Tolstoy war and peace event. War and Peace Causes of War

The novel describes the military events of 1805-1807, as well as the Patriotic War of 1812. It can be said that the war, as a kind of objective reality, becomes the main storyline of the novel, and therefore the fate of the characters must be considered in the same context with this event “hostile” to humanity. But at the same time, the war in the novel has a deeper understanding. This is a duel of two principles (aggressive and harmonic), two worlds (natural and artificial), a clash of two life attitudes (truth and lies).

Throughout his life, Andrei Bolkonsky dreams of “his Toulon”. He dreams of accomplishing a feat in front of everyone, in order to prove his strength and fearlessness, plunge into the world of glory, become a celebrity. “I will be sent there,” he thought, “with a brigade or division, and there, with a banner in my hand, I will go forward and break everything that is in front of me.” At first glance, this decision seems quite noble, it proves the courage and determination of Prince Andrei. The only repulsive thing is that he is focused not on Kutuzov, but on Napoleon. But the Battle of Shengraben, namely the meeting with Captain Tushin, becomes the first crack in the hero's system of views. It turns out that a feat can be accomplished without suspecting it, not in front of others; but Prince Andrei is not yet fully aware of this. It can be seen that in this case Tolstoy sympathizes not with Andrei Bolkonsky, but with Captain Tushin, a good-natured person, a native of the people. The author even condemns Bolkonsky to some extent for his arrogance, somewhat contemptuous attitude towards ordinary people. (“Prince Andrei glanced at Tushin and, without saying anything, moved away from him.”) Shengraben undoubtedly played a positive role in the life of Prince Andrei. Thanks to Tushin, Bolkonsky changes his view of the war.

It turns out that war is not a means of achieving a career, but dirty, hard work, where an anti-human deed is performed. The final realization of this comes to Prince Andrei on the field of Austerlitz. He wants to accomplish a feat and accomplishes it. But later he remembers not his triumph, when he fled to the French with a banner in his hands, but the high sky of Austerlitz.

Battle of Shengraben

Depicting the war of 1805 at Shengraben, Tolstoy draws various paintings military operations and various types of its participants. We see the heroic transition of the Bagration detachment to the village of Shengraben, the Shengraben battle, the courage and heroism of Russian soldiers and the bad work of the commissariat, honest and courageous commanders and careerists who use the war for personal purposes. Typical for staff officers Zherkov, who at the height of the battle was sent by Bagration with an important assignment to the general of the left flank.

The order was to retreat immediately. Due to the fact that Zherkov did not find the general, the French cut off the Russian hussars, many were killed and Zherkov's comrade Rostov was wounded.

As always bold and brave Dolokhov. Dolokhov "killed one Frenchman at point-blank range and was the first to take a surrendered officer by the collar." But after that, he will approach the regimental commander and say: “I stopped the company ... The whole company can testify. Please remember…” Everywhere, always, he remembers first of all about himself, only about himself; everything he does, he does for himself.

They are not cowardly these people, no. But for the sake of the common good, they cannot forget themselves, their pride, their careers, their personal interests, no matter how loud they speak about the honor of the regiment and no matter how much they show their concern for the regiment.

Tolstoy, with special sympathy, shows commander Timokhin, whose company “alone stayed in order” and, inspired by the example of its commander, unexpectedly attacked the French and threw them back, making it possible to restore order in neighboring battalions.

Another inconspicuous hero is Captain Tushin. This is a "small, round-shouldered person." There was something special in his figure, not at all military, somewhat comical, but extremely attractive. He has “big, smart and kind eyes". Tushin is simple and humble person living the same life with the soldiers. During the battle, he does not know the slightest fear, cheerfully and animatedly commands, at decisive moments, consulting with sergeant major Zakharchenko, to whom he treats with great respect. With a handful of soldiers, the same heroes as their commander, Tushin with amazing courage and heroism does his job, despite the fact that the cover that stood near his battery left on someone's orders in the middle of the case. And his "battery ... was not taken by the French only because the enemy could not imagine the audacity of firing four unprotected cannons." Only after receiving the order to retreat, Tushin left the position, taking away the two guns that survived the battle.

battle of austerlitz

Battle of Austerlitz in 1805. The general battle between the Russian-Austrian and French armies took place on November 20, 1805 near the town of Austerlitz in Moravia. The Russian-Austrian army numbered almost 86 thousand people. with 350 guns. It was commanded by General M.I. Kutuzov. The French army numbered about 3 thousand people. with 250 guns. It was led by Napoleon. The main forces of the allied army under the command of F. F. Buxgevden attacked the corps of Marshal L. Davout and, after stubborn battles, captured the Castle, Sokolnitsy, and Telnits. Meanwhile, the 4th Allied column under the command of I.-K. Kolovrata, which constituted the center of the allied forces, went on the offensive belatedly, was attacked by the main French forces and left the Pracen Heights dominating the area. Under these conditions, Buksgevden received an order from Kutuzov to retreat, but did not comply with it. Meanwhile, Napoleon, having defeated the center of the allied forces, deployed his troops and attacked the left wing of the allies (Bukshowden) with the main forces both from the front and from the flank. As a result allied forces withdrew with heavy losses. The losses of the Russian troops amounted to 16 thousand killed and wounded, 4 thousand prisoners, 160 guns; Austrians - 4 thousand killed and wounded, 2 thousand prisoners, 26 guns; French - about 12 thousand killed and wounded. As a result of the defeat at Austerlitz, the 3rd anti-French coalition broke up.

conclusions

One of the main lines of the book is Prince Andrei's disappointment in the very idea of ​​war, in heroism, in the special vocation of the military. From the dream of accomplishing a feat and saving the entire army, he comes to the conclusion that war is a “terrible necessity”, which is permissible only when “they ruined my house and go to ruin Moscow”, that the military class is characterized by idleness, ignorance, cruelty, depravity, drunkenness.

So, in depicting military events, Tolstoy not only represents broad battle paintings Shengraben, Austerlitz and Borodino battles, but also shows the psychology of a separate human personality involved in the flow of hostilities. Army commanders, generals, staff commanders, line officers and the mass of soldiers, partisans - all these various participants in the war, carriers of the most diverse psychology, are shown by Tolstoy with amazing skill in the most diverse conditions of their combat and "peaceful" life. At the same time, the writer former member defense of Sevastopol, seeks to show real war, without any embellishment, “in blood, in suffering, in death”, drawing with deep and sober truth and beautiful qualities folk spirit, alien to ostentatious courage, pettiness, vanity, and, on the other hand, the presence of all these features in most officers - nobles.

"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy is not just a classic novel, but a real one heroic epic whose literary value is incomparable with any other work. The writer himself considered it a poem, where private life man is inseparable from history whole country.

It took Leo Tolstoy seven years to perfect his novel. Back in 1863, the writer more than once discussed plans to create a large-scale literary canvas with his father-in-law A.E. Bers. In September of the same year, the father of Tolstoy's wife sent a letter from Moscow, where he mentioned the writer's idea. Historians consider this date official start epic work. A month later, Tolstoy wrote to his relative that all his time and attention was occupied by new novel over which he thinks like never before.

History of creation

The initial idea of ​​the writer was to create a work about the Decembrists, who spent 30 years in exile and returned home. The starting point described in the novel was to be 1856. But then Tolstoy changed his plans, deciding to display everything from the beginning of the Decembrist uprising of 1825. And this was not destined to come true: the third idea of ​​the writer was the desire to describe the young years of the hero, which coincided with large-scale historical events: the war of 1812. The final version was the period from 1805. The circle of heroes was also expanded: the events in the novel cover the history of many personalities who went through all the hardships of different historical periods in the life of the country.

The title of the novel also had several variants. The “working” name was “Three Pores”: the youth of the Decembrists during the Patriotic War of 1812; The Decembrist uprising of 1825 and the 50s of the 19th century, when several important events in the history of Russia - the Crimean War, the death of Nicholas I, the return of the amnestied Decembrists from Siberia. In the final version, the writer decided to focus on the first period, since writing a novel even on such a scale required a lot of effort and time. So instead ordinary product a whole epic was born, which has no analogues in world literature.

Tolstoy devoted the entire autumn and early winter of 1856 to writing the beginning of War and Peace. Already at that time, he repeatedly tried to quit his job, because, in his opinion, it was not possible to convey the whole idea on paper. Historians say that in the writer's archive there were fifteen options for the beginning of the epic. In the process of work, Lev Nikolayevich tried for himself to find answers to questions about the role of man in history. He had to study many chronicles, documents, materials describing the events of 1812. The confusion in the writer's head was caused by the fact that all information sources assessed both Napoleon and Alexander I in different ways. Then Tolstoy decided for himself to move away from the subjective statements of strangers and display in the novel his own assessment of events based on true facts. From diverse sources, he borrowed documentary materials, records of contemporaries, newspaper and magazine articles, letters from generals, archival documents of the Rumyantsev Museum.

(Prince Rostov and Akhrosimova Marya Dmitrievna)

Considering it necessary to go directly to the scene, Tolstoy spent two days in Borodino. It was important for him to personally go around the place where large-scale and tragic events. He even personally made sketches of the sun on the field during different period days.

The trip gave the writer an opportunity to feel the spirit of history in a new way; became a kind of inspiration for further work. For seven years, the work was on a spiritual upsurge and "burning". The manuscripts consisted of more than 5200 sheets. Therefore, "War and Peace" is easy to read even after a century and a half.

Analysis of the novel

Description

(Napoleon before the battle in thought)

The novel "War and Peace" touches upon a sixteen-year period in the history of Russia. The starting date is 1805, the final date is 1821. More than 500 characters are “employed” in the work. It's like real existing people, and fictional by the writer to add color to the description.

(Kutuzov before the Battle of Borodino is considering a plan)

The novel intertwines two main storylines: historical events in Russia and the personal life of the heroes. Real historical figures are mentioned in the description of Austerlitz, Shengraben, Borodino battles; the capture of Smolensk and the surrender of Moscow. More than 20 chapters are devoted specifically to the Battle of Borodino, as the main decisive event of 1812.

(In the illustration, an episode of the Ball by Natasha Rostova from the film "War and Peace" 1967.)

In opposition to "wartime", the writer describes the personal world of people and everything that surrounds them. Heroes fall in love, quarrel, reconcile, hate, suffer ... In the confrontation of various characters, Tolstoy shows the difference in moral principles individuals. The writer is trying to tell various events able to change mindset. One the whole picture The work consists of three hundred and thirty-three chapters of 4 volumes and another twenty-eight chapters placed in the epilogue.

First volume

The events of 1805 are described. In the "peaceful" part, life in Moscow and St. Petersburg is affected. The writer introduces the reader to the society of the main characters. The “military” part is the battles of Austerlitz and Shengraben. Tolstoy concludes the first volume with a description of how military defeats affected the peaceful life of the characters.

Second volume

(The first ball of Natasha Rostova)

This is a completely "peaceful" part of the novel, which touched upon the life of the characters in the period 1806-1811: the birth of Andrei Bolkonsky's love for Natasha Rostova; freemasonry of Pierre Bezukhov, the kidnapping of Natasha Rostova by Karagin, Bolkonsky's refusal to marry Natasha Rostova. The end of the volume is a description of a formidable omen: the appearance of a comet, which is a symbol of great upheavals.

Third volume

(In the illustration, an episode of the Borodino battle of their film "War and Peace" 1967.)

In this part of the epic, the writer turns to wartime: the invasion of Napoleon, the surrender of Moscow, battle of Borodino. On the battlefield, the main male characters novel: Bolkonsky, Kuragin, Bezukhov, Dolokhov ... Completion of the volume - the capture of Pierre Bezukhov, who arranged failed attempt assassination attempt on Napoleon.

Fourth volume

(After the battle, the wounded arrive in Moscow)

The “military” part is a description of the victory over Napoleon and the shameful retreat of the French army. The writer also touches upon the period of the partisan war after 1812. All this is intertwined with the “peaceful” fates of the heroes: Andrei Bolkonsky and Helen pass away; love is born between Nikolai and Marya; think about life together Natasha Rostova and Pierre Bezukhov. And the main character of the volume is the Russian soldier Platon Karataev, whose words Tolstoy tries to convey all the wisdom common people.

Epilogue

This part is devoted to describing the changes in the lives of the heroes seven years after 1812. Natasha Rostova is married to Pierre Bezukhov; Nicholas and Marya found their happiness; the son of Bolkonsky, Nikolenka, grew up. In the epilogue, the author reflects on the role individuals in the history of the whole country, and tries to show historical relationships events and human destinies.

The main characters of the novel

More than 500 characters are mentioned in the novel. The author tried to describe the most important of them as accurately as possible, endowing with special features not only of character, but also of appearance:

Andrei Bolkonsky - Prince, son of Nikolai Bolkonsky. Constantly looking for the meaning of life. Tolstoy describes him as handsome, reserved, and with "dry" features. He possesses strong will. Dies as a result of a wound received at Borodino.

Marya Bolkonskaya - Princess, sister of Andrei Bolkonsky. Inconspicuous appearance and radiant eyes; piety and concern for relatives. In the novel, she marries Nikolai Rostov.

Natasha Rostova is the daughter of Count Rostov. In the first volume of the novel, she is only 12 years old. Tolstoy describes her as a girl not entirely beautiful appearance(black eyes, big mouth), but at the same time “alive”. Her inner beauty attracts men. Even Andrei Bolkonsky is ready to fight for his hand and heart. At the end of the novel, she marries Pierre Bezukhov.

Sonya

Sonya is the niece of Count Rostov. In contrast to her cousin Natasha, she is beautiful in appearance, but much poorer in spirit.

Pierre Bezukhov is the son of Count Kirill Bezukhov. A clumsy massive figure, kind and at the same time a strong character. He can be harsh, or he can become a child. Interested in Freemasonry. He is trying to change the life of the peasants and influence large-scale events. Initially married to Helen Kuragina. At the end of the novel, he marries Natasha Rostova.

Helen Kuragin is the daughter of Prince Kuragin. Beauty, a prominent society lady. She married Pierre Bezukhov. Changeable, cold. Dies as a result of an abortion.

Nikolai Rostov is the son of Count Rostov and Natasha's brother. The successor of the family and the defender of the Fatherland. He took part in military campaigns. He married Marya Bolkonskaya.

Fedor Dolokhov is an officer, a member of the partisan movement, as well as a great swashbuckler and lover of ladies.

Counts of Rostov

The Rostov counts are the parents of Nikolai, Natasha, Vera, and Petya. Revered married couple, an example to follow.

Nikolai Bolkonsky - Prince, father of Marya and Andrei. In Catherine's time, a significant personality.

The author pays much attention to the description of Kutuzov and Napoleon. The commander appears before us as smart, unfeigned, kind and philosophical. Napoleon is described as a little fat man with an unpleasantly feigned smile. At the same time, it is somewhat mysterious and theatrical.

Analysis and conclusion

In the novel "War and Peace" the writer tries to convey to the reader " folk thought". Its essence is that everyone goodie has its own connection with the nation.

Tolstoy departed from the principle of telling a story in a novel in the first person. Evaluation of characters and events goes through monologues and author's digressions. At the same time, the writer leaves the reader the right to assess what is happening. A prime example the scene of the Battle of Borodino, shown as from the side historical facts, and the subjective opinion of the hero of the novel, Pierre Bezukhov. The writer does not forget about the bright historical figure - General Kutuzov.

The main idea of ​​the novel lies not only in the disclosure of historical events, but also in the ability to understand that one must love, believe and live under any circumstances.

Two wars. One of the most important problems that Leo Tolstoy posed in his work was the attitude towards the war. Brave Officer, Member Crimean War and the defense of Sevastopol, the writer thought a lot about the role of war in life human society. Tolstoy was not a pacifist. He distinguished between just wars and unjust, predatory ones. We are convinced of this when we reflect on how two wars are shown in War and Peace - the campaign of 1805-1807 and the Patriotic War of 1812.

Russia in 1805 entered the war against Napoleonic France, as the tsarist government was afraid of the spread revolutionary ideas and wanted to thwart Napoleon's aggressive policy. Tolstoy himself has a sharply negative attitude towards this war and conveys such an attitude towards the senseless destruction of people through the experiences of the inexperienced, naive, sincere Nikolai Rostov. Let us recall the morning conversation between Nikolai and the German, the owner of the house in which Rostov lives, their friendliness, joy,

called the beautiful morning, and the exclamation: "Long live the whole world!"

What is the point of war if Russian and German, military and civilian, feel the same, love each other and the whole world?!

The theme of war receives a fundamentally new solution in War and Peace when depicting the events of 1812. Tolstoy convincingly proves the need for a just, defensive war, the goals of which are understandable and close to the people.

We are watching how unity is born - a community of people who understand that their fate, the fate of future generations, or, to put it simply, the fate of their children and grandchildren, is being decided. “Love for the native ashes, love for the father’s coffins” (A. S. Pushkin) does not allow inactivity.

People different classes, different classes are united to repulse the enemy. “All the people want to pile on!” - this is the key to understanding why, when leaving Smolensk, the merchant Ferapontov burns his property; The Rostovs, leaving Moscow, give carts to the wounded, losing all their property; Prince Andrei, forgetting about his misfortunes, leaves for the active army; Pierre goes to the Borodino field, and then remains in Moscow captured by the French to kill Napoleon. National unity - this is what, according to Tolstoy, determined the moral, and then military victory Russia in 1812.

The principles of Tolstoy's portrayal of the war have also changed. If, talking about the military events of 1805-1807, he mainly reveals the psychology of an individual or groups of people, then when depicting the Patriotic War, the writer's focus is on the mass of the people, the individual person interests him as a particle of the masses.

Broad pictures of people's life at the front and in the rear unfold before us. Each of the heroes of the novel, albeit in different ways, is involved in this life, begins to feel what the people feel, and relate to the events that take place the way the people relate to them. For Prince Andrei, for example, it is very important that Timokhin and the entire army think about the war just like he does; the militia before the Battle of Borodino “put on white shirts”, and Dolokhov apologizes to Pierre - this is also a kind of “white shirt”, cleansing before a holy deed, and maybe even before death. The soldiers and officers of Raevsky's battery are fearless and calm; majestic Kutuzov, confident that victory would be won, that Borodino would be the beginning of the death of the conquering army.

That's how it all happened. "Cudgel people's war rose ... and nailed the French until the whole invasion died.

Thus, depicting military events in War and Peace, L. N. Tolstoy emphasizes a sharp difference between the nature of the war with Napoleon (1805-1807), the goals of which were incomprehensible and alien to the people, and the Patriotic War of 1812 as a war of the people, just and necessary for the salvation of Russia.

The epic novel by Leo Tolstoy "War and Peace" is dedicated to the glorious era of the Patriotic War of 1812 and its prehistory.

In depicting the war, Tolstoy used the same artistic principle which underlay the Sevastopol stories". All events are given from the point of view of a direct participant in the battle. This role is played first by Prince Andrei Bolkonsky (Battle of Shengraben and Austerlitz), and then Pierre Bezukhov (Borodino). This technique allows the reader to plunge into the thick of things, get closer to understanding the course and meaning of the battle. At the same time, L.N. Tolstoy follows the Pushkin principle of covering historical events. The author seems to let through his novel a grandiose stream of life, in which large-scale events and individual destinies are intertwined. turning points in the lives of heroes directly depend on the outcome of major military battles. For example, after Austerlitz, Prince Andrei radically changed his outlook on life. After the Battle of Borodino, Pierre became more than ever close to the people. The figurative disclosure of the era helps to more vividly, more clearly imagine its course and significance.

The military pictures of the novel are peculiar scenes. They are relatively independent in relation to other episodes of the work. Each battle opens with its own exposition. In it, the author talks about the causes of the battle, the balance of power, gives dispositions, plans, drawings. Often in doing so, he argues with military theory. Then the reader observes the entire battlefield from a certain height, sees the deployment of troops. The battle itself is described in a few short, vivid scenes. After that, the author sums up a peculiar result of what is happening.

It is the military episodes that are composition centers the whole novel. All of them are linked to each other. The culmination of the whole work is the Battle of Borodino. This is where all the storylines converge.
Participants in the battle, historical events are given from the point of view of the common people. Tolstoy was the first to show true heroes war, its true form.
The key battles of the epic novel are Shengrabenskoye, Austerlitskoye, Borodino. The author clearly divides the military environment into careerists who want only ranks and awards, and modest war workers, soldiers, peasants, and militias. It is they who decide the outcome of the battle, every minute performing an unknown feat.

We observe the first battle of Shengraben through the eyes of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. Field Marshal Kutuzov was heading with his troops along the road from Krems to Olmins. Napolen wanted to surround him in the middle of the way, in Znaim. To save the life of the soldiers, Kutuzov makes a wise decision. He sends a detachment of Bagration to Znaim by a roundabout mountain route and gives the order to hold back the huge army of the French. Bagration managed to do the unbelievable. In the morning, his troops approached the village of Shengraben earlier than Napoleon's army. General Murat was frightened and mistook a small detachment of Bagration for the entire Russian army.

The center of the battle itself is Tushin's battery. Before the battle, Prince Andrei drew up a battle plan, pondering the best steps. But at the scene of hostilities, I realized that everything was not going at all as it was intended. During the battle, it is simply impossible to have organized leadership, complete control over events. Therefore, Bagration achieves only one thing - raising the spirit of the army. It is the spirit, the mood of each soldier that determines the entire battle.
Among the general chaos, Prince Andrei sees the battery of the modest Tushin. Until recently, in the tent of a sutler, he looked like an ordinary, peaceful person, standing with his shoes off. And now, occupying the most unfavorable disposition, being under continuous fire, he shows miracles of courage. Tushin himself seems big and strong. But instead of reward or praise, he is reprimanded at the council after the battle for daring to speak out without an order. If not for the words of Prince Andrei, no one would have known about his feat.
The Shengraben victory became the key to victory at Borodino.

On the eve of the Battle of Austerlitz, Prince Andrei was looking for laurels, dreaming of leading an army behind him. The commanders had no doubt that the enemy forces were weakened. But the people were tired of senseless bloodshed, were indifferent to the benefits of the headquarters and the two emperors. They were annoyed at the dominance of the Germans in their ranks. As a result, this resulted in chaos and disorder on the battlefield. Prince Andrey accomplished the long-awaited feat in full view of everyone, with the staff of the banner he led the fleeing soldiers, but this heroism did not bring him happiness. Even Napoleon's praise seemed to him insignificant in comparison with the boundless and calm sky.

Tolstoy succeeded in surprisingly accurately, psychologically reflecting the condition of a wounded person. The last thing that Prince Andrei saw in front of the exploding shell was a fight between a Frenchman and a Russian over a bannik. It seemed to him that the projectile would fly past and not hit him, but that was an illusion. It seemed to the hero that something heavy and soft had been thrust into his body. But the main thing is that Prince Andrei realized the insignificance of war, destruction in comparison with vast world. On the Borodino field, he will tell Pierre the truth that he realized after participating in these events: "The battle is won by the one who firmly decided to win it."

Russian troops won a moral victory in the Battle of Borodino. They could not retreat, only Moscow was further. Napoleon was overwhelmed: usually, if the battle was not won within eight hours, one could speak of its defeat. french emperor for the first time I saw the unprecedented courage of Russian soldiers. Although at least half the army was killed, the remaining warriors continued to fight as firmly as at the beginning.

The "club of the people's war" also fell upon the French.

The whole battle is transmitted through the eyes of Pierre, a non-military man. It is located in the most dangerous place - on the Raevsky battery. An unprecedented upsurge arises in his soul. Pierre sees with his own eyes that people go to their deaths, but they overcome their fear, keep in line, and fulfill their duty to the end.

Prince Andrei performs his main feat. Even being in the reserve, he sets an example of courage to his officers, does not bow his head. Here Prince Andrei is mortally wounded.

Active in battle collective image people. Each participant in the battle is guided and warmed by that "hidden warmth of patriotism", which is main feature Russian national character. Kutuzov managed to subtly feel the spirit, the strength of the Russian army. He knew the outcome of the battles in many ways, but he never doubted the victory of his soldiers.

In his novel, L.N. Tolstoy managed to masterfully combine reviews of large-scale historical battles and a description of the emotional experiences of a person in a war. In this feature, the humanism of the author manifested itself.

The epic novel "War and Peace" can be regarded as a historical literary work. In this case, the reader is primarily interested in:

• what is
• and what is his view of the events described.

The history of the creation of the novel is well known. LN Tolstoy conceived a novel about contemporary post-reform Russia. For this new Russia a man who had returned from hard labor, a former Decembrist, should have looked.

But it turned out that from Tolstoy's point of view, in order to comprehend the present, it is necessary to look into the past. Tolstoy's gaze turned to 1825, and after that to 1812,

"our triumph in the fight against Bonaparte France, and then - the era of" our failures and shame "

“In order to study the laws of history,” Tolstoy wrote, “we must completely change the subject of observation and leave the tsars, ministers and generals alone, and study the homogeneous, infinitesimal elements that guide the masses.”

This view was reflected in the pages of "War and Peace" and in the description of military events and in the description of

Tolstoy shows that history is made up of thousands of wills and deeds different people, the activity of different people is a result not realized by them, carrying out the will of providence. Historical personalities do not play the role that historians usually ascribe to them. Thus, in describing the Battle of Borodino and the entire campaign of 1812, Tolstoy claims that the victory over Napoleon was a foregone conclusion by that warehouse of the Russian character, which could not tolerate foreigners on its own land:

• this is the merchant Ferapontov,
• and Timokhin's soldiers (refused to drink vodka before the battle:

Not a day like this they say

• this and a wounded soldier saying

"All the people go to pile on",

• and the Moscow lady and other residents of Moscow, who left the city long before the Napoleonic army entered it,
• and Tolstoy's favorite heroes (Pierre, Prince Andrei, and Petya Rostov, Nikolai Rostov),
• People's commander Kutuzov
• ordinary peasants, such as Tikhon Shcherbaty in Denisov's partisan detachment, and many, many others.

Tolstoy's view of the role of personality in history

With this approach, the writer understands in a peculiar way the role of the individual in history. At first glance, it seems that Tolstoy preaches fatalism, because he claims that those who are called historical figures do not really play any role in history. The writer likens Napoleon, who believes that it is he who controls the troops, to a child sitting in a carriage, holding on to the ribbons and thinking that he is driving the carriage.

The writer denies Napoleon greatness. Tolstoy is passionate. He has everything:

• portrait of Napoleon (repetitive details - round belly, thick thighs),
• demeanor (admiring oneself),
• consciousness of greatness

- disgusting writer.

The image of Napoleon is opposed to the image of Kutuzov. Tolstoy intentionally

• emphasizes the senile age of Kutuzov (trembling hands, senile tears, an unexpected dream, sentimentality),
• but at the same time shows that this person is the one historical personality, which does what it needs to.

At first glance, the hero of Kutuzov illustrates the author's idea that a historical leader is required to passively submit to the prevailing circumstances. And this is exactly how Kutuzov behaves on the Borodino field. He does not know the role of providence, but to some extent he is aware, feels common sense events and helps or does not hinder them.

“... he ... knew that it was not the orders of the commander-in-chief, not the place on which the troops stood, not the number of guns and killed people, but that elusive force called the spirit of the army, that decide the fate of the battle, and he followed this force and led it as far as it was in his power.

Tolstoy shows the greatness of Kutuzov. The commander was entrusted with a historic mission - to lead the troops and expel the French from Russia. Tolstoy sees his greatness in the fact that "comprehending the will of Providence", he "subordinated his personal will to it."

Tolstoy's position in the descriptions of the war

In describing the events of both war and peace, the writer proceeds from the criterion:

"There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth."

And therefore, when depicting, he draws a clear line between the secular circle, headed by Alexander I, and the nobles, who, in their perception of life, are close to the people - the nation. The former are characterized by the desire to gain profit, make a career, build their own affairs, they are arrogant and proud, their own, personal, is always more important for them. So, Alexander I asks Kutuzov in front of Austerlitz:

"Why don't you start? We are not in the Tsaritsyno Meadow.”

The moral deafness of the tsar is exposed by Kutuzov's answer:

“That’s why I don’t start, because we are not on the Tsaritsyn meadow.”

Secular society is expressed in fines for French words in speech, although sometimes they do not know how to say this or that in Russian. Boris Drubetskoy speaks in front of Borodin about the special mood of the militias, so that Kutuzov can hear him and note him. There are an endless number of such examples in the novel. Nobles close to the people are people with a constant search for the truth. They do not think about themselves, they know how to subordinate the personal to the national. Naturalness is their feature. These are Kutuzov (the girl present at the council in Fili affectionately calls him “grandfather”), the Bolkonskys, the Rostovs, Pierre Bezukhov, Denisov, even Dolokhov.

For each of them, a meeting with a person from the people becomes an important stage in life - this is the role:

• Platon Karataev in the fate of Pierre,
• Tushin - in the fate of Prince Andrei,
• Tikhon Shcherbatov - in the fate of Denisov.

Tolstoy constantly emphasizes these qualities - naturalness and simplicity.

Each of Tolstoy's heroes finds its place in the war of 1812:

• Alexander is forced to appoint Kutuzov commander-in-chief, because the army wants it.
• Andrei Bolkonsky recognizes himself as part of a larger world before the battle of Borodino,
• Pierre experiences the same feeling on Raevsky's battery,
• Natasha demands that the carts intended for things be given to the wounded,
• Petya Rostov goes to war because he wants to defend his Motherland

In a word, they are the flesh of the flesh of the people.

A broad picture of the life of Russian society, global world issues raised in the novel "War and Peace" make Tolstoy's novel a real one. historical work standing one step above the ordinary historicism of other works.