"War and Peace" is called an epic because it covers the historical events that took place from 1805 to 1821. Thus, the action of the novel takes a long period of time. Moreover, more than 200 characters participate in it, including world-famous commanders. The author depicts Napoleon, and Kutuzov, and Bagration, and Raevsky, and even Tsar Alexander I against the backdrop of the Patriotic War of 1812. Any social strata of Russia are also involved here: peasants, nobles, close associates of the tsar, provincials, merchants. It is not surprising that this novel made an indelible impression on the world community.
The main theme of Tolstoy's epic work was the theme of the heroism of the Russian people during the war with Napoleon. Regardless of their social status, people defended their country and fought unitedly against the enemy invasion. One of the most worthy commanders, whom the author shows in all its glory, was, of course, Kutuzov. But what about ordinary people? How did they behave in difficult times for the whole nation? In the novel "War and Peace" we see that social division occurs not on a class basis, but on the level of humanity and morality.
The main theme of the novel "War and Peace" is the image of the feat of the Russian people in the Patriotic War of 1812. The author speaks in his novel about the faithful sons of the fatherland, and about false patriots who think only about their own self-interest. Tolstoy uses the antithesis technique to depict both the events and the characters of the novel. Let's follow the events of the novel.
In the first volume, he tells about the war with Napoleon in 1805-1807, where Russia (an ally of Austria and Prussia) was defeated. There is a war going on. In Austria, General Mack is defeated near Ulm. The Austrian army surrendered. The threat of defeat hung over the Russian army. And then Kutuzov decided to send Bagration with four thousand soldiers through the rugged Bohemian mountains towards the French. Bagration had to quickly make a difficult transition and delay the 40,000-strong French army until Kutuzov arrived. His detachment needed to accomplish a great feat in order to save the Russian army.
Thus, the author brings the reader to the image of the first great battle. In this battle, as always, Dolokhov is bold and fearless. Dolokhov's courage is manifested in battle, where "he killed one Frenchman point-blank, the first took a surrendered officer by the collar." But after that he goes to the regimental commander and reports on his "trophies": "Please remember, Your Excellency!" Then he untied the handkerchief, tugged it and showed the gore: "Wound with a bayonet, I stayed at the front. Remember, Your Excellency." Everywhere, always, he remembers first of all about himself, only about himself, everything he does, he does for himself.
We are not surprised by the behavior of Zherekhov. When, at the height of the battle, Bagration sent him with an important order to the general of the left flank, he did not go forward, where the shooting was heard, but began to look for the general away from the battle. Due to an untransmitted order, the French cut off the Russian hussars, many died and were wounded. There are many such officers. They are not cowards, but they do not know how to forget themselves, their careers and personal interests for the sake of a common cause. But the Russian army consisted not only of such officers.
In the chapters depicting the Battle of Shengraben, we meet true heroes. Here he sits, the hero of this battle, the hero of this "case", small, thin and dirty, sitting barefoot, taking off his boots. This is artillery officer Tushin. “With big, intelligent and kind eyes, he looks at the commanders who have entered and tries to joke: “The soldiers say that they are more dexterous when they take off their shoes, and he is embarrassed, feeling that the joke has failed.”
Tolstoy is doing everything so that Captain Tushin appears before us in the most unheroic, even ridiculous form. But this funny man was the hero of the day. Prince Andrey will rightly say about him: "We owe the success of the day most of all to the action of this battery and the heroic steadfastness of Captain Tushin with the company." The second hero of the Shengraben battle is Timokhin. He appears at the very moment when the soldiers succumbed to panic and ran. Everything seemed to be lost. But at that moment the French, advancing on ours, suddenly ran back, and Russian arrows appeared in the forest. It was Timokhin's company. And only thanks to Timokhin, the Russians had the opportunity to return and gather battalions.
Courage is varied. There are many people who are unrestrainedly brave in battle, but get lost in everyday life. With the images of Tushin and Timokhin, Tolstoy teaches the reader to see truly brave people, their low-key heroism, their great will, which helps to overcome fear and win battles.
In the war of 1812, when every soldier fought for his home, for his relatives and friends, for his homeland, the consciousness of the danger "multiplyed" his strength. The further Napoleon advanced into the depths of Russia, the more the strength of the Russian army grew, the more the French army weakened, turning into a bunch of thieves and marauders.
Only the will of the people, only people's patriotism, "the spirit of the army" makes the army invincible. This conclusion is made by Tolstoy in his immortal epic novel War and Peace.
Municipal High School N 1
Essay on literature on the topic
True and false patriotism in the novel
"War and Peace"
Completed by a student of 10 "B" class
Zinovieva Irina
Checked by literature teacher
Chinina Olga Yurievna
Voronezh 2006.
Introduction
Heroically patriotic and anti-war themes are the defining, leading themes of Tolstoy's epic novel. This work captured for centuries the feat of the Russian people, who defended their national independence with weapons in their hands. "War and Peace" will continue to retain this significance in the future, inspiring peoples to fight against foreign invaders.
The author of War and Peace was a staunch and passionate champion of peace. He knew well what war was, he saw it closely with his own eyes. For five years, the young Tolstoy wore a military uniform, serving as an artillery officer in the army, first in the Caucasus, then on the Danube and, finally, in the Crimea, where he participated in the heroic defense of Sevastopol.
The great work was preceded by a work on a novel about the Decembrist. In 1856, a manifesto was announced on amnesty for people on December 14, and their return to their homeland caused an aggravation of Russian society. LN Tolstoy also showed attention to this event. He recalled: “In 1856, I began to write a story with a well-known direction, the hero of which was supposed to be a Decembrist returning with his family to Russia ...” The writer did not intend to give the reader an apotheosis of the Decembrist movement: his plans included revising this page of Russian history in the light of defeat of Decembrism and offer their own understanding of the fight against it, by peaceful means and through non-violence. Therefore, the hero of the story was supposed to return from exile, condemn his revolutionary past and become a supporter of another solution to the problem - moral improvement as a recipe for the improvement of the whole society. However, Tolstoy's idea has undergone significant changes. Let's listen to the writer himself: “Involuntarily, from the present (that is, 1856), I moved on to 1825, the era of the delusions and misfortunes of my hero, and left what had been started. But in 1825 my hero was already a mature, family man. To understand him, I had to go back to his youth, and his youth coincided with the glory for Russia of the era of 1812. Another time I gave up what I had begun and began to write from the time of 1812, whose smell and sound are still audible and dear to us. So the heroic epic of the fight against the Napoleonic invasion became the main theme of the new novel. L. Tolstoy, however, continues: “For the third time, I came back because of a feeling that may seem strange. I was ashamed to write about our triumph in the struggle against Bonaparte France without describing our failures and our shame. If the reason for our triumph was not accidental, but lay in the essence of the character of the Russian people and troops, then this character should have been expressed even more clearly in an era of failures and defeats. So, having returned from 1825 to 1805, from now on I intend to lead not one, but many of my heroines and heroes through the historical events of 1805, 1807, 1812, 1825 and 1856. This important author's testimony conveys both the grandiose scale of what is captured in the novel, and the development of the latter into an epic, and the multi-hero character of the work, and the importance of understanding the national character in it, and its deep historicism. An important previous work of Tolstoy was “Sevastopol Tales”, and the Crimean War with its failures that needed to be comprehended became an impulse in the coverage of historical events.
The work on "War and Peace" was accompanied by a huge creative upsurge of the writer. Never before had he felt his mental and moral powers so free and destined for creative work.
L. N. Tolstoy proceeds to a thorough study of historical sources, documentary literature, memoirs of participants in ancient events. He studies the works of A. I. Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky about the wars of 1805-1814, “Essays on the Battle of Borodino” by F. N. Glinka, “The Diary of Partisan Actions of 1812” by D. V. Davydov, the book “Russia and Russians” by N. I. Turgenev, “Notes about 1812” by S. N. Glinka, memoirs by A. P. Yermolov, memoirs by A. D. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, “Traveling notes of an artilleryman” by I. T. Radozhitsky and many other works of this type. The library of Yasnaya Polyana has preserved 46 books and magazines that Tolstoy used throughout his work on the novel War and Peace. In total, the writer used the works, the list of which includes 74 titles.
The trip in September 1867 to the Borodino field, where a great battle had once taken place, became important. The writer went around the famous field on foot, studying the location of the Russian and French troops, the location of the Shevardinsky redoubt, the Bagration flushes, and the Rayevsky battery. No less significant were the questions of the surviving contemporaries of the great battles, the study of the life of a remote era.
As you work on the novel, its folk origin is strengthened and enriched. “I tried to write the history of the people,” Tolstoy left such a confession in the draft of the fourth volume. Gradually, the “folk thought” became decisive in “War and Peace”, the favorite theme of the epic was the image of the feat of the people during the events of Russian history. The novel included 569 characters, among which were 200 historical figures. But among them, the main characters of the work are by no means lost, whose fates the writer traces carefully, with all the necessary psychological persuasiveness. At the same time, the author connects them with a variety of ties of kinship, love, friendship, marriage, business relations, common participation in grandiose historical events. There are quite a few persons in the novel whose individual features of life and character reflect the properties of the ancestors and closest relatives of Leo Tolstoy. So, in Count Rostov, the features of Count Ilya Andreevich Tolstoy, the writer's grandfather, are guessed, and in the old prince Bolkonsky - the features of another grandfather; Countess Rostova resembles Tolstoy's grandmother - Pelageya Nikolaevna Tolstaya, Princess Marya absorbed the traits of the Writer's mother - Maria Nikolaevna Volkonskaya, and Nikolai Rostov - the properties of his father, Nikolai Ilyich Tolstoy. Prince Andrei absorbed the features of Sergei Nikolaevich, the writer's brother, and Natasha Rostova imprinted the image of Tatyana Andreevna Bers, the writer's sister-in-law. All this testifies to the significant autobiography of the novel and the deep vitality of its characters. But "War and Peace" is by no means reduced to autobiography: it is the broadest canvas that reflects Russian history. Its heroes and the many-sided folk world.
Work on the great book required a titanic work. The total number of surviving manuscripts of the novel is over ten thousand draft texts. Some of the parts of the epic were rewritten many times, individual scenes were remade, according to Tolstoy, "to infinity." But as a result of the tireless and intense work of the author, a novel appeared that constituted a whole era in the history of Russian culture.
True and false patriotism in the novel "War and Peace"
The novel "War and Peace" in terms of genre is an epic novel, since Tolstoy shows us historical events that cover a large period of time (the action of the novel begins in 1805 and ends in 1821, in the epilogue); over 200 characters act in the novel, there are real historical figures (Kutuzov, Napoleon, Alexander I, Speransky, Rostopchin, Bagration and many others), all social strata of Russia of that time: high society, noble aristocracy, provincial nobility, army, peasantry, even merchants.
One of the main issues that worries Tolstoy is the question of patriotism and heroism of the Russian people, it is considered very deeply in the novel. At the same time, Tolstoy does not fall into a falsely patriotic tone of narration, but looks at events sternly and objectively, like a realist writer. The author talks about his novel and about the faithful sons of the Fatherland, who are ready to give their lives for the salvation of the Motherland, about false patriots who think only about their own selfish goals. With this solution of the patriotic theme, Lev Nikolayevich reflected the true historical reality. It consists in depicting the feat of the Russian people in the Patriotic War of 1812. The author speaks in his novel about the faithful sons of the Fatherland, and about false patriots who think only about their own selfish goals.
In the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy created a voluminous and multifaceted picture of the war. But in this work, the reader sees not galloping warriors with unfolded banners, not a parade and the brilliance of victories, but ordinary military everyday life. On the pages of the novel, we meet with ordinary soldiers, we see their hard, hard work.
The writer introduces us into the inner world of an ordinary person at first glance. But he shows us that even such inconspicuous people can be interesting and attractive with their spiritual beauty. The author reveals to us, the readers, the poetry of the hero's spiritual life. It is often difficult to see the true face of a person under the layers of the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The writer shows that one must be able to see human dignity in everyone, that divine spark that will not allow a person to commit a truly vile act. In extreme situations, in moments of great upheavals and global changes, a person will definitely prove himself, show his inner essence, certain qualities of his nature. In Tolstoy's novel, someone utters big words, engages in noisy activities or useless fuss - someone experiences a simple and natural feeling of "the need for sacrifice and suffering in the consciousness of a common misfortune." The former only imagine themselves as patriots and shout loudly about their love for the Fatherland, while the latter are them and give their lives in the name of a common victory or leave their own property to be plundered, so long as it does not go to the enemy. In the first case, we are dealing with false patriotism, repulsive with its falseness, selfishness and hypocrisy. This is how secular nobles behave at a dinner in honor of Bagration: when reading poems about the war, “everyone stood up, feeling that dinner was more important than poetry.” A false patriotic atmosphere reigns in the salons of Anna Pavlovna Scherer, Helen Bezukhova and in other Petersburg salons: “...calm, luxurious, preoccupied only with ghosts, reflections of life, Petersburg life went on in the old way; and because of the course of this life, great efforts had to be made to realize the danger and the difficult situation in which the Russian people found themselves. There were the same exits, balls, the same French theater, the same interests of the courts, the same interests of service and intrigue. Only in the highest circles have efforts been made to recall the difficulty of the present situation. Indeed, this circle of people was far from understanding the all-Russian problems, from understanding the great misfortune and the need of the people in this war. The world continued to live by its own interests, and even in the moment of a national disaster, greed and promotion reign here.
False patriotism is also shown by Count Rostopchin, who puts up stupid "posters" around Moscow, urges the inhabitants of the city not to leave the capital, and then, fleeing the people's wrath, deliberately sends the innocent son of the merchant Vereshchagin to death. Meanness and betrayal are combined with self-conceit, puffiness: “It not only seemed to him that he controlled the external actions of the inhabitants of Moscow, but it seemed to him that he was directing their mood through his appeals and posters, written in the dark language, which in its midst despises the people and which he does not understand when he hears it from above.
Like Rostopchin, the novel shows Berg, who, in a moment of general confusion, is looking for profit and is preoccupied with buying a wardrobe and a toilet "with an English secret." It never occurs to him that now it is a shame to think about purchases that are not necessary. Such, finally, is Drubetskoy, who, like other staff officers, thinks about awards and promotions, wants to "arrange for himself the best position, especially the position of adjutant with an important person, which seemed to him especially tempting in the army." It is probably no coincidence that on the eve of the Battle of Borodino, Pierre notices this greedy excitement on the faces of the officers, he mentally compares it with "another expression of excitement", "which spoke of not personal, but general issues, issues of life and death."
What "other" people are we talking about? Of course, these are the faces of ordinary Russian peasants dressed in soldier's greatcoats, for whom the feeling of the Motherland is sacred and inalienable. True patriots in Tushin's battery fight even without cover. Yes, and Tushin himself "did not experience the slightest unpleasant feeling of fear, and the thought that he might be killed or hurt painfully did not cross his mind." The blood feeling of the Motherland makes the soldiers resist the enemy with unthinkable stamina. From the description of the janitor Ferapontov, we see that this man, who gives his property for plunder when leaving Smolensk, beats his wife because she asks him to leave, he bargains petty with a cab driver, but, having understood the essence of what is happening, he burns his own house and leaves . He is also, of course, a patriot. For him, there is no sense in the acquired good when the fate of his homeland is being decided. "Drag everything, guys, don't leave it to the French!" he shouts to the Russian soldiers.
What is Pierre doing? He gives his money, sells the estate to equip the regiment. And what makes him, a wealthy aristocrat, go into the thick of the Battle of Borodino? All the same feeling of concern for the fate of their country, the desire to help the Russian people.
Finally, let us remember those who left Moscow, not wanting to submit to Napoleon. They were convinced: "It was impossible to be under the control of the French." That is why they "simply and truly" did "that great work that saved Russia."
True patriots in Tolstoy's novel do not think about themselves, they feel the need for their own contribution and even sacrifice, but they do not expect rewards for this, because they carry in their souls a genuine holy sense of the Motherland.
There is a war going on in Austria. General Mack is defeated at Ulm. The Austrian army surrendered. The threat of defeat hung over the Russian army. And then Kutuzov decided to send Bagration with four thousand soldiers through the rugged Bohemian mountains towards the French. Bagration had to quickly make a difficult transition and delay the 40,000-strong French army until the arrival of the commander in chief. His detachment needed to accomplish a great feat in order to save the Russian army. So the author brings the reader to the image of the first great battle.
In this battle, as always, Dolokhov is bold and fearless. He shows his courage in battle, where “he killed one Frenchman point-blank and took the first officer by the collar.” But after that, he goes to the regimental commander and reports on his “trophies”: “Please remember, Your Excellency!” Then he untied the handkerchief, pulled it and showed the gore: “Wound with a bayonet, I stayed at the front. Remember, Your Excellency." Everywhere and always Dolokhov worries about himself, only about himself, everything he does, he does for himself.
We are not surprised by Zherkov's behavior either. When, at the height of the battle, Bagration sent him with an important order to the general of the left flank, he did not go forward, where the shooting was heard, but began to “search” for the general away from the battle. Due to an untransmitted order, the French cut off the Russian hussars, many died and were wounded. There are many such officers. They are not cowardly, but they do not know how to forget themselves, their careers and personal interests for the sake of a common cause. However, the Russian army consisted not only of such officers.
Heroism in the novel looks casual and natural. In the chapters depicting the Battle of Shengraben, we meet true heroes. In describing this battle, the author shows how confusion seized the infantry regiments at the news of the encirclement. “The moral hesitation that decides the fate of the battles has obviously been resolved in favor of fear.” Here he sits, the hero of this battle, the hero of this “case”, small, thin and dirty, sitting barefoot, taking off his boots. This is artillery officer Tushin. “With big, intelligent and kind eyes, he looks at the commanders who have entered and tries to joke: “The soldiers say that they are more dexterous when they take off their shoes,” and he is embarrassed, feeling that the joke has failed. Tolstoy is doing everything so that Captain Tushin appears before us in the most unheroic form, even ridiculous. But this funny man was the hero of the day. Prince Andrey will rightly say about him: “We owe the success of the day most of all to the action of this battery and the heroic steadfastness of Captain Tushin with the company.”
The second hero of the Shengraben battle is Timokhin. The battle seemed lost. But at that moment the advancing French suddenly ran back ... and Russian arrows appeared in the forest. It was Timokhin's company. He appears at the very moment when the soldiers succumbed to panic and ran. His actions are at the behest of the heart. Not numerical superiority, not the complex plans of the commanders, but the enthusiasm of the company commander, who led the soldiers, decides the outcome of the battle, it was his determination and belligerence that forced the enemy to retreat. “... With such insane and drunken determination, with one skewer ...” Only thanks to Timokhin did the defenders have the opportunity to return and gather battalions. The Russians won "a moral victory, one that convinces the enemy of the moral superiority of his enemy and of his impotence."
Courage is varied. There are many people who are unrestrainedly brave in battle, but are lost in everyday life. With the images of Tushin and Timokhin, Tolstoy teaches the reader to see truly brave people, their low-key heroism, their great will, which helps to overcome fear and win battles.
The author leads us to the conclusion that not only the outcome of a military battle, but the direction of the development of history is determined precisely by the activity of the human masses, bound by the unity of feelings and aspirations. Everything depends on the spirit of the soldiers, which can turn into panic fear - and then the battle is lost, or rise to heroism - and then the battle will be won. Generals become strong only on the condition that they control not only the actions of the soldiers, but also the spirit of their troops. And to fulfill this task, the commander must be not only the military commander in chief, but also its spiritual leader. This is how Kutuzov appears before us. During the Battle of Borodino, he concentrated in himself all the patriotism of the Russian army. The battle of Borodino is a "people's battle". The "hidden warmth of patriotism" that flared up in the soul of every soldier, and the general "spirit of the troops" predetermined victory. In this battle, the true beauty of the Russian people is revealed. The Russians won “a moral victory, one that convinces the enemy of the moral superiority of his enemy and of his impotence. On the Napoleonic army in this battle "the hand of the strongest enemy in spirit" was imposed.
In the war of 1812, when every soldier fought for his home, for relatives and friends, for his homeland, the consciousness of danger increased tenfold strength. The deeper Napoleon advanced into the depths of Russia, the more the strength of the Russian army grew, the more the French army weakened, turning into a bunch of thieves and marauders. Only the will of the people, only the people's patriotism makes the army invincible. This conclusion follows from Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace.
Bibliography
1. L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace".
2. Yu. V. Lebedev “Russian literature of the 19th century”.
3. K. N. Lomunova “The Great Book of Life”.
4. E. S. Rogover “Russian literature of the second half of the XIX century”.
The school curriculum includes a tour of the most key moments in the history of Russia. Does the end of studying the list of works become a given patriotism?
Country of fathers - Motherland
Our ancestors lived, fully devoting themselves to the development of their country. They honestly worked, gave birth to children, celebrated and fought desperately for every centimeter of their native land. They did not have a question: "Do I need to stand up for the defense of the Motherland?" They just walked and fought for independence and a peaceful life, which is what Patriotism will be about - this is unconditional and unquestioning love for their country, every tree and even the smallest river. Our great-great-grandfathers gave their lives to serve their native land: they erected and ennobled temples and monasteries, created park areas for recreation, and kept the surrounding area clean. They did it out of their own heart's desire. The soul of a true patriot is always ready to stand guard over his heritage.
Protection and augmentation
Residents of their beloved country always care about the environment, because they want to preserve natural wealth for posterity. Why write such an essay? Not everyone knows what patriotism is. But if you do not love your Motherland in its original form and do not take care of the surrounding nature, then over time it will simply disappear. Native expanses in the form of clear lakes and turbulent rivers, forests full of berries, mushrooms and medicinal herbs, beautiful flowers in the fields, will not always look like this without human help. Creative work and the increase of wealth, the readiness to stand up for the defense of their homeland - this is true patriotism. This is a story that was created for children by their ancestors. They urged their descendants to treat their Motherland politely and be ready, like them, to give their lives for her.
Respect for foreign culture
How to understand the essence of the word "patriotism"? An essay on this topic reveals the main theses of the definition. Firstly, a patriot loves not only the city or village where he was born, but the whole vast country. In childhood, it seems to many people that there is no more beautiful view from the window and fragrant grass and fragrant flowers than in this place and at this time. In fact, the Motherland is beautiful by definition. This is not a specific place, it is a huge country, on the territory of which there are many beautiful places.
Patriotism, the essay about which is more a discussion on a given topic, also implies unconditional respect for foreign countries and cultures. Ignorance in the form of statements: "Russia is only for Russians", "Our tanks and ballerinas are the best" - is not a manifestation of patriotism.
Knowledge of history
Testing at school is carried out in different forms, for example, it can be an essay. What is patriotism is explained from the elementary grades, but personal convictions do not allow some to understand this concept. A true patriot knows the history of his country, honors the names of heroes on memorable holidays, protects the natural and architectural heritage left behind. He looks at reality with an open look, accepting all the imperfections of his homeland. The patriot will not seek to move to another country, but will try to devote his life to improving life in his native land. Proper education plays a big contribution to the development and improvement of the level of a territorial subject. Human resources are also a kind of wealth (scientists, doctors, teachers). A true patriot will never lose his roots in a foreign land.
Composition: "Patriotism in the novel" War and Peace "
This title belongs to the work of Leo Tolstoy, which is included in the compulsory school curriculum. War is terrible and scary in any historical period. The events of 1812, described in the book, became an example of unconditional heroism and the manifestation of personal nobility. Napoleon exposed the Russian people to mortal danger, so the human spirit of millions was united by a sense of unity. It was a vivid example of how patriotism manifested itself in War and Peace. An essay on this topic is saturated with heroic deeds that everyone did, regardless of class, social status, age and gender. Morality and moral principles did not allow to remain aloof during such serious events for the Motherland.
Go to death to the end, doing your duty
It was in the Russian Empire that Napoleon was met with incredible strength of unity and fighting spirit. People went to certain death in order to contribute to the defense of the Motherland, it was important to realize that they went to the end and did everything they could. Not strategic plans and not military skills helped the fighters. The inspiration and importance of the historical moment, spiritual stamina and general mood inspired feats.
Don't consider yourself a hero
The essay "War and Peace. The Theme of Patriotism" cannot be fully disclosed without mentioning the heroes who fought desperately for victory: Pierre Bezukhov, Tushin, Andrei Bolkonsky. The Battle of Borodino most vividly characterized the hot mood of the Russians. For each of them, only one outcome was possible: victory, no other was given. Before each battle, they dressed in clean underwear, as before an important event. They were ready to die, but not to allow the victory of the enemy army.
National unity
The attitude to personal property benefits during hostilities characterizes a patriot as a person who is ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of victory. Tolstoy in his novel describes the feat of the Russian people, but at the same time he hates the war, which brought so much grief and hardship. The ruin and huge losses of the army were called "terrible necessity." In the novel, Kutuzov says about the Russians "Wonderful, incomparable people!". And rightly so, in the name of the liberation of their native land, they endured severe trials. Everyone should write such an essay. What is patriotism? It is important to determine the meaning of this concept for yourself personally.
Patriotism in the novel "War and Peace".
The novel "War and Peace" is the greatest work of world literature.
It was created from 1863 to 1869. There are over 600 characters in the novel.
The fate of the heroes can be traced for 15 years in peaceful conditions and in war conditions.
And although Tolstoy considers peaceful life to be the real life of people, the story about the Patriotic War is at the center of the story. Tolstoy hated wars, but this war on the part of Russia was liberation, Russia defended its independence, Russian people defended their fatherland. Naturally, therefore, the author touches upon the problem of patriotism in his novel, but considers it ambiguously. He proves that in the days that were difficult for Russia, the majority of Russian people showed genuine patriotism and courage, defending their homeland. But there were those - their minority - who only played at patriotism and courage. This is a secular society hated by Tolstoy, regulars of the salons of Sherer, Kuragina, Bezukhova. Their so-called patriotism was expressed in the fact that they stopped speaking French, French dishes were not served on their table, and in Helen's salon they did not refuse this either and sympathized with Napoleon. There were people like Boris Trubetskoy who made a career in the days of the suffering of the fatherland. Tolstoy contrasts this bunch of false patriots with the true sons of the fatherland, for whom the motherland was the main thing in the time of trials. The people and the best part of the nobility, in the understanding of Tolstoy, constituted the nation. During the war, the nobles Bolkonsky, Rostov and many others showed their true love for their homeland. The militia was equipped at its own expense, Bolkonsky's son, Andrei, went to the army, not wanting to be an adjutant. Pierre Bezukhov stays in Moscow to kill Napoleon. But he fails to do so. On the Raevsky battery, he helps the batterymen. Residents of Moscow leave and burn the city. When the old man Bolkonsky sees off his son, he says that if Andrei behaves meanly, he will be bitter and ashamed. Natasha gives carts for the wounded. Princess Bolkonskaya cannot remain on an estate that has been captured by enemies.
Tolstoy talks about the mood that dominated the soldiers. On the eve of the battle of Borodino, the soldiers put on clean shirts, because they were going to the sacred mortal battle for Russia. They refused an extra portion of vodka, as they did not want to be drugged. They said: “They want to pile on the whole world, they want to make one end. The writer shows how the soldiers of the Raevsky battery fought. Pierre was struck by the everydayness with which they fulfill their duty in these terrible conditions. Tolstoy believes that the battle of Borodino was a moral victory for the Russian army. The Russians did not give in. The steadfastness and courage shown by the defenders of Moscow in the Battle of Borodino were fueled precisely by the feeling of patriotism.
Pierre is talking with Prince Andrei. Prince Andrei is extremely angry: "The French are your and mine enemies. They came to destroy Russia. War is an abomination, but the Russians are forced to wage this war, and Napoleon came as an invader, the enemy must be destroyed, then the war will be destroyed."
Tolstoy beautifully depicts guerrilla warfare. He admires the fact that dozens of Karpov and Vlasov, armed with pitchforks and axes, went to the invaders. He is ironic about the fact that Napoleon is outraged by the war against the rules. The cudgel of the people's war rose and nailed the French until it drove out the last invader. The partisan movement was the most striking manifestation of the patriotism of the entire people.
Kutuzov in the novel is the spokesman for the idea of patriotism, he was appointed commander against the will of the tsar and the royal court. Andrei explains this to Pierre this way: "While Russia was healthy, Barclay de Tolly was good ... When Russia is sick, she needs her own man."
Kutuzov was a truly popular commander, he understood the soldiers, their needs, their mood, because he loved his people.
The episode in Fili is important. Kutuzov takes on the gravest responsibility and orders to retreat. This order contains the true patriotism of Kutuzov. Retreating from Moscow, Kutuzov saved the army, which so far could not be compared in size with Napoleon's. Defending Moscow would mean losing the army, and this would lead to the loss of both Moscow and Russia.
After Napoleon was forced out of the Russian borders, Kutuzov refuses to fight outside of Russia. He believes that the Russian people have fulfilled their mission by driving out the invader, and there is no need to shed more people's blood.
