Pierre Bezukhov is one of Tolstoy's favorite characters. Pierre's life is a path of discovery and disappointment, a path of crisis and in many ways dramatic. Pierre is an emotional person. He is distinguished by a mind prone to dreamy philosophizing, distraction, weakness of will, lack of initiative, and exceptional kindness. Main feature hero - the search for calm, harmony with oneself, the search for a life that would be in harmony with the needs of the heart and bring moral satisfaction.
We first meet Pierre in Scherer's living room. The writer draws our attention to the appearance of the newcomer: a massive, fat young man with an intelligent and at the same time timid, observant and natural look that distinguished him from everyone in this living room. This is exactly how Pierre is depicted in Boklevsky's drawing: the illustrator emphasizes the same features in the portrait of the hero as Tolstoy. And if we recall the works of Shmarinov, then they convey more the state of mind of Pierre at one time or another: the illustrations of this artist help to understand the character more deeply, to catch him more clearly spiritual growth. A constant portrait feature is the massive, fat figure of Pierre Bezukhov, depending on the circumstances, either clumsy or strong. can express both confusion, and anger, and kindness, and fury. In other words, Tolstoy's constant artistic detail each time acquires new, additional shades. What smile does Pierre have? oh ... Not like the others ... With him, on the contrary, when a smile came, his serious face suddenly instantly disappeared ... and a different, childish, kind one appeared ...
In Pierre, there is a constant struggle between the spiritual and the sensual, the inner, moral essence of the hero contradicts the way of his life. On the one hand, it is full of noble, freedom-loving thoughts, the origins of which date back to the Age of Enlightenment and French Revolution. Pierre is an admirer of Rousseau, Montesquieu, who fascinated him with the ideas of universal equality and the re-education of man,
On the other hand, Pierre participates in revelry in the company of Anatole Kuragin, and here he manifests that reckless-lordly beginning, the embodiment of which was once his father, Catherine's nobleman, Count Bezukhov. The sensual first prevails over the spiritual: he marries Helen, a stranger to him. This is one of milestones in the life of a hero. But Pierre is becoming more and more aware that real family he does not have that his wife is an immoral woman. Dissatisfaction grows in him, but not with others, but with himself. This is exactly what happens with real moral people. For their disorder, they consider it possible to execute only themselves. The explosion occurs at a dinner in honor of Bagration. Pierre challenges Dolokhov, who insulted him, to a duel. But during the duel, seeing the enemy wounded by him lying on the snow, Pierre grabbed his head and, turning back, went into the forest, walking entirely through the snow and aloud saying incomprehensible words, Stupid ... stupid! Death... lie... - he repeated, grimacing. Stupid and false - this again applies only to himself.
After everything that happened to him, especially after the duel, Pierre seems meaningless to his whole life. He is going through a spiritual crisis: this is a strong dissatisfaction with himself and the desire associated with this to change his life and build it on new, good principles. Having broken with his wife, Pierre, on the way to Petersburg, in Torzhok, waiting for horses at the station, asks himself difficult (sheepish) questions: What is wrong? What well? What should you love, what should you hate? Why live and what am I? What is life, what is death? What power controls everything? Here he meets the freemason Bazdeev. At the moment of spiritual discord that Pierre was experiencing, Bazdeev appears to him just the person he needs, Pierre is offered the path of moral improvement, and he accepts this path, because most of all he now needs to improve his life and himself.
In moral purification for Pierre, as well as for Tolstoy in certain period, was the truth of Freemasonry, and, carried away by it, at first he did not notice what was a lie. Pierre shares his new ideas about life with Andrei Bolkonsky. Pierre is trying to transform the order of Freemasons, draws up a project in which he calls for activity, practical help to his neighbor, for the spread moral ideas in the name of the good of mankind all over the world ... However, the Masons resolutely reject Pierre's project, and he is finally convinced of the solidity of his suspicions that many of them were looking for a means of expanding their secular ties in Freemasonry, that Masons - these worthless people- they were not interested in the problems of goodness, love, truth, the good of mankind, but in uniforms and crosses, which they achieved in life.
A new spiritual upsurge is experienced by Pierre in connection with the popular patriotic upsurge during Patriotic War 1812. Not being a military man, he takes part in the Battle of Borodino. The landscape of the Borodino field before the start of the battle (bright sun, fog, distant forests, golden fields and copses, smoke of shots) correlates with Pierre's mood and thoughts, causing him some kind of elation, a sense of the beauty of the spectacle, the grandeur of what is happening. Through his eyes, Tolstoy conveys his understanding of the decisive in folk, historical life events. Shocked by the behavior of the soldiers, Pierre himself shows courage and readiness for self-sacrifice. At the same time, one cannot fail to note the naivety of the hero: his decision to kill Napoleon.
In one of the illustrations, Shmarinov conveys this trait well: Pierre is depicted dressed in a folk dress, which makes him awkward, gloomy and concentrated. On the way, approaching the main apartment of the French, he commits noble deeds: saves a girl from a burning house, stands up for civilians who were robbed by French marauders. With regard to Pierre ordinary people and to nature, the author's moral and aesthetic criterion of the beautiful in man is once again manifested: Tolstoy finds it in a merger with the people and nature. Decisive for Pierre is his meeting with a soldier, former peasant Platon Karataev, who, according to Tolstoy, personifies the masses. This meeting meant for the hero familiarization with the people, folk wisdom, even closer rapprochement with ordinary people.
In captivity, Pierre finds that calmness and contentment with himself, to which he vainly sought before. Here he realized not with his mind, but with his whole being, with his life, that man was created for happiness, that happiness is in himself, in satisfying natural human needs ... people's truth, To folk skill living helps Pierre's inner liberation, always looking for a solution to the question of the meaning of life: ... he looked for this in philanthropy, in freemasonry, in dispersion secular life, in wine, in the heroic feat of self-sacrifice, in romantic love to Natasha; he was looking for this by thought, and all these searches and attempts all deceived him. And finally, with the help of Karataev, this issue is resolved. The most essential thing in Karataev is loyalty and immutability. Loyalty to yourself, your only and constant spiritual truth. Pierre follows this for a while.
In the characteristic state of mind the hero at this time, Tolstoy develops his ideas about the inner happiness of a person, which consists in complete spiritual freedom, tranquility and peace, independent of external circumstances. However, having experienced the influence of Karataev's philosophy, Pierre, having returned from captivity, did not become a Karataev, non-resistance. By the very nature of his character, he was incapable of accepting life without seeking.
Having learned the truth of Karataev, Pierre in the epilogue of the novel already underway in their own way. His dispute with Nikolai Rostov proves that Bezukhov faces the problem of the moral renewal of society. Active virtue, according to Pierre, can lead the country out of the crisis. Consolidation needed honest people. A happy family life (married to Natasha Rostova) does not take Pierre away from public interests. He becomes a member secret society. Pierre speaks with indignation about the reaction that has come in Russia, about Arakcheevism, theft. At the same time, he understands the strength of the people and believes in them. With all this, the hero strongly opposes violence.
In other words, for Pierre, the path of moral self-improvement remains decisive in the reorganization of society. Intense intellectual search, the ability for selfless acts, high spiritual impulses, nobility and devotion in love (relationship with Natasha), true patriotism, the desire to make society more just and humane, truthfulness and naturalness, the desire for self-improvement make Pierre one of the best people his time.
I would like to finish the essay with the words of Tolstoy, which explain a lot in the fate of the writer and his favorite heroes: In order to live honestly, one must tear, get confused, fight, make mistakes, start and quit, and start again and quit again, and always fight and lose. And peace is a spiritual meanness.
A person with a childish kind face and a smile, one whose image is remembered for a long time. Which of the heroes of Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" has such features? Of course, to Pierre Bezukhov, a positive hero, an outstanding person who lived an interesting, difficult, but eventful life throughout the work.
First meeting with Pierre Bezukhov
For the first time, a reader of War and Peace meets Pierre Bezukhov at Anna Pavlovna Scherer's. It immediately catches the eye that he is not at all the same as those around him, and, not fitting into the falseness permeated secular society, is like a white crow. Not surprising, because Pierre is sincere, straightforward, does not accept lies and tries to avoid them.
“... Soon after the little princess, a massive, fat young man with a cropped head, glasses, light trousers in the then fashion, with a high frill and in a brown tailcoat entered. This fat young man was the illegitimate son of the famous Catherine’s nobleman, Count Bezukhov, who was now dying in Moscow ... ”- this is how the meeting of this hero with Anna Pavlovna is described, who, having seen such an unwanted guest, was upset to such an extent that anxiety and fear appeared on her face.
It would seem, why? It turns out that the mistress of the house was frightened by Pierre's observant, natural look, which so distinguished him from everyone present in this living room.
It is noteworthy that we meet Bezukhov precisely on the first pages of a large four-volume novel, which may indicate the importance of this hero for Lev Nikolayevich, who prepared for him a difficult but wonderful fate.
Pierre's past
An observant reader can learn from the novel that Pierre Bezukhov, who hardly knew his father, was brought up abroad from the age of ten and came to Russia as a young man, at the age of twenty.
reckless move
The naivety and inexperience of Pierre Bezukhov led him to a dead end. Once, the question arose before the young man: whom to marry, and since Pierre, after the death of his father, Kirill Bezukhov, became a count and a rich heir, Helen Kuragina did not fail to take advantage of this, for whom the love of money was above all else.
Even inner voice, when "some kind of incomprehensible horror seized him at the mere thought of this terrible step," he could not convince the young count to change his mind. Unfortunately, only after the wedding, Bezukhov realized that, having tied the knot with such an insidious and mercenary girl as Elena, he committed a reckless and reckless act that influenced him further fate. This difficult period life is described by the author in dark colors.
“... He was silent ... and with a completely absent-minded look he was picking his nose with his finger. His face was sad and gloomy. This marriage, dictated by no means by love, lasted six years, when Helen not only showed her bad character, but also cheated on Pierre with Dolokhov, which prompted the hero to fight the offender in a duel. The result of the fight was the injury of the opponent. However, here too good feelings Pierre took over: when he saw that Dolokhov was wounded, he "hardly holding back his sobs, ran to him."
Thus, realizing that his wife is a depraved woman, and living with her is now unbearable, Pierre broke off relations with Helen and left for St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, during that period the hero of the novel lost faith in God. But then, disappointed in life, Pierre could not even imagine that beyond the mountains of difficult and sometimes unbearable circumstances, in the future, real family happiness awaits him!
New plans of Pierre Bezukhov
By helping them, he regains his confidence despite " bare feet, dirty torn clothes, tangled hair ... "Even Pierre's look changes, because he knows what he lives for.
Changes in destiny
Pierre again converges with his wife, but on a short time. Then their relationship is broken completely, and Bezukhov goes to Moscow, after which he goes to war, to the Russian army. Helen, changing Orthodox faith to Catholic, wants to divorce her husband, but a sudden premature death prevents her plans from being realized.
Pierre at war
The war became a severe test for the inexperienced Pierre Bezukhov. Despite the fact that he provided financial support to the regiment he created, and also planned an assassination attempt on Napoleon, whose insidious and inhuman actions disgusted Bezukhov, in this field he could not prove himself as a brave and courageous defender of the Motherland.
Having no shooting skills, not really knowing military affairs, Pierre was captured by the enemy, and this is not surprising.
Being in terrible conditions, the hero of the novel went through a harsh school of life.
But here, too, there was a chance to look at it in a new way, to make a reassessment of values, and this was facilitated by the same prisoner like him, by the name of Kartaev, who, however, unlike Count Pierre, was a simple peasant, and his actions differed sharply from those that Bezukhov got used to throughout his life. Communicating with this person not of his circle, Pierre understands that he was wrong in many ways, and the meaning must be sought not in high society, but in communication with nature and ordinary people.
Getting Closer to Happiness...
Although Pierre Bezukhov experienced a lot in his life, including the bitter consequences of an unsuccessful marriage, in his heart he really wanted to love and be loved. And secret feelings for one girl lived in his soul. Anyone who is familiar with the novel "War and Peace" knows about whom in question. Of course, about Natasha Rostova, whom Pierre met when she was a thirteen-year-old girl.
Kindred souls - this is how one could characterize these heroes of the novel in one phrase, who, having passed hard way, surviving trials and losses, yet created strong family. Returning from captivity, Pierre married Natasha, the one who became him true friend, adviser, support, with whom one could share both joy and sorrow. The contrast with the past life was obvious, but Pierre needed to go through the path of trials with Helen in order to appreciate true happiness with Natalya Rostova and be grateful to the Creator for this.
Strong family ties
Pierre's life sparkled with new colors, shone with joy, gained stability and lasting peace. Having married Natalya Rostova, he realized how wonderful it is to have such a sacrificial, good wife. They had four children - three daughters and one son - for whom Natasha became a good mother. The novel ends on such a positive note. “She felt that her connection with her husband was held not by those poetic feelings that attracted him to her, but was held by something else, indefinite, but firm, like the connection of her own soul with her body” - this is what precise definition given to Natalya, who was ready to take part in every minute of her husband, giving herself completely to him. And it is wonderful that Pierre, who drank so much grief in past life finally found real family happiness.
The image and characteristics of Pierre Bezukhov in Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace"
3.9 (77.14%) 7 votes/ / / The image of Pierre Bezukhov in Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace"
One of the main, most beloved heroes of Lev Nikolaevich in the novel "War and Peace" was Pierre Bezukhov. This is a person who went through a difficult life path that changed, matured, realized the meaning and essence of the life around him. Tolstoy was extremely fond of his hero, and therefore paid due attention to the description of his person.
The first meeting and acquaintance of the reader with Pierre takes place in the salon of Anna Scherer. Initially, Pierre's appearance seems ridiculous to us. He was a plump, massive young man who did not fit into the circle of people who filled Anna Pavlovna's salon. His mind and ingenuity were alien to other persons who could perform any movements mechanically, thought only for the benefit of themselves.
After the sudden inheritance simply falls on Bezukhov's head, he plunges even more into the life of a secular person. His wife becomes graceful, graceful. However, a woman marries not for love, but for convenience.
The distinctive features of Pierre's character at this stage of life are extraordinary kindness, gullibility and innocence. He was naive, like a child. However, the betrayal of his wife and the subsequent duel was the first life lesson. Such a shock leads the hero to disappointment. He is fond of Freemasonry, donates money, contributions. He keeps records of those ideas that are promoted by the Masonic movement. But, after some time, he realizes how stupid all this is, how useless and even stupid.
Pierre, without giving up, continues to search for the meaning of life. Being in search of the truth, Bezukhov goes to war. There he is captured and gets acquainted with the good, goodie- Platon Karataev - common man with a pure and true soul.
Platon Karataev makes Bezukhov believe in himself, opens his eyes to life common people for ordinary earthly pleasures.
Having been in the war, Pierre was able to rethink his whole life, he began to look at the events surrounding him in a new way. Patience woke up in him, he began to carefully peer into people, trying to find something good and good in everyone.
Having taken as his wife, Pierre finds the boundless happiness that a person can only experience.
At the end of the novel, the reader sees Pierre as a completely different character. He is calm, his soul has balance and silence. He is a wonderful family man, he is a lucky man who has a devoted wife and four children. Hard, difficult times, unimaginable changes are behind us. Now the ideal of his existence is a quiet and measured family life.
One of the main characters of the epic "Warrior and Peace" is Pierre Bezukhov. Characteristics of the character of the work is revealed through his actions. And also through the thoughts, spiritual searches of the main characters. The image of Pierre Bezukhov allowed Tolstoy to convey to the reader an understanding of the meaning of the era of that time, the whole life of a person.
Acquaintance of the reader with Pierre
The image of Pierre Bezukhov is very difficult to briefly describe and understand. The reader must go through with the hero all of his
Acquaintance with Pierre is referred in the novel to 1805. He appears at a secular reception with Anna Pavlovna Sherer, a Moscow high-ranking lady. By that time, the young man did not represent anything interesting for the secular public. He was the illegitimate son of one of the Moscow nobles. Received a good education abroad, but returning to Russia, he did not find a use for himself. An idle lifestyle, revelry, idleness, dubious companies led to the fact that Pierre was expelled from the capital. With this life baggage, he appears in Moscow. In its turn, elite also not attractive young man. He does not share the pettiness of interests, selfishness, hypocrisy of his representatives. “Life is something deeper, more significant, but unknown to him,” Pierre Bezukhov reflects. "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy helps the reader to understand this.
Moscow life
The change of residence did not affect the image of Pierre Bezukhov. By nature, he is a very gentle person, easily falls under the influence of others, doubts about the correctness of his actions constantly haunt him. Unbeknownst to himself, he finds himself in captivity of the idle with her temptations, feasts and revelry.
After the death of Count Bezukhov, Pierre becomes the heir to the title and the entire fortune of his father. The attitude of society towards young people is changing dramatically. The eminent Moscow nobleman, in pursuit of the fortune of the young count, marries his beautiful daughter Helen to him. This marriage did not bode well family life. Very soon, Pierre understands the deceit, deceit of his wife, her debauchery becomes obvious to him. Thoughts of desecrated honor haunt him. In a state of rage, he commits an act that could be fatal. Fortunately, the duel with Dolokhov ended with the injury of the offender, and Pierre's life was out of danger.
The path of searching for Pierre Bezukhov
After the tragic events, the young count thinks more and more about how he spends the days of his life. Everything around is confusing, disgusting and meaningless. He understands that all secular rules and norms of behavior are insignificant in comparison with something great, mysterious, unknown to him. But Pierre does not have sufficient fortitude and knowledge to discover this great, to find true purpose human life. Thoughts did not leave the young man, making his life unbearable. a brief description of Pierre Bezukhov gives the right to say that he was a deep, thinking person.
Fascination with Freemasonry
After parting with Helen and giving her a large share state, Pierre decides to return to the capital. On the way from Moscow to St. Petersburg, during a short stop, he meets a man who talks about the existence of a brotherhood of Masons. Only they know the true path, they are subject to the laws of life. For Pierre's tormented soul and consciousness, this meeting, as he believed, was salvation.
Arriving in the capital, he, without hesitation, accepts the rite and becomes a member Masonic Lodge. The rules of another world, its symbolism, views on life captivate Pierre. He unconditionally believes everything he hears at the meetings, although much of his new life seems gloomy and incomprehensible to him. The path of searching for Pierre Bezukhov continues. The soul is still rushing about and does not find peace.
How to make people's lives easier
New experiences and the search for the meaning of being lead Pierre Bezukhov to the understanding that life individual person cannot be happy when there are many destitute, deprived of any right people around.
He decides to take action to improve the lives of the peasants on his estates. Many do not understand Pierre. Even among the peasants, for whose sake all this was started, there is misunderstanding, rejection of the new way of life. This discourages Bezukhov, he is depressed, disappointed.
The disappointment was final when Pierre Bezukhov (whose characterization describes him as a gentle, trusting person) realized that he had been cruelly deceived by the manager, funds and efforts were wasted.
Napoleon
The disturbing events taking place in France at that time occupied the minds of all high society. stirred the minds of the young and the old. For many young people, the image of the great emperor has become an ideal. Pierre Bezukhov admired his successes, victories, he idolized the personality of Napoleon. I did not understand people who dared to resist the talented commander, great revolution. There was a moment in Pierre's life when he was ready to swear allegiance to Napoleon and defend the gains of the revolution. But this was not destined to happen. Feats, achievements for the glory of the French Revolution remained only dreams.
And the events of 1812 will destroy all ideals. The adoration of Napoleon's personality will be replaced in Pierre's soul with contempt and hatred. There will be an irresistible desire to kill the tyrant, avenging all the troubles that he brought to native land. Pierre was simply obsessed with the idea of reprisal against Napoleon, he believed that this was a destiny, the mission of his life.
battle of Borodino
The Patriotic War of 1812 broke the established foundation, becoming a real test for the country and its citizens. This tragic event directly affected Pierre. The aimless life of wealth and convenience was left without hesitation by the count for the sake of serving the fatherland.
It is in the war that Pierre Bezukhov, whose characterization has not yet been flattering, begins to look at life differently, to understand what was unknown. Rapprochement with soldiers, representatives of the common people, helps to re-evaluate life.
The great battle of Borodino. Pierre Bezukhov, being in the same ranks with the soldiers, saw their real patriotism without falsehood and pretense, their readiness to give their lives without hesitation for the sake of their homeland.
Destruction, blood, and related experiences give rise to spiritual rebirth hero. Suddenly, unexpectedly for himself, Pierre begins to find answers to questions that have tormented him for so many years. Everything becomes extremely clear and simple. He begins to live not formally, but with all his heart, experiencing a feeling unfamiliar to him, an explanation for which at this moment he cannot yet give.
Captivity
Further events unfold in such a way that the trials that befell Pierre should temper and finally form his views.
Once in captivity, he goes through an interrogation procedure, after which he remains alive, but before his eyes, several Russian soldiers are executed, who along with him fell to the French. The spectacle of the execution does not leave Pierre's imagination, bringing him to the brink of insanity.
And only a meeting and conversations with Platon Karataev again awaken a harmonious beginning in his soul. Being in a cramped barracks, experiencing physical pain and suffering, the hero begins to feel truly life path Pierre Bezukhov helps to understand that being on earth is a great happiness.
However, the hero will have to reconsider his attitude to life more than once and look for his place in it.
Fate disposes so that Platon Karataev, who gave Pierre an understanding of life, was killed by the French, as he fell ill and could not move. The death of Karataev brings new suffering to the hero. Pierre himself was released from captivity by the partisans.
Native
Freed from captivity, Pierre, one by one, receives news from relatives, about whom for a long time he didn't know anything. He becomes aware of the death of his wife Helen. Best friend, Andrei Bolkonsky, seriously wounded.
The death of Karataev, disturbing news from relatives again excite the soul of the hero. He begins to think that all the misfortunes that have occurred were his fault. He is the cause of the death of his loved ones.
And suddenly Pierre catches himself thinking that in difficult moments mental experiences suddenly comes the image of Natasha Rostova. She instills in him peace, gives strength and confidence.
Natasha Rostova
At subsequent meetings with her, he realizes that he has a feeling for this sincere, intelligent, spiritually rich woman. Natasha has a reciprocal feeling for Pierre. In 1813 they got married.
Rostova is capable of sincere love, she is ready to live in the interests of her husband, to understand, to feel him - this is the main advantage of a woman. Tolstoy showed the family as a way to save a person. The family is a small model of the world. The state of the whole society depends on the health of this cell.
Life goes on
The hero gained an understanding of life, happiness, harmony within himself. But the path to this was very difficult. Job internal development souls accompanied the hero all his life, and she gave her results.
But life does not stop, and Pierre Bezukhov, whose characterization as a seeker is given here, is again ready to move forward. In 1820, he informs his wife that he intends to become a member of a secret society.
