What is included in the formulation of the theme opens the first volume of the great four-volume epic of Leo Tolstoy. I do not consider it necessary to report in the traditional introduction about the history of writing a novel, about moral issues, about the philosophical concept of one of the greatest artists of the nineteenth century. These issues are discussed in numerous articles, studies, monographs. At the moment, I am interested in the reception scene in one of the most famous political salons in St. Petersburg. The hostess of the salon is a forty-year-old maid of honor of Empress Maria Feodorovna, mother of Emperor Alexander I, a certain Anna Pavlovna Scherer. This is an ugly woman, or rather a girl who never had what is called a personal life. She is kind, hospitable, but she divides her guests into people of higher and lower hierarchy. Accordingly, her attitude is determined by the category to which this or that person belongs, who crossed the threshold of the living room in her house.
L.N. Tolstoy ironically says about his heroine: “Being an enthusiast has become her social position ...”
Here she meets the important official prince Vasily Kuralin with a lengthy monologue in French, bringing down political news on him, scolding Napoleon, condemning Austria for betrayal, proclaiming Russia the savior of Europe, calling the sovereign "a benefactor who knows his high calling and will be faithful to him."
The most interesting thing is that this political chatter is hardly interesting to anyone at all, and even Prince Vasily absolutely does not care which Spanish provinces are captured by Bonaparte. It is not surprising that he answers her in a tone in which "because of decency and participation, indifference and even mockery shine through."
The reception ritual in the Scherer salon is very curious. All guests who have come to Anna Pavlovna must certainly come up with a greeting to the elderly aunt, who, in the same expressions, speaks to everyone about her health and the health of Her Majesty, which “today was, thank God, better.”
Anna, despite her venerable age, is a girl, and she is not supposed to receive guests without elders. Of course, no one needs the aunt, no one is interested, and no one ever approaches her all evening.
Tolstoy's irony reaches its climax when he says that Anna Pavlovna "treats" her guests with a recently arrived French émigré, Viscount Martemer, and an Italian, Abbé Morio. The significance of these persons is very doubtful, but the hostess is convinced of the opposite, and she intends to make her guests happy with the presence of such important persons, in her opinion.
The guests gather in separate circles, where, as a rule, someone is in the center of attention, and Anna Pavlovna, like the owner of a spinning workshop who watches the movement of machines, walks between the working machines and pays special attention to the circle where the conversation fades.
Different people visit the Scherer salon. Here is Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. He will soon go to war with Bonaparte. He is absolutely not interested in anything in Anna Pavlovna's drawing room and he comes there to accompany his wife, who cannot travel to the big world due to pregnancy, and attends small parties.
And here is a fat, massive, with a good-natured face, Pierre Bezukhov, a young man of uncertain occupations, the illegitimate son of Count Bezukhov, Catherine's nobleman. The hostess of the salon treats him as a person of the lowest hierarchy. Pierre is very interested in the salon, because he has recently arrived from abroad, and it seems to him that before him is the cream of the highest St. Petersburg society. It is he who violates the ritual of reception. He does not want to listen to the aunt's reasoning to the end. He speaks very loudly, defending Napoleon. And the last one is complete nonsense, a violation of the elementary norms of secular etiquette.
Here is Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya from a glorious but impoverished princely family.
She needs to talk to the important prince Vasily about the placement of her son Boris in the headquarters as an adjutant. And Prince Vasily himself? Alas, it was not at all for the sake of Viscount Mortemor and Abbot Morio that he came to see Anna Scherer. He needs a good match for his son, the restless fool Anatole. And since Annette knows a lot of rich and noble brides, her advice will come in handy. And in fact, Anna Pavlovna immediately recommends Princess Marya Bolkonskaya. One cannot reproach Prince Vasily with insincerity when he speaks of his children: "This is my cross, the burden of my existence." Thus, the reception of Anna Scherer is not just a picture of secular pastime, many plot knots are tied there, there is an acquaintance with certain political circles.
At this reception, as on a sports ground: people will push off from her, and everyone will go their own way. The reception scene is an overture to a symphony, a palette of various colors in the painting by the great artist L.N. Tolstoy.
Creating the image of Pierre Bezukhov, L. N. Tolstoy started from specific life observations. People like Pierre were often encountered in the Russian life of that time. This is Alexander Muravyov, and Wilhelm Küchelbecker, to whom Pierre is close with his eccentricity ...
Kutuzov goes through the whole book, almost unchanged in appearance: an old man with a gray head "on a huge thick body", with cleanly washed folds of a scar where "where the Izmail bullet pierced his head." N "slowly and sluggishly" rides in front of the shelves at the review ...
Natasha Rostova is the central female character in the novel "War and Peace" and, perhaps, the author's favorite. Tolstoy presents us with the evolution of his heroine over the fifteen-year period, from 1805 to 1820, of her life and over more than one and a half thousand...
Without knowing Tolstoy, you cannot consider yourself knowing the country, you cannot consider yourself a cultured person. A.M. Bitter. The last page of the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace" ... Whenever you close a book you have just read, there is a feeling ...
“Anna Pavlovna’s evening was started ...”
"High society" in the novel by L. N. Tolstoy "War and Peace". Analysis of scenes from Volume I, Part I.
Goals : analyze episodes from the life of St. Petersburg and Moscow secular society; give an idea of the characters, behavior, interests, relationships of heroes, representatives of the highest nobility; highlight the defining features of secular society and the artistic means by which this society is characterized; to determine the author's attitude to secular society and his own.
I. Checking homework.
Conversation on questions :
1. Tell us about the history of writing War and Peace. How did the idea of the novel change in the process of writing?
2. Explain the meaning of the name - "War and Peace".
3. Why is War and Peace called an epic novel?
4. What do you see as the features of the composition and originality of the plot of the novel "War and Peace"?
5. What are your initial impressions of what you read?
Salon of Anna Pavlovna Sherer (observation plan)
- What characters, and in what sequence, does Tolstoy introduce the reader to in the first chapters of the novel?
- See how the author unmasks his characters.
- P. Bezukhov and A. Bolkonsky as strangers in Scherer's living room.
- "Anecdote" of Prince Hippolyte at the end of the evening. French and Russian in the description of Anna Pavlovna's salon.
Conversation on:
Petersburg. July 1805. Salon of Anna Pavlovna Sherer.
- Who is the hostess of the evening? For what purpose does she gather guests at her place?
- Tell us about the regulars of the Scherer salon. Pay attention to the appearance of the characters, their behavior, manner of communication.
To expose the falsity and unnaturalness of these people, Tolstoy uses method of "tearing off all and sundry masks" (“First of all, tell me, how is your health, dear friend? Calm me down,” said Prince Vasily in a tone in which, due to decency and participation, indifference and even mockery shone through).
3. Why did Prince Vasily Kuragin arrive first?
In pursuit of profit, he is ready for anything. The goal is to try to attach sons: Ippolit (“calm fool”) to the embassy in Vienna and Anatole (“restless fool”) to marry a rich bride.
Who is the main guest at the party?
Viscount emigrant.
The outfits of the guests amaze with luxury and splendor; clothing "covers" the facelessness and spiritual emptiness of aristocrats.
5. Why are conversations in the Scherer salon predominantly in French?
The language of the “high society” is French, this is the norm. Expressions and turns in French have become familiar clichés used in secular conversation. Tolstoy emphasizes the ignorance of the heroes of their native language, separation from the people, i.e. the French language is a means of characterizing the nobility with its anti-national orientation.
By simply using either Russian or French, Tolstoy shows his attitude to what is happening. Pierre's words, although he speaks excellent French and is more accustomed to it abroad, the author quotes only in Russian. A. Bolkonsky’s remarks are also given, mainly in Russian, with the exception of two cases: Prince Andrei, entering the salon, answers Anna Pavlovna’s question in French, posed in French, and quotes Napoleon in French.
As a rule, where lies and evil are described, French or, later, German language breaks in.
6. What are they talking about in the salon? Let's pay attention to political disputes (ch. 4).
The guests talk about the French Revolution, about Napoleon and his strivings for conquest, about the role of Prussia and Austria in European affairs...
The story of the anti-Napoleonic conspiracy of the Duke of Enghien turns into a cute secular anecdote in the salon, which everyone finds charming. When Pierre tries to enter into a conversation about Napoleon, Anna Pavlovna does not allow this.
7. Highlight the defining features of a secular society.
8. What do Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov have in common? How do they differ from other salon guests?
9. What artistic means does the author use to characterize secular society?
8. Name the details that reveal the spiritual closeness of Pierre and A. Bolkonsky.
Only from Bolkonsky Pierre does not take his “joyful, friendly eyes”, and Prince Andrei, who looked at everyone in the living room with a “tired, bored look”, smiled only at Pierre with an “unexpectedly kind and pleasant smile”.
Pierre's violation of the etiquette established by Anna Pavlovna, his clumsiness once again confirms that he is a foreign body in the high society living room. Prince Vasily says to Anna Pavlovna: "Educate me this bear."
9. What is the friendship between Pierre and Andrei Bolkonsky based on?
The friendship of the heroes is built on the commonality of their interests, therefore, as a more experienced person, Prince Andrei recommends that Pierre not be friends with Kuragin.
10. Let's pay attention to the features of Tolstoy's portraits:
the naturalness of the first acquaintance with the hero through his appearance, as happens in life;
deep psychological filling of the portrait, expression through it of changing feelings and moods;
the selection of 1-2 permanent signs (the bright expression of the flat face of Prince Vasily; the enthusiastic, as if glued smile of Anna Pavlovna; the intelligent and timid look of Pierre ...).
11. What episode ends the evening with Anna Pavlovna Sherer?
Stupid anecdote of Hippolytus, which everyone greeted as a social courtesy.
III. Work on the episode “In the House of Count Bezukhov” (vol. I, part I, ch. 7, ch. 18–21).
Conversation on:
Homogeneous in style with the description of Scherer's salon is the scene of the death of Count Bezukhov and the struggle for a mosaic portfolio - the story of the struggle for the inheritance of the dying Count Bezukhov. Here is the same method of removing masks in society.
Moscow. 1805. House of Count Bezukhov.
- List everyone who was in the house of the dying Count Bezukhov.
2. For what purpose did Prince Vasily come? Why is it difficult for him to maintain a pose of outward dignity?
3. Tell us about the struggle for the will of the old count. Who became the owner of the mosaic portfolio?
The scene of a dispute and a fight over a briefcase with a will is given in the perception of Pierre, who hears how women are kind to each other, but both hold the briefcase tenaciously, as their nerves gradually fail.
4. How did the attitude towards Pierre change when he became unspeakably rich?
He was respected: "With your extraordinary kindness ...", "with your beautiful heart ...". Life, behavior of secular society is subordinated only to the desire for wealth.
conclusions . Tolstoy gives a satirical coverage of the regulars of the salon and its mistress A.P. Sherer. “The restrained smile that constantly played on Anna Pavlovna’s face, although it did not go to her obsolete features, expressed, like in spoiled children, the constant consciousness of her sweet shortcoming ...” Behind this brief description is the author's irony.
How do representatives of the aristocratic nobility live? Court intrigues, gossip, the desire to get rich at all costs, to "make" a career - these are the interests and goals.
The defining feature of the "high society" N. N. Naumova calls "all-pervading falsity of behavior." Everything in the cabin is saturated with falsehood, heartlessness and lies.
Homework:
1. Reading the novel "War and Peace". 2. "In the Rostov House" - volume 1, part 1, ch. 7 - 11 (name day scenes), ch. 12 - 13 (scenes of the count's illness), 14 - 17 (scenes at the Rostovs). 3. "In the estate of the Bolkonsky Bald Mountains" (ch. 22 - 25).
Individually: reports about the Rostov and Bolkonsky families. "The Rostov Family" (condensed retelling);
"The Bolkonsky Family" (condensed retelling).
The author of the epic novel "War and Peace" is the outstanding Russian writer and thinker Leo Tolstoy. The novel is quite diverse in its subject matter, it raises many problems and presents about five hundred heroes, among which there are many historical characters. All characters of the work are divided into positive and negative. Some of them are pleasant to the author, while others, on the contrary, are alien.
Acquaintance with many of the main characters takes place at the very beginning of the novel, in the salon of Anna Pavlovna Sherer, which is intended to receive all worthy representatives of St. Petersburg society.
The hostess of the salon is the forty-year-old wife of an old general, a socialite who sees the meaning of her life in receiving guests. She has good court manners and can boast of dignified behavior in society. The author of the novel gives a rather interesting characterization of Anna Pavlovna: he compares her with a spinning machine, because she is in motion all evening, full of liveliness and energy, entertains her guests with secular and political conversations, and is engaged in pandering. However, we see that her behavior is completely insincere, because the owner of the salon simply puts on the mask of an enthusiast. Enthusiasm and liveliness become her social status.
The salon of Anna Pavlovna is visited by Prince Vasily Kuragin, his sons Anatole and Ippolit, daughter Helen, Andrei and Elizaveta Bolkonsky, Bilibin, Viscount Mortemar, Princess Anna Drubetskaya with her son Boris, and Pierre Bezukhov. Each of these guests is looking for some benefit in visiting the salon. For example, Prince Vasily seeks to ensure a profitable marriage for his children, and Princess Drubetskaya worries about the fate of her son and tries to arrange it with the help of Prince Vasily.
All guests communicate with each other quite politely and decently, but lies, falsehood, indifference and even ridicule are hidden behind the mask of secular tact and grace. Certain rules force all visitors to the salon not to go beyond the bounds of decency and wear masks of worthy members of secular society.
Only two people differ from all the guests of the salon - Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky. Pierre behaves quite frankly, which is extremely shocking to the whole environment. Anna Pavlovna is afraid that Bezukhov will ruin her evening, because because of him all the guests can deviate from their usual behavior and tear off their masks.
Prince Andrei is completely fed up with such a pastime. He was tired of the imposed rules of behavior in society, because even his wife is no different from all the other visitors and has become so accustomed to the role of an aristocrat that she does not deviate from her even at home.
So, with the help of the guests of the salon and Anna Pavlovna Scherer herself, Leo Tolstoy depicts all the shortcomings characteristic of the secular society of that time: lies, falsehood, hypocrisy, indifference and selfishness. The whole secular society is opposed by frank and sincere people - Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky.
Salon of Anna Pavlovna Sherer
Verification work.
1.What did the LNT bring to the image of the war?
2. What are the features of LNT creativity?
3. How did you prepare for writing a novel?
1. Why do you think LNT begins its romance with a social evening in the salon of A. Scherer?
1. Immediately introduces the high society of the country.
2. Introduces readers to the range of political events of the depicted era:
- The execution of the Duke of Enghien by Napoleon (a fierce supporter of the restoration of the legitimate power of the Bourbons)
- Revolt suppression in Egypt
- Russia enters the war with Napoleon as part of the military alliance of England, Austria, Prussia.
3. Introduces readers to the main characters of the novel (Kuragin family, Andrey, Pierre)
* verification d / z: Tell us about the representatives of the highest nobility.
1.Scherer
2. Prince Vasily
2. Helen Kuragina
4. Hippolyte
5. Drubetskaya
6. Pierre Bezukhov
7. Andrey Bolkonsky
1. Appearance
2.Greeting hosts
3. Behavior
4. What language does he speak.
What moral norms does the LNT not accept?
1. External decency, good manners, grace and sophistication of manners and toilets, strict adherence to the rules of good manners. But behind all this lies and hypocrisy.
2. LNT does not accept falsehood, compares the salon with a spinning workshop. Many came with some selfish purpose: Anna Mikhailovna - Boris, Prince Vasily - Ippolit, Anatole, Helen - to show themselves, to look after the groom.
3. LNT shows the stupidity of the representatives of high society (Kuragin family trait)
Who has the purity of moral feeling in this society? (Pierre)
Are Prince Andrey and Pierre in the salon their own people?
Pierre is a foreign body in a high society living room. This is not his social circle. The only one who is close to him is Prince Andrey.
Prince Andrei has equal rights in this society, he is respected and feared. He belongs to everyone, they are strangers to him.
*Work with text.
Prince Andrew and Pierre.
1. How do the heroes behave when they meet7
2. How does Pierre feel at Andrey's house?
3. Why does Prince Andrei go to war?
Name day at the Rostovs.
Chapters: 7-11
Task: to determine what is the difference in the behavior of guests and hosts at the Rostovs and Sherer?
Work with text:
Rostov | Scherer |
|
1. How are guests received? 2. Who is the main guest? 3. What is the nature of the conversations? Relationship to the war? 4. What are the relationships between family members in the Rostovs' house and guests in the Sherer salon? 5. How do they treat Pierre in either house? | 1. Friendly morning reception. 2. cheerful young generation, Natasha's dates with Boris at the flower tub 3. Countess Rostova gives money to Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya for uniforms for Boris, although she did not ask for anything. Akhrosimova M.D. they are waiting for her, they call her dragoons, she is famous not for wealth, not for honors, but for her directness of mind and frank simplicity of communication. The older generation is concerned about the question of war, because sons go to war. Spiritual kinship of the Rostov family, an atmosphere of harmony, friendship.
Could the servants in Shere's house stand at the door and watch the masters dance? Pierre feels more comfortable and easier in the Rostovs' house | Drubetskaya had to humiliate herself in Shere's house in front of Prince Vasily. Viscount emigrant |
Conclusion: Rostov is a patriarchal family. The main feeling is a sense of community. In the Rostov family, the main thing is the poetics of spontaneity of feelings (Natasha cries with Sonya).
Bolkonsky
1. What distinguishes the Bolkonskys from the Rostov family, Scherer?
The Bolkonskys are distinguished by the deep work of thought, the high intelligence of all family members. Aristocracy, pride, intelligence, deep work of thought.
*Portraits
* Tell us about the Bolkonsky family
2. Why does Prince Andrey go to his father before leaving for the army?
3. Do the Bolkonsky father, son and daughter love each other?
4. Can Princess Liza be at home in her father-in-law's house?
No. She suffers and is afraid, but her suffering is expressed in a coquettish form. Enthusiastic when meeting with Marya (seen 1 time0, complains about the person closest to her.
4. What do all Bolkonskys have in common?
The family belongs to the highest society, there is also a spiritual relationship of family members. But the Bolkonskys have a cult of knowledge and work, severity and asceticism in family relationships.
d/z: make extracts (parts 2 and 3 of the novel):
1. The uselessness and unpreparedness of the war (Review of the troops in Braunau (part 2. ch. 2));
2. Why was the Battle of Shengraben given?
3. Positions of Russian and French troops ..
4. Showy and true heroism (Tushin's battery, Dolokhov, Zherkov)
5. Why, according to the LNT, does the outcome of the battle depend?
6. What are the dreams of Prince Andrey?
7.Kutuzov and Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz.
8. The spirit of the troops.
9. Plvig kN. Andrey and his thoughts on the field of the battle of Austerlitz.
Target: to acquaint students with the principles of the image of L.N. Tolstoy of high society.
Tasks: start acquaintance with the epic novel “War and Peace”; reflect on the meaning of French speech in the novel; learn to work with artistic detail, through which the author characterizes the hero; to understand the essence of the method of “tearing off all and sundry masks”; develop the creative abilities of students; preparation for writing - analysis of the episode.
Equipment: illustration by A. Voroshilina (a student of the class) for the first chapters of the novel (the illustration depicts guests in the form of spindles, the threads from which Anna Pavlovna holds in her hands). Table covered with a tablecloth. A chair with a shawl on. Things: lorgnette, pince-nez, reticule, portrait of Napoleon, "stars" (awards), necklace, handkerchief, black and white mask. Record player. Audio recording of the beginning of the novel in French. A curtained board to which a masquerade mask is attached. Entry currently hidden from students: The method of "tearing off all and all kinds of masks."
Contrast
Pierre speaks naturally. Consequently, the salon is characterized by unnaturalness. Prince Andrei likes Pierre as a “living” person. Therefore, all other non-living ...
Comparison
Prince Vasily is an actor.
Salon - spinning machine.
Salon - served table ...
Plan:
a) the role of French speech in the novel;
b) the highest nobility of St. Petersburg;
c) the essence of the method “tearing off all and every mask”;
d) the significance of the action in the salon for the further development of the plot.
DURING THE CLASSES:
Anna Pavlovna's evening was started.
The spindles from different sides evenly and not
silent noise.
L. Tolstoy
Properly tightened masks ...
M. Lermontov
Teacher's word.
The purpose and objectives of the lesson are announced, the topic, epigraph and plan are written down.
“The salon has already started!” (A candlestick is placed on a table covered with a tablecloth, candles are lit).
An audio recording of the beginning of the novel sounds (in French). Conversation with the class.
Do we see or hear the characters first?
We hear the characters, and they speak French.
Doesn't it bother you that there is a war with Napoleon, and in St. Petersburg the highest nobility speaks French?
This is where France and Napoleon are separated.
Individual report about Napoleon based on the book by N.G. Dolinina “Through the pages of War and Peace” (chapter “From Lieutenant to Emperor”).
Why does L. Tolstoy introduce French speech?
So it was accepted. Knowledge of the French language was mandatory for a nobleman.
So, before us are educated people. It can be assumed that in French we will hear philosophical thoughts about life, witty remarks, interesting conversations ... Here is one of them.
Listening to an audio recording of the dialogue between Hippolyte and the Viscount, which is conducted in French.
Beautiful euphonious phrases. I do not know French, but I really want to understand what is at stake. About what?
Role-playing dialogue reading (in Russian).
This is the birth of gossip about Ippolite the ladies' man, about his connection with Princess Bolkonskaya, about the unenviable position of the "officer" Prince Andrei.
Prove it's gossip (false).
Prince Andrei later characterizes his wife as a rare woman with whom you can be calm for your honor.
She pulled away when Ippolit "forgot" to remove his hands when he handed over the shawl.
She gets into the carriage, paying no attention to Hippolyte's cries.
Well, education, knowledge of foreign languages is not always a sign of intelligence, decency, internal culture. Perhaps L. Tolstoy introduces French speech in order to show that an inner emptiness is hidden behind the external gloss of some heroes.
Why do you think Ippolit is telling a joke in Russian?
Expressive reading of the text.
This is not Russian speech! Awareness of oneself as a Russian, a Frenchman, an Englishman comes through the language.
Why, burning the throat,
I take it apart for hours
Combinations "oro" and "olo" -
"Vran" and "raven", "young" and "young"? ..
I listen to words.
Russia opens up in them ...
(S. Kryzhanovsky)
L. Tolstoy introduces French speech to show what an abyss there is between Hippolyte and Russia. Of course, not all aristocrats so distorted their native language. Both Prince Andrei and even Pierre, who has lived abroad for ten years, speak Russian perfectly.
Hero portraits.
Have you ever been to a salon? L.N. Tolstoy invites us. Let's try to get to know the characters.
Quiz-quiz “Whose face is this?”
“She got up with the same unchanging smile ... with which she entered the living room.”
"The face was hazy with idiocy and invariably expressed self-confident obscenity."
“With a grimace that spoiled his handsome face, he turned away…”
(Prince Andrew)
“... a bright expression of a flat face.”
(Prince Vasily)
“The restrained smile that constantly played on his face…”
(Anna Pavlovna)
Do we have faces or masks? Prove it.
Before us are masks, since their expression does not change during the evening. L. Tolstoy conveys this with the help of the epithets “unchanging”, “invariably”, “constantly”.
Let the mask become a symbol of our today's lesson, since it is customary in Anna Pavlovna's salon not to have a face. Literary critics talk about L. Tolstoy's method of tearing off "all kinds of masks." Let's try to understand what this method is by the end of the lesson.
Group work with artistic detail.
Since we are in Anna Pavlovna's salon, let's put on our masks. Imagine that I am Anna Pavlovna, the chair is my aunt, and each of you received a note ... What is the content?
Each "four" will have its own hero, which you have to introduce in 2 minutes. In addition, you must answer the questions: how is the item you received related to the hero, what is the purpose of your hero’s visit to Anna Pavlovna, the character’s manner of speaking?
Nameplates of heroes and items are distributed.
Prince Vasily - stars
Helen - "diamond" necklace
Hippolyte - lorgnette
Viscount - portrait of Napoleon
Princess Bolkonskaya - purse with sewing
Princess Drubetskaya - handkerchief
Prince Andrey - mask
Pierre - pince-nez
Possible student responses. At the end of each answer, an object symbolizing the hero is placed on a table covered with a tablecloth.
The important and bureaucratic prince Vasily has influence at court, as his “stars” speak of. He came to find out whether the issue of appointing Baron Funke as first secretary to Vienna had been resolved, as he was busy with this position for his son Hippolyte. In the salon of Anna Pavlovna, he has another goal - to marry another son of Anatole to a rich bride, Princess Marya Bolkonskaya.
Ellen is a beauty. Her beauty is dazzling (brilliant necklace). The daughter of Prince Vasily did not utter a word in the salon, she only smiled and repeated the expression on Anna Pavlovna's face. She was learning to respond appropriately to the viscount's story. Helen called for her father to go to the ball to the English envoy.
Hippolyte gives the impression of an abnormal person. Came with the aim of lusting after a pretty woman. Lornet allows you to better see the advantages and disadvantages of the weaker sex. Let's remember Onegin:
Double lorgnette, slanting, suggests
On the bed of unknown ladies...
Lornet is a sign of a rake, womanizer, dandy.
He speaks out of place, but is so self-confident that no one can understand whether he is smart or stupid.
The viscount is the guest whom Anna Pavlovna “served” the salon. He considers himself a celebrity because... he talks about Napoleon. All his speeches are connected with the French emperor, and therefore the portrait of Napoleon. True, the viscount does not tell anything special from the life of Bonaparte: the guests hear only a common anecdote about Napoleon and the duke. The viscount allows Anna Pavlovna to use herself as a celebrity. He speaks like on stage: with an eye on the reaction of the ladies, on the public.
Princess Bolkonskaya feels at home in the salon, so she brought a reticule with work. She came to see her friends. He speaks in a capriciously playful tone.
Prince Andrei has “two faces” (sometimes a grimace, then an unexpectedly kind and pleasant smile), “two voices” (he says sometimes unpleasantly, sometimes affectionately and gently), so his image is associated with a mask. He came for his wife. There is no goal: a bored look, like Onegin's. Prince Andrei is tired of everything here. He decided to go to war and would later say to Pierre: “I am going because this life that I lead here, this life is not for me!”
Princess Drubetskaya, noble, but impoverished. She came to secure a place for her son Boris. She has a teary face. When she addresses Prince Vasily, she tries to smile, “while there were tears in her eyes,” therefore, a scarf.
Pierre is a newcomer to Anna Pavlovna's salon, and indeed to the salon in general. He spent many years abroad, so everything is interesting to him. He looks at the world naively enthusiastically, therefore - glasses. The young man came here hoping to hear something clever. He speaks animatedly and naturally.
The table is set.
Pierre expects something outstanding from the salon, Prince Andrei has long disliked all this. And how does L. Tolstoy relate to the salon of Anna Pavlovna? Why was there a chair for the aunt?
Auntie just… the place. She is not interested in anyone. Each guest repeats the same words in front of her.
Why was Pierre given a careless bow?
The salon has its own hierarchy. Pierre is illegitimate.
Why is Princess Drubetskaya sitting next to an unwanted aunt?
She is a beggar. She has been given mercy. People in a secular society are valued by wealth and nobility, and not by personal merits and demerits.
Why is the rare word “flu” used and rare guests present?
The salon claims originality, but all this is just an external gloss, like French speech, and behind it is emptiness.
The writer rips off the veils and exposes the essence.
Discussion and recording of the “method of tearing off all and sundry masks”.
We hardly see sincere, living people, so today we have things on a beautiful table with a beautiful candlestick. The writer speaks about the lack of spirituality in most of the guests and in the hostess herself.
And why is Pierre's pince-nez not next to these things?
He is a stranger in the cabin.
The significance of the action in the cabin for the further development of the plot.
Here Pierre saw Helene, who would later become his wife.
They decide to marry Anatoly Kuragin to Marya Bolkonskaya.
Prince Andrew is preparing to go to war.
Something will resolve the not very warm relationship between Prince Andrei and his wife.
Prince Vasily decides to attach Boris Drubetskoy.
The scene of the departure of the guests is read out.
Homework: prepare for the essay "Analysis of the episode."
The writing
Analysis of the episode “A Reception in the Salon of Anna Pavlovna Sherer” (based on the novel by L.N. Tolstoy “War and Peace”).
“Masks pulled together by propriety” - the words of M. Lermontov are recalled when we read the pages of L. Tolstoy's novel, which tells about the Scherer salon.
Bright candles, beautiful ladies, brilliant gentlemen - this is how they seem to talk about a secular evening, but the writer creates completely different images: a spinning machine, a set table. Almost every one of those present hides behind the mask that others want to see on him, pronounces phrases that "and does not want to be believed." An old play is being played before our eyes, and the leading actors are the hostess and the important Prince Vasily. But it is here that the reader gets acquainted with many of the heroes of the work.
“Spindles from different sides evenly and incessantly rustled,” writes L. Tolstoy about people. No, puppets! Helen is the most beautiful and obedient of them (the expression on her face reflects, like a mirror, the emotions of Anna Pavlovna). The girl does not utter a single phrase for the whole evening, but only straightens the necklace. The epithet “unchanging” (about a smile) and the artistic detail (cold diamonds) show that behind the stunning beauty - empty! Helen's radiance does not warm, but blinds.
Of all the women presented by the author in the salon of the maid of honor, the most attractive is the wife of Prince Andrei, who is expecting a child. She commands respect when she moves away from Hippolyte ... But a mask has grown to Lisa: she speaks with her husband at home in the same capriciously playful tone as with Scherer's guests.
Bolkonsky is a stranger among those invited. One gets the impression that when he squinted around the whole society, he saw not faces, but penetrated into hearts and thoughts - “closed his eyes and turned away.”
Prince Andrei smiled at only one person. And Anna Pavlovna greeted the same guest with a bow, "referring to people of the lowest hierarchy." The illegitimate son of Catherine's grandee appears to be a kind of Russian bear who needs to be "educated", that is, deprived of a sincere interest in life. The writer sympathizes with Pierre, comparing him with a child whose eyes were running wide, like in a toy store. The naturalness of Bezukhov scares Sherer, she makes us smile, and insecurity makes us want to intervene. This is what Prince Andrei does, saying: “How do you want him to answer everyone all of a sudden?” Bolkonsky knows that no one in the salon is interested in Pierre's opinion, people here are smug and unchanged ...
L. Tolstoy, like his favorite heroes, treats them negatively. Tearing off the masks, the author uses the method of comparison and contrast. Prince Vasily is compared with an actor, his manner of speaking is with a wound clock. The metaphor “she served her guests first the viscount, then the abbot” evokes an unpleasant feeling, which is intensified by the mention of a piece of beef. “Reducing images,” the writer speaks of the predominance of physiological needs over spiritual ones, when it should be the other way around.
“His smile was not the same as that of other people, merging with an unsmile” - and we understand that the characters in the salon are divided according to the principle of antithesis and that the author is on the side of those who behave naturally.
This episode plays an important role in the novel: the main storylines are tied here. Prince Vasily decided to marry Anatole to Marya Bolkonskaya and attach Boris Drubetskoy; Pierre saw his future wife Helene; Prince Andrew is about to go to war. The first scene of the novel echoes the epilogue, where we meet the young son of Bolkonsky, who was invisibly present in Scherer's salon. Again there are disputes about the war, as if continuing the theme of Abbe Morio about eternal peace. L. Tolstoy devoted his novel to this main theme.
