And the war began, that is, it happened
contrary to human reason
and to all human nature an event ...
L. Tolstoy
When Tolstoy began work on the novel "War and Peace", all the questions, personal and public, that had worried the writer since the time of the Crimean campaign, now stood before him in full growth. The peasant reform did not eliminate the profound contradictions between the landowner and the peasant. The "great good deed" promised to the people resulted in despair and protest of millions. The "problem of the muzhik" still remained the main one in literature. Its solution largely depended on the fundamental social transformations that awaited Russia in the future. The task was to "introduce into the world the idea of a social structure without land ownership...", an idea that, according to Tolstoy, has a future, that is, the possibility of spiritual unity of people on the basis of equality and brotherhood.
Tolstoy imagined the conceived work as a reminder that the people are a huge moral force that subjugates all the healthy forces of society. The writer plunges into the material of history in order to find in it an explanation for many phenomena of his own time. And when Tolstoy's gaze rests on the epoch of 1812, "folk thought" captures his whole being. It took "five years of incessant and exceptional labor under the best conditions of life" to say something "that no one will ever say." The writing of "War and Peace" resulted in the birth of a genre that was still unknown in literature - the epic novel. In terms of the breadth of coverage of life, in terms of the depth and power of revealing human characters, world literature knows nothing equal.
“What is War and Peace?” Tolstoy wrote about the form of his work. “This is not a novel, even 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. And in a conversation with Gorky, he said: “Without false modesty, this is like the Iliad.
The creative history of "War and Peace" keeps traces of numerous edits, corrections, searches for the right word, which, as a result of hard work, crowns high skill and perfection. Tolstoy countless times started and stopped writing his novel until the era of 1812 appeared before him in clear and definite images and, as he says, asked for paper
In "War and Peace" Tolstoy tried to write the history of the people. The true hero of his work is the Russian people, those Karps and Vlass who did not bring hay to the French for big money, but burned it. The popular character of the war was reflected not only in the spiritual unity of the people and the progressive strata of Russian society, but also in the spontaneous growth of the partisan movement that unfolded in the territory occupied by the enemy. Ignoring the rules of military art, the partisans dealt crushing blows to the French. Fascinating and interesting, with great tact and skill, Tolstoy draws partisan raids behind enemy lines under the command of Denis Davydov, talks about the deacon who became the head of the detachment, about the elder Vasilisa, who exterminated hundreds of Frenchmen. “The cudgel of the people’s war,” writes Tolstoy, “rose with all its formidable and majestic strength and, without asking anyone’s tastes and rules, with stupid simplicity, but with expediency, without analyzing anything, rose, fell and nailed the French until the whole invasion perished."
The fates of the people are intertwined in the novel with the life destinies of individual characters. This gives the whole picture the character of universality, aesthetic diversity, held together by the unity of the author's thought. The life of Russian society in one of the most interesting periods of its history appeared in the image of Tolstoy in its entirety due to the fact that in his novel he painted people of various social groups and classes from the standpoint of popular ideas about life. The writer is merciless to all kinds of lies, hypocrisy, deceit, public and family. And he stigmatizes this when he creates types of a circle of people alien to him - high dignitaries, representatives of the royal court, officials, staff officers who use the war for their own purposes. And vice versa, he is full of high enthusiasm and optimism when depicting heroes and heroines close to his heart - they are "guides" of the artist's thoughts and feelings, the embodiment of his aesthetic and moral rules. Such appear in the novel Andrei and Pierre, Natasha Rostova and Maria Bolkonskaya, Kutuzov and Bagration.
Considering the historical process as a movement of the masses themselves, Tolstoy attaches great importance to an outstanding personality in this movement. Kutuzov and Napoleon appear in the novel as two diametrical opposites, to which all the threads of the narrative are drawn. The law of repulsion and attraction acts in relation to these opposites according to their role and place in the historical process. Napoleon, in the interpretation of Tolstoy, is the embodiment of evil, the personification of the bourgeois civilization of the West, leading to the alienation of the individual from the people. Kutuzov is the bearer of popular feeling. The main thing in him is his deep understanding of people's needs, his spiritual closeness to the people. These qualities of Kutuzov's character made it possible, says Tolstoy, to choose him, against the will of the tsar, as representatives of the people's war.
In the scenes depicting Kutuzov as a brilliant military strategist and an outstanding statesman, Tolstoy remains true to historical truth. So, for example, Kutuzov regarded the Battle of Borodino as a victory for the Russians, and the surrender of Moscow as the eve of the final death of the Napoleonic army. However, in his philosophical reflections on "the limits of freedom and dependence" and interpretations of the driving forces of history, Tolstoy expresses judgments that contradict his artistic truth.
In a discrepancy with historical truth, the interpretation of the image of Platon Karataev is given in the novel. Tolstoy admires his gentleness, meekness, his patient attitude to life. He is the whole personification of something "kind, round." It does not contain even a thousandth of what characterizes the entire Russian peasantry with its enormous will to win and indispensable participation in all vital processes. The idealization in Platon Karataev of the features of non-resistance opens up a new stage in Tolstoy's ideological activity, the stage of the writer's gradual transition to the positions of the patriarchal peasantry.
In "War and Peace" Tolstoy sought to tell not only the truth about the human soul, but also the truth of history. And therefore, all the contradictions of the "personal thought" of the writer in no way detract from the artistic merits of the novel, do not lower the level of narration. With this epic novel, Tolstoy entered world literature as the author of the greatest work ever written.
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy- the great Russian writer, whose name and whose works are known throughout the world. Tolstoy's books are included in the golden fund of world literature and are considered one of those masterpieces, the genius of which is unlikely to ever be refuted or surpassed. The head of Russian literature wrote many wonderful works, but one of the most famous books, which people of all countries of the world have been reading for many decades, is the immortal work "" (1863-1869).
"War and Peace" is a novel in four volumes from the genius of classical literature. The epic novel describes Russia during the war against Napoleon (1805-1812). The book tells both about the war itself, military operations, battle scenes, and about peaceful life in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of the country, which takes place against the background of the war. Concerning wars, then the novel is simply amazing with a thorough and almost scrupulous description of all actions, important moments and scenes. Against the backdrop of human relationships and destinies, the description of military operations does not at all seem like a boring history lesson, but on the contrary, an exciting adventure into the past. The modern reader can discover a lot about the history of this difficult and bloody time, having studied all its historical events with pleasure, traveling along them with their favorite heroes.
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« World”and the life of society, represented by several families of a high position, captures the reader even more. The relationship of people, love, betrayal, the mood of society, the traditions and customs that reigned in the 19th century, all this is described incredibly beautifully and gracefully. The main characters of the novel become so vivid and penetrating here that the reader can look into their soul, feel everything they feel, feel love and hate for a while, a feeling of happiness or suffering, joy and grief. The most striking characters of the novel "War and Peace" are: Natasha Rostova, Pierre Bezukhov, Nikolai Rostov, Andrei Bolkonsky, Sonya, Maria Nikolaevna, Anatole Kuragin and many others. The whirlwind of their relationship can take the reader so deeply into the book that these images will resurface for the rest of their lives. The heroes and their characters will become so memorable for you that for a long time you will notice in real people the habits of Pierre or the carelessness of Natasha Rostova, the courage and heroism of Andrei Bolkonsky or Sonya's self-sacrifice. This novel can be called a real ocean, an ocean of life that rages in the universe for eternity.
No school program is complete without studying the epic novel L.N. Tolstoy"War and Peace". How many volumes in this work will be described in today's article.
The novel "War and Peace" consists of 4 volumes.
- Volume 1 consists of 3 parts.
- Volume 2 consists of 5 parts.
- Volume 3 consists of 3 parts.
- Volume 4 consists of 4 parts.
- The epilogue is in 2 parts.
War and Peace tells about the life of Russian society in the period from 1805 to 1812, i.e. during the era of the Napoleonic Wars.
The work was based on the author's personal interest in the history of that time, political events and the life of the country. Tolstoy decided to start work after repeated conversations with relatives about his intention.
- In the 1st volume the author tells about the military events of 1805-1807, during the period of the conclusion of an alliance between Russia and Austria to fight the Napoleonic invasion.
- In the 2nd volume describes the peacetime of 1806-1812. It is dominated by descriptions of the experiences of the characters, their personal relationships, the search for the meaning of life and the theme of love.
- In the 3rd volume the military events of 1812 are given: the offensive of Napoleon and his troops on Russia, the Battle of Borodino, the capture of Moscow.
- In the 4th volume the author tells about the second half of 1812: the liberation of Moscow, the Battle of Tarutino and a large number of scenes related to the partisan war.
- In the 1st part of the epilogue Leo Tolstoy describes the fate of his heroes.
- In the 2nd part of the epilogue It is told about cause-and-effect relationships between the events that took place between Europe and Russia in 1805-1812.
In each of the volumes, L.N. Tolstoy conveyed a realistic picture of the era, and also expressed his opinion about its great significance in the life of society. Instead of abstract reasoning (which nevertheless has its place in the novel), the transfer of information was used through visual and detailed descriptions of the military events of those years.
- The number of characters in the novel 569 (major and minor). Of these, about 200 - real historical figures: Kutuzov, Napoleon, Alexander I, Bagration, Arakcheev, Speransky. Fictional characters - Andrei Bolkonsky, Pierre Bezukhov, Natasha Rostova - nevertheless, are vital and realistic, they are the main attention in the novel.
- In Soviet times (1918-1986) "War and Peace" was the most published work of fiction. 36,085,000 copies- such was the circulation of 312 editions. The novel was created in 6 years, while Tolstoy rewrote the epic by hand 8 times, individual fragments - more than 26 times. The writer's works include approximately 5,200 sheets written by his own hand, where the history of the appearance of each volume is shown in full.
- Before writing the novel, Leo Tolstoy read a lot of historical and memoir literature. Tolstoy's "list of used literature" included such publications as: the multi-volume "Description of the Patriotic War in 1812", the history of M. I. Bogdanovich, "The Life of Count Speransky" by M. Korf, "Biography of Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov" by M. P. Shcherbinin. The writer also used the materials of the French historians Thiers, A. Dumas Sr., Georges Chambray, Maximilien Foy, Pierre Lanfre.
- Based on the novel, a large number of films (at least 10) were made, both in Russia and abroad.
Video
Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" was written in 1863-1869. To get acquainted with the main plot lines of the novel, we offer 10th grade students and everyone who is interested in Russian literature to read the summary of “War and Peace” chapter by chapter and part online.
"War and Peace" refers to the literary direction of realism: the book describes in detail a number of key historical events, depicts characters typical of Russian society, the main conflict is "hero and society". The genre of the work is an epic novel: "War and Peace" includes both signs of a novel (the presence of several storylines, a description of the development of characters and moments of crisis in their fate), and epics (global historical events, the all-encompassing nature of the depiction of reality). In the novel, Tolstoy touches on many "eternal" themes: love, friendship, fathers and children, the search for the meaning of life, the confrontation between war and peace, both in the global sense and in the souls of the characters.
Main characters
Andrey Bolkonsky- the prince, the son of Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, was married to the little princess Lisa. He is in constant search for the meaning of life. Participated in the Battle of Austerlitz. He died from a wound received during the Battle of Borodino.
Natasha Rostova Daughter of the Count and Countess Rostov. At the beginning of the novel, the heroine is only 12 years old, Natasha is growing up before the eyes of the reader. At the end of the work, she marries Pierre Bezukhov.
Pierre Bezukhov- Count, son of Count Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov. He was married to Helen (first marriage) and Natasha Rostova (second marriage). Interested in Freemasonry. He was present on the battlefield during the Battle of Borodino.
Nikolay Rostov- the eldest son of the Count and Countess of Rostov. Participated in military campaigns against the French and the Patriotic War. After the death of his father, he takes care of the family. He married Marya Bolkonskaya.
Ilya Andreevich Rostov And Natalia Rostova- counts, parents of Natasha, Nikolai, Vera and Petya. A happy married couple living in harmony and love.
Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky- Prince, father of Andrei Bolkonsky. Prominent figure of the Catherine era.
Marya Bolkonskaya- Princess, sister of Andrei Bolkonsky, daughter of Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky. A pious girl who lives for her loved ones. She married Nikolai Rostov.
Sonya- niece of Count Rostov. Lives in the care of the Rostovs.
Fedor Dolokhov- at the beginning of the novel, he is an officer of the Semenovsky regiment. One of the leaders of the partisan movement. During a peaceful life, he constantly participated in revelry.
Vasily Denisov- friend of Nikolai Rostov, captain, squadron commander.
Other characters
Anna Pavlovna Sherer- maid of honor and approximate Empress Maria Feodorovna.
Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya- the impoverished heiress of "one of the best families in Russia", a friend of Countess Rostova.
Boris Drubetskoy- the son of Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya. Made a brilliant military career. He married Julie Karagina to improve his financial situation.
Julie Karagina- daughter of Karagina Marya Lvovna, friend of Marya Bolkonskaya. She married Boris Drubetskoy.
Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov- Count, father of Pierre Bezukhov, an influential person. After his death, he left his son (Pierre) a huge fortune.
Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova- the godmother of Natasha Rostova, she was known and respected in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Peter Rostov (Petya)- the youngest son of the Count and Countess of Rostov. Was killed during World War II.
Vera Rostova- the eldest daughter of the Count and Countess Rostov. Adolf Berg's wife.
Adolf (Alphonse) Karlovich Berg- a German who made a career from lieutenant to colonel. First the groom, then the husband of Vera Rostova.
Lisa Bolkonskaya- the little princess, the young wife of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. She died during childbirth, giving birth to Andrei's son.
Vasily Sergeevich Kuragin- Prince, friend Scherer, a well-known and influential socialite in Moscow and St. Petersburg. He occupies an important position at court.
Elena Kuragina (Helen)- the daughter of Vasily Kuragin, the first wife of Pierre Bezukhov. A charming woman who liked to shine in the light. She died after an unsuccessful abortion.
Anatole Kuragin- "restless fool", the eldest son of Vasily Kuragin. A charming and handsome man, a dandy, a lover of women. Participated in the Battle of Borodino.
Ippolit Kuragin- "the late fool", the youngest son of Vasily Kuragin. The complete opposite of his brother and sister, very stupid, everyone perceives him as a jester.
Amelie Bourienne- Frenchwoman, companion of Marya Bolkonskaya.
Shinshin- cousin of Countess Rostova.
Ekaterina Semyonovna Mamontova- the eldest of the three Mamontov sisters, the niece of Count Kirill Bezukhov.
Bagration- Russian military leader, hero of the war against Napoleon 1805-1807 and the Patriotic War of 1812.
Napoleon Bonaparte- Emperor of France
Alexander I- Emperor of the Russian Empire.
Kutuzov Field Marshal General, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army.
Tushin- an artillery captain who distinguished himself in the battle of Shengraben.
Platon Karataev- a soldier of the Apsheron regiment, embodying everything truly Russian, whom Pierre met in captivity.
Volume 1
The first volume of "War and Peace" consists of three parts, divided into "peaceful" and "military" narrative blocks and covers the events of 1805. The “peaceful” first part of the first volume of the work and the initial chapters of the third part describe social life in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and in the Bald Mountains.
In the second part and the last chapters of the third part of the first volume, the author depicts pictures of the war between the Russian-Austrian army and Napoleon. The battle of Shengraben and the Battle of Austerlitz become the central episodes of the "military" blocks of the narrative.
From the first, "peaceful" chapters of the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy introduces the reader to the main characters of the work - Andrei Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova, Pierre Bezukhov, Nikolai Rostov, Sonya and others. Through the depiction of the life of various social groups and families, the author conveys the diversity of Russian life in the pre-war period. The "military" chapters display the whole unadorned realism of military operations, further revealing to the reader the characters of the main characters. The defeat at Austerlitz, which concludes the first volume, appears in the novel not only as a loss for the Russian troops, but also as a symbol of the collapse of hopes, a revolution in the lives of most of the main characters.
Volume 2
The second volume of "War and Peace" is the only "peaceful" in the entire epic and covers the events of 1806-1811 on the eve of the Patriotic War. In it, the "peaceful" episodes of the secular life of the heroes are intertwined with the military-historical world - the adoption of the Tilsit truce between France and Russia, the preparation of Speransky's reforms.
During the period described in the second volume, important events take place in the lives of the heroes that largely change their worldview and views of the world: the return of Andrei Bolkonsky home, his disappointment in life after the death of his wife, and the subsequent transformation thanks to love for Natasha Rostova; Pierre's passion for Freemasonry and his attempts to improve the life of the peasants on his estates; the first ball of Natasha Rostova; loss of Nikolai Rostov; hunting and Christmas in Otradnoye (the Rostov estate); the failed kidnapping of Natasha by Anatole Karagin and Natasha's refusal to marry Andrey. The second volume ends with the symbolic appearance of a comet hovering over Moscow, foreshadowing terrible events in the lives of heroes and all of Russia - the war of 1812.
Volume 3
The third volume of "War and Peace" is devoted to the military events of 1812 and their impact on the "peaceful" life of the Russian people of all classes. The first part of the volume describes the invasion of French troops into the territory of Russia and the preparations for the Battle of Borodino. The second part depicts the Battle of Borodino itself, which is the culmination not only of the third volume, but of the entire novel. Many central characters of the work intersect on the battlefield (Bolkonsky, Bezukhov, Denisov, Dolokhov, Kuragin, etc.), which emphasizes the inextricable connection of the whole people with a common goal - the fight against the enemy. The third part is devoted to the surrender of Moscow to the French, a description of the fire in the capital, which, according to Tolstoy, happened because of those who left the city, leaving it to the enemies. The most touching scene of the volume is also described here - a date between Natasha and the mortally wounded Bolkonsky, who still loves the girl. The volume ends with Pierre's unsuccessful attempt to kill Napoleon and his arrest by the French.
Volume 4
The fourth volume of War and Peace covers the events of the Patriotic War of the second half of 1812, as well as the peaceful life of the main characters in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Voronezh. The second and third "military" parts describe the flight of the Napoleonic army from the plundered Moscow, the Battle of Tarutino and the partisan war of the Russian army against the French. The "military" chapters are framed by the "peaceful" parts one and four, in which the author pays special attention to the mood of the aristocracy regarding military events, its remoteness from the interests of the whole people.
In the fourth volume, key events also take place in the lives of the heroes: Nikolai and Marya realize that they love each other, Andrei Bolkonsky and Helen Bezukhova die, Petya Rostov dies, and Pierre and Natasha begin to think about possible joint happiness. However, the central figure of the fourth volume is a simple soldier, a native of the people - Platon Karataev, who in the novel is the bearer of everything truly Russian. In his words and actions, the same simple wisdom of the peasant, folk philosophy is expressed, over the comprehension of which the main characters of "War and Peace" are tormented.
Epilogue
In the epilogue of the work "War and Peace" Tolstoy sums up the entire epic novel, depicting the life of the characters seven years after the Patriotic War - in 1819-1820. Significant changes took place in their destinies, both good and bad: the marriage of Pierre and Natasha and the birth of their children, the death of Count Rostov and the difficult financial situation of the Rostov family, the wedding of Nikolai and Marya and the birth of their children, the growing up of Nikolenka, the son of the deceased Andrei Bolkonsky, in which the character of the father is already clearly visible.
If the first part of the epilogue describes the personal lives of the heroes, then the second part presents the author's reflections on historical events, the role of an individual historical figure and entire nations in these events. Concluding his reasoning, the author comes to the conclusion that the whole history is predetermined by some irrational law of random mutual influences and interconnections. An example of this is the scene depicted in the first part of the epilogue, when a large family gathers at the Rostovs: the Rostovs, the Bolkonskys, the Bezukhovs - all of them were brought together by the same incomprehensible law of historical relationships - the main acting force that directs all the events and fates of the characters in the novel.
Conclusion
In the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy managed to masterfully depict the people not as different social strata, but as a single whole, united by common values and aspirations. All four volumes of the work, including the epilogue, are connected by the idea of “folk thought”, which lives not only in every hero of the work, but also in every “peaceful” or “military” episode. It was this unifying thought that became, according to Tolstoy's idea, the main reason for the victory of the Russians in the Patriotic War.
"War and Peace" is rightfully considered a masterpiece of Russian literature, an encyclopedia of Russian characters and human life in general. For more than a century, the work has remained interesting and relevant for modern readers, history buffs and connoisseurs of classical Russian literature. War and Peace is a novel that everyone should read.
A very detailed brief retelling of "War and Peace", presented on our website, will allow you to get a complete picture of the plot of the novel, its heroes, the main conflicts and the problems of the work.
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