There are about six hundred characters in War and Peace. “It is terribly difficult to think over and rethink everything that can happen to all future people of the forthcoming work, a very large one, and to think over millions of possible combinations in order to choose one millionth of them,” the writer complained. Tolstoy experienced such difficulties while working on each of his great works. But they were especially great when the writer created War and Peace.
This is natural, because the action of the novel lasts more than fifteen years and covers "an enormous number of events. The writer really had to think over "millions of possible combinations" and choose from them only the most necessary, most vivid and truthful. Tolstoy wrote fifteen options for the beginning of the "War" during the year and the world. "As it is clear from the surviving manuscripts, he tried to start the novel with the author's introduction, which gave an assessment of the historical events of 1812, then with a scene that takes place either in Moscow, or in St. Petersburg, or in the estate of the old prince Bolkonsky, or abroad. What the writer was trying to achieve by changing the beginning of the novel so many times can be understood by reading the scene that opens "War and Peace" Tolstoy shows the high-society salon of the maid of honor Anna Pavlovna Scherer, where eminent guests meet and have a lively conversation about what most worried about in at that time, Russian society - about the upcoming war with Napoleon.
Reading this scene, we get to know many characters and among them the two main characters of the novel - Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov. Tolstoy found such a beginning of the work that immediately introduces us to the atmosphere of the pre-war era, introduces us to the main characters, shows how their views and opinions clashed when assessing the most pressing issues of the time. And already from this first scene to the end of the novel, we follow with unflagging interest and excitement how events unfold and how an increasing number of people become participants in them. Nevertheless, it should be noted that there are episodes in War and Peace where the image of Kutuzov is shown inconsistently. Tolstoy believed that the development of all events taking place in the world does not depend on the will of people, but is predetermined from above.
It seemed to the writer that Kutuzov thought the same way and did not consider it necessary to interfere in the development of events. But this decisively contradicts the image of Kutuzov, which was created by Tolstoy himself. The writer emphasizes that the great commander knew how to understand the spirit of the army and sought to control it, that all Kutuzov's thoughts and all his actions were aimed at one goal - to defeat the enemy. Contradictoryly drawn in the novel is the image of the soldier Platon Karataev, whom Pierre Bezukhoye met and became friends with in captivity. Karataev is characterized by such features as gentleness, humility, readiness to forgive and forget any offense. Pierre listens with surprise, and then with delight, to Karata's stories, which always end with gospel calls to love everyone and forgive everyone. But the same Pierre had to see the terrible end of Platon Karataev.
When the French were driving a party of prisoners along a muddy autumn road, he fell from weakness and could not get up. And the guards ruthlessly shot him. One cannot forget this terrible scene: the murdered Karataev lies by the muddy forest road, and a hungry, lonely, freezing little dog sits and howls near him, which he saved from death so recently ... Fortunately, the "Karataev" features were unusual for Russian people, defending their land.
Reading "War and Peace", we see that it was not Platon Karataev who defeated Napoleon's army. This was done by the fearless gunners of the modest Captain Tushin, the brave soldiers of Captain Timokhin, the cavalrymen of Uvarov, and the partisans of Captain Denisov. The Russian army and the Russian people defeated the enemy. And this is shown with great force in the novel. It is no coincidence that during the Second World War, Tolstoy's book was a reference book for people from different countries who fought against the invasion of Hitler's fascist hordes.
And it will always serve as a source of patriotic inspiration for all freedom-loving people. From the epilogue that ends the novel, we learn about how his characters lived after the end of the Patriotic War of 1812. Pierre Bezukhoye and Natasha Rostova joined their destinies, found their own. Pierre is still concerned about the future of his homeland.
He became a member of a secret organization from which the Decembrists would later emerge. Young Nikolenka Bolkonsky, the son of Prince Andrei, who died from a wound received on the Borodino field, listens attentively to his heated speeches. You can guess the future of these people by listening to their conversation. Nikolenka asks Pierre: "Uncle Pierre... If dad were alive...
would he agree with you?" And Pierre replies: "I think so ..." At the end of the novel, Tolstoy draws a dream of Nikolenka Bolkonsky.
He and Pierre go to the difficult and glorious ahead of a huge army. Waking up, Nikolenka makes a firm decision: to live in such a way as to be worthy of the memory of his father. "Father! Father!
Nikolenka thinks. “Yes, I will do what even he would be pleased with.” With this oath, Nikolenka Tolstoy completes the storyline of the novel, as if opening the veil to the future, stretching the threads from one era of Russian life to another, when the heroes of 1825 entered the historical arena - Decembrists.
The theme of honor and dishonor in the novel "War and Peace"
At the beginning of the 20th century, L.N. Tolstoy was called "a teacher in life and in art" and these lines still express the attitude of the people of the 21st century towards him, the legacy of the brilliant writer continues to amaze with both life and creative discoveries. The reader of any age will find here the answer to his questions, he reveals the secrets of the human soul, consciousness from the very beginning of mankind, childhood. The works of Leo Tolstoy are read, remembered and loved by people all over the world. They are close and understandable to everyone, because they pose the eternal problems of life that concern all people and which they themselves have experienced more than once.
This is primarily a problem of the moral purity of people, their souls.
What is it that attracts us to the heroes of the works of L.N. Thick? They attract us with their originality, their bright individual character, originality, richness of the soul.
His heroes, like living people, make us think, dream, experience, feel the same way as they do. Thanks to the skill of the writer, one can not help thinking that the characters in the works exist, continuing their journey somewhere nearby, you can really see them, turn to them with urgent questions. Sometimes it even seems that he has fallen into another dimension, into the life that the characters live, into that environment of society that L.N. Tolstoy. The images created by Tolstoy are different from all other literary heroes. They can be recognized from thousands of others, because no other author has ever had such living, real characters, the heroes of L.N. Tostoy's novels always live in the soul of each of us.
The novel by L.N. is very dear to me. Tolstoy "War and Peace". How many wonderful evenings I spent behind this work! The novel left an indelible impression on my soul. I admire the author for his ability to show readers all the secrets of the human soul. Yes, in his novel "the human soul is depicted with a reality that is still unprecedented in our literature." N.N. Strakhov noted this very accurately. I think L.N. Tolstoy truthfully and without embellishment showed all the emotional experiences of the characters, the inner world of each of them. And this speaks of the author's great understanding of the human soul. The novel "War and Peace" is simply the greatest work! It accurately depicts the world of the human soul, its wealth and shortcomings. There are many characters in the novel, but it seems to me that they can be divided into two large groups. In the first group there are people who have lost their spirituality, deaf to the dictates of conscience, the call of the heart, they hide their spiritual emptiness behind euphonious, hypocritical speeches. These include the families of the Kuragins, Drubetskys, A.P. Sherer and her "important" guests. L.N. Tolstoy is irreconcilable to them: he accompanies almost every word and movement of the author with ironic comments. Another group are members of old noble families who have preserved certain traditions and have a rich spiritual heritage. The writer feels frank sympathy for them, although he does not hush up the class prejudices prevailing here. Andrei and Marya Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova, Pierre Bezukhov are Tolstoy's favorite characters. They express his thoughts and feelings.
The author forces his characters to be extremely sincere, kind, noble.
A. Bolkonsky and N. Rostova and - my favorite characters, it was their experiences and thoughts, spiritual searches that the writer showed with all his inherent writing power.
Andrei Bolkonsky is a rich, whole, strong-willed nature. He is a man of duty, honor, ready to give everything for a noble goal. The thoughts of Andrei Bolkonsky are noble, although he spends all his talent and inquisitive mind in St. Petersburg salons, among fake masks. It seems to me that Leo Tolstoy's skill in depicting the soul lies in the fact that he showed a person in different situations, because the state of mind of a person is constantly changing, it is looking for the highest, is in search of the truth of human existence. When A.P. Scherer saw him for the first time in his salon, “all those who were in the living room were not only familiar, but they were so tired of him that it was very boring for him to look at them and listen to them,” it seems to us that he is a boring phlegmatic society, but the appearance Pierre makes you forget about it: Leo Tolstoy more than once uses the word "kind", look, smile, these small details show us the hero's soul to the greatest extent. Andrei strives for his Toulon, he goes to war, this manifested his love for the Motherland. They read me!
frankly, I was struck by how L.N. Tolstoy portrayed the scene of farewell between father and son, he showed what a truly Bolkonsky spirit is, the relationship between father and son, sometimes seems strange, but this is exactly what the family traditions of the proud and valiant Bolkonsky family show.
Field of Austerlitz, "it began, here it is" these are the thoughts that blow from everywhere, in this line you can hear the voice of the people, Russian fearlessness and endless love for the motherland. Field of Austerlitz, the battle ended, the wounded Prince Andrei. This scene, in my opinion, is the apogee of Leo Tolstoy's literary gift. In my opinion, no one in literature has yet been able to show the feelings and thoughts of a seriously wounded man in the way Tolstoy did. Prince Andrei opened his eyes, he saw the sky, only one sky. And he was struck by something he had never noticed: how calm it was. "Yes! Everything is empty, everything is deceit, except for this endless sky," Andrey thought. So life opened up in a new way for Prince Andrei. He realized that in addition to war and glory, there is a simple human life with its joys and hardships. He wanted to love and be loved, probably, like all mortal people. This scene made me look at many things in a different way, it seemed to open for me the curtain of the soul of a person who was in a difficult situation. After Austerlitz, the hero's life changed a lot: the death of his wife, the birth of a son. He became completely different, the author showed a change in the soul of the hero of the dialogue x with Pierre, his impressions "... he was struck by the change that had taken place in Prince Andrei. The words were affectionate, the smile was on the lips and face of Prince Andrei, but the look was extinct, dead" Tolstoy often uses the phrase "dead look", this expresses the state of the hero's soul, he seems to freeze, does not strive for the best, high spiritual aspirations - this is the basis of life, the writer showed that the hero has lost this, this is Tolstoy's talent, which he showed spiritual collapse, crisis and at the same time how a person overcomes this with the help of a great feeling of love. The writer showed this revival in meetings with oak in May and June. Oak in May: "old with broken, long seen, boughs and with broken bark, overgrown with old sores. With its huge clumsy, asymmetrically splayed, clumsy hands and fingers" , state of oak e!
the state of the hero's soul, his attitude to the world around him. An indelible mark on the soul of Andrei Bolkonsky was left by a meeting with the young Rostova, and such an unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes suddenly arose in his soul, "L.N. Tolstoy opens this spiritual and moral revival through" that very oak. The old oak was all transformed ... No clumsy fingers, no sores, no old grief and distrust, nothing was visible. "The oak returned to life again and our hero is again morally alive, full of strength, energy, that apathetic attitude towards the world has disappeared" No, life not finished at the age of 31, - all of a sudden, finally, invariably decided Prince Andrei. - Not only do I know everything that is in me, it is necessary that everyone knows this "With the help of describing nature, Tolstoy showed not only the worldview and spiritual renewal, but also how nature affects the human soul. This connection of inner life a person with the life of nature is especially tangible, because Tolstoy speaks of nature inspiring it, endowing it with a human!
mi features; looking at an oak tree, Prince Andrey sees not branches, not bark, not growths on it, but “fingers”, “hands”, “old sores”. “We must live in such a way that everyone knows me, so that my life goes on not for me alone ... so that it affects everyone and that they all live with me!” - this is the conclusion the hero comes to after experiencing unfamiliar feelings.
In continuation of the whole story about the fate of Andrei L.N. Tolstoy very realistically depicts the soul of the hero, his desire for a new life. This once again proves that in the novels of L.N. Tolstoy "the human soul is depicted with a reality that is still unprecedented in our literature." Tolstoy revealed the soul of his heroes, he showed the state of mind of people very deeply and truthfully. We see the enrichment of the human soul and its rebirth. And in conclusion, I want to say: "Tolstoy is a wonderful Russian writer!" Roman L.N. Tolstoy, I think, will always attract with its truth and originality. Tolstoy, like no one else, was able to depict with great artistic power all the movements of the human soul.
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Final essay - 2016
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Direction "Honor and dishonor"
Honor is a complex ethical and social concept associated with the assessment of such personality traits as loyalty, justice, truthfulness, nobility, dignity.
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"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy
The problem of moral self-improvement of the individual has always been one of the most important in the work of Leo Tolstoy. In the center of the novel "War and Peace" is the image of the Patriotic War of 1812, which stirred up the entire Russian people, showing the whole world its power and strength. A great historical upheaval revealed the true essence of each individual person.
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"The forces of two dozen languages broke into Russia", our people rose to the holy liberation war. Tolstoy shows in the novel what a mighty impulse grew "hidden patriotism" that lived in the heart of every truly Russian person who loved his homeland. The goal of the people was one: to clear their land from invasion. The thoughts of all true patriots, from the commander-in-chief Kutuzov to the ordinary soldier and peasant militia, were directed towards the realization of this goal.
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Andrey Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov, Vasily Denisov and Captain Timokhin were striving for the same goal. For her sake, young Petya Rostov gives his life. Natasha Rostova and Marya Bolkonskaya wish victory over the enemy with all their hearts.
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There is no reason to doubt the truth of the patriotic feelings that owned both the old prince Bolkonsky and Nikolai Rostov, in the character of which positive and negative features were intricately combined.
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Andrei Bolkonsky is an image that embodies the best features of the representatives of the advanced noble society of his time. Bolkonsky comes into contact with the commander Kutuzov, serves as his adjutant. Andrei sharply opposes secular society and staff officers, being their antipode. For the first time we meet Andrei Bolkonsky in the Sherer salon. Much in his behavior and appearance expresses deep disappointment in secular society, boredom from visiting living rooms, fatigue from empty and deceitful conversations. This is evidenced by his tired, bored look, the grimacing that spoiled his handsome face, the manner of squinting when looking at people. Gathering in the cabin, he contemptuously calls "stupid society."
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He has an irresistible thirst for real life. His sharp, analytical mind is attracted to her, broad requests push him to great achievements. Their opportunity, according to Andrey, is opened for him by the army and participation in military campaigns. Although he can easily stay in St. Petersburg, serve as an aide-de-camp here, he goes to where the hostilities are going on. The battles of 1805 were for Bolkonsky a way out of the impasse. Army service becomes one of the important stages in the search for Tolstoy's hero. Here he sharply separates himself from the numerous seekers of fast careers and high awards that could be found at the headquarters. Unlike Zherkov and Drubetskoy, Prince Andrei organically cannot be a lackey. He is not looking for reasons to rise in ranks and awards, and he consciously begins his service in the army from the lower ranks in the ranks of Kutuzov's adjutants.
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Bolkonsky keenly feels his responsibility for the fate of Russia. The Ulm defeat of the Austrians and the appearance of the defeated General Mack gives rise to disturbing thoughts in his soul about what obstacles stand in the way of the Russian army.
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Prince Andrei is unusually ambitious. The hero of Tolstoy dreams of such a personal feat that would glorify him and oblige people to render him enthusiastic respect. He cherishes the idea of fame, similar to the one that Napoleon got in the French city of Toulon, which would lead him out of the ranks of unknown officers. One can forgive Andrei for his ambition, realizing that he is driven by "a thirst for such a feat that is necessary for a military man."
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The battle of Shengraben already to some extent allowed Bolkonsky to show his courage. He boldly goes around the positions under the bullets of the enemy. He alone dared to go to Tushin's battery and did not leave it until the guns were removed. Here, in the battle of Shengraben, Bolkonsky was lucky enough to witness the heroism and courage shown by the gunners of Captain Tushin. In addition, he himself showed military restraint and courage here, and then one of all the officers came to the defense of the little captain. Shengraben, however, has not yet become Bolkonsky's Toulon.
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The battle of Austerlitz, as Prince Andrei believed, was a chance to find his dream. It will certainly be a battle that will end in a glorious victory, carried out according to his plan and under his leadership. He will indeed accomplish a feat in the battle of Austerlitz. As soon as the lieutenant, who was carrying the banner of the regiment, fell on the battlefield, Prince Andrei raised this banner and, shouting “Guys, forward! He led the battalion into the attack. Having been wounded in the head, Prince Andrei falls, and now Kutuzov writes to his father, that the son of the old prince Bolkonsky "fell a hero."
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It was not possible to reach Toulon. Moreover, they had to endure the tragedy of Austerlitz, where the Russian army suffered a heavy defeat. At the same time, the illusion of Bolkonsky, associated with the glory of the great hero, dissipated, disappeared. The writer turned here to the landscape and painted a huge, bottomless sky, at the contemplation of which Bolkonsky, lying on his back, experiences a decisive mental break. Bolkonsky’s internal monologue allows us to penetrate into his experiences: “How quiet, calm and solemn, not at all the way I ran ... not the way we ran, shouted and fought ... Not at all like the clouds crawling along this high, endless sky." The cruel struggle between people now came into sharp conflict with the generous, calm, peaceful and eternal nature.
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From this moment, the attitude of Prince Andrei towards Napoleon Bonaparte, whom he revered so much, changes dramatically. Disappointment arises in him, which was especially aggravated at the moment when the French emperor rode past him, Andrei, with his retinue and theatrically exclaimed: "Here is a beautiful death!" At that moment, “all the interests that occupied Napoleon seemed so insignificant to Prince Andrei, his hero himself seemed so petty to him, with this petty vanity and joy of victory,” in comparison with the high, just and kind sky. And during the subsequent illness, “little Napoleon with his indifferent, limited and happy look from the misfortunes of others” began to appear to him. Now Prince Andrei severely condemns his ambitious aspirations of the Napoleonic warehouse, and this becomes an important stage in the spiritual search for the hero.
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Andrey's spiritual recovery took a long, difficult time (the death of his wife, ... housework, ... a meeting with an oak tree that had not blossomed and blossomed, ... Natasha ...) Prince Andrei returns to social activities. He goes to St. Petersburg, where he begins to work in the Speransky commission, drawing up state laws. He admires Speransky himself, "seeing in him a man of great intelligence." It seems to him that "the future on which the fate of millions depends" is being prepared here. However, Bolkonsky soon had to be disappointed in this statesman with his sentimentality and false artificiality. Then the prince doubted the usefulness of the work that he had to do. A new crisis is coming. It becomes obvious that everything in this commission is based on bureaucratic routine, hypocrisy and bureaucracy. All this activity is not at all necessary for the Ryazan peasants.
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The War of 1812 came. Prince Andrei again goes to the army, although he once promised himself not to return there. All petty concerns faded into the background, in particular, the desire to challenge Anatole to a duel. Napoleon approached Moscow. On the way of his army were the Bald Mountains. It was an enemy, and Andrei could not be indifferent to him. The prince refuses to serve in the headquarters and is sent to serve in the "ranks". According to L. Tolstoy, Prince Andrei "was completely dedicated to the affairs of his regiment", cared about his people, was simple and kind in dealing with them. In the regiment they called him "our prince", they were proud of him and loved him. This is the most important stage in the formation of Andrei Bolkonsky as a person. On the eve of the Battle of Borodino, Prince Andrei is firmly convinced of victory. He tells Pierre: "We will win the battle tomorrow. Tomorrow, whatever it is, we will win the battle!"
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Bolkonsky is moving closer to ordinary soldiers. His aversion to the higher circle, where greed, careerism and complete indifference to the fate of the country and people reign, is growing stronger. By the will of the writer, Andrei Bolkonsky becomes the spokesman for his own views, revering the people as the most important force in history and attaching special importance to the spirit of the army. In the Battle of Borodino, Prince Andrei is mortally wounded. Together with other wounded, he is evacuated from Moscow. Again he is experiencing a deep spiritual crisis. He comes to the conclusion that relations between people should be built on mercy and love, which should be addressed even to enemies. It is necessary, according to Andrei, universal forgiveness and firm faith in the wisdom of the Creator.
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And one more experience is experienced by the hero of Tolstoy. In Mytishchi, Natasha unexpectedly appears to him and asks his forgiveness on her knees. Love for her flares up again. This feeling warms the last days of Prince Andrei. He managed to rise above his own resentment, to understand Natasha's suffering, to feel the power of her love. He is visited by spiritual enlightenment, a new understanding of happiness and meaning. The main thing that Tolstoy revealed in his hero continued after his death in his son, Nikolenka. This is discussed in the epilogue of the novel. The boy is carried away by the Decembrist ideas of Uncle Pierre and, turning mentally to his father, he says: "Yes, I will do what even he would be pleased with."
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At the same time, the writer convinces us of the complete lack of patriotism among such people as Prince Vasily Kuragin and his children: Ippolit, Anatole and Helen. No matter how much the distinguished guests who gathered in the salon of Anna Pavlovna Scherer scold Napoleon, we will not find in them a single drop of truly patriotic feeling.
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By no means love for the Motherland (they do not have this love) is guided by Boris Drubetskoy and Dolokhov, entering the army. The first is studying "unwritten chain of command" to make a career. The second tries to distinguish himself in order to quickly regain his officer rank, and then receive awards and ranks. The military official Berg in Moscow, abandoned by the inhabitants, buys things on the cheap ... The war, as Tolstoy shows, severely tests a person.
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It is as if he puts all the characters in his novel in the face of mortal danger hanging over the Motherland, and as if asking them: “Well, what kind of people are you? How will you behave in this difficult time for the patronymic, how will you help the people defending the earth from enemy invasion?
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The trouble approaching the ancient Russian capital did not bother the highest circles of noble society. Having made some noise in the Sloboda Palace during a meeting with the emperor and having shown patriotism, they began to live as before. “It was hard to believe that Russia was really in danger and that the members of the English Club were at the same time the sons of the fatherland, ready for him to make any sacrifice,” Tolstoy writes with irony. The military governor, Count F.V. Rastopchin, reassured the inhabitants of Moscow with the stupidest posters, in which the French were ridiculed and said that they were all dwarfs and that one woman would throw a pitchfork at three of them.
Secondary school No. 141
Topic: The theme of honor in the works of Russian writers
Class: 10 "B"
Head: Shulman Nina Nikolaevna
Moscow 2003
Issues of honor and morality are always a fundamental problem in the relationship of people in society. One of the important places is given to this topic in Russian literature of the 19th century. Russian writers of this significant period in the development of national history created works that not only fully reflected life, but also had great moral and educational significance, revealing the best that the people have, on which this people should rely.
Honor is that high spiritual force that keeps a person from meanness, betrayal, lies and cowardice. This is the core that strengthens in the choice of an act, when conscience is the judge. Life often tests people, putting them before a choice - to act honorably and take a blow, or to be cowardly and go against their conscience in order to gain benefits and get away from trouble or even death. A person always has a choice, and how he will act depends on his moral principles. The path of honor is difficult, but the retreat from it, the loss of honor, is even more painful. Disgrace is always punished. So, apparently, higher powers dispose of.
Moral decay, the fall of moral principles leads to the collapse of both the individual and the whole nation. Therefore, the importance of the great Russian classical literature, which is the moral foundation and helper for many generations of people, is so enormous. Bright images created by writers with love and vitality seem to acquire materiality. They live among us and are an example of morality and honor.
The concept of honor is brought up in a person from childhood. So in the story of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter" we see how this happens and what results it leads to.
The protagonist of the story, Pyotr Andreevich Grinev, was brought up from childhood in an atmosphere of high worldly morality. His father had a negative view of the easy but dishonest ways to make a career at court. He did not want to send his young son Petrusha to serve in St. Petersburg, to the guards: “What will he learn by serving in St. Petersburg? To wind and hang out? - Andrey Petrovich says to his wife. - “No, let him serve in the army, yes, pull the strap, sniff gunpowder, yes
There will be a soldier, not a shamaton.” In parting words to his son, the father especially emphasizes the need to observe honor: “Serve faithfully to whom you swear allegiance, obey your superiors; do not chase after their affection; do not ask for service; do not dissuade from the service and remember the proverb: take care of the dress again, and honor from youth. This parting word from his father remains with Grinev for life and helps him not to stray from the right path. Petrusha Grinev did not receive a good education, since his tutor was only the serf Savelich, who, however, considered it his duty to faithfully serve the master. His devotion to his master is far from slavish dependence. Savelich not only taught Petrush to read and write, but also gave him important life advice, which was dictated by his sincere love for the boy.
So in his family, Pyotr Grinev was brought up as a nobleman, true to his word and not considering it possible to change the oath for his own good.
Breaking away from home and parents, Pyotr Grinev gets involved in a card game and loses. Although Savelich persuaded him to evade the calculation, Grinev acted honorably and returned the gambling debt.
Grinev is kind and responsive. Despite Savelich's dissatisfaction, he did not regret giving his hare sheepskin coat to a tramp who showed him the way into the blizzard. Grinev could not help thanking the person who had rendered him a service. This act saved his life in the future. Good reciprocates good.
Moral trials awaited Grinev in his new military life. In the Belogorodsk fortress, he became friends with the commandant's daughter Masha Mironova. Because of Masha, Pyotr Grinev quarreled with his comrade Shvabrin, who laughed at Grinev's tender feelings poured out in his poems. Grinev entrusted Shvabrin with his poems, and the vile Shvabrin, guessing that they were addressed to Masha, began to speak obscenities about her. Later it turned out that he himself wooed Masha and, having received a refusal, wanted to discredit her name. Grinev challenged the offender to a duel, as he considered it his duty to protect the honor of the girl. Shvabrin's shamelessness was intolerable to him.
Shvabrin is mercenary and cowardly. His image, as it were, sets off the nobility of Grinev, for whom there is no other way but to act honorably, without thinking about his own benefit. Shvabrin is his complete opposite.
Even during the duel, having felt Grinev's strength, he took advantage of the fact that Grinev turned away, distracted by Savelich, who was hurrying to help, and struck him with a treacherous blow with a sword.
Then Grinev finds out that Shvabrin wrote a denunciation of him to his father.
Thus, the dishonest behavior of Shvabrin arouses antipathy in the reader and thereby enhances the charm and attractiveness of the character of Pyotr Andreevich Grinev.
The characters of Shvabrin and Grinev were especially evident during the Pugachev rebellion, when the issue of their life and death was being decided. At the same time, the behavior of the family of the commandant of the fortress is also remarkable. The concepts of honor and duty, loyalty to the oath were sacred to Masha's parents. They preferred death, but did not surrender to the rebels. Ivan Kuzmich Mironov was incapable of betrayal for the sake of his own well-being. His wife Vasilisa Egorovna was ready to share the fate of her husband so as not to surrender to the enemy.
Shvabrin is appreciative and indifferent to the suffering of these people. He treated ordinary people with contempt and thought only of how to save his own life at any cost. Feelings of duty and honor were not developed in him. He broke the oath and went over to the side of the rebels, but not because he sympathized with them and shared their views, but only to save his life. And he also had a plan, having dealt with Grinev, to force Masha to marry him.
As for Grinev, it is quite clear that he preferred death. He could not change his oath and become an ally of Pugachev, the killer of Masha's parents.
Grinev would have been hanged if not for the desperate behavior of Savelich, who asked for his pardon and was ready to die instead of his master. Savelich saved Grinev, showing devotion and fulfillment of his duty to protect Petrusha entrusted to him.
Pugachev appreciated Grinev as a man of honor. He himself set himself the noble goal of giving freedom and happiness to the serfs, and therefore he liked the nobility of the young officer. Grinev's morality influenced Pugachev. He released Masha and offered to be planted by their father at their wedding. Having received Grinev's polite refusal, Pugachev managed to understand him, since he also had mercy and honor.
Pugachev also understands that Shvabrin is dishonest and treats him with disdain.
Being arrested on a denunciation for his connection with the rebellious ataman, Grinev, for reasons of honor, does not name his beloved. But justice prevailed and the story had a happy ending.
So Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin showed an understanding of honor and duty from the standpoint of completely different people standing at different levels of society. Moral qualities are brought up in a person, regardless of his education and social status.
An interesting remark by V. Belinsky, who said about Pushkin, that "by reading his works, one can educate a person in oneself in an excellent way."
Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin himself was a "slave of honor", as another brilliant poet M.Yu. Lermontov wrote about him in his poem "The Death of a Poet". He fell victim to dishonest and vicious envious people. Defending the honor of his wife and his own honor, Pushkin challenged Dantes to a duel, who, with dubious behavior, could discredit the good name of the Pushkin couple. Alexander Sergeevich could not live “slandered by rumors” and put an end to dishonor at the cost of his own life.
The poet's soul could not bear
The shame of petty insults,
He rebelled against the opinions of the world
Alone, as before ... and killed!
But the "wonderful genius" of Pushkin illuminates with his radiant light the lives of many and many generations of descendants, and the "empty heart" of Dantes did not find happiness on earth and good memory after death. And as Lermontov said, “The executioners of Freedom, Genius and Glory” will not be able to wash away the righteous blood with their “black blood of the Poet!”
Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov also fought a duel, defending his honor. He was killed by Martynov. Still quite a young genius poet, who created immortal works, caused irritation and anger of idle worthless envious people and, like Pushkin, accepted death for his honor.
The history of the Russian duel of the 19th century is the history of human tragedies, high impulses and passions. The concept of honor in the noble society of that time is connected with the dueling tradition. The readiness to pay with life for the inviolability of one's personal dignity implied a keen awareness of this dignity, a highly developed sense of honor. In addition, the underlying consciousness prompted duels, that the highest justice must be done and the right must win.
Often duels arose for the slightest provocation. So in Pushkin's poem "Eugene Onegin" Lensky challenged his friend Onegin to a duel because of unreasonable jealousy. Having "an ardent and rather strange spirit," "he was ignorant at heart." In love with the stupid and windy Olga, Lensky did not see her shortcomings. Onegin, not being a romantic, like Lensky, wanted to play a trick on him out of boredom. No bloodshed was inflicted. It was clear to everyone that it was a misunderstanding. However, Lensky did not want to give in.
Onegin reacted with annoyance and even contempt for the duel, in which he was involved against his own will. He was sincerely upset by the bloody outcome of the duel. Lensky died “in the bloom of joyful hopes”, offended by a friend, paying with his life for the insult: “A poet, a pensive dreamer, was killed by a friendly hand!”
Breters were not uncommon among the duelists. Breter is a man who flaunted his readiness and ability to fight anywhere and with anyone. The risk of the breter was ostentatious, and the killing of the enemy was part of his calculations. It was a mixture of posturing and cruelty.
Negative options for a duel are also depicted by Pushkin in the story "The Shot". The hero of the story, Silvio, is looking for a pretext for a fight in order to assert his superiority in the hussar regiment; Bretersky habits are felt in it.
Talking about himself to Ivan Petrovich Belkin, he says: “I was the first brawler in the army ... Duels in our regiment happened every minute: I was either a witness or a protagonist for everyone.”
His opponent is a rich count, "the favorite of happiness", who irritated Silvio with his superiority and luck. The count showed contempt for death: he ate cherries at gunpoint. Both opponents acted for the sake of their pride. Silvio's goal is not murder, but the desire to prove to himself and others that he is stronger and can rule over people. He was possessed by morbid pride and selfishness.
The murder did not happen, but Silvio left behind his shot. He devoted several years of his life to achieve triumph over the enemy and to avenge wounded pride. Limiting himself in everything, he practiced shooting every day and waited for the moment convenient to carry out his revenge.
Arriving at last to the count to fire back, Silvio did not kill him, but contented himself with making him tremble and witnessed his fright.
Pushkin describes the morals of young officers, "who usually see in courage the height of human virtues and an apology for all sorts of vices."
In M.Yu. Lermontov’s story “A Hero of Our Time”, Pechorin kills Grushnitsky in a duel. Standing up for the honor of the lady, lowly slandered by Grushnitsky because of her inattention to him, Pechorin challenges the offender to a duel. The cowardly Grushnitsky secretly agrees with his seconds to load only his pistol, leaving Pechorin a blank shot. Grushnitsky's immorality and cowardice are expressed in his dishonorable behavior towards the girl and towards his comrade, whom he envies.
Upon learning of the conspiracy, Pechorin offers Grushnitsky cruel conditions for a duel, or publicly renounce his slander and ask for his apology. Grushnitsky, in a fit of impotent hatred for the enemy, chooses to shoot himself without a chance for life and falls into the abyss, struck by a bullet from Pechorin.
The duel between Pierre Bezukhov and Dolokhov, described by L.N. Tolstoy in the epic novel "War and Peace", also deserves attention.
Pierre Bezukhov is a purely civilian person, prone to philosophical reflection, far from worldly fuss and strife. He didn't know how to handle weapons at all. But he wounds Dolokhov, a fearless warrior, in a duel. Here Tolstoy, as it were, confirms the idea that justice is done and vice must be punished. At first, Pierre sincerely trusted Dolokhov, because, being an honest man, he could not assume dishonor in others. He brought him into his house, helped him with money in memory of an old friendship, and Dolokhov disgraced Bezukhov by seducing his wife. Pierre Bezukhov stood up for his honor, but, realizing that the stupid and cruel Helen does not deserve to be killed because of her, he repents of what happened. He thanks God for not killing the man. He is ready to repent before the duel, but not out of fear, but because he is sure of Helen's guilt.
In Lermontov's drama "Masquerade", Arbenin, defending his honor, kills his beloved wife, believing in a skillfully woven intrigue. Arbenin here acts as an egoist and a villain who ruined an innocent soul for the sake of his ambitions. Painful pride and a false idea of honor made him a toy in the hands of crafty ill-wishers and pushed him to villainy. Having poisoned his wife and learned that she was innocent before him, Arbenin repents terribly, but his life has already been broken.
So, the literary heroes of that era called offenders to the barrier and sometimes went to desperate deeds, defending their honor, the price of which was life itself.
In the grandiose in its scale work "War and Peace" Leo Tolstoy pays the main attention to the problem of the moral purity of the soul.
A sense of honor and duty, sincere generosity and purity are the guarantee of peace and happiness of people on earth. Showing what troubles the war brings to the world, Tolstoy concludes that only self-improvement, the desire of each person individually to become better, kinder will save peoples from destruction and death.
Tolstoy's favorite heroes Andrei Bolkonsky and his relatives, Pierre Bezukhov, the Rostov family are sincere and noble people who understand their duty to their parents and the Fatherland, who live by honor and conscience.
Andrei Bolkonsky is a strong-willed and principled person. At the beginning of the novel, he dreams of military glory, waiting for a happy moment when "he will finally have to show everything that he can do", prove himself in battle. “For this alone I live,” thought Prince Andrei.
Brought up by his father as General-in-Chief of Catherine's reign, who occupied a prominent position precisely because of his talents, and not because of his desire for a career, Prince Andrei learned the concepts of honor and duty to people and the fatherland. Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky honestly served his fatherland and never served, as evidenced by his resignation and even exile under Paul.
The Bolkonskys are an old aristocratic family. They are rightfully proud of their services to the Fatherland. The high concept of honor, pride, independence, nobility and sharpness of mind, the old prince passed on to his son. Both despise upstarts and careerists like Kuragin, for whom there is no concept of honor.
Prince Andrei dreams of a feat. He performs a feat at the battle of Austerlitz, picking up a fallen banner and thereby inspiring the army that turned to flight.
The image of Prince Andrei is given by Tolstoy in development. As a result of spiritual quest, he changes his idea of the meaning of life. At the end of the book, having been mortally wounded in the battle of Borodino, the "divine love" for people became available to him - the love that should save the world from evil.
Prince Andrei never betrayed his duty and conscience. After breaking up with Natasha Rostova, despite the mental pain inflicted on him, he does not challenge Kuragin to a duel, being above this. In this case, his nobility and sense of honor do not allow him to take offense at his own expense. He leaves Natasha's betrayal on her conscience, because of which she suffers greatly. Ultimately, Andrei Bolkonsky forgives Natasha her passion, understanding her inexperience and also realizing that he loves only her.
Andrei Bolkonsky is connected by friendship with Pierre Bezukhov. These two people distinguished each other among the secular empty hypocrites, feeling the unity of views and guessing in each other a man of honor.
Pierre Bezukhov, like Prince Andrei, being in constant search for the meaning of life, never betrayed his honor and always acted like a decent person. He is infinitely kind and able to feel someone else's pain. Pierre's intense inner spiritual activity, his desire for self-improvement led him to an understanding of the infinity and beauty of being. He found his soul, which cannot be killed.
Pierre's observations of the behavior of ordinary people, their wisdom and naturalness taught him a lot. The moral purity of the people, the ability to sacrifice, spiritual nobility were a discovery for Pierre Bezukhov, and he joyfully felt himself a part of this people, part of their spiritual strength.
On the example of the war of 1812, L.N. Tolstoy shows how the people heroically create history. The war of 1812 appears in the image of Tolstoy as a people's war. In a period of severe trials for the Fatherland, the defense of the Motherland becomes a “people's business”. The novel contains many images of ordinary men and soldiers. All of them are ready to die for their Motherland and are sure of victory. "They want to attack with all the people." The whole world is ready to defend the honor of their Fatherland and are unanimous in their decision not to give up their capital to the enemy. So that the "devils" did not get anything, it was decided to set fire to Moscow.
Tolstoy shows honor and dishonor, drawing images of two commanders, Kutuzov and Napoleon - the defender of the Fatherland and the invader.
An invading enemy cannot be honest. The essence of his act is the seizure of someone else's, which does not belong to him, as well as murder. Napoleon is depicted in the novel as selfish and narcissistic, arrogant and arrogant. He wanted to enslave the Russian people and claimed world domination.
The figure of Kutuzov is opposite to Napoleon. He is depicted as the leader of a just people's war, connected with the people by close spiritual ties. This was his strength as a commander. Kutuzov's deep patriotic feelings, his love for the Russian people and hatred for the enemy, his closeness to the soldier distinguished him as a man of honor and high morality.
Tolstoy sees in the people a source of spirituality and morality, necessary for the whole society. According to Tolstoy, those nobles who stand closer to the people are moral and honest. They have a stronger patriotic feeling. Conversely, those nobles who distance themselves from their people and abhor them are callous and soulless.
In love for the Motherland, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky and the soldiers of his regiment are equal. In the regiment they called him "our prince", they were proud of him and loved him. Platon Karataev, a man from the people, became the spiritual teacher of Pierre Bezukhov. The soldiers called Pierre "our master."
Tolstoy opposes the false patriotism of the secular nobility to popular patriotism. The main goal of these people is to catch "crosses, rubles, ranks." The upper world was characterized by traits of duplicity and hypocrisy. Life in carefree luxury dulled the sense of honor and duty.
In the Patriotic War of 1812, an enormous moral force was contained, which cleansed and reborn Tolstoy's heroes. Their destinies followed the same path as the fate of the people. They came to the understanding that by defending the honor of their Fatherland, they preserve their honor.
List of used literature.
1. A. S. Pushkin:
"Captain's daughter"
"Eugene Onegin"
"Shot"
2. M. Yu. Lermontov
"Death of poet"
"Hero of our time"
"Masquerade"
3. L. N. Tolstoy.
Essay text:
A noble and honest man was Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, the hero of Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace. For him, the concepts of life and honor were inseparable. Prince Andrei was honest not only in relation to the people around him, but also to himself.
Bolkonsky can be cold, for example, with his wife, who cannot exist outside of secular society, but affectionate and gentle with Pierre, an adult child who is just as alien to the world as Prince Andrei himself.
Bolkonsky made the decision to go to war, partly fueled by the general desire of the noble youth to accomplish a feat, defending the fatherland, but there was another reason: the desire to break with the usual circle, find a different life, different from the one he led before.
In his vainglorious dreams, he pictured himself as the savior of the Russian army. But after the battle of Shengraben, after the panic and confusion of the retreat of the allied forces, everything turned out to be not so heroic as he had dreamed.
On the eve of the Russian offensive at Austerlitz, Prince Andrei again feels a surge of ambitious impulses. Death, wounds, personal life all recede into the background. In the foreground is only the hero, Prince Andrei, and the people who love him, whom he does not know and will never know, but who (oh, dreams, dreams!) I will never forget his feat ...
Obedient fate (or rather, the hand of the great writer personifying it) provided the ambitious prince with such an opportunity. The decisive moment has arrived! Bolkonsky picked up the banner from the hands of the dead soldier and led the battalion to the attack. But the injury separated him from real events, and the high sky with nondescript gray clouds made him feel his insignificance before eternity. He also felt the even greater insignificance of death. And even Napoleon, against the background of this eternal sky, seemed insignificant to him. Diligently erected ideals collapsed in an instant.
Bolkonsky, returning home, decided never to serve in the army again. I began to hope for a quiet family life. But this does not mean at all that the concepts of honor and nobility have been shaken in him. It was these qualities that allowed him to direct his thoughts towards eternity and love. They talked a lot about this with Pierre Bezukhov. One spring, on business, Bolkonsky needed to see Count Rostov, and on the way to him, Prince Andrei drove past a huge old oak. The oak attracted the attention of the prince by the fact that there was not a single green leaf on it. Oak, as it were, personified the end of life. Near this oak, Prince Andrei came to the philosophical conclusion that he, a person, like a tree, should live out his life also calmly and patiently. The main thing is not to harm anyone and not to demand participation.
But soon his life changed dramatically: he met and fell in love with Natasha Rostova. Returning from the Rostovs, the prince noticed that the old oak had turned green, and he took this as a symbol calling him to action, to life, to happiness. Bolkonsky took up legislative work, but soon lost interest in it. Of all the feelings that visited his soul on the day of the meeting with the Rostovs and the age-old tree, only the feeling of love for Natasha glimmered. But Prince Andrei was a man of honor and could not forgive Natasha for deceit. He again returns to the active army and during the Battle of Borodino receives a severe wound. At the dressing station, he met Kuragin, also seriously wounded, remembered Natasha, but felt not irritation, but love and compassion for these people. Bolkonsky, in the moments of his own suffering, understood why and how God loves people, and tears of tenderness burned his inflamed cheeks. At that moment, Prince Andrei loved all the people on earth, not dividing them into relatives and enemies. Then he came to the idea that death is an awakening from life.
I am sure that the generosity and all-encompassing love that Prince Andrei felt at a critical moment in his life are feelings that are far from accessible to all people who are in the same conditions as Bolkonsky. These feelings can arise only in an honest, noble soul. A person for whom the concept of honor means nothing will never see the light of his soul, will never cry about the dear and irrevocable.
The path of Andrei Bolkonsky is complex and contradictory. He was not the ideal of virtue. Lived for himself. Pride prevented him from showing generosity even to the closest people. But it was originally laid grain, which was destined to germinate in favorable conditions. This is the grain of honor. The honor freed from pride helped Prince Andrei overcome his selfishness, brought him closer in the war with the common people, who warmly called him our prince.
Prince Andrei left this world in complete harmony with people and with himself. The author of the novel, having led his hero on such a difficult path to the heights of the spirit, apparently himself believed that such a path was the surest of all human paths leading to the perfection of the soul. This is the path of honor, freed from pride, selfishness and other unkind companions of our life.
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