualities, he corresponds to the goals of the crowd, and these are “deceptions, robberies and murders”, war.
Another type of historical personality is a truly people's leader, the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Kutuzov. He is nominated to lead the army, the goal of which is the salvation of the homeland, not by the will of the emperor, intrigue or personal military leadership talent, but by peace, the collective popular will of Russia. Here, too, the choice unmistakably corresponds to the goals of the people. The main one among them is peace, only in the sense of the absence of war, the absence of an enemy on one’s native land. It is precisely this goal that Kutuzov serves, emphatically democratic, simple and open in all cases when he is not dealing with big and small Napoleons, of whom there are many in the Russian army and at court.
The writer paradoxically draws the reader's attention to the apparent passivity and inactivity of Kutuzov even in the most difficult moments that require decisions: the Battle of Borodino, the council in Fili. Kutuzov is like this because he understands that arbitrary actions of individuals can change little in the direction of history, the course of a historical event. They are determined by the combined will of the masses, “all, without a single exception, all the people taking part in the event.” Kutuzov’s genius lies in his exceptional sensitivity to this will and in the fact that the impulses of his great and passionate soul coincided with what was experienced by the thousands of soldiers he led and the millions of Russian people they represented. This includes hatred of enemies during battle, and a generous attitude towards the vanquished: “We did not feel sorry for ourselves, but now we can feel sorry for them. They are people too. Right, guys?" It does not seem accidental for the writer that Kutuzov’s departure from the department after the liberation of the Russian land: a foreign campaign is already politics, there is no national necessity in it. Grandfather, father - this is how ordinary people call Kutuzov, emphasizing the family, tribal nature of the spiritual connection with their leader. “There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth,” L. Tolstoy summarizes his observations of two types of historical figures.
The gradual and painful overcoming of Napoleonism determines the direction of development of the personality of Andrei Bolkonsky. Kutuzov is shown exclusively in the sphere of social activities. It is extremely important for the active, thinking Bolkonsky. But the image of one of the main characters is revealed no less fully in his inner life, family and everyday relationships, and in his love for Natasha Rostova.
At the beginning of the novel, Andrei is inclined to think that his personal participation can and should turn the story in the right direction. He is obsessed with the idea of a noble feat, he is not satisfied with vegetating in the capital's salons with their petty intrigues and dirty passions. Honest, noble Bolkonsky is eager to fight, looking for something to do. But his idol is Napoleon, and he considers himself an outstanding person, capable of doing on the battlefield, at headquarters, what others cannot. During the foreign campaign, during the battle of Austerlitz, all previous illusions and values collapsed. Even Napoleon against the background of the eternal sky seemed small and uninteresting.
Family concerns, raising his son, managing the estate - Andrei thinks that this is now the meaning of his life. But the active nature takes its toll. Meeting and conversations with his faithful friend, Pierre, and acquaintance with Natasha convince the hero that “life is not over.” It is reborn like an old oak encountered on the way to Otradnoye. Only now he does not separate himself from people, he strives to merge with kindred souls. They cannot be found in the higher spheres, in Speransky’s circle, but Natasha and everything connected with her give Andrey hope for a happy, meaningful and spiritually fulfilled existence.
The writer emphasizes that his characters have a strong tribal element. For Andrey, this is, first of all, pride, aristocracy, uncompromisingness, and following the path of honor. He can understand Natasha’s mistake, but he cannot forgive it. These people were too different. But 1812 revealed what makes them organic parts of a more significant world than the family. They act as particles of a people inspired by a single goal. Never before had the aristocrat Bolkonsky been so close and understandable to those ordinary people with whom fate brought him together. Because they live by a common feeling: “The French have ruined my house and are going to ruin Moscow, and they have insulted and insulted me every second. They are my enemies, they are all criminals, according to my standards. And Timokhin and the whole army think the same.”
To understand another, to get closer to the mental state of other people - the proud and lonely Bolkonsky strove for this all his life. In the face of death during the war, in his dying suffering, he managed to achieve this. In everyday existence, the fullness of the “swarm” existence was still revealed to him with difficulty. Andrei, according to the writer’s plan, is ready to die truly heroically, without posture (although his behavior at the fateful moment is indicative - and here Bolkonsky did not want to bend, let alone fall and cling to the ground, seeking salvation and support from it). The metaphorically understood “earth”, simplicity and naturalness of behavior in everyday life are recognized by him as the most important value, but are not given to him. He leaves the battlefield, which life turned out to be for him, with the thought: “There was something in this life that I did not understand and do not understand.”
This understanding of the most important thing in life not only gradually becomes the worldview of Pierre Bezukhov, it has always been the unconscious basis of his behavior. It is symbolic that Pierre is a distinctly peaceful, worldly person. He enters the novel in this role from the very beginning. That’s why Pierre looks funny and clumsy in Scherer’s salon, because he is open, not committed to conventions, natural in every word, truthful like a child. There for everything there is a place, time, form - the “clumsy” Pierre destroys all these lifeless conventions.
However, living according to the dictates of the heart without the proper life experience, without the necessary intellectual support, initially leads him to numerous mistakes and suffering. He becomes a toy in the hands of intriguers fighting for the inheritance of Count Bezukhov, he is married to the immoral, cold Helen, and forced to shoot with Dolokhov. The artificially constructed philosophy of the Freemasons, which is far from the life with which Pierre is literally saturated, cannot satisfy Pierre for long.
The novel was originally conceived by Tolstoy as a work about a Decembrist returning from exile. Attempts to understand and explain the peculiar intellectual and moral complex that formed the basis of the activities of the Decembrists forced the writer to go to the origins of its origins, and they turned out to be connected with the Patriotic War. It was the war that “rounded”, brought into harmonious balance the impulses of the soul and the searches of Pierre’s mind, and predetermined his future path.
Andrei explains the tasks and logic of behavior of the people's commander to Pierre, but Bezukhov achieves complete personal fusion with the people. Already at the Raevsky Battery, the soldiers show “affectionate and playful concern for Pierre, similar to what soldiers have for their animals.” It is important for the writer to emphasize this “animal,” organic, sensual level of Pierre’s rapprochement with the masses.
The battle and Pierre's subsequent stay in captivity are depicted precisely as a cruel meat grinder. Tolstoy does not skimp on naturalistic details, not only when describing the battlefield and infirmaries, but also when talking about, for example, how physically Pierre and other people suffered in captivity, what his broken, scabbed legs looked like, etc. There is a true communion with the flesh and blood of the people. For the spiritual development of the future Decembrist, going through all this turned out to be extremely important. Here he gains a sense of blood, inextricable connection with the people, literally becomes part of their worldly body that has survived the trials.
And this familiarization with the “earth,” the common, the swarm, does not at all deprive a person of individuality, free will and choice. On the contrary, having realized himself as an organic part of the national whole, Pierre acts more freely, obeying the considerations of his own mind and the dictates of his, now also popular moral feeling, heart. Platon Karataev, the embodiment of “everything Russian, good, round,” had a huge influence on the formation of the updated Pierre. Pierre carries memories of him throughout his life. But when asked whether Karataev would approve of what he is now doing, and Pierre “was one of the main founders” of a certain secret society, he replies: “No, he would not approve... What he would approve of is our family life " The world, of which Pierre realized himself, imposes on him the obligation to strive for good and gives him the opportunity to freely choose a morally pure path to it.
There are numerous female characters in the novel. Natasha Rostova most fully embodies the writer’s ideas about the free, natural and organic development of the female personality. She was given the opportunity to experience different manifestations of the most important feeling in life - love: childhood love for Boris Drubetsky, the unexpected matchmaking of Vasily Denisov, a strange, great and frightening love for Andrei Bolkonsky, which ended in a breakup due to reckless infatuation, passion caused by Anatoly Kuragin, and finally, persistent , a feeling for Pierre that is not subject to the destructive influence of time and distance.
And in all these complex and contradictory circumstances, Natasha remains herself, retains her main qualities - spontaneity, integrity of emotional reaction to the world, commitment to goodness, a sense of justice, love of life, surprise at its mystery, beauty, incomprehensibility, everything that so amazed and Andrey was attracted to him even during his first, correspondence acquaintance with Natasha in Otradnoye.
The connection with the national world of Tolstoy’s heroine is also organic; it initially has a heartfelt basis, not a head or social class one. “Where, how, when did this countess, raised by a French emigrant, suck into herself from that Russian air that she breathed, this spirit, where did she get these techniques from...?” - the author exclaims, talking about Natasha’s dance at her uncle’s.
Not everything is simple in the life of such spontaneous natures. The “mistake” with Anatole is very indicative of the difficulties associated with their self-determination in a world where there is not only goodness and selflessness, but also evil and selfishness. Anatole displays them as naturally and directly, freely as Natasha does his best qualities, and attracts her precisely because he is, in a certain sense, “like her,” only with a different acquaintance.
It was necessary to go through trials and suffering in order to gain the necessary experience, endurance, which restrains the heroine’s sometimes overflowing life. This is her charm, but this also became a source of dangers for Natasha that could not be overcome painlessly.
It is characteristic that for her, as for Pierre, the way out of a moral impasse, the full disclosure of personality inclinations, is associated with spiritual uplift, trials, losses, suffering, and self-sacrifice, which the Patriotic War demanded of the Russian people.
The spiritualized, and not animal, happiness of a mother, wife, beloved, found in a difficult search, is justified by Tolstoy’s view of Natasha as a truly folk national female type.
We should at least briefly dwell on the features of Tolstoy’s artistic mastery in the novel. We have already noted the compositional harmony and plot transparency with all the substantive complexity of such a multi-figured work. Tolstoy's outstanding achievement is also considered to be the reconstruction of the dialectics of the soul, psychological analysis in forms unknown before him. Leo Tolstoy creates a feeling of complete authenticity, rawness of many of the characters’ internal monologues. Thought develops according to the laws of internal associations and unexpected connections. Normal logic and causality are violated. The characters embody a purely subjective view of the world that is unique to them. Points of view intersect, positions collide, in turn generating internal emotional and intellectual reactions. The very manner of the narration seems to embody the principle of a “swarm”, universal, apparently chaotic, but rushing towards specific goals of movement. These general goals of the book are determined by the author. He formulates them directly - in the original social and philosophical parts of the novel, and also draws the necessary lines to that point, the emotional and semantic “focus where everything comes from and where it converges” (L. Tolstoy), using plot and compositional means.
The creative legacy and tireless international activity of Leo Tolstoy had a huge impact on the development of world literature, art, philosophy, social theories and practice. Tolstoy himself said that he rejoiced at “Tolstoy’s authority. Thanks to him, I have connections like radii with the most distant countries.” He corresponded with thousands of correspondents around the world. The authority of Russian thought and Russian art through the efforts of L.N. Tolstoy has grown significantly.