Striving for the highest truth andrey Bolkonsky. Living thought: Andrey Bolkonsky

Topic: "Life and death through the eyes of Andrei Bolkonsky"

Moscow 2011

Bolkonsky is one of the most significant and unsolved characters in the epic novel War and Peace. He is one of the fictional heroes, which allows the author to invest in him his thoughts about the world, to make him a deep, versatile, contradictory person, containing the most opposite and mysterious qualities, without committing himself to history. At the same time, Prince Andrei is not divorced from the real world and the historical events of his era, he lives in real Russia at that time, serves the real Emperor Alexander and even participates in real battles: Shengrabensky, Austerlitsky and Borodinsky. This connection of a fictional character with real life and history, his unique and unambiguous views on which he continuously communicates to the reader, allows you to deeply immerse yourself in the understanding and misunderstanding of the world by the author, people of that time and yourself to think about the unsolvable mysteries of the eternal and transitory.

Andrei Bolkonsky, in addition, belongs to the heroes seeking the meaning of life. Like Pierre Bezukhov and Natasha Rostova, he is constantly in search of himself and the truth, he makes mistakes, the inner develops. It cannot be said about Prince Andrei that he is ready to disinterestedly love the people around him, that he is open to the world and lives with compassion, self-sacrifice, like Princess Marya and Platon Karataev. It cannot be said about him that fame, position in society and personal gain have become for him the goal of life forever, like with Berg or Boris Drubetskoy. Andrei Bolkonsky changes surprisingly radically throughout the novel. Prince Andrew is faced with two of the most contradictory aspects of life, like war and peace - life and death. No one’s life was so filled with searches, no one’s death caused such different reactions.

The life of Prince Andrei changes dramatically when he has to reconsider values, change his views. Events such as the death of his wife, the birth of a son, war, battles at Schöngraben, Austerlitz and Borodin, love for Natasha, conversations with Pierre and even a "meeting" with an old oak tree strongly influence him. Prince Andrew spoke quite differently about life and death at the beginning of the novel, before he had to really fight for life for the first time after being wounded at Austerlitz. Prior to this injury, the goal of his life was fame, his face was spoiled by a grimace, his gaze was tired and bored, the people around him were not interested in him: “Apparently, all those who were in the living room were not only familiar, but he was so tired of looking at them and listening to them was very boring for him. " The thoughts of Andrei Bolkonsky during this period, reflecting his inner state, are frightening: “I will never tell anyone this, but, my God! What am I to do if I love nothing but glory, human love. Death, wounds, loss of family, I'm not afraid of anything. And no matter how dear and dear to me many people - father, sister, wife - are the most dear to me people - but, no matter how terrible and unnatural it seems, I will give them all now for a minute of glory, triumph over people ... " ... But, observing what is happening on the battlefield, he sees that true heroes, like Tushin, for whom Prince Andrey stands up, do not find recognition; undeserved fame goes to cunning, crafty people such as Zherkov and Berg. Having been wounded in the head, he looks at the sky and at this moment realizes something eternal, significant, after which he realizes the insignificance of his past idol and everything else, earthly in comparison with this sky: “Yes, everything is empty, everything is deception, except for this endless sky. " At this moment, life and death seem to him equally insignificant: “Looking into the eyes of Napoleon, Prince Andrew thought about the insignificance of greatness, about the insignificance of life, which no one could understand the meaning, and about the even greater insignificance of death, the meaning of which no one could understand and explain of the living. "

Prince Andrew believed that, seeking glory, he lived for others and thus ruined his life. But is it?

Andrei Bolkonsky does not believe in God, he finds the faith of his sister and the wanderers visiting her ridiculous. But he agrees that virtue has meaning only if there is a god and eternal life. After talking with Pierre on the ferry, he sees the sky for the first time since the Battle of Austerlitz. Then he meets Natasha and finally sees an oak tree in luscious dark greenery. From that moment on, Andrei Bolkonsky is ready to live again and look for the meaning of life. Now he believes in the ability to influence the future, is fond of Speransky's activities. But this is not for long.

The culmination in every sense - the war of 1812 - marked the beginning of the end of the life of Prince Andrew. Now war is not a way to achieve glory, now he talks about war: “War is not a courtesy, but the most disgusting thing in life, and one must understand this and not play war. This terrible necessity must be taken strictly and seriously. This is all: throw away the lie, and the war is so war, not a toy. " Now death has crept very close to Prince Andrey, he sees it at once, looking at the splinter of a grenade: "Is it really death? ... I can't, I don't want to die, I love life." Now comes the real struggle between life and death, and not reasoning about them, now they are no longer insignificant. Prince Andrey understands that he loves life and wants to live, understands everything that he was trying to understand all this time, too late he realizes what he could not comprehend for many years. And the Christian love for the people of Princess Mary, and the forgiveness of the enemy. From this moment on, a long, incomprehensible, mysterious struggle begins in the mind of Andrei Bolkonsky. But he knew from the very beginning that death would prevail in her.

Each in his own way perceived the death of Prince Andrei, which once again characterizes this character in a special way: Nikolushka cried from the suffering bewilderment that was tearing his heart. The Countess and Sonya cried out of pity for Natasha and that he was no longer there. The old count cried that soon, he felt, and he had to take the same terrible step. Natasha and Princess Marya were crying now, too, but they were not crying out of their own personal grief; they cried from the reverent affection that gripped from the soul before the realization of the simple and solemn sacrament of death that took place before them. " Nobody's death in the novel is described in such detail, with the eyes and thoughts of the people around him, with such a deep study of the dying mind's clouded consciousness. In the end, after a long, tiresome absorption of Prince Andrey by death, he turns everything upside down. After his last dream, Prince Andrew realizes that for him death is an awakening from life. “Yes, it was death. I died - I woke up. Yes, death is awakening! "

The internal monologues of Andrei Bolkonsky, his actions, relationships with others and his perception of life and death largely help to understand the perception of the author of the novel. His ambiguous life, contradictory thoughts, simple, but also mysterious, long path to death - all this is a reflection of the inner world of many people who are looking for the meaning of life and the key to unraveling the mysteries of the human mind as it sees it.

Bibliography:

http: // ** / default. asp? trID = 295

http: // slovo. ws / geroi / 033.html

The image of Andrei Bolkonsky is one of the most complex images in the novel "War and Peace". At first, as conceived by Tolstoy, it was just a "brilliant young man" killed in the Battle of Austerlitz, then he became the son of old Bolkonsky, then the image acquired even greater independence and depth.

Let's try to analyze the character of the hero. The type of Andrei Bolkonsky is the type of a rational, rational person, prone to constant introspection. He is endowed with an extraordinary mind, sharp and ironic, brilliant memory, strong will. Pierre was always amazed at Prince Andrey's erudition, his extraordinary memory, ability to work and study. Bolkonsky's lack of inclination to dreamy philosophizing also amazed Pierre, but in this he saw the strength of Prince Andrei, and not weakness.

Indeed, as N.K. Hudziy, in terms of inner composure, organization, clear discipline, strong will, the character of Bolkonsky contrasts with the character of Pierre Bezukhov. However, "the very intensity of his [Prince Andrew's] thought is the result of a large, albeit hidden temperament, externally constrained by the inner discipline and endurance of a person who knows how to control his mental movements."

A distinctive feature of Prince Andrei is energy, striving for vigorous activity. He is young and ambitious, dreams of exploits and glory. The idol of Bolkonsky during this period is Napoleon. And Prince Andrew goes to the army, where he can prove himself, realize his ambitious thoughts.

On the eve of the Battle of Austerlitz, Bolkonsky is completely at the mercy of his dreams. It seems to him how he “firmly and clearly speaks his opinion to Kutuzov, Weyrother, and the emperors”, how everyone is amazed “by the fidelity of his reasoning, but no one undertakes to fulfill it, and so he takes a regiment, a division ... and one wins victory ". Here, in the consciousness of the hero, a dispute between two inner voices begins.

Another inner voice objects to Prince Andrew, reminding him of death and suffering. But the first voice drowns out these unpleasant thoughts for him: “Death, wounds, loss of a family, nothing is scary to me. And no matter how dear and dear to me many people - father, sister, wife - are the people most dear to me - but, no matter how terrible and unnatural it seems, I will give them all now for a minute of glory, triumph over people, for self-love of people I don't know ... ".

As GB Kurlyandskaya notes, the presence of two voices in the hero's inner monologue testifies to the duality and contradictoriness of Bolkonsky. And Tolstoy pointed out this inconsistency almost from the first pages of the novel.

Emphasizing unconditional dignity in the hero, the writer endows Prince Andrey with a number of repulsive features. Intolerance, claims to his own exclusiveness, a sense of contempt and disgust in relation to others, aristocratic pride often give rise to him a sense of superiority over people.

Bolkonsky has a feeling of superiority, mixed with contempt, towards his wife, staff officers and soldiers, and the salon aristocracy. He feels a sense of superiority even when communicating with Pierre, although, it would seem, he sincerely loves his friend. Let us recall their conversation when Pierre, blushing, says that he is an illegitimate son. “Prince Andrey looked at him with kind eyes. But in his look, friendly, affectionate, the consciousness of his superiority was still expressed. "

Elsewhere, Tolstoy directly writes that Bolkonsky "considered a huge number of people despicable and insignificant creatures." This constant feeling of superiority over people, fueled by the real abilities of the hero, as well as his mentality and peculiarities of his worldview, contributed to the development of individualistic sentiments in Bolkonsky.

In the Battle of Austerlitz, Prince Andrew's ambitious dreams of his "Toulon" are shattered, barely having time to come true. Bolkonsky manages to prevent the panic that gripped the troops and to raise the battalion to attack, when, with the regimental banner in his hands, he rushes forward, urging the soldiers to attack.

However, in this battle, Prince Andrew is seriously wounded, and life opens up to him in a completely different way. Bleeding out on the Austerlitz field, Bolkonsky suddenly realizes how empty, shallow and insignificant all his previous desires are. Dreams of glory, heroic deeds, love of others, Napoleon's genius - everything seems to him vain, far from the true meaning of life, “enclosed in a huge, endless sky”, which he sees in front of him.

“How quietly, calmly and solemnly, not at all the way I ran,” thought Prince Andrey, “not the way we ran, shouted and fought; not at all like the Frenchman and the artilleryman with embittered and frightened faces dragged from each other a bannik - not at all the way the clouds crawl across this high endless sky. How then have I not seen this high sky before? And how happy I am that I finally got to know him. " In the life of the hero, a kind of "coup" takes place, drastically changing his fate.

Realizing the pettiness of ambitious thoughts, Prince Andrew goes into private life. He decides not to serve either in the army or in civilian service, in his soul there is "cooling to life", in his thoughts - skepticism and disbelief, in his feelings - indifference and indifference.

Bolkonsky begins to live for his family, raising Nikolenka after Liza's death. However, "a simple life is given to him with suffering, its secret depth and significance is not open to him." And the reason for this is not only the feeling of one's own exclusiveness, which is invariably present in Bolkonsky, but also the special inner complexity of Prince Andrei, which is conveyed by Tolstoy through the correlation of the hero's worldview with the image of the distant, endless, blue sky.

As S.G. Bocharov notes, the image of the sky here contains a lot - here is greatness, and eternity, and striving for the ideal, and coldness, lifelessness. The flip side of Bolkonsky's strictness, exactingness and intolerance is the hero's striving for the "heavenly" ideal, the thirst to find such an ideal in earthly life, the thirst for perfection and correctness in everything. Bolkonsky, according to the researcher, cannot combine the "heavenly" and the "earthly" in his soul, cannot come to terms with even the slightest deviation from the "ideal". The gross reality often offends the idealist-lofty perception of Prince Andrew. Therefore, an underlying motive of death arises here - Bolkonsky is "too good" for earthly life.

And the "post-Austerlitz state" of the hero is entirely consistent with the "heavenly coldness and detachment." Pierre, who arrived in Bogucharovo, is amazed at the indifference and skepticism of Prince Andrey, his extinct gaze. Bezukhov enthusiastically tells a friend about the transformations he carried out on the estates, but Prince Andrey is skeptical about the need for these innovations. The fate of the peasants does not bother him: “If they are beaten, flogged and sent to Siberia, then I think that this does not make them any worse. In Siberia, he leads his same beastly life, and the scars on his body will heal, and he is as happy as he was before. "

Bolkonsky proves to Pierre that you need to live for yourself, without thinking about the global problems of being. Pierre, on the other hand, convinces his friend of the necessity of "life for all." But such a life brought Prince Andrey only bitterness and disappointment: desiring feat, glory and love of those around him, he lost faith in himself, in the effectiveness, significance of any activity. “I know only two real misfortunes in life: remorse and illness. And happiness is only the absence of these two evils, ”says Bolkonsky to Pieru.

Pierre believes that a friend's mental crisis is a temporary state, that the momentary convictions of Prince Andrew are far from the truth that exists in the world regardless of all human delusions. “... There is truth and there is virtue; and man's highest happiness is to strive to attain them. We must live, we must love, we must believe ... that we do not live only on this piece of land today, but that we have lived and will live forever ... "- he convinces Bolkonsky.

Pierre's words inspire Prince Andrei, "something that has long since fallen asleep, something better and joyful" awakens in his soul. The hero's return to life is also helped by his trip to Otradnoye. Here he meets Natasha Rostova, he overhears her conversation with Sonya at night. As V. Ermilov notes, Natasha, by her very existence, "by the fullness, the abundance of the life force concentrated in her," calls Bolkonsky to life. It was after the night conversation he had heard in his soul that "an unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes" woke up; the renewed, transformed oak, reminiscent of old age, now evokes in the soul of Prince Andrey "an unreasonable springtime feeling of joy", a thirst for activity and love.

However, here again the motive of the hero's alienation from life arises. He does not even try to get to know Natasha, who is destined to play a key role in the fate of Bolkonsky, - this is how the writer emphasizes that “life goes on independently of Andrei Bolkonsky, by itself; she, life, does not care about the retired, fenced off from her Prince Andrew. "

And this motive of alienation from life, I think, is connected with the failed happiness of Bolkonsky, with his unhappy love. According to Tolstoy, only that person is worthy of happiness, in whom there is for this the necessary will to live, love for her, acceptance of her. Everything that gives a feeling of fullness of life and the natural joy of human existence.

In Bolkonsky, all his unconscious impulses for life cannot restore the harmonious balance of personal perception and the real, prosaic world around him. Therefore, the Feelings of the hero here are nothing more than one of his impulses.

After a trip to Otradnoye, Prince Andrei regains the desire to “live with everyone,” the lost energy is revived in him, an interest in social activities awakens. He travels to St. Petersburg to take part in the ongoing reforms in Russia. His hero this time is Speransky. Having become a member of the commission for drawing up military regulations, Prince Andrei experiences in St. Petersburg "a feeling similar to that which he experienced on the eve of the battle, when he was tormented by restless curiosity and irresistibly drawn to the higher spheres." Speransky seems to him to be the ideal of "a completely reasonable and virtuous person," he feels for him "a passionate sense of admiration that he once felt for Bonaparte."

However, admiring Speransky's extraordinary mindset, his energy and perseverance, Prince Andrei is at the same time unpleasantly struck by his cold, mirrored gaze, which does not let him into his soul, and the too great contempt for people that he noticed in this man.

At a dinner at the Speranskys' home, Prince Andrei finally becomes disillusioned with his idol. In a home environment, a person is most natural - for Bolkonsky, all the gestures, postures, and speeches of Speransky seem to be made and feigned. The subtle sound of Speransky's voice unpleasantly amazes Prince Andrey. And again, the hero is visited by thoughts about the insignificance of what is happening, he recalls his troubles, searches, the formalism of meetings, where "everything that concerned the essence of the matter was carefully and briefly bypassed." Realizing all the futility of this work, the bureaucracy of officials, and most importantly, feeling that work cannot make him happier and better, Prince Andrei leaves the civil service.

In St. Petersburg, Bolkonsky again meets with Natasha Rostova, and this chance meeting at the ball becomes fateful. “Prince Andrew, like all people who grew up in the world, loved to meet in the world that which did not have a common secular imprint. And such was Natasha, with her surprise, joy, and shyness, and even mistakes in the French language. " In Natasha, he is unconsciously attracted by that which is not in himself - simplicity, fullness of life, its acceptance, immediacy of perception and enormous inner freedom. He feels in Natasha "the presence of a completely alien to him, a special world, filled with some joys unknown to him ..."

Bolkonsky himself has never been internally free - he is bound by social rules, moral norms, dogmas accepted by the soul, by his idealistic requirements for people and life. Therefore, love for Natasha is the strongest of all the feelings experienced by the hero. This is his biggest impulse to life. However, Bolkonsky's happiness was not destined to take place: Natasha unexpectedly became carried away by Anatoly Kuragin and broke off her relationship with Prince Andrei.

And Bolkonsky again goes to military service. Now this service for him is salvation from personal misfortune, a desire to forget himself in the circle of new people and deeds. "Everything that connected his memory with the past repulsed him, and therefore he tried in relation to this former world only not to be unjust and to fulfill his duty."

But the same sense of duty does not allow him to remain indifferent to great, grandiose events. The French invasion of Russia for Bolkonsky is exactly the same misfortune as the death of his father, as well as the break with Natasha. Prince Andrew sees his duty to defend his homeland.

Before the Battle of Borodino, he talks with Pierre, who has arrived on the battlefield. Bolkonsky no longer believes in military genius and in the rational will of an individual. His faith now lies in the "popular feeling", that "latent warmth of patriotism" that unites all Russian soldiers and gives them confidence in victory. "Tomorrow, whatever it is, we will win the battle!" He says to Pierre.

In battle, Prince Andrey is seriously wounded, after which he is operated on. Here the hero again feels the proximity of death, and only now there is a turning point in his worldview. After the suffering he has endured, he feels "bliss that he has not experienced for a long time." His heart is filled with a previously unknown feeling of Christian love. He feels pity and compassion upon seeing the wounded Anatole lying next to him. "Compassion, love for brothers, for those who love, hating us, love for enemies - yes, that love that God preached on earth ..." - all this suddenly opens up to Prince Andrey.

However, universal, compassionate love begins to fight in the dying Bolkonsky with love for Natasha, when they meet in Mytishchi, with love that binds him to life. And the first love wins - together with it, Prince Andrey “refuses” life, dies. Thus, Tolstoy in the novel contrasts life and Christian, forgiving love.

Thus, the whole life of Andrei Bolkonsky was imbued with the desire for an unattainable ideal. Forgiveness and compassion are such an ideal for him. Having acquired a new perception of the world, he overcomes the mental limitations of individualism and intolerance. He dies, having achieved harmony, if not with life, then at least with himself.

Life searches of Andrey Bolkonsky

Andrei Bolkonsky is burdened by the routine, hypocrisy and lies that reign in secular society. These low, meaningless goals that it pursues.

The ideal of Bolkonsky is Napoleon, Andrei wants like him, saving others to achieve fame and recognition. This is his desire and there is a secret reason why he went to the war of 1805-1807.

During the battle of Austerlitz, Prince Andrew decides that the hour of his glory has come and rushes headlong under the bullets, although not only ambitious intentions, but also shame for his army, which began to run, served as the impetus for this. Bolkonsky was wounded in the head. When he woke up, he began to understand the world around him in a different way, he finally noticed the beauty of nature. He comes to the conclusion that wars, victories, defeats and glory are nothing, emptiness, vanity of vanities.

After the death of his wife, Prince Andrei experiences a strong mental shock, he decides for himself that he will live for the closest people, but his lively nature does not want to put up with such a boring and ordinary life, and in the end all this leads to a deep mental crisis. But meeting a friend and having a sincere conversation help to overcome it in part. Pierre Bezukhov convinces Bolkonsky that life is not over, that it is necessary to fight further, no matter what.

A moonlit night in Otradnoye and a conversation with Natasha, and after a meeting with an old oak, Bolkonsky is brought back to life, he begins to realize that he does not want to be such an “old oak”. Ambition, a thirst for glory and a desire to live and fight again appear in Prince Andrei, and he goes to serve in St. Petersburg. But Bolkonsky, participating in the drafting of laws, understands that this is not what the people need.

Natasha Rostova played a very important role in the spiritual development of Prince Andrei. She showed him the purity of thoughts that must be adhered to: love for the people, the desire to live, to do something good for others. Andrei Bolkonsky passionately and tenderly fell in love with Natalia, but could not forgive the betrayal, because he decided that Natasha's feelings were not as sincere and disinterested as he had previously believed.

Going to the front in 1812, Andrei Bolkonsky does not pursue ambitious intentions, he goes to defend the Motherland, to defend his people. And already being in the army, he does not strive for high ranks, but fights alongside ordinary people: soldiers and officers.

The behavior of Prince Andrey in the Battle of Borodino is a feat, but a feat not in the sense as we usually understand it, but a feat before himself, before his honor, an indicator of a long path of self-improvement.

After being fatally wounded, Bolkonsky was imbued with an all-forgiving religious spirit, changed a lot, revised his views on life in general. He gave forgiveness to Natasha and Kuragin, and died with peace in his heart.

In the novel "War and Peace" one can explore and see firsthand the life path and spiritual formation of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky from the secular, indifferent and vain to a wise, honest and deep spiritually person.

In addition to the essay on the life searches of Andrei Bolkonsky, see also:

• The image of Marya Bolkonskaya in the novel "War and Peace", composition
• The image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace"
• The image of Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace"
• Comparative characteristics of the Rostovs and Bolkonskys - composition

Composition. L.N. Tolstoy. The meaning of Andrei Bolkonsky's searches in the novel "War and Peace"

The novel "War and Peace" is a book for all time, and one of the most widely read in the world. She brings unforgettable lessons in morality, and gives food for thought. In terms of the enormous scope of events, the number of characters, and the artistic power, this work has no equal in world literature.
Tolstoy depicts the unique features of each person. Observing the heroes of the novel, we penetrate their inner world, recognize their secret thoughts, love or despise them. And such diligence of the image is by no means accidental, because the philosophical basis of the novel is human life in all the variety of its manifestations. All fundamental life situations have found their vivid embodiment in the novel: birth and death, various epochs of the spiritual development of the individual - childhood, adolescence, youth, maturity, family and love. And every historical event in the novel is seen through the eyes of the main characters, it passed through their soul and heart.
Favorite heroes of Tolstoy are looking for answers to eternal questions: what to do? What should you devote your life to? One of the main characters of the novel, Andrei Bolkonsky, asks himself the same questions. He dreams of glory, similar to the glory of Napoleon, and wants to break out of the sphere of social and family life that has bored him. The dream of a heroic deed especially worries Bolkonsky near Austerlitz. In this unfavorable battle for Russia, Andrei Bolkonsky, deciding to get victory even at the cost of his own life, shows selflessness and heroism. Taking up the banner at the moment of general confusion, he carries away the confused soldiers with him. And suddenly the impetuous movement is abruptly cut off. Prince Andrew falls, wounded in the head. And at this moment, in the minds of the seriously wounded Prince Andrei, “displaced” ideas about glory fall into place, the belief in the power of Napoleon is debunked, the futility of his own ambitious aspirations becomes clear. But the upheavals did not end there for Prince Andrey. Further events - the appearance of a child, the death of his wife - shocked Andrei Bolkonsky to the depths of his soul. Disappointed in his former aspirations and ideals, having experienced grief and repentance, he comes to the conclusion that living for himself and for his loved ones is the only thing that he has to do in life. The meeting with his friend Pierre, the conversation with him, and his words: "We must live, we must love, we must believe" - ​​deeply sunk into the soul of Prince Andrew and confirmed his own conclusions. Meeting with Natasha Rostova, moonlit spring night in Otradnoye - all this prepared Andrey's final return to life. It seems to him that it was in love that he found true happiness. But the tests again strive to unsettle Bolkonsky's life, and precisely at the moment when they, it would seem, ended. Happiness turned out to be short-lived, and the brighter it was, the more tragic he feels the break with Natasha. But his personal grief by the will of circumstances receded into the background. Now the defense of the homeland is becoming the highest goal of his life, and Prince Andrew returns to the army. The horror of war, its inhuman essence and unnaturalness again appear before him, and this becomes more and more depressing for Andrey due to the participation and death of adolescents, almost children, on the battlefield. The feeling of hatred for war is involuntarily intensified in the reader as well, and reaches the extreme point when one of Tolstoy's favorite heroes, Andrei Bolkonsky, dies in the war. It is also sad because only before death the main character finds answers to all his questions and understands the meaning of life. No matter what, to live, helping and sympathizing with people, no matter what to understand them, no matter what to merge your life with their life - this is the new ideal that awakened in the soul of Andrei Bolkonsky.
The world of War and Peace ideas is complex and varied. Using the example of Andrei Bolkonsky, the reader goes through the school of morality and patriotism, humanism and spirituality, learns to dispassionately pose acute questions and not calm down in search of an answer to them. Under any circumstances, one would like to remember the heroes of "War and Peace" and immediately stop being afraid of being decisive, patriotic and being an infinitely kind person. And your own example will be a wonderful example for younger people.

Reviews

I liked the work: short in volume, but deep enough in content. In the problems of war and peace, as well as in the problem of the infinity of the Universe, there are no boundaries. I, in the past as a military man, was simply stunningly impressed by Prince Andrey's monologue about the war: "... War is not a courtesy, and one must understand this and not play war ... (and then every word is TRUE ABOUT WAR). Not before, I have never read anything more accurate about the war ...
With sincere respect and gratitude,

Thank you Erich!
Eh, the teacher would know that the composition is very good - it would be generally wonderful! But the good news is that I did not find fault with much.

Composition

In the artistic world of Tolstoy there are heroes who persistently and purposefully seek the meaning of life, striving for complete harmony with the world. They are not occupied with secular intrigues, selfish interests, empty talk in high society salons. They are easily recognizable among haughty, self-righteous faces.

These, of course, include one of the most striking images of "War and Peace" - Andrei Bolkonsky. True, the first acquaintance with this hero does not arouse much sympathy, for his handsome face "with definite and dry features" spoils the expression of boredom and discontent. But it, as Tolstoy writes, is caused by the fact that "all those who were in the living room were not only familiar, but already tired of him so that he was very bored to look at them and listen to them." The author's detailed commentary says that a brilliant and idle, empty life does not satisfy the hero, who seeks to break the vicious circle in which he finds himself.

Prince Andrew, possessing, in addition to intelligence and education, a strong will, decisively changes his life, joining the headquarters of the commander-in-chief. Bolkonsky dreams of heroism and glory, but his desires are far from vanity, for they are caused by the desire for the victory of Russian weapons, for the common good. Possessing hereditary pride, Andrei unconsciously separates himself from the world of ordinary people. In the hero's soul, the gap between his lofty dreams and earthly everyday life becomes deeper and deeper. His pretty wife Liza, who had once seemed perfect to him, turned out to be an ordinary, ordinary woman. And Andrei undeservedly insults her with his dismissive attitude. And the ebullient life of the commander-in-chief's headquarters, which Bolkonsky sees as the brain of the army, also turns out to be very far from ideal. Andrei firmly believes that his thoughts about saving the army will attract attention and interest, and will serve the general benefit. But instead of saving the army, he has to save the medicinal wife from the claims of the transport officer. This, in general, a noble deed seems to Andrey too small and insignificant in comparison with his heroic dream.

The feat accomplished by him during the Battle of Austerlitz, when he runs ahead of everyone with a banner in his hands, is full of external effect: even Napoleon noticed and appreciated him. But why, having committed a heroic deed, Andrei does not feel any delight and enthusiasm? Probably because at that moment, when he fell, seriously wounded, a new high truth was revealed to him, together with a high endless sky, spreading a blue vault over him. Against his background, all the former dreams and aspirations seemed to Andrey small and insignificant, the same as the former idol. A reassessment of values ​​took place in his soul. What seemed to him beautiful and sublime turned out to be empty and vain. And what he so diligently fenced off from - a simple and quiet family life - now seems to him desirable, full of happiness and harmony. It is not known how Bolkonsky's life with his wife would have turned out. But when, having risen from the dead, he returned home kinder and softer, a new blow fell on him - the death of his wife, before whom he could not make amends. Andrei tries to live a simple, calm life, touchingly caring for his son, improving the lives of his serfs: he made three hundred people free farmers, the rest replaced corvee with quitrent. These humane measures, testifying to the advanced views of Bolkonsky, for some reason still do not convince him of his love for the people. Too often there slips in him a disdain for a peasant or a soldier, who can be pitied but not respected. In addition, the state of depression, the feeling of the impossibility of happiness indicate that all transformations cannot fully occupy his mind and heart. Changes in Andrey's difficult state of mind begin with the arrival of Pierre, who, seeing the oppressed mood of his friend, tries to instill in him faith in the existence of a kingdom of goodness and truth, which should exist on earth. Andrey's final revival to life takes place thanks to his meeting with Natasha Rostova. The description of the moonlit night and Natasha's first ball is poetic and charming. Communication with her opens up a new sphere of life for Andrey - love, beauty, poetry. But it is with Natasha that he is not destined to be happy, because there is no complete mutual understanding between them. Natasha loves Andrei, but does not understand and does not know him. And she, too, remains a mystery to him with her own, special inner world. If Natasha lives every moment, is not able to wait and postpone the moment of happiness until a certain time, then Andrei is able to love at a distance, finding a special charm in anticipation of the upcoming wedding with his girlfriend. Parting turned out to be too difficult a test for Natasha, because, unlike Andrei, she is not able to think about something else, to occupy herself with some business. The story with Anatol Kuragin destroys the possible happiness of these heroes. Proud and proud Andrei is unable to forgive Natasha for her mistake. And she, experiencing painful remorse, considers herself unworthy of such a noble, ideal person. Fate separates loving people, leaving bitterness and pain of disappointment in their souls. But she will also unite them before Andrei's death, because the Patriotic War of 1812 will change a lot in their characters.

When Napoleon entered the borders of Russia and began to rapidly move forward, Andrei Bolkonsky, who hated the war after being seriously wounded at Austerlitz, went into the army, refusing safe and promising service at the headquarters of the commander-in-chief. Leading the regiment, the proud aristocrat Bolkonsky draws closer to the soldier-peasant masses, learns to value and respect the common people. If at first Prince Andrey tried to excite the courage of the soldiers by walking under the bullets, then, seeing them in battle, he realized that he had nothing to teach them. He begins to look at the men in soldier's greatcoats as heroes-patriots who courageously and staunchly defended their Fatherland. Andrei Bolkonsky comes to the conclusion that the success of the army does not depend on the position, weapons or the number of troops, but on the feeling that is in him and in every soldier. This means that he believes that the mood of the soldiers, the general morale of the troops are the decisive factor for the outcome of the battle.

But still, the complete unity of Prince Andrew with the common people did not happen. It is not for nothing that Tolstoy introduces a seemingly insignificant episode about how the prince wanted to swim on a hot day, but because of his disdain for the soldiers floundering in the pond, he was never able to carry out his intention. Andrei himself is ashamed of his feelings, but cannot overpower him.

It is symbolic that at the moment of his fatal wound, Andrei experiences a huge craving for a simple earthly life, but immediately thinks about why he is so sorry to part with it. This struggle between earthly passions and an ideal coldish love for people is especially exacerbated before his death. Having met Natasha and forgiving her, he feels a surge of vitality, but this quivering and warm feeling is replaced by some unearthly detachment, which is incompatible with life and means death.

Thus, revealing in Andrei Bolkonsky many remarkable features of a patriotic nobleman. Tolstoy cuts off his path of quest with heroic death for the sake of saving his fatherland. And to continue this search for the highest spiritual values, which remained unattainable for Andrei, is destined in the novel to his friend and like-minded person Pierre Bezukhov.