A.E. In 1863, Bersom wrote a letter to his friend, Count Tolstoy, reporting on a fascinating conversation between young people about the events of 1812. Then Lev Nikolaevich decided to write a grandiose work about that heroic time. Already in October 1863, the writer wrote in one of his letters to a relative that he had never felt such creative forces in himself; the new work, according to him, would not be like anything he had done before.

Initially, the main character of the work should be the Decembrist, returning from exile in 1856. Next, Tolstoy moved the beginning of the novel to the day of the uprising in 1825, but then the artistic time moved to 1812. Apparently, the count was afraid that the novel would not be released for political reasons, since Nicholas the First tightened censorship, fearing a repeat of the riot. Since the Patriotic War directly depends on the events of 1805, it was this period that in the final version became the foundation for the beginning of the book.

“Three Pores” - that’s what Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy called his work. It was planned that the first part or time would tell about the young Decembrists, participants in the war; in the second - a direct description of the Decembrist uprising; in the third - the second half of the 19th century, the sudden death of Nicholas 1, the defeat of the Russian army in Crimean War, an amnesty for members of the opposition movement who, returning from exile, expect changes.

It should be noted that the writer rejected all the works of historians, basing many episodes of War and Peace on the memoirs of participants and witnesses of the war. Materials from newspapers and magazines also served as excellent informants. In the Rumyantsev Museum, the author read unpublished documents, letters from ladies-in-waiting and generals. Tolstoy spent several days in Borodino, and in letters to his wife he enthusiastically wrote that if God grants health, he will describe battle of Borodino in a way that no one had ever described before.

The author spent 7 years of his life creating War and Peace. There are 15 variations of the beginning of the novel; the writer repeatedly abandoned and started his book again. Tolstoy foresaw the global scope of his descriptions, wanted to create something innovative and created an epic novel worthy of representing the literature of our country on the world stage.

Themes of War and Peace

1. Family theme. It is the family that determines the upbringing, psychology, views and moral principles of a person, and therefore naturally occupies one of the central places in the novel. The forge of morals shapes the characters' characters and influences the dialectic of their souls throughout the entire narrative. The description of the Bolkonsky, Bezukhov, Rostov and Kuragin families reveals the author’s thoughts about house building and the importance he attaches to family values.
2. The theme of the people. The glory for a won war always belongs to the commander or emperor, and the people, without whom this glory would not have appeared, remain in the shadows. It is this problem that the author raises, showing the vanity of the vanity of military officials and elevating ordinary soldiers. became the topic of one of our essays.
3. Theme of war. Descriptions of military operations exist relatively separately from the novel, independently. It is here that phenomenal Russian patriotism is revealed, which became the key to victory, the boundless courage and fortitude of a soldier who goes to any length to save his homeland. The author introduces us to war scenes through the eyes of one or another hero, plunging the reader into the depths of the bloodshed taking place. Large-scale battles echo the mental anguish of the heroes. Being at the crossroads of life and death reveals the truth to them.
4. Theme of life and death. Tolstoy's characters are divided into “living” and “dead”. The first include Pierre, Andrey, Natasha, Marya, Nikolai, and the second include old Bezukhov, Helen, Prince Vasily Kuragin and his son Anatole. The “living” are constantly in motion, and not so much physical as internal, dialectical (their souls come to harmony through a series of trials), while the “dead” hide behind masks and come to tragedy and internal split. Death in “War and Peace” is presented in 3 forms: bodily or physical death, moral death, and awakening through death. Life is comparable to the burning of a candle, someone’s light is small, with flashes of bright light (Pierre), for someone it burns tirelessly (Natasha Rostova), Masha’s wavering light. There are also 2 hypostases: physical life, like that of “dead” characters, whose immorality deprives the world of the necessary harmony within, and the life of the “soul”, this is about the heroes of the first type, they will be remembered even after death.

Main characters

• Andrey Bolkonsky- a nobleman, disillusioned with the world and seeking glory. The hero is handsome, has dry features, short stature, but athletic build. Andrei dreams of being famous like Napoleon, and that’s why he goes to war. He is bored with high society; even his pregnant wife does not give him any relief. Bolkonsky changes his worldview when, wounded at the battle of Austerlitz, he encountered Napoleon, who seemed like a fly to him, along with all his glory. Further, the love that flared up for Natasha Rostova also changes the views of Andrei, who finds the strength to live again fully and happy life, after the death of his wife. He meets death on the Borodino field, because he does not find the strength in his heart to forgive people and not fight with them. The author shows the struggle in his soul, hinting that the prince is a man of war, he cannot get along in an atmosphere of peace. So, he forgives Natasha for betrayal only on his deathbed, and dies in harmony with himself. But finding this harmony was possible only in this way - for the last time. We wrote more about his character in the essay "".
• Natasha Rostova– a cheerful, sincere, eccentric girl. Knows how to love. He has a wonderful voice that will captivate the most picky music critics. In the work, we first see her as a 12-year-old girl, on her name day. Throughout the entire work, we observe the growing up of a young girl: first love, first ball, Anatole’s betrayal, guilt before Prince Andrei, the search for her “I”, including in religion, the death of her lover (Andrei Bolkonsky). We analyzed her character in the essay "". In the epilogue, the wife of Pierre Bezukhov, his shadow, appears before us from a cocky lover of “Russian dances”.
• Pierre Bezukhov- a plump young man who was unexpectedly bequeathed a title and a large fortune. Pierre discovers himself through what is happening around him, from each event he learns a moral and a life lesson. His wedding with Helen gives him confidence; after being disappointed in her, he finds interest in Freemasonry, and in the end he gains warm feelings for Natasha Rostova. The Battle of Borodino and capture by the French taught him not to philosophize and find happiness in helping others. These conclusions were determined by acquaintance with Platon Karataev, a poor man who, while awaiting death in a cell without normal food and clothing, looked after the “little baron” Bezukhov and found the strength to support him. We've already looked at it too.
• Graph Ilya Andreevich Rostov- a loving family man, luxury was his weakness, which led to financial problems in the family. Softness and weakness of character, inability to adapt to life make him helpless and pitiful.
• Countess Natalya Rostova– the Count’s wife, has an oriental flavor, knows how to present herself correctly in society, and loves her own children excessively. A calculating woman: she strives to upset the wedding of Nikolai and Sonya, since she was not rich. It was her cohabitation with a weak husband that made her so strong and firm.
• NickOlai Rostov– the eldest son is kind, open, with curly hair. Wasteful and weak in spirit, like his father. He squanders his family's fortune on cards. He longed for glory, but after participating in a number of battles he understands how useless and cruel war is. Family well-being and spiritual harmony finds in marriage with Marya Bolkonskaya.
• Sonya Rostova– the count’s niece – small, thin, with a black braid. She had a reasonable character and good disposition. She has been devoted to one man all her life, but lets her beloved Nikolai go after learning about his love for Marya. Tolstoy exalts and appreciates her humility.
• Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky- Prince, has an analytical mind, but a heavy, categorical and unfriendly character. He is too strict, therefore he does not know how to show love, although he has warm feelings for children. Dies from the second blow in Bogucharovo.
• Marya Bolkonskaya– modest, loving her family, ready to sacrifice herself for the sake of her loved ones. L.N. Tolstoy especially emphasizes the beauty of her eyes and the ugliness of her face. In her image, the author shows that the charm of forms cannot replace spiritual wealth. are described in detail in the essay.
• Helen Kuragina – ex-wife Pierre - beautiful woman, socialite. She loves male company and knows how to get what she wants, although she is vicious and stupid.
• Anatol Kuragin- Helen's brother is handsome and belongs to high society. Immoral, absent moral principles, wanted to secretly get married to Natasha Rostova, although he already had a wife. Life punishes him with martyrdom on the battlefield.
• Fedor Dolokhov- officer and leader of the partisans, not tall, has light eyes. Successfully combines selfishness and care for loved ones. Vicious, passionate, but attached to his family.

Tolstoy's favorite hero

In the novel, the author's sympathy and antipathy for the characters is clearly felt. As for female characters, the writer gives his love to Natasha Rostova and Marya Bolkonskaya. Tolstoy valued the real in girls feminine- devotion to the beloved, the ability to always remain blooming in the eyes of her husband, the knowledge of happy motherhood and caring. His heroines are ready for self-denial for the benefit of others.

The writer is fascinated by Natasha, the heroine finds the strength to live even after the death of Andrei, she directs love to her mother after the death of her brother Petya, seeing how hard it is for her. The heroine is reborn, realizing that life is not over as long as she has a bright feeling for her neighbor. Rostova shows patriotism, without a doubt helping the wounded.

Marya also finds happiness in helping others, in feeling needed by someone. Bolkonskaya becomes a mother for Nikolushka’s nephew, taking him under her “wing”. She worries about ordinary men who have nothing to eat, passing the problem through herself, and does not understand how the rich can not help the poor. In the final chapters of the book, Tolstoy is fascinated by his heroines, who have matured and found female happiness.

The writer’s favorite male characters were Pierre and Andrei Bolkonsky. Bezukhov first appears to the reader as a clumsy, plump, short young man who appears in Anna Scherer’s living room. Despite his ridiculous, ridiculous appearance, Pierre is smart, but the only person who accepts him for who he is is Bolkonsky. The prince is brave and stern, his courage and honor come in handy on the battlefield. Both men risk their lives to save their homeland. Both are rushing around in search of themselves.

Of course, L.N. Tolstoy brings his favorite heroes together, only in the case of Andrei and Natasha, happiness is short-lived, Bolkonsky dies young, and Natasha and Pierre find family happiness. Marya and Nikolai also found harmony in each other's company.

Genre of the work

“War and Peace” opens the genre of the epic novel in Russia. The features of any novels are successfully combined here: from family novels to memoirs. The prefix “epic” means that the events described in the novel cover a significant historical phenomenon and reveal its essence in all its diversity. Typically, a work of this genre has a lot of plot lines and characters, since the scale of the work is very large.

The epic nature of Tolstoy’s work lies in the fact that he not only invented a story about a famous historical event, but also enriched it with details gleaned from the memories of eyewitnesses. The author did a lot to ensure that the book was based on documentary sources.

The relationship between the Bolkonskys and the Rostovs was also not invented by the author: he depicted the history of his family, the merger of the Volkonsky and Tolstoy families.

Main problems

1. The problem of finding real life. Let's take Andrei Bolkonsky as an example. He dreamed of recognition and glory, and most the right way to earn authority and adoration are military exploits. Andrei made plans to save the army with his own hands. Bolkonsky constantly saw pictures of battles and victories, but he was wounded and went home. Here, in front of Andrei’s eyes, his wife dies, completely shaken inner world prince, then he realizes that there is no joy in the murders and suffering of the people. This career is not worth it. The search for oneself continues, because the original meaning of life has been lost. The problem is that it is difficult to find.
2. The problem of happiness. Take Pierre, who is torn away from the empty society of Helen and the war. He soon becomes disillusioned with a vicious woman; illusory happiness has deceived him. Bezukhov, like his friend Bolkonsky, tries to find a calling in the struggle and, like Andrei, abandons this search. Pierre was not born for the battlefield. As you can see, any attempts to find bliss and harmony result in the collapse of hopes. As a result, the hero returns to his former life and finds himself in a quiet family haven, but only by making his way through thorns did he find his star.
3. The problem of the people and the great man. The epic novel clearly expresses the idea of ​​commanders-in-chief inseparable from the people. A great man must share the opinions of his soldiers and live by the same principles and ideals. Not a single general or king would have received his glory if this glory had not been presented to him on a “platter” by the soldiers, in whom the main strength lies. But many rulers do not cherish it, but despise it, and this should not happen, because injustice hurts people painfully, even more painfully than bullets. The People's War in the events of 1812 is shown on the side of the Russians. Kutuzov protects the soldiers and sacrifices Moscow for their sake. They sense this, mobilize the peasants and launch a guerrilla struggle that finishes off the enemy and finally drives him out.
4. The problem of true and false patriotism. Of course, patriotism is revealed through images of Russian soldiers, a description of the heroism of the people in the main battles. False patriotism in the novel is represented in the person of Count Rostopchin. He distributes ridiculous pieces of paper throughout Moscow, and then saves himself from the wrath of people by sending his son Vereshchagin to certain death. We have written an article on this topic, called “”.

What is the point of the book?

The writer himself speaks about the true meaning of the epic novel in the lines about greatness. Tolstoy believes that there is no greatness where there is no simplicity of soul, good intentions and a sense of justice.

L.N. Tolstoy expressed greatness through the people. In the images of battle paintings, an ordinary soldier shows unprecedented courage, which causes pride. Even the most fearful aroused in themselves a feeling of patriotism, which, like an unknown and frantic force, brought victory to the Russian army. The writer protests against false greatness. When put on the scales (here you can find their comparative characteristics), the latter flies up: its fame is lightweight, since it has very flimsy foundations. The image of Kutuzov is “folk”; none of the commanders has ever been so close to common people. Napoleon is only reaping the fruits of fame; it is not without reason that when Bolkonsky lies wounded on the field of Austerlitz, the author, through his eyes, shows Bonaparte like a fly in this huge world. Lev Nikolaevich sets a new trend of heroic character. He becomes the “people's choice”.

An open soul, patriotism and a sense of justice won not only in the War of 1812, but also in life: the heroes who were guided by moral principles and the voice of their hearts became happy.

Thought Family

L.N. Tolstoy was very sensitive to the topic of family. Thus, in his novel “War and Peace,” the writer shows that the state, like a clan, transmits values ​​and traditions from generation to generation, and good human qualities are also sprouts from roots going back to the forefathers.

Brief description of families in the novel “War and Peace”:

1. Of course, the beloved family of L.N. Tolstoy's were the Rostovs. Their family was famous for its cordiality and hospitality. It is in this family that the author’s values ​​of true home comfort and happiness are reflected. The writer considered the purpose of a woman to be motherhood, maintaining comfort in the home, devotion and the ability to self-sacrifice. This is how all the women of the Rostov family are depicted. There are 6 people in the family: Natasha, Sonya, Vera, Nikolai and parents.
2. Another family is the Bolkonskys. Restraint of feelings, the severity of Father Nikolai Andreevich, and canonicity reign here. Women here are more like “shadows” of their husbands. Andrei Bolkonsky will inherit best qualities, becoming a worthy son of his father, and Marya will learn patience and humility.
3. The Kuragin family is the best personification of the proverb “no oranges are born from aspen trees.” Helen, Anatole, Hippolyte are cynical, seek benefits in people, are stupid and not the least bit sincere in what they do and say. “A show of masks” is their lifestyle, and in this they completely took after their father, Prince Vasily. There are no friendly and warm relations in the family, which is reflected in all its members. L.N. Tolstoy especially dislikes Helen, who was incredibly beautiful on the outside, but completely empty on the inside.

People's thought

She happens to be center line novel. As we remember from what was written above, L.N. Tolstoy abandoned generally accepted historical sources, basing “War and Peace” on memoirs, notes, letters from ladies-in-waiting and generals. The writer was not interested in the course of the war as a whole. Individual individuals, fragments – that’s what the author needed. Each person had his own place and significance in this book, like pieces of a puzzle, which, when assembled correctly, will reveal a beautiful picture - the power of national unity.

The Patriotic War changed something inside each of the characters in the novel, each made their own small contribution to the victory. Prince Andrei believes in the Russian army and fights with dignity, Pierre wants to destroy the French ranks from their very heart - by killing Napoleon, Natasha Rostova without hesitation gives carts to crippled soldiers, Petya fights bravely in partisan detachments.

The people's will to victory is clearly felt in the scenes of the Battle of Borodino, the battle for Smolensk, and the partisan battle with the French. The latter is especially memorable for the novel, because volunteers who came from the ordinary peasant class fought in the partisan movements - the detachments of Denisov and Dolokhov personified the movement of the entire nation, when “both old and young” stood up to defend their homeland. Later they would be called the “club of the people’s war.”

The War of 1812 in Tolstoy's novel

The War of 1812, as a turning point in the lives of all the heroes of the novel War and Peace, has been mentioned several times above. It was also said that it was won by the people. Let's look at the issue from a historical perspective. L.N. Tolstoy draws 2 images: Kutuzov and Napoleon. Of course, both images are drawn through the eyes of a person from the people. It is known that the character of Bonaparte was thoroughly described in the novel only after the writer was convinced of the fair victory of the Russian army. The author did not understand the beauty of war, he was its opponent, and through the mouths of his heroes Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov, he speaks of the meaninglessness of its very idea.

The Patriotic War was a national liberation war. It occupied a special place on the pages of volumes 3 and 4.

We've all read or heard about the novel War and Peace, but we can't remember everything the first time. characters novel. The main characters of the novel War and Peace— love, suffer, live life in the imagination of every reader.

Main characters War and Peace

The main characters of the novel War and Peace are Natasha Rostova, Pierre Bezukhov, Andrei Bolkonsky.

It is quite difficult to say which is the main one, since Tolstoy’s characters are described as if in parallel.

The main characters are different, they have different views on life, different aspirations, but they have a common problem: war. And Tolstoy shows in the novel not one, but many destinies. The story of each of them is unique. There is no best, no worst. And we understand the best and the worst by comparison.

Natasha Rostova- one of the main characters with her own history and troubles, Bolkonsky also one of the best characters, whose story, alas, had to have an end. He himself has exhausted his life limit.

Bezukhov a little strange, lost, insecure, but his fate bizarrely presented him with Natasha.

The main character is the one who is closest to you.

Characteristics of the heroes War and Peace

Akhrosimova Marya Dmitrievna- a Moscow lady, known throughout the city “not for wealth, not for honors, but for directness of mind and frank simplicity of manner.” They told anecdotal stories about her, quietly laughed at her rudeness, but they were afraid and sincerely respected. A. was known to both capitals and even the royal family. The prototype of the heroine is A. D. Ofrosimova, known in Moscow, described by S. P. Zhikharev in “The Student’s Diary.”

The heroine's usual way of life consists of doing housework at home, traveling to mass, visiting forts, receiving petitioners, and traveling to the city on business. Her four sons serve in the army, which she is very proud of; He knows how to hide his concern for them from strangers.

A. always speaks Russian, loudly, she has a “thick voice”, a corpulent body, she holds high “her fifty-year-old head with gray curls.” A. is close to the Rostov family, loving Natasha most of all. At the name day of Natasha and the old countess, it is she who dances with Count Rostov, delighting the entire assembled society. She boldly reprimands Pierre for the incident because of which he was expelled from St. Petersburg in 1805; she reprimands old Prince Bolkonsky for the discourtesy he made to Natasha during the visit; She also upsets Natasha’s plan to run away with Anatole.

Bagration- one of the most famous Russian military leaders, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, prince. In the novel he appears as a real historical figure and a participant in the plot action. B. “short, with oriental type hard and motionless face, dry, not yet an old man" In the novel he participates mainly as the commander of the Battle of Shengraben. Before the operation, Kutuzov blessed him “for the great feat” of saving the army. The mere presence of the prince on the battlefield changes a lot in its course, although he does not give any visible orders, but at the decisive moment he dismounts and himself goes on the attack ahead of the soldiers. He is loved and respected by everyone, it is known about him that Suvorov himself gave him a sword for his courage back in Italy. During the Battle of Austerlitz, one B. spent the whole day fighting off an enemy twice as strong and, during the retreat, led his column out of the battlefield undisturbed. That is why Moscow chose him as its hero, a dinner was given in B.’s honor at an English club, in his person “due honor was given to a fighting, simple, without connections or intrigue, Russian soldier...”.

Bezukhov Pierre- one of the main characters of the novel; At first, the hero of the story about the Decembrist, from the concept of which the work arose.

P. is the illegitimate son of Count Bezukhov, a famous Catherine nobleman, who became the heir to the title and a huge fortune, “a massive, fat young man with a cropped head, wearing glasses,” he is distinguished by an intelligent, timid, “observant and natural” look. P. was brought up abroad and appeared in Russia shortly before the death of his father and the beginning of the campaign of 1805. He is intelligent, inclined to philosophical reasoning, gentle and kind-hearted, compassionate towards others, kind, impractical and subject to passions. His closest friend, Andrei Bolkonsky, characterizes P. as the only “living person” among the whole world.

At the beginning of the novel, P. considers Napoleon greatest man in the world, but gradually becomes disillusioned, reaching the point of hatred towards him and the desire to kill. Having become a rich heir and falling under the influence of Prince Vasily and Helen, P. marries the latter. Very soon, having understood his wife’s character and realizing her depravity, he breaks up with her. In search of the content and meaning of his life, P. becomes interested in Freemasonry, trying to find in this teaching answers to the questions that torment him and get rid of the passions that torment him. Realizing the falsity of the Freemasons, the hero breaks with them, tries to reorganize the lives of his peasants, but fails due to his impracticality and gullibility.

The greatest trials befell P. on the eve and during the war; it is not for nothing that “through his eyes” readers see the famous comet of 1812, which, according to the general belief, foreshadowed terrible misfortunes. This sign follows P.’s declaration of love to Natasha Rostova. During the war, the hero, having decided to watch the battle and not yet very clearly realizing the strength of national unity and the significance of the ongoing event, ends up on the Borodino field. On this day, his last conversation with Prince Andrey, who realized that the truth is where “they” are, that is, ordinary soldiers, gives him a lot. Left in burning and deserted Moscow to kill Napoleon, P. tries as best he can to fight the misfortune that has befallen people, but is captured and experiences terrible moments during the execution of prisoners.

A meeting with Platon Karataev reveals to P. the truth that one must love life, even while innocently suffering, seeing the meaning and purpose of each person in being a part and reflection of the whole world. After meeting with Karataev, P. learned to see “the eternal and infinite in everything.” At the end of the war, after the death of Andrei Bolkonsky and Natasha’s revival to life, P. marries her. In the epilogue, he is a happy husband and father, a man who, in a dispute with Nikolai Rostov, expresses convictions that allow him to be seen as a future Decembrist.

Berg- German, “a fresh, pink guards officer, impeccably washed, buttoned and combed.” At the beginning of the novel he is a lieutenant, at the end - a colonel who has made a good career and has awards. B. is precise, calm, courteous, selfish and stingy. Those around him laugh at him. B. could only talk about himself and his interests, the main of which was success. He could talk about this subject for hours, with visible pleasure for himself and at the same time teaching others. During the campaign of 1805, B. is a company commander, proud of the fact that he is efficient, careful, enjoys the trust of his superiors, and has arranged his material affairs favorably. When meeting him in the army, Nikolai Rostov treats him with slight contempt.

B. first the intended and desired groom of Vera Rostova, and then her husband. The hero makes a proposal to his future wife at a time when refusal is impossible for him - B. correctly takes into account the Rostovs’ financial difficulties, which does not prevent him from demanding part of the promised dowry from the old count. Having achieved a certain position, income, having married Vera, who meets his requirements, Colonel B. feels contented and happy, even in Moscow, abandoned by the residents, worrying about purchasing furniture.

Bolkonskaya Lisa- the wife of Prince Andrei, to whom the name “little princess” was assigned in the world. “Her pretty upper lip, with a slightly blackened mustache, was short in teeth, but the more sweetly it opened and the more sweetly it sometimes stretched out and fell onto the lower one. As is always the case with quite attractive women, her flaw—short lips and half-open mouth—seemed special to her, her actual beauty. It was fun for everyone to look at this pretty expectant mother, full of health and vivacity, who endured her situation so easily.”

The image of L. was formed by Tolstoy in the first edition and remained unchanged. The prototype of the little princess was the wife of the writer’s second cousin, Princess L.I. Volkonskaya, née Truzson, some of whose features were used by Tolstoy. The “little princess” enjoyed universal love because of her constant liveliness and courtesy of a society woman who could not imagine her life outside the world. In her relationship with her husband, she is characterized by a complete lack of understanding of his aspirations and character. During arguments with her husband, her face, because of her raised lip, took on a “brutal, squirrel expression,” however, Prince Andrei, repenting of marrying L., in a conversation with Pierre and his father, notes that this is one of the rare women with whom “you can be calm for your honor."

After Bolkonsky left for the war, L. lives in Bald Mountains, experiencing constant fear and antipathy towards his father-in-law and becoming friendly not with his sister-in-law, but with Princess Marya’s empty and frivolous companion, Mademoiselle Bourrienne. L. dies, as she had a presentiment, during childbirth, on the day of the return of Prince Andrei, who was considered killed. The expression on her face just before her death and after seems to say that she loves everyone, does no harm to anyone and cannot understand why she is suffering. Her death leaves Prince Andrei with a feeling of irreparable guilt and sincere pity for the old prince.

Bolkonskaya Marya- Princess, daughter of the old Prince Bolkonsky, sister of Prince Andrei, later the wife of Nikolai Rostov. M. “has an ugly, weak body and a thin face... the princess’s eyes, large, deep and radiant (as if rays of warm light sometimes came out of them in sheaves), were so beautiful that very often, despite the ugliness of her whole face, these eyes became more attractive beauty."

M. is very religious, welcomes pilgrims and wanderers, enduring the ridicule of her father and brother. She has no friends with whom she could share her thoughts. Her life is focused on love for her father, who is often unfair to her, for her brother and his son Nikolenka (after the death of the “little princess”), for whom she, as best she can, replaces the mother. M. is an intelligent, meek, educated woman, not hoping for personal happiness. Because of her father’s unfair reproaches and the inability to endure it any longer, she even wanted to go on a journey. Her life changes after meeting Nikolai Rostov, who managed to guess the wealth of her soul. Having gotten married, the heroine is happy, completely sharing all her husband’s views “on duty and oath.”

Bolkonsky Andrey- one of the main characters of the novel, prince, son of N.A. Bolkonsky, brother of Princess Marya. “...Short stature, a very handsome young man with definite and dry features.” This is an intelligent, proud person who seeks great intellectual and spiritual content in life. His sister notes in him some kind of “pride of thought”; he is restrained, educated, practical and has a strong will.

B. by origin occupies one of the most enviable places in society, but is unhappy in family life and is not satisfied with the emptiness of light. At the beginning of the novel, his hero is Napoleon. Wanting to imitate Napoleon, dreaming of “his Toulon,” he leaves for the active army, where he shows courage, composure, and a heightened sense of honor, duty, and justice. Participates in the Battle of Shengraben. Seriously wounded in Battle of Austerlitz, B. understands the futility of his dreams and the insignificance of his idol. The hero returns home, where he was considered dead, on the day of his son’s birth and his wife’s death. These events shock him even more, leaving him feeling guilty towards his dead wife. Having decided not to serve anymore after Austerlitz, B. lives in Bogucharovo, doing housework, raising his son and reading a lot. During Pierre's arrival, he admits that he lives for himself alone, but something momentarily awakens in his soul when he sees the sky above him for the first time since his injury. From that time on, while maintaining the same circumstances, “his new life began in the inner world.”

Over the two years of living in the village, B. has been busy analyzing the latest military campaigns, which prompts him, under the influence of a trip to Otradnoye and awakened vitality, to go to St. Petersburg, where he works under the supervision of Speransky, who is in charge of the preparation of legislative changes.

In St. Petersburg, B.’s second meeting with Natasha takes place, and a deep feeling and hope for happiness arises in the hero’s soul. Having postponed the wedding for a year under the influence of his father, who did not agree with his son’s decision, B. goes abroad. After his fiancée’s betrayal, in order to forget about it and calm the feelings that washed over him, he returns to the army again under the command of Kutuzov. Participating in the Patriotic War, B. wants to be at the front, and not at headquarters, gets close to the soldiers and comprehends the power of the “spirit of the army” fighting for the liberation of his homeland. Before participating in the last battle of Borodino in his life, the hero meets and talks with Pierre. Having received a mortal wound, B., by a coincidence, leaves Moscow in the Rostov convoy, reconciling with Natasha along the way, forgiving her and understanding before his death the true meaning of the power of love that unites people.

Bolkonsky Nikolai Andreevich- prince, general-in-chief, dismissed from service under Paul I and exiled to the village. Father of Princess Marya and Prince Andrei. In the image of the old prince, Tolstoy restored many of the features of his maternal grandfather, Prince N. S. Volkonsky, “an intelligent, proud and gifted man.”

N.A. lives in the village, pedantically distributing his time, most of all not enduring idleness, stupidity, superstition and violation of rules. established order; he is demanding and harsh with everyone, often tormenting his daughter with nagging, but deep down loving her. The universally revered prince “walked in the old-fashioned way, in a caftan and powder”, was short, “in a powdered wig... with small dry hands and gray hanging eyebrows, sometimes, as he frowned, obscuring the brilliance of his intelligent and seemingly young sparkling eyes.” He is very proud, smart, restrained in expressing feelings; Perhaps his main concern is the preservation of family honor and dignity. Before last days During his life, the old prince retains an interest in political and military events, only just before his death he loses any real idea of ​​​​the scale of the misfortune that happened to Russia. It was he who instilled feelings of pride, duty, patriotism and scrupulous honesty in his son Andrei.

Bolkonsky Nikolenka- the son of Prince Andrei and the “little princess”, born on the day of his mother’s death and the return of his father, who was considered dead. He was brought up first in his grandfather's house, then by Princess Marya. Outwardly, he looks very much like his late mother: he has the same upturned lip and curly dark hair. N. grows up as a smart, impressionable and nervous boy. In the epilogue of the novel, he is 15 years old, he witnesses an argument between Nikolai Rostov and Pierre Bezukhov. Under this impression, N. sees a dream with which Tolstoy completes the events of the novel and in which the hero sees glory, himself, his late father and uncle Pierre at the head of a large “right-wing” army.

Denisov Vasily Dmitrievich- combat hussar officer, gambler, gambling, noisy “little man with a red face, shiny black eyes, black tousled mustache and hair.” D. is the commander and friend of Nikolai Rostov, a man for whom the highest thing in life is the honor of the regiment in which he serves. He is brave, capable of daring and rash actions, as in the case of the seizure of food transport, participates in all campaigns, commanding a partisan detachment in 1812 that freed prisoners, including Pierre.

D.'s prototype was largely the hero of the war of 1812 D. V. Davydov, who is also mentioned in the novel as a historical figure. Dolokhov Fedor - “Semyonovsky officer, famous gambler and buster.” “Dolokhov was a man of average height, curly hair and with light blue eyes. He was about twenty-five years old. He did not wear a mustache, like all infantry officers, and his mouth, the most striking feature of his face, was completely visible. The lines of this mouth were remarkably finely curved. In the middle, the upper lip energetically dropped onto the strong lower lip like a sharp wedge, and something like two smiles constantly formed in the corners, one on each side; and all together, and especially in combination with a firm, insolent, intelligent look, it created such an impression that it was impossible not to notice this face.” The prototypes of D.'s image are R.I. Dorokhov, a reveler and a brave man whom Tolstoy knew in the Caucasus; a relative of the writer, famous at the beginning of the 19th century. Count F. I. Tolstoy-American, who also served as the prototype for the heroes A. S. Pushkin, A. S. Griboyedov; partisans of the Patriotic War of 1812 A. S. Figner.

D. is not rich, but he knows how to position himself in society in such a way that everyone respects and even fears him. He gets bored in the conditions ordinary life and relieves boredom in strange, even cruel ways, by doing incredible things. In 1805, for mischief with a police officer, he was expelled from St. Petersburg and demoted to the ranks, but during the military campaign he regained his officer rank.

D. is smart, brave, cold-blooded, indifferent to death. He carefully hides it from. strangers his tender affection for his mother, confessing to Rostov that everyone considers him an evil person, but in fact he doesn’t want to know anyone except those he loves.

Dividing all people into useful and harmful, he sees around him mostly harmful, unloved people whom he is ready to “run over if they stand in the way.” D. is impudent, cruel and treacherous. Being Helen's lover, he provokes Pierre to a duel; coldly and dishonestly beats Nikolai Rostov, taking revenge for Sonya’s refusal to his proposal; helps Anatoly Kuragin prepare an escape with Natasha, Drubetskaya Boris - the son of Princess Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya; Since childhood, he was brought up and lived for a long time in the Rostov family, to whom he is related through his mother, and was in love with Natasha. “A tall, blond young man with regular, delicate features of a calm and handsome face.” The prototypes of the hero are A. M. Kuzminsky and M. D. Polivanov.

D. has been dreaming of a career since his youth, he is very proud, but he accepts his mother’s troubles and condones her humiliations if it benefits him. A. M. Drubetskaya, through Prince Vasily, gets her son a place in the guard. Once in military service, D. dreams of making a brilliant career in this area.

While participating in the campaign of 1805, he acquired many useful acquaintances and understood the “unwritten subordination”, wanting to continue to serve only in accordance with it. In 1806, A.P. Scherer “treats” his guests to him, who arrived from the Prussian army as a courier. In the world, D. strives to make useful contacts and uses his last money to give the impression of a rich and successful person. He becomes a close person in Helen's house and her lover. During the meeting of the emperors in Tilsit, D. is there, and from that time on his position is especially firmly established. In 1809, D., seeing Natasha again, becomes interested in her and for some time does not know what to choose, since marriage with Natasha would mean the end of his career. D. is looking for a rich bride, choosing at one time between Princess Marya and Julie Karagina, who eventually became his wife.

Karataev Platon- a soldier of the Absheron regiment, who met Pierre Bezukhov in captivity. Nicknamed Falcon in the service. This character was not present in the first edition of the novel. Its appearance is apparently due to the development and finalization of the image of Pierre and the philosophical concept of the novel.

When he first meets this small, affectionate and good-natured man, Pierre is struck by the feeling of something round and calm that comes from K. He attracts everyone to him with his calmness, confidence, kindness and smiling face. One day K. tells the story of an innocently convicted merchant, humbled and suffering “for his own and for other people’s sins.” This story makes an impression among the prisoners as something very important. Weakened by fever, K. begins to lag behind on crossings; The French guards shoot him.

After K.'s death, thanks to his wisdom and the folk philosophy of life unconsciously expressed in all his behavior, Pierre comes to understand the meaning of existence.

Kuragin Anatol- son of Prince Vasily, brother of Helen and Hippolyte, officer. In contrast to the “calm fool” Ippolit, Prince Vasily looks at A. as a “restless fool” who always needs to be rescued from troubles. A. is a tall, handsome man with a good-natured and “victorious look,” “beautiful big” eyes and light brown hair. He is dapper, arrogant, stupid, not resourceful, not eloquent in conversations, depraved, but “but he also had the ability of calm and unchangeable confidence, precious for the world.” Being a friend of Dolokhov and a participant in his revelry, A. looks at his life as constant pleasure and amusement that should have been arranged for him by someone, he does not care about his relationships with other people. A. treats women with contempt and with a consciousness of his superiority, having become accustomed to being liked and not having serious feelings for anyone.

After becoming infatuated with Natasha Rostova and attempting to take her away, A. is forced to hide from Moscow, and then from Prince Andrei, who intended to challenge the offender to a duel. Their last meeting will take place in the hospital after the Battle of Borodino: A. is wounded, his leg is amputated.

Kuragin Vasily- Prince, father of Helen, Anatole and Hippolyte; a well-known and influential person in the St. Petersburg world, occupying important court positions.

Prince V. treats everyone around him condescendingly and patronizingly, speaks quietly, always bending the hand of his interlocutor. He appears “in a courtly, embroidered uniform, in stockings, shoes, with stars, with a bright expression on his flat face,” with a “perfumed and shining bald head.” When he smiles, there is “something unexpectedly rough and unpleasant” in the wrinkles of his mouth. Prince V. does not wish harm to anyone, does not think through his plans in advance, but, as a secular person, uses circumstances and connections to carry out the plans that spontaneously arise in his mind. He always strives to get closer to people who are richer and higher in position than him.

The hero considers himself an exemplary father, who has done everything possible to raise his children and continues to care about their future. Having learned about Princess Marya, Prince V. takes Anatole to Bald Mountains, wanting to marry him to a rich heiress. A relative of the old Count Bezukhov, he goes to Moscow and, together with Princess Katish, starts an intrigue before the count’s death to prevent Pierre Bezukhov from becoming the heir. Having failed in this matter, he starts a new intrigue and marries Pierre and Helene.

Kuragina Elen- daughter of Prince Vasily, and then the wife of Pierre Bezukhov. A brilliant St. Petersburg beauty with an “unchanging smile”, white full shoulders, glossy hair and a beautiful figure. There was no noticeable coquetry in her, as if she was ashamed “for her undoubtedly and too much and win? truly effective beauty.” E. is unperturbed, giving everyone the right to admire herself, which is why she feels like she has a gloss from many other people’s glances. She knows how to be silently dignified in the world, giving the impression of being tactful and smart woman, which, combined with beauty, ensures her constant success.

Having married Pierre Bezukhov, the heroine reveals to her husband not only limited intelligence, coarseness of thought and vulgarity, but also cynical depravity. After breaking up with Pierre and receiving a large part of the fortune from him by proxy, she lives either in St. Petersburg, then abroad, or returns to her husband. Despite the family breakup, the constant change of lovers, including Dolokhov and Drubetskoy, E. continues to remain one of the most famous and favored ladies of the St. Petersburg society. In the light she does very great success; Living alone, she becomes the mistress of a diplomatic and political salon and gains a reputation as an intelligent woman. Having decided to convert to Catholicism and considering the possibility of divorce and a new marriage, entangled between two very influential, high-ranking lovers and patrons, E. dies in 1812.

Kutuzov- Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army. Member of real historical events, described by Tolstoy, and at the same time the plot of the work. He has a “plump, wound-disfigured face” with an aquiline nose; he is gray-haired, plump, and walks heavily. On the pages of the novel, K. first appears in the episode of the review near Braunau, impressing everyone with his knowledge of the matter and attention hidden behind the apparent absent-mindedness. K. knows how to be diplomatic; he is quite cunning and speaks “with the elegance of expressions and intonations”, “with the affectation of respect” of a subordinate and unreasoning person, when the matter does not concern the security of the homeland, as before the Battle of Austerlitz. Before the Battle of Shengraben, K., crying, blesses Bagration.

In 1812, K., contrary to the opinion of secular circles, received princely dignity and was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian army. He is a favorite of soldiers and military officers. From the beginning of his activities as commander-in-chief, K. believes that to win a campaign “you need patience and time”, that the whole matter can be solved not by knowledge, not by plans, not by intelligence, but by “something else, independent of intelligence and knowledge” . According to Tolstoy's historical and philosophical concept, a person is not able to truly influence the course of historical events. K. has the ability to “calmly contemplate the course of events,” but he knows how to see, listen, remember, not interfere with anything useful and not allow anything harmful. On the eve and during the Battle of Borodino, the commander monitors the preparations for the battle, together with all the soldiers and militias he prays in front of the Smolensk icon Mother of God and during battle controls the “elusive force” called the “spirit of the army.” K. experiences painful feelings when deciding to leave Moscow, but “with all his Russian being” he knows that the French will be defeated. Having directed all his strength to liberate his homeland, K. dies when his role is fulfilled and the enemy is driven beyond the borders of Russia. “This simple, modest and therefore truly majestic figure could not fit into that deceitful form of a European hero, ostensibly ruling people, which history has invented.”

Napoleon- French emperor; a real historical person depicted in the novel, a hero with whose image the historical and philosophical concept of L. N. Tolstoy is connected.

At the beginning of the work, N. is the idol of Andrei Bolkonsky, a man whose greatness Pierre Bezukhov bows to, a politician whose actions and personality are discussed in the high society salon of A.P. Scherer. As the protagonist of the novel, he appears in the Battle of Austerlitz, after which the wounded Prince Andrei sees “the radiance of complacency and happiness” on N.’s face, admiring the view of the battlefield.

N.’s figure was “plump, short... with broad, thick shoulders and an involuntarily protruding belly and chest, had that representative, dignified appearance that forty-year-old people living in the hall have”; his face is youthful, full, with a prominent chin, short hair, and “his white plump neck protruded sharply from behind the black collar of his uniform.” N.'s self-satisfaction and self-confidence are expressed in the belief that his presence plunges people into delight and self-forgetfulness, that everything in the world depends only on his will. Sometimes he is prone to outbursts of anger.

Even before the order to cross the borders of Russia, the hero’s imagination is haunted by Moscow, and during the war he does not foresee its general course. In giving the Battle of Borodino, N. acts “involuntarily and senselessly”, without being able to somehow influence its course, although he does not do anything harmful to the cause. For the first time during the Battle of Borodino he experiences bewilderment and hesitation, and after it the sight of the dead and wounded “defeated the spiritual strength in which he believed his merit and greatness.” According to the author, N. was destined for an inhuman role, his mind and conscience were darkened, and his actions were “too opposite to goodness and truth, too far from everything human.”

Rostov Ilya Andreevich- Count, father of Natasha, Nikolai, Vera and Petya Rostov, famous Moscow gentleman, rich man, hospitable man. R. knows how and loves to live, is good-natured, generous and spendthrift. The writer used many character traits and some episodes from the life of his paternal grandfather, Count I. A. Tolstoy, when creating the image of the old Count Rostov, noting in his appearance those features that are known from the portrait of the grandfather: full body, "sparse gray hair on a bald head."

R. is known in Moscow not only as a hospitable host and a wonderful family man, but also as a person who knows how to organize a ball, reception, dinner better than others, and if necessary, use his own money for this. He has been a member and foreman of the English club since its foundation. It is he who is entrusted with the efforts of arranging a dinner in honor of Bagration.

Count R.'s life is burdened only by the constant consciousness of his gradual ruin, which he is unable to stop, allowing the managers to rob himself, not being able to refuse petitioners, not being able to change the once established order of life. Most of all, he suffers from the consciousness that he is ruining his children, but he becomes more and more confused in his affairs. To improve their property affairs, the Rostivs live in the village for two years, the count leaves the leadership, looks for a place in St. Petersburg, transporting his family there and, with his habits and social circle, giving the impression of a provincial there.

R. is distinguished by tender, deep love and heartfelt kindness towards his wife and children. When leaving Moscow after the Battle of Borodino, it was the old count who began to slowly give carts to the wounded, thereby dealing one of the last blows to his condition. Events of 1812-1813 and the loss of Petya completely broke the spiritual and physical strength hero. The last event, which, out of old habit, he directs, producing the same active impression, is the wedding of Natasha and Pierre; in the same year, the count dies “precisely at a time when things... were so confused that it was impossible to imagine how it would all end,” and leaves behind a good memory.

Rostov Nikolay- son of Count Rostov, brother of Vera, Natasha and Petya, officer, hussar; at the end of the novel, the husband of Princess Marya Volkonskaya. “A short, curly-haired young man with an open expression on his face,” in whom one could see “impetuousness and enthusiasm.” The writer gave N. some of the traits of his father, N.I. Tolstoy, a participant in the War of 1812. The hero is distinguished by many of the same traits of openness, cheerfulness, goodwill, self-sacrifice, musicality and emotionality as all the Rostovs. Confident that he is neither an official nor a diplomat, N. at the beginning of the novel leaves the university and enters the Pavlograd Hussar Regiment, in which his whole life is concentrated for a long time. He takes part in military campaigns and the Patriotic War of 1812. N. receives his first baptism of fire while crossing the Enns, not being able to combine in himself “the fear of death and stretchers and the love of the sun and life.” In the Battle of Shengraben, he goes on the attack too bravely, but, being wounded in the arm, he gets lost and leaves the battlefield with the thought of the absurdity of the death of the one “whom everyone loves so much.” Having passed these tests, N. becomes a brave officer, a real hussar; he retains a sense of adoration for the sovereign and loyalty to his duty. Feeling at home in his native regiment, as if in some special world where everything is simple and clear, N. finds himself there, too, not free from solving complex moral problems, as, for example, in the case of officer Telyanin. In the regiment N. becomes a “completely hardened” kind fellow, but remains sensitive and open to subtle feelings. In peaceful life he behaves like a real hussar.

His long-lasting romance with Sonya ends with N.’s noble decision to marry a dowry-free woman even against his mother’s will, but he receives a letter from Sonya returning his freedom. In 1812, during one of his trips, N. met Princess Marya and helped her leave Bogucharovo. Princess Marya amazes him with her meekness and spirituality. After the death of his father, N. retires, taking on all the obligations and debts of the deceased, taking care of his mother and Sonya. When he meets Princess Volkonskaya, out of noble motives, he tries to avoid her, one of the richest brides, but their mutual feeling does not weaken and is crowned with a happy marriage.

Rostov Petya - younger son Counts Rostov, brother of Vera, Nikolai, Natasha. At the beginning of the novel, P. is still a small boy, enthusiastically succumbing to the general atmosphere of life in the Rostov house. He is musical, like all Rostovs, kind and cheerful. After Nicholas joined the army, P. wants to imitate his brother, and in 1812, carried away by a patriotic impulse and an enthusiastic attitude towards the sovereign, he asks to join the army. “Snub-nosed Petya, with his cheerful black eyes, fresh blush and slightly fluff on his cheeks” becomes after leaving the main concern of the mother, who only at that time realizes the depth of her love for her youngest child. During the war, P. accidentally ends up with an assignment in Denisov’s detachment, where he remains, wanting to take part in the real case. He accidentally dies, showing on the eve of his death in his relations with his comrades all the best traits of the “Rostov breed” that he inherited in his home.

Rostov- Countess, “a woman with an oriental type of thin face, about forty-five years old, apparently exhausted by children... The slowness of her movements and speech, resulting from weakness of strength, gave her a significant appearance that inspires respect.” When creating the image of the Countess, R. Tolstoy used the character traits and some circumstances of the life of his paternal grandmother P. N. Tolstoy and mother-in-law L. A. Bers.

R. is used to living in luxury, in an atmosphere of love and kindness. She is proud of the friendship and trust of her children, spoils them, and worries about their destinies. Despite the apparent weakness and even lack of will, the Countess makes balanced and reasonable decisions regarding the fate of the children. Her love for children is also dictated by her desire to marry Nikolai to a rich bride at all costs, and her nagging towards Sonya. The news of Petya's death nearly drives her insane. The only subject of the countess's displeasure is the old count's inability to manage affairs and small quarrels with him over the waste of the children's fortune. At the same time, the heroine cannot understand either the position of her husband or the position of her son, with whom she remains after the death of the count, demanding the usual luxury and fulfillment of all her whims and desires.

Rostova Natasha- one of the main heroines of the novel, daughter of Count Rostov, sister of Nikolai, Vera and Petya; at the end of the novel, the wife of Pierre Bezukhov. N. - “black-eyed, with a big mouth, ugly, but alive...”. Tolstoy’s prototype was his wife and her sister T. A. Bers, formerly Kuzminskaya. According to the writer, he “took Tanya, mixed with Sonya, and it turned out to be Natasha.” The image of the heroine gradually developed from the very inception of the idea, when the writer, next to his hero, a former Decembrist, introduces himself to his wife.

N. is very emotional and sensitive, she intuitively guesses people, “not deigning” to be smart, sometimes she is selfish in the manifestations of her feelings, but more often she is capable of self-forgetfulness and self-sacrifice, as in the case of transporting the wounded from Moscow or nursing her mother after the death of Petya.

One of N.'s defining qualities and advantages is her musicality and rare beauty of a voice. With her singing, she is able to influence the best in a person: it is N.’s singing that saves Nikolai from despair after losing 43 thousand. The old Count Rostov says about N. that she is all about him, “gunpowder,” but Akhrosimova calls her “Cossack” and “potion girl.”

Constantly carried away, N. lives in an atmosphere of love and happiness. A change in her destiny occurs after meeting Prince Andrei, who became her fiancé. The impatient feeling that overwhelms N., the insult inflicted by the old Prince Bolkonsky, pushes her to become infatuated with Anatoly Kuragin and to refuse Prince Andrei. Only after experiencing and experiencing a lot, she realizes her guilt before Bolkonsky, reconciling with him and remaining near the dying Prince Andrei until his death. N. feels true love only for Pierre Bezukhov, with whom he finds complete understanding and whose wife he becomes, plunging into the world of family and maternal concerns.

Sonya- niece and pupil of the old Count Rostov, who grew up in his family. The basis storyline S. is based on the fate of T. A. Ergolskaya, a relative, close friend and the writer’s teacher, who lived until the end of her days in Yasnaya Polyana and in many ways encouraged Tolstoy to engage in literary work. However, Ergolskaya’s spiritual appearance is quite far from the character and inner world of the heroine. At the beginning of the novel, S. is 15 years old, she is “a thin, petite brunette with a soft look, shaded by long eyelashes, a thick black braid that wrapped around her head twice, and a yellowish tint to the skin on her face and especially on her bare, thin, but graceful arms and neck . With the smoothness of her movements, the softness and flexibility of her small limbs, and her somewhat cunning and restrained manner, she resembles a beautiful, but not yet formed kitten, which will be a lovely cat.”

S. fits perfectly into the Rostov family, is unusually close and friendly with Natasha, and has been in love with Nikolai since childhood. She is restrained, silent, reasonable, careful, in her highest degree the ability for self-sacrifice is developed. S. attracts attention with her beauty and moral purity, but she does not have that spontaneity and inexplicably irresistible charm that Natasha has. S.’s feeling for Nikolai is so constant and deep that she wants to “love always, and let him be free.” This feeling forces her to refuse her enviable fiancé, Dolokhov, in her dependent position.

The content of the heroine's life depends entirely on her love: she is happy, being connected by word with Nikolai Rostov, especially after Christmastide and his refusal of his mother's request to go to Moscow to marry the rich Julie Karagina. S. finally decides her fate under the influence of the biased reproaches and reproaches of the old countess, not wanting to pay with ingratitude for everything that was done for her in the Rostov family, and most importantly, wishing Nikolai happiness. She writes him a letter in which she releases him from his word, but secretly hopes that his marriage to Princess Marya will be impossible after Prince Andrei recovers. After the death of the old count, he remains to live with the countess in the care of the retired Nikolai Rostov.

Tushin- staff captain, hero of the Battle of Shengraben, “a small, dirty, thin artillery officer with large, intelligent and kind eyes. There was something “unmilitary, somewhat comical, but extremely attractive” about this man. T. is timid when meeting with his superiors, and there is always some kind of fault. On the eve of the battle, he talks about the fear of death and the unknown of what awaits after it.

In battle, T. changes completely, imagining himself as the hero of a fantastic picture, a hero throwing cannonballs at the enemy, and the enemy’s guns seem to him to be the same puffing smoking pipes as his own. Battery T. was forgotten during the battle and left without cover. During the battle, T. has no feelings of fear or thoughts about death and injury. He becomes more and more cheerful, the soldiers listen to him like children, but he does everything he can, and thanks to his ingenuity, he sets fire to the village of Shengraben. The hero is rescued from yet another trouble (cannons left on the battlefield) by Andrei Bolkonsky, who announces to Bagration that the detachment owes much of its success to this man.

Sherer Anna Pavlovna- maid of honor and close associate of Empress Maria Feodorovna, hostess of a fashionable high-society “political” salon in St. Petersburg, with a description of the evening in which Tolstoy begins his novel. A.P. is 40 years old, she has “outdated facial features”, every time she mentions the empress she expresses a combination of sadness, devotion and respect. The heroine is dexterous, tactful, influential at court, and prone to intrigue. Her attitude towards any person or event is always dictated by the latest political, court or secular considerations; she is close to the Kuragin family and is friendly with Prince Vasily. A.P. is constantly “full of animation and impulse,” “being an enthusiast has become her social position,” and in her salon, in addition to discussing the latest court and political news, she always “treats” guests to some new product or celebrity, and in 1812 Her circle demonstrates salon patriotism in the St. Petersburg world.

Shcherbaty Tikhon- a man from Pokrovsky near Gzhat, who joined Denisov’s partisan detachment. He got his nickname due to the lack of one tooth. He is agile and walks on “flat, turned-out legs.” In the detachment T. is the most necessary person; no one can bring the “language” and do any inconvenient and dirty work more dexterously than him. T. goes to the French with pleasure, bringing trophies and bringing prisoners, but after he is wounded, he begins to unnecessarily kill the French, laughingly referring to the fact that they were “bad.” This is why he is not liked in the squad.

Now you know the main characters of War and Peace, as well as their brief characteristics.

One of the main characters of the novel. Pierre is the illegitimate son of the rich and influential Count Bezukhov, from whom he received the title and inheritance only after his death. The young count lived abroad until he was 20, where he received an excellent education. Arriving in St. Petersburg, he almost immediately became one of the richest young men, and was very confused, because he was not ready for such great responsibility and did not know how to manage estates and dispose of serfs.

One of the main characters of the novel, when we meet her she is only 13 years old. She was the daughter of a not very rich count, so it was believed that she should find herself a rich groom, although her parents were primarily concerned about her happiness.

One of the main characters of the work. He was the son of Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky, their family belonged to a very rich, noble and respected family. Andrey received an excellent education and upbringing. Bolkonsky had such qualities as pride, courage, decency and honesty.

The daughter of Prince Vasily, a society lady, a typical representative of the secular salons of her time. Helen is very beautiful, but her beauty is only external. At all the receptions and balls she looked dazzling, and everyone admired her, but when they got closer they realized that her inner world was very empty. She was like a beautiful doll, whose purpose was to lead a monotonous, cheerful life.

Son of Prince Vasily, officer, ladies' man. Anatole always gets into some unpleasant situations, from which his father always pulls him out. His favorite pastime is playing cards and carousing with his friend Dolokhov. Anatole is stupid and not talkative, but he himself is always confident in his uniqueness.

Son of Count Ilya Ilyich Rostov, officer, man of honor. At the beginning of the novel, Nikolai leaves the university and enrolls in the Pavlograd Hussar Regiment. He was distinguished by courage and bravery, although in the Battle of Shengraben he, having no idea about war, rushed into the attack too bravely, so when he saw a Frenchman in front of him, he threw a weapon at him and rushed to run, as a result of which he was wounded in the arm.

Prince, an influential person in society who occupies important court positions. He was known for his patronage and condescension, and was attentive and respectful when talking to everyone. Prince Vasily stopped at nothing to achieve his goals, although he did not wish harm on anyone, he simply took advantage of circumstances and his connections to carry out his plans.

Daughter of old Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky and sister of Andrei. Since childhood, she lived on her father's estate, where she had no friends except her companion Mademoiselle Bourrier. Marya considered herself ugly, but her huge, expressive eyes gave her a little attractiveness.

Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky was a retired general exiled to the village of Bald Mountains. The prince lived on the estate permanently with his daughter Marya. He loved order, punctuality, never wasted his time on trifles, and therefore raised his children according to his stern principles.

We first meet Fyodor Dolokhov in the company of Anatoly Kuragin and several young officers, who are soon joined by Pierre Bezukhov. Everyone plays cards, drinks wine and has fun: out of boredom, Dolokhov drinks a bottle of rum on a bet while sitting on the third floor window with his legs down outside. Fedor believes in himself, does not like to lose and loves to take risks, so he wins the argument.

The niece of Count Rostov, who lived and was raised in their family since childhood. Sonya was very quiet, decent and reserved, outwardly she was beautiful, but her inner beauty It is impossible to consider, since she did not have the love of life and spontaneity, like Natasha.

The son of Prince Vasily, a secular man living in St. Petersburg. If his brother Anatole and sister Helen shone in society and were very beautiful, then Hippolyte was the complete opposite. He always dressed ridiculously, and this did not bother him at all. His face always expressed idiocy and disgust.

Anna Pavlovna Sherer is the first heroine we meet on the pages of the novel “War and Peace.” Anna Sherer is the owner of the most fashionable high-society salon in St. Petersburg, maid of honor and close associate of Empress Maria Feodorovna. The country's political news is often discussed in her salon, and visiting this salon is considered good manners.

Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace" is presented not only as the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, but also as a character connected by ordinary relationships with other heroes of the novel. We first meet Kutuzov at a review near Braunau, where he seems absent-minded, but shows his knowledge and pays great attention to all the soldiers.

In the novel "War and Peace" Napoleon Bonaparte is negative hero, as it brings deprivation and bitterness of war to Russia. Napoleon is a historical figure, a French emperor, a hero of the War of 1812, although he did not become the winner.

Tikhon Shcherbaty is an ordinary Russian man who joined Denisov’s detachment to fight for his Motherland. He got his nickname because he was missing one thing front tooth, and he himself looked a little scary. In the detachment, Tikhon was indispensable, as he was the most dexterous and could easily cope with the dirtiest and most complex work.

In the novel, Tolstoy showed us a lot different images, With different characters and outlook on life. Captain Tushin is a controversial character who played a big role in the War of 1812, although he was very cowardly. Seeing the captain for the first time, no one could think that he could accomplish at least some feat.

In the novel, Platon Karataev is considered episodic character, but its appearance has great importance. The modest soldier of the Absheron Regiment shows us the unity of the common people, the thirst for life and the ability to survive in difficult conditions. Plato had the ability to become attached to people and to devote himself completely to a common cause.

Introduction

Leo Tolstoy in his epic depicted more than 500 characters typical of Russian society. In War and Peace, the heroes of the novel are representatives of the upper class of Moscow and St. Petersburg, key government and military figures, soldiers, people from the common people, and peasants. The depiction of all layers of Russian society allowed Tolstoy to recreate a complete picture of Russian life in one of the turning points in the history of Russia - the era of the wars with Napoleon of 1805-1812.

In War and Peace, the characters are conventionally divided into main characters - whose fates are woven by the author into the plot narrative of all four volumes and the epilogue, and secondary - heroes who appear sporadically in the novel. Among the main characters of the novel, one can highlight the central characters - Andrei Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova and Pierre Bezukhov, around whose destinies the events of the novel unfold.

Characteristics of the main characters of the novel

Andrey Bolkonsky- “a very handsome young man with definite and dry features”, “short stature.” The author introduces Bolkonsky to the reader at the beginning of the novel - the hero was one of the guests at Anna Scherer's evening (where many of the main characters of Tolstoy's War and Peace were also present).

According to the plot of the work, Andrei was tired of high society, he dreamed of glory, no less than the glory of Napoleon, which is why he goes to war. The episode that changed Bolkonsky’s worldview was the meeting with Bonaparte - wounded on the field of Austerlitz, Andrei realized how insignificant Bonaparte and all his glory really were. The second turning point in Bolkonsky’s life is his love for Natasha Rostova. The new feeling helped the hero return to a full life, to believe that after the death of his wife and everything he had suffered, he could continue to live fully. However, their happiness with Natasha was not destined to come true - Andrei was mortally wounded during the Battle of Borodino and soon died.

Natasha Rostova- a cheerful, kind, very emotional girl who knows how to love: “dark-eyed, with a big mouth, ugly, but lively.” An important feature of the image of the central character of “War and Peace” is her musical talent - a beautiful voice that even people inexperienced in music were fascinated by. The reader meets Natasha on the girl’s name day, when she turns 12 years old. Tolstoy depicts the moral maturation of the heroine: love experiences, going out into the world, Natasha’s betrayal of Prince Andrei and her worries because of this, the search for herself in religion and the turning point in the heroine’s life – the death of Bolkonsky. In the epilogue of the novel, Natasha appears to the reader completely different - before us is more the shadow of her husband, Pierre Bezukhov, and not the bright, active Rostova, who a few years ago danced Russian dances and “won” carts for the wounded from her mother.

Pierre Bezukhov- “a massive, fat young man with a cropped head and glasses.” “Pierre was somewhat larger than the other men in the room,” he had “an intelligent and at the same time timid, observant and natural look that distinguished him from everyone in this living room.” Pierre is a hero who is in constant search of himself through knowledge of the world around him. Every situation in his life, every stage of life became a special life lesson for the hero. Marriage to Helen, passion for Freemasonry, love for Natasha Rostova, presence on the field of the Borodino battle (which the hero sees precisely through the eyes of Pierre), French captivity and acquaintance with Karataev completely change Pierre’s personality - a purposeful and self-confident man with own views and goals.

Other important characters

In War and Peace, Tolstoy conventionally identifies several blocks of characters - the Rostov, Bolkonsky, Kuragin families, as well as characters included in the social circle of one of these families. Rostov and Bolkonsky as goodies, bearers of truly Russian mentality, ideas and spirituality, are contrasted with the negative characters Kuragin, who had little interest in the spiritual aspect of life, preferring to shine in society, weave intrigues and choose acquaintances according to their status and wealth. A brief description of the heroes of War and Peace will help you better understand the essence of each main character.

Graph Ilya Andreevich Rostov- a kind and generous man, for whom the most important thing in his life was family. The Count sincerely loved his wife and four children (Natasha, Vera, Nikolai and Petya), helped his wife in raising their children and did his best to maintain a warm atmosphere in the Rostov house. Ilya Andreevich cannot live without luxury, he liked to organize magnificent balls, receptions and evenings, but his wastefulness and inability to manage economic affairs ultimately led to the critical financial situation of the Rostovs.
Countess Natalya Rostova is a 45-year-old woman with oriental features, who knows how to impress high society, wife of Count Rostov, mother of four children. The Countess, like her husband, loved her family very much, trying to support her children and bring up the best qualities in them. Due to her excessive love for children, after Petya’s death, the woman almost goes crazy. In the countess, kindness towards loved ones was combined with prudence: wanting to improve the financial situation of the family, the woman tries with all her might to upset Nikolai’s marriage to the “unprofitable bride” Sonya.

Nikolay Rostov- “a short, curly-haired young man with an open expression on his face.” This is a simple-minded, open, honest and friendly young man, Natasha’s brother, the eldest son of the Rostovs. At the beginning of the novel, Nikolai appears as an admiring young man who wants military glory and recognition, but after participating first in the Battle of Shengrabe, and then in the Battle of Austerlitz and the Patriotic War, Nikolai’s illusions are dispelled and the hero understands how absurd and wrong the very idea of ​​war is. Nikolai finds personal happiness in his marriage to Marya Bolkonskaya, in whom he felt a like-minded person even at their first meeting.

Sonya Rostova- “a thin, petite brunette with a soft look, shaded by long eyelashes, a thick black braid that wrapped around her head twice, and a yellowish tint to the skin on her face,” the niece of Count Rostov. According to the plot of the novel, she is a quiet, reasonable, kind girl who knows how to love and is prone to self-sacrifice. Sonya refuses Dolokhov, because she wants to be faithful only to Nikolai, whom she sincerely loves. When the girl finds out that Nikolai is in love with Marya, she meekly lets him go, not wanting to interfere with the happiness of her loved one.

Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky- Prince, retired General Chief. He is a proud, intelligent, strict man of short stature “with small dry hands and gray drooping eyebrows, which sometimes, as he frowned, obscured the brilliance of his intelligent and youthful sparkling eyes.” Deep down in his soul, Bolkonsky loves his children very much, but does not dare to show it (only before his death was he able to show his daughter his love). Nikolai Andreevich died from the second blow while in Bogucharovo.

Marya Bolkonskaya- a quiet, kind, meek girl, prone to self-sacrifice and sincerely loving her family. Tolstoy describes her as a heroine with “an ugly weak body and a thin face,” but “the princess’s eyes, large, deep and radiant (as if rays of warm light sometimes came out of them in sheaves), were so beautiful that very often, despite the ugliness of everything their faces and eyes became more attractive than beauty.” The beauty of Marya’s eyes later amazed Nikolai Rostov. The girl was very pious, devoted herself entirely to caring for her father and nephew, then redirecting her love to her own family and husband.

Helen Kuragina- a bright, brilliantly beautiful woman with an “unchanging smile” and full white shoulders, who liked male company, Pierre’s first wife. Helen was not particularly intelligent, but thanks to her charm, ability to behave in society and establish the necessary connections, she set up her own salon in St. Petersburg and was personally acquainted with Napoleon. The woman died of a severe sore throat (although there were rumors in society that Helen had committed suicide).

Anatol Kuragin- Helen's brother, as handsome in appearance and noticeable in high society as his sister. Anatole lived the way he wanted, throwing away all moral principles and foundations, organizing drunkenness and brawls. Kuragin wanted to steal Natasha Rostova and marry her, although he was already married.

Fedor Dolokhov- “a man of average height, curly hair and light eyes,” an officer of the Semenovsky regiment, one of the leaders of the partisan movement. Fedor’s personality amazingly combined selfishness, cynicism and adventurism with the ability to love and care for his loved ones. (Nikolai Rostov is very surprised that at home, with his mother and sister, Dolokhov is completely different - a loving and gentle son and brother).

Conclusion

Even a brief description of the heroes of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” allows us to see the close and inextricable relationship between the destinies of the characters. Like all events in the novel, the meetings and farewells of the characters take place according to the irrational, elusive law of historical mutual influences. It is these incomprehensible mutual influences that create the destinies of the heroes and shape their views on the world.

Work test

He not only wrote the wonderful work “War and Peace,” but also showed Russian life over several decades. Researchers of Tolstoy’s work have calculated that the writer depicted more than 600 characters on the pages of his novel. Moreover, each of these characters has a clear and apt description of the writer. This allows the reader to draw a detailed portrait of each character.

In contact with

The system of characters in the novel "War and Peace"

Of course, the main character of Tolstoy’s work is the people. According to the author, this is the best thing that the Russian nation has. According to the novel, people are treated not only simple people who have nothing, but also nobles who live not for themselves, but for others. But the people in the novel are contrasted with aristocrats:

1. Kuragins.
2. Visitors to the salon Anna Scherer.

From the description you can immediately determine that everything these heroes are the negative characters of the novel. Their life is soulless and mechanical, they commit artificial and lifeless actions, are incapable of compassion, and selfish. These heroes cannot change even under the influence of life.

Lev Nikolaevich portrays his positive characters in a completely different way. Their actions are guided by their hearts. These positive actors include:

1. Kutuzova.
2. Natasha Rostova.
3. Platon Karataev.
4. Alpatych.
5. Officer Timokhin.
6. Officer Tushin.
7. Pierre Bezukhov.
8. Andrey Bolkonsky.

All these heroes able to empathize, develop and change. But it was the War of 1812, the trials it brought, that makes it possible to understand which camp the characters in Tolstoy’s novel belong to.

Peter Rostov - the central character of the novel

Count Peter Rostov is youngest child in the family, Natasha's brother. At the beginning of the novel, the reader sees him as just a child. So, in 1805 he was only 9 years old. And if at this age the writer only notices that he is fat, then to the description of Peter at the age of 13 is added the fact that the teenager turns out to be handsome and cheerful.

At the age of 16, Peter goes to war, although he should have gone to university, and soon becomes a real man, an officer. He is a patriot and worries about the fate of his Fatherland. Petya spoke excellent French and could feel sorry for the captive French boy. Going to war, Petya dreams of doing something heroic.

And despite the fact that his parents at first did not want to let him go to serve, and then found a place where it was safer, he still joined the active army with his friend. As soon as he was appointed assistant general, he was immediately taken prisoner. Having decided to take part in the battle with the French, helping Dolokhov, Petya dies, having been wounded in the head.

Natasha Rostova will name her only son after him, who will never be able to forget her brother, with whom she was so close.

Minor male characters

There are many minor characters in the novel War and Peace. Among them, the following heroes stand out:

1. Drubetskoy Boris.
2. Dolokhov.

Tall and blond Boris Drubetsky was brought up in the Rostov family and was in love with Natasha. His mother, Princess Drubetskaya, was a distant relative of the Rostov family. He is proud and dreams of a military career.

Having entered the guard thanks to the efforts of his mother, he also took part in the military campaign of 1805. The writer’s characterization of him is unflattering, since Boris tries to make only “useful” acquaintances. So, he is ready to spend all the money to become known as a rich man. He becomes the husband of Julie Kuragina, since she is rich.

Guard officer Dolokhov is a bright secondary character in the novel. At the beginning of the novel, Fyodor Ivanovich is 25 years old. He was born to a respectable lady, Marya Ivanovna, belonging to a poor noble family. Women liked the officer of the Semenovsky regiment because he was handsome: of average height, with curly hair and blue eyes. Dolokhov's firm voice and cold gaze harmoniously combined with his education and intelligence. Despite the fact that Dolokhov is a gambler and loves a carousing life, he is still respected in society.

Fathers of the Rostov and Bolkonsky families

General Bolkonsky has been retired for a long time. He is rich and respected in society. He performed his service during the reign of Catherine II, so Kutuzov is his good comrade. But the character of the father of the Bolkonsky family is difficult. Nikolai Andreevich happens not only strict, but also harsh. He monitors his health and values ​​order in everything.

Count Ilya Andreevich Rostov is a positive and bright hero of the novel. His wife is Anna Mikhailovna Shinshina. Ilya Andreevich is raising five children. He is rich and cheerful, kind and self-confident by nature. The old prince is very trusting and is easy to deceive.

Ilya Andreevich is a sympathetic person, a patriot. He receives wounded soldiers in his home. But he did not monitor the family’s condition at all, so he becomes the culprit of ruin. The prince dies in 1813, trying to survive the tragedies of his children.

Minor female characters

In the work of L.N. Tolstoy there are many secondary characters who allow us to understand the events that the author describes. In the work "War and Peace" female characters are represented by the following heroines:

1. Sonya Rostova.
2. Julie Kuragina.
3. Vera Rostova.

Sonya Rostova is Natasha Rostova’s second cousin, main character novel "War and Peace". Sofya Alexandrovna is an orphan and homeless. Readers first see her at the beginning of the novel. Then, in 1805, she was barely 15 years old. Sonya looked beautiful: her waist was thin and miniature, her large and thick black braid wrapped around her head twice. Even the look, soft and withdrawn, was captivating.

The older the girl got, the more beautiful she looked. And at 22, according to Tolstoy’s description, she was somewhat like a cat: smooth, flexible and soft. She was in love with Nikolenka Rostov. She even denies her love to her “brilliant” groom Dolokhov. Sonya knew how to read skillfully in front of different audiences. She usually read in a thin voice and very diligently.

But Nikolai chose to marry Marya Bolkonskaya. And the thrifty and patient Sonya, who so skillfully led household, stayed to live in the house of the young Rostov family, helping them. At the end of the novel, the writer shows her at the age of 30, but she is also not married, but is busy with the Rostov children and caring for the sick princess.

Julie Kuragina is a minor heroine of the novel. It is known that after the death of her brothers in the war, remaining with her mother, the girl becomes a rich heiress. At the beginning of the novel, Julie is already 20 years old and the reader learns that she is from a decent noble family. She was raised by virtuous parents, and in general Julie had known the Rostov family since childhood.

Julie had no special external characteristics. The girl was chubby and ugly. But she dressed fashionably and tried to always smile. Because of her red face, badly powdered, and wet eyes, no one wanted to marry her. Julie is a little naive and very stupid. She tries not to miss a single ball or theater performance.

By the way, Countess Rostova dreamed of marrying Nikolai favorably to Julie. But for the sake of money, Boris Drubetskoy marries her, who hates Julie and hopes to see her very rarely after the wedding.

Another minor female character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace is Vera Rostova. This is the eldest and unloved daughter of Princess Rostova. After marriage she became Vera Berg. At the beginning of the novel, she was 20 years old, and the girl was four years older than her sister Natasha. Vera is a beautiful, intelligent, well-mannered and educated girl with a pleasant voice. Both Natasha and Nikolai thought that she was too correct and somehow insensitive, as if she had no heart at all.