Tolstoy's war and peace read online in full. “War and Peace”: a masterpiece or “wordy rubbish”

DESIGN

In 1855, an announcement about the publication of Polar Star appeared. On the cover of the book, five portraits of executed Decembrists were depicted in a circle of the rising sun; under the portraits there is an ax and it is signed: “July 25, 1826.” The volume is marked with the day of the execution of the Decembrists.

There is a star in the clouds above the title.

Polar.

The announcement was a whole manifesto. Herzen spoke about the Decembrist uprising and the Sevastopol campaign; asked if “the Sevastopol soldier, wounded and hard as granite, having tested his strength, would expose his back to the stick as before ?» .

In 1860–1861, Tolstoy traveled abroad and met Herzen.

In 1861, on March 14 (26), Tolstoy wrote from Brussels to Herzen that he had just read the sixth book of “The Polar Star” and was delighted: “This whole book is excellent, this is not just my opinion, but that of everyone I have seen.”

The collapse of Nikolaev Russia was obvious to everyone. Tolstoy writes to Herzen about doubting people - he speaks both about new forces and about timid people: “... these people - timid - cannot understand that the ice is cracking and crumbling under their feet - this proves that a person is walking; and that the only way not to fail is to go without stopping.”

Tolstoy recalls the name of Ryleev in a letter: “If soap bubble history burst for you and for me, then this is also proof that we are already inflating a new bubble, which we ourselves do not yet see. And this bubble is solid and clear knowledge of my Russia, as clear as Ryleev’s knowledge of Russia could be in ’25. We, practical people, cannot live without this.”

Not everything is resolved in Tolstoy's letter - there is a lot that is unclear. The Nicholas era turned out to be a soap bubble, but an echo of disappointment also found its way into the characterization of the new worldview.

Then he writes: “I started a novel about 4 months ago, the hero of which should be the returning Decembrist. I wanted to talk to you about this, but I never had time. My Decembrist should be an enthusiast, a mystic, a Christian, returning to Russia in 56 with his wife, son and daughter and trying on his strict and somewhat ideal view of the new Russia.”

All that remains of the novel “The Decembrists” is the beginning; it somewhat parodies the liberal passions of the era of the “great reforms.” The long opening, written in periods, states that “all the Russians, as one person, were in indescribable delight” (17, 8).

Solemn periods and the word “Russians” sound like a parody of the high style of “History of the Russian State” written by Karamzin.

Tolstoy's irony is bitter. He speaks of this delight:

“A condition that was repeated twice for Russia in 19th century: the first time when in the year 12 we spanked Napoleon I, and the second time when in the year 56 Napoleon III spanked us” (17, 8).

Tolstoy says about himself: “The writer of these lines not only lived at this time, but was one of the leaders of that time. Not only did he himself sit in one of the dugouts in Sevastopol for several weeks, he wrote an essay about the Crimean War that gained him great fame, in which he clearly and in detail depicted how soldiers fired from rifles from the bastions, how they were bandaged at the dressing station with bandages and They were buried in the cemetery in the ground" (17, 8–9).

Thus, Tolstoy, with the briefest autobiographical information, strengthens his irony and distrust of the era of “great hopes.”

But irony refers not so much to hopes as to the timidity of hopes. Tolstoy moves towards a new understanding of history. The ice is cracking, but Tolstoy is moving into the future.

Reading “The Decembrists” now, you can’t help but be surprised by the appearance of the familiar family of Pierre Bezukhov. Pierre and Natasha, sent by Nicholas to hard labor, are returned after the Crimean defeat by Alexander II. The characterization that Tolstoy gives them, with its sympathetic irony, coincides with the revelation of characters in War and Peace.

Sofya Andreevna Tolstaya wrote in her diary that the Rostovs are Tolstoy’s family, that Natasha is Tatyana Kuzminskaya. The similarity of Tolstoy's heroes, according to his wife, reached the point of coincidence.

But Tolstoy, in his novel “The Decembrists,” described the characters as if he saw them as old men. The action of the novel seems to have begun from the end. But it is impossible to assume that Tolstoy saw the old woman Natalya Bezukhova in the girl Tatyana Bers (in The Decembrists she bears the name Labazova).

Pierre's fate is shown in "The Decembrists" at the end, but this is the same Pierre who self-confidently and enthusiastically went against Arakcheev, while at the same time fearing Pugachev. This is the same Pierre who will be defeated by the prudent landowner, the stubborn owner Nikolai Rostov.

The outlines of the future novel, or rather, the exploration of its future at that time, went in a different way.

On the anniversary for Patriotic War In 1862, Tolstoy published three articles in the Yasnaya Polyana magazine entitled “Yasnaya Polyana School for November and December.” The title of the article and its division into three parts were then reminiscent of three “Sevastopol stories”: “Sevastopol in December”, “Sevastopol in May” and “Sevastopol in August 1855”.

In the second article, Tolstoy describes a history lesson. The case begins with a story about the Crimean campaign: “I told the story of the Crimean campaign, told the reign of Emperor Nicholas and the history of the 12th year. All this is in an almost fairy-tale tone, for the most part historically incorrect and grouping events around one person. The greatest success, as one might expect, was the story about the war with Napoleon. This class remained a memorable hour in our lives. I will never forget him" (8, 100–101).

Tolstoy was going to publish this story and therefore shortened it, conveying only the impressions of his listeners. The children were shocked. The lesson lasted until night. Of course, this was not a summary of War and Peace, but it was a conversation of a person who was planning the book at that time. This is like a preface to the book, and it clearly reflects both the memories of the twelfth year - the victory of the people, and the memories of the Crimean defeat. This is the same theme that formed the basis of the unfinished novel “The Decembrists.” The Decembrists and the people, the fate of the people, which is summed up by war, the people and the revolution, was one of the themes of “War and Peace” at the time of the creation of the work.

“I am of the opinion that the strength of Russia is not in us, but in the people,” says the aged Pierre in the novel “Decembrists” (17, 36). The further Tolstoy went, the more he understood the strength of the people and the weakness of the Decembrists, with whom he sympathized, considering them iron among the rubbish of his society.

The strength of the people who defeated Napoleon could be understood by studying the era of 1812. Tolstoy, from the concept of the “Decembrists,” comes to a great construction about the struggle of the people against the conquerors.

BUILDING "WAR AND PEACE"

Tolstoy has varied and close connections with the era of the Patriotic War. Tolstoy’s father took part in the war with Napoleon, was captured, and among his father’s friends there were participants in the battles with Napoleon; Tolstoy was as distant from the Napoleonic invasion as an older writer of our time was from the era of the Great October Revolution. He wrote about the past that was not past.

In 1852, in a village on the banks of the Terek, young Tolstoy read “Description of the War of 1813” by A. I. Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky. He wrote in his diary: “There are few eras in history as instructive as this, and so little discussed” (46, 142).

Tolstoy developed his rejection of traditional history, in particular the interpretation of the events of 1812, gradually. The beginning of the 1860s was the time of a surge of interest in history, in particular in the era of Alexander I and Napoleonic Wars. Books dedicated to this era are published, historians give public lectures. Tolstoy does not stand aside: just at this time he approaches historical novel. Having read the official work of the historian Alexander Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky, who portrayed Kutuzov as a faithful executor of the strategic ideas of Alexander I, Tolstoy expressed the desire to “compile a true, truthful history of Europe this century"; work Adolphe Thiers Adolphe Thiers (1797-1877) - French historian and politician. He was the first to write scientific history French Revolution, which was very popular - about 150 thousand copies were sold over half a century. He published “The History of the Consulate and the Empire,” a detailed coverage of the era of Napoleon I. Thiers was a major political figure: he twice headed the government under the July Monarchy and became the first president of the Third Republic. ⁠ forced Tolstoy to devote entire pages of War and Peace to such pro-Napoleonic historiography. Extensive discussions about the causes, course of the war and, in general, about the force that moves peoples, begin with the third volume, but are fully crystallized in the second part of the epilogue of the novel, its theoretical conclusion, in which there is no longer a place for Rostov, Bolkonsky, Bezukhov.

Tolstoy's main objection to the traditional interpretation of historical events (not only the Napoleonic Wars) is that the ideas, moods and orders of one person, largely due to chance, cannot be the true causes of large-scale phenomena. Tolstoy refuses to believe that the murder of hundreds of thousands of people can be caused by the will of one person, no matter how great he is; he is rather ready to believe that these hundreds of thousands are governed by some kind of natural law, similar to those that operate in the animal kingdom. Russia’s victory in the war with France was led by the combination of many wills of the Russian people, which individually can even be interpreted as selfish (for example, the desire to leave Moscow, which the enemy is about to enter), but they are united by their reluctance to submit to the invader. By shifting the emphasis from the activities of rulers and heroes to the “homogeneous attractions of people,” Tolstoy anticipates the French school "Annals" A group of French historians close to the journal "Annals of Economic and Social Theory". In the late 1920s they formulated the principles of the "new historical science": history is not limited to political decrees and economic data, it is much more important to study privacy person, his worldview. “Annalists” first formulated the problem, and only then began to search for sources, expanded the concept of a source and used data from disciplines related to history. ⁠ which made a revolution in the historiography of the 20th century, and develops the ideas Mikhail Pogodin Mikhail Petrovich Pogodin (1800-1875) - historian, prose writer, publisher of the magazine "Moskvityanin". Pogodin was born in peasant family, and by the middle of the 19th century he became such an influential figure that he gave advice to Emperor Nicholas I. Pogodin was considered the center of literary Moscow, he published the almanac “Urania”, in which he published poems by Pushkin, Baratynsky, Vyazemsky, Tyutchev, Gogol was published in his “Moskvityanin” , Zhukovsky, Ostrovsky. The publisher shared the views of the Slavophiles, developed the ideas of Pan-Slavism, and was close to the philosophical circle of wise men. Pogodin professionally studied the history of Ancient Rus' and defended the concept that the Scandinavians laid the foundations of Russian statehood. He collected a valuable collection of ancient Russian documents, which was later bought by the state. ⁠ and partly Henry Thomas Buckle Henry Thomas Buckle (1821-1862) - English historian. His main work- “History of Civilization in England”, in which he creates his own philosophy of history. According to Buckle, the development of civilization has general principles and patterns, and even the most seemingly random event can be explained by objective reasons. The scientist builds the dependence of the progress of society on natural phenomena, analyzes the influence of climate, soil, and food on it. “The History of Civilization in England,” which Buckle did not have time to finish, had a strong influence on historiosophy, including Russian. ⁠ (both wrote in their own way about the common laws of history and states). Another source of Tolstoy’s historiosophy is the ideas of his friend, mathematician, chess player and amateur historian Prince Sergei Urusov, who was obsessed with the discovery of “positive laws” of history and applied these laws to the War of 1812 and the figure of Kutuzov. On the eve of the release of the sixth volume of War and Peace (initially the work was divided into six, not four volumes), Turgenev wrote about Tolstoy: “...Perhaps... I had a little time fall apart- and instead of muddy philosophizing, he will give us a drink of the pure spring water of his great talent.” Turgenev's hopes were not justified: it was the sixth volume that contained the quintessence of Tolstoy's historiosophical doctrine.

Andrei Bolkonsky is a nobody, like every other person, a novelist, not a writer of personalities or memoirs. I would be ashamed to publish if all my work consisted in copying the portrait, finding out, remembering

Lev Tolstoy

Tolstoy's ideas are partly contradictory. While Tolstoy refuses to see Napoleon or any other charismatic leader as a world-changing genius, he acknowledges that others do, and devotes many pages to this view. According to Efim Etkind, “the novel is driven by the actions and conversations of people who are all (or almost all) mistaken about their own role or the role of someone who seems ruler" 27 Etkind E. G. " Inner man"and external speech. Essays on Russian psychopoetics literature XVIII-XIX centuries. M.: School “Languages ​​of Russian Culture”, 1998. P. 290. ⁠ . Tolstoy suggests that historians “leave the kings, ministers and generals alone, and study the homogeneous, infinitesimal elements that lead the masses,” but he himself does not follow this prescription: a significant part of his novel is dedicated specifically to the kings, ministers and generals. However, in the end, Tolstoy makes judgments about these historical figures according to whether they were exponents of the popular movement. Kutuzov, in his procrastination, unwillingness to risk the lives of soldiers in vain, leaving Moscow, realizing that the war had already been won, coincided with the people's aspirations and understanding of the war. Ultimately, he is interesting to Tolstoy as a “representative of the Russian people”, and not as a prince or commander.

However, Tolstoy also had to defend himself from criticism of the historical authenticity of his novel, so to speak, from the other side: he wrote about the reproaches that “War and Peace” did not show “the horrors of serfdom, the pawning of wives in the walls, the flogging of adult sons, Saltychikha, etc.” Tolstoy objects that he did not find evidence of a particularly rampant “riot” in the numerous diaries, letters and legends he studied: “In those days they also loved, envied, sought truth, virtue, were carried away by passions; there was the same complex mental and moral life, sometimes even more refined than now, in the upper class.” “The horrors of serfdom” for Tolstoy are what we would now call “cranberries”, stereotypes about Russian life and history.

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Main characters:

• Pierre Bezukhov- a young man, the illegitimate son of Count Kirill Bezukhov. Darling positive hero the author, who throughout the novel lives a life full of changes and trials. After the death of Count Bezukhov, according to his father's will, he receives a huge fortune and suddenly, unexpectedly even for himself, becomes very rich.
• Anna Pavlovna Sherer- maid of honor and close associate of Empress Maria Feodorovna, the owner of a fashionable high-society “political” salon in St. Petersburg, in whose house guests often gather. A woman with established opinions and traditions.

• Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya- a princess who was very worried about her son Boris. She asked Prince Vasily to put in a word with the sovereign so that he would be transferred to the guard, and he went to meet her. She played a decisive role in the decision to divide the inheritance of Count Kirill Bezukhov, who was dying.
• Boris Drubetsky- son of Anna Mikhailovna. In the first chapter he is shown as a decent young man, who, by the grace of the sovereign, was transferred to the guard. Long time lived and was educated by the Rostovs.
• Count Ilya Andreevich Rostov- father large family, a lively, cheerful, self-confident old man. He likes to live on a grand scale and throw feasts.
• Natalia Rostova- the wife of Ilya Andreevich, a woman with an oriental type of thin face, about forty-five years old, apparently exhausted by children, of whom she had twelve...” The countess was used to living in luxury and did not know how to save.
• Nikolay Rostov- the son of Count Ilya Rostov, a man with a cheerful and sociable character, to whom despondency is alien. Wanting to be useful to the Motherland, he decides to go to war.
• Natasha Rostova – main character novel. In the first part of the first volume - a thirteen-year-old, childishly spontaneous, cheerful girl with a perky character, Sophia’s cousin and good friend.
• Sonya Rostova- Natasha’s cousin and friend, a kind girl who is in love with her friend’s older brother, Nikolai Rostov, and is worried about him going into the army.
• Vera Rostova- unloved daughter of Countess Rostova. The girl is beautiful and smart, but despite this, she produces an irritating, unpleasant effect on everyone around her. In her family, Vera behaves proudly and arrogantly, points out her sisters' shortcomings and deliberately creates trouble for them. Vera gives the impression of a cold, soulless and heartless girl.
• Nikolai Bolkonsky- retired general, father of the Bolkonsky family. In the first part he appears as an intelligent person who prefers accuracy in all his actions. He loves his daughter Maria, but raises her in excessive severity.
• Maria Bolkonskaya- daughter of Nikolai Bolkonsky, a very rich and noble noblewoman, kind and gentle, a believing girl, loving people and trying to act in such a way as not to upset anyone. In addition, she is smart and educated, because her father himself taught her algebra and geometry lessons.
• Andrey Bolkonsky- son of Nikolai Bolkonsky. This hero, unlike his father, does not have such a tough character. His behavior changes throughout the novel. In the first part of the first volume, he appears before the reader as an ambitious and proud young man who goes to war, despite the requests of his pregnant wife. Andrey is a sincere friend of Pierre Bezukhov, who wants to help him in everything.
• Little Princess, Elizabeth- Andrei’s wife, a woman who loves secular society. She is a sweet, smiling, beautiful woman, however, she is very worried about the fact that her husband is leaving for the army and leaving her in a difficult situation. After all, Lisa is expecting a child.
• Prince Vasily Kuragin- important official, aristocrat, influential person, who serves at the imperial court and is personally acquainted with the empress. A relative of Count Kirill Bezukhov, claiming his inheritance, which, according to the plot of the story, was received not by him, but by Pierre Bezukhov.
• Helen Kuragina- daughter of Prince Vasily. A brilliant beauty of St. Petersburg with an unchanging smile. She makes great progress in the world, acquires a reputation as an intelligent woman, however, among her relatives she reveals such character traits as vulgarity, rudeness and cynicism.
• Anatol Kuragin, son of Vasily Kuragin - negative character in the novel "War and Peace". He behaves cheekily, often commits obscene acts, although he belongs to aristocrats.
• Marya Dmitrievna- a woman famous for her straightforward mind. She says what she thinks. She is known in Moscow, and in St. Petersburg, and in royal circles. The reader first meets this heroine at the Rostovs’ name day, who perceive her as a long-awaited guest.

Chapter first

The first chapter of Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy's story “War and Peace” shows a secular society. Events begin in 1805. Guests often gather in the house of the maid of honor and close associate of the Empress Anna Pavlovna Scherer. And now Prince Vasily, a very influential man, was the first to come to her. A conversation ensues between them, in which they touch upon different topics: they discuss military events, politics, and also do not forget to mention how to arrange the future of children. Anna Pavlovna does not hide the fact that she is dissatisfied with the prince’s eldest son, Anatoly.

Chapter two

Anna Pavlovna's living room is gradually filling up. The author shows people of different temperaments, among whom Vasily’s daughter, Helen Kuragina, “in code and ball gown"; little princess Liza Bolkonskaya, who got married last year; as well as Pierre Bezukhov, presented by the writer as “a massive, fat young man with a cropped head, glasses, light trousers in the fashion of that time...”, who neither appearance, nor his behavior did not fit into the spoiled secular society. This unexpected visit even caused concern for Anna Pavlovna, who, after talking briefly with Pierre, concluded that he was a young man who does not know how to live. However, Bezukhov himself felt uncomfortable among such high society.

Chapter Three

The hostess herself demonstrates to the guests the Viscount, a young man who considered himself a celebrity, and the abbot who visited her as “something supernaturally refined.” Various topics are again discussed, of which preference is given to the upcoming war with Bonaparte. Suddenly a new guest enters the living room - Andrei Bolkonsky, the husband of the little princess, whom Leo Tolstoy characterizes as the complete opposite of his wife. Andrey is surprised to see Pierre Bezukhov in a big light.

Chapter Four

Prince Vasily is about to leave. He is stopped by one of the elderly ladies who were present at Anna Pavlovna’s evening and begins, expressing alarm and concern, to beg for her son Boris: “What do you have to say to the sovereign, and he will be directly transferred to the guard?” The prince tries to object, saying that it is difficult to ask the sovereign himself, but Princess Drubetskaya (that was the name of the elderly lady) is persistent. And Vasily finally gives in to the pleas, promising to do the impossible.

We invite you to read Leo Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace.”

Meanwhile, Pierre Bezukhov, who intervened in the Viscount's conversation about the execution of the Duke of Enghien, commits an extremely indecent act in the eyes of Anna Pavlovna. Expressing his opinion that Bonoparte did the right thing in this case, and excitedly proving that he was right, Pierre does not notice how he is increasingly dissatisfied with the hostess and bewildered by those around him.


Prince Ippolit involuntarily tries to defuse the situation by deciding to tell the public a very funny joke. And he succeeds.

Chapter Five

In this chapter, after the first sentence, which mentions that the guests began to disperse, the author begins to describe one of the main characters - Pierre Bezukhov. So, what adjectives does he use to show the character of this extraordinary personality? First of all, it's clumsy. Secondly, absent-minded. But these seemingly negative qualities became insignificant in the light of the good nature, simplicity and modesty that this young man possessed.
Anna Pavlovna approached Pierre and softly spoke about her hope that he would eventually change his mind. Andrei Bolkonsky, passing by, reminded his friend that he was waiting for him at his place.

A short time later, Bezukhov and Bolkonsky met again - already within the walls of Prince Andrei’s home. From the author’s description, it is clear that Pierre felt at home here. A casual conversation ensued, but Andrei Bolkonsky made it clear that his friend’s childish discussions about Napoleon were not interesting to him.

However, the question followed, why was he going to war, to which the prince replied: “I am going because this life that I lead here, this life is not for me!”

Chapter Six

Andrei Bolkonsky’s wife, little princess Lisa, entered the room. A dialogue immediately took place between her and Pierre. Pierre, with his childish spontaneity, did not fail to express his opinion that he was perplexed as to why Andrey should go to war. He touched on the sore subject of Bolkonsky’s wife, and therefore found support in her person. Lisa was afraid of separation from her husband - especially now, during pregnancy. Despair and fears took over, and she, not embarrassed by Pierre, began to tell her husband everything she thought about his desire to join the army and throw her into such difficult time. Bezukhov, who unwittingly became a witness to the beginning scandal, tried his best to calm Lisa down, but he had little success. Finally, Bolkonsky’s wife calmed down and resigned herself. Friends went to dinner.

And here, at the table, Andrei taught Pierre a valuable lesson about how to choose a life partner. “Don’t marry until you tell yourself that you did everything you could, and until you stop loving the woman you chose, until you see her clearly, otherwise you will be cruelly mistaken.” and irreparable,” he told his friend with conviction. And these words are worth thinking about for those who have decided to get married.

Andrei looked at Pierre with kind eyes, but still realized his superiority over him. He strongly advised his friend to leave “all these revelries,” saying that secular society was not suitable for such a nature as his. And took it from a friend honestly that he will not go to the Kuragins.

However, Pierre Bezukhov broke it immediately by leaving Andrei. The young man again went to Anatole to once again experience the taste of a dissolute life. They played cards there and drank a lot. Pierre could not resist and got so drunk that he also began to do unworthy things, bordering on madness.

Chapter Seven

The promise given to Princess Drubetskaya was fulfilled. Prince Vasily put in a word about her son before the sovereign, and he was transferred to the Semenovsky regiment as an ensign.

The princess herself turned out to be a distant relative of the Rostovs, from whom she temporarily rented housing and where her son Boris was raised.

The Rostovs had big celebration– mother and daughter’s birthday. Both of their names were Natalya. This became the reason for the impending noisy fun.

In conversations with guests, some details were clarified. For example, the fact that Pierre Bezukhov, the son of the rich Count Kirill Bezukhov, turns out to have been illegitimate, however, the most beloved of the children, and since the Count was already very ill, those around him guessed who would get his huge fortune - Prince Vasily or Pierre.

They did not fail to talk about the unworthy behavior of Pierre, who, by getting involved with bad company, Dolokhov and Kuragin, compromised himself even more than at the evening with Anna Pavlovna, when he argued with the abbot about Napoleon’s actions. The story of the bear, to whom the rowdies tied a policeman and threw him to swim in the Moika River, caused conflicting reactions from those around him - some were indignant, while others could not stop laughing.

Chapter Eight

In this chapter, the reader for the first time has the opportunity to meet Natasha Rostova, one of the main characters of the novel “War and Peace.” At the beginning of the novel, she appears as a thirteen-year-old girl, cheerful and carefree. The author describes her as “dark-eyed, with a large mouth, ugly, but alive.”

Finally, in view of the name day, all the young people - Natalya, and Anna Mikhailovna’s son Boris, and the eldest son of Countess Natalya, Nikolai, and the Rostovs’ niece Sofia, and younger son Petya - settled in the living room.
At the end of the chapter, the author mentions that Boris Drubetsky and Nikolai Rostov were childhood friends.

Chapter Nine

At the beginning of this chapter, the Rostovs’ niece Sonya is described, who lives with them and with whom Natalya is very friendly.

The count father complains that his son Nikolai Rostov, imitating his friend Boris, is going to war, to which the young man objects: “It’s not friendship at all, but I just feel a calling to military service…»

However, Sonya, in love with Nikolai, can barely hold back her tears. The conversation turns to children again, and Countess Natalya mentions eldest daughter Vera, intelligent, well-mannered, with a pleasant voice, to whom she treated more strictly than to the younger one, but who, unlike Natalya Rostova, does not make such a pleasant impression on others. This girl plays a minor role in the plot of the novel.

Chapter Ten

Natasha Rostova, hiding between tubs of flowers, becomes an involuntary witness to the scene that occurred between Sofia and Nikolai, who, having confessed his love to the girl, kisses her. Natasha herself, at that time thinking that she loved Boris, called the young man to her, “embraced him with both arms, so that his thin bare arms bent above his neck, and, throwing back his hair with a movement of his head, kissed him... on the very lips.”

Chapter Eleven

Countess Natalya, who has not seen her friend Anna Mikhailovna for a long time, wants to talk to her alone. However, her daughter Vera is in the room. I have to tell her straight out that she is superfluous and suggest that she go to the sisters.

In the next sofa room there are two couples sitting - Boris and Natasha, as well as Nikolai and Sophia. Vera does not understand the feelings of young people, and a verbal altercation ensues between the sisters. However, self-confident Vera does not feel that she has said anything bad; on the contrary, she considers herself right in all her actions.

Meanwhile, in the living room, the dialogue between Anna Mikhailovna and Countess Natalya continues. The conversation first revolves around Nikolai Rostov’s service in the army, then the princess decides to go to Count Kirill Bezukhov in order, before it’s too late, to arrange for support for his godson Boris - and informs the countess about this. Count Rostov proposes to invite Pierre Bezukhov to dinner, which will take place on the occasion of the name day at four o'clock in the afternoon.

Chapter Twelve

Anna Mikhailovna and her son drove into the wide courtyard of Count Kirill, and then went into the house. The doorman reported to Prince Vasily about their arrival. An atmosphere of sadness reigned in the room, because the elder Bezukhov was terminally ill, already dying. Having given short instructions to Boris about serving in the army, Prince Vasily began to listen to Anna Mikhailovna. “He needs to be cooked if he is so bad,” she urged, and the prince again realized that this woman, who so insists on her own, is not so easy to get rid of. And Princess Anna Mikhailovna, having asked Boris to communicate with Pierre Bezukhov and give him an invitation to the Rostovs’ name day, sat down in a chair. She made a firm decision - “to help follow her uncle.”

Chapter Thirteen

Pierre Bezukhov stayed at his father's house. The story told about his indecent behavior was fair, and therefore the attitude towards the illegitimate son of Count Kirill Bezukhov was not friendly. To the question: “Can I see the count?” An unfriendly, negative answer followed, and Pierre, who did not receive what he expected, had to go to his room.

When Boris unexpectedly paid Bezukhov a visit, he was at first surprised, although he greeted him friendly and simply. “Count Rostov asked you to come to dinner with him today,” the guest said after an awkward silence that seemed long.

The young people began to talk, and Drubetsky managed to refute the assumption that he and his mother wanted to “get something from the rich man.”

Pierre really liked Boris Drubetsky; he warmed to this intelligent and strong-willed young man.

Anna Mikhailovna informed the prince about the decision to prepare the dying Kirill Bezukhov.

Chapter fourteen

Countess Rostova, after Anna Mikhailovna’s departure, sat for a long time by herself, and then called the maid and ordered her husband to be called. Taking pity on her poor friend, she decided to help her financially, and for this purpose she asked her husband for five hundred rubles. He became generous and gave seven hundred. When Anna Mikhailovna returned, the new banknotes were already lying under a scarf on the table.

Here’s to Boris from me, to sew a uniform,” said the countess, taking out money and giving it to her friend.

Chapter fifteen

Finally, guests began to arrive for the name day. There were already many people sitting in the living room who had come to congratulate the heroes of the occasion, but most of all they were expecting Marya Dmitrievna, a woman famous for her directness of mind and simplicity of manner, who was known both in Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as in royal circles.

The assembled guests preferred to speak in military theme. At first, they listened to the conversation that took place between an old bachelor named Shinshin, who was the countess’s cousin and Lieutenant Berg, an officer of the Semenovsky regiment. Then Pierre Bezukhov arrived, and the hostess, having told him several meaningless phrases, asked Anna Mikhailovna with her eyes to keep the young man busy.

Finally, Maria Dmitrievna arrived, who “took pear-shaped yakhon earrings from her huge reticule and, giving them to the birthday-shining and blushing Natasha,” suddenly turned to Pierre and began to scold him for the indecent behavior that the young man had allowed himself recently. In the end, the guests were seated at the tables. “The sounds of the count’s home music were replaced by the sounds of knives and forks, the conversation of guests, the quiet steps of waiters...”

Chapter sixteen

On the men's side of the table the conversation became more and more animated. One of the guests, a colonel, claimed that the manifesto declaring war had already been issued in St. Petersburg and insisted: “We must fight to the last drop of blood,” while Shinshin was perplexed as to why fight with Bonoparte at all.

Count Nikolai noticed that his son was also joining the army. “And I have four sons in the army, but I don’t bother. It’s all God’s will: you will die lying on the stove, and in battle God will have mercy,” Maria Dmitrievna said loudly. Suddenly Natasha Rostova’s childish voice was heard: “Mom! what kind of cake will it be?

Surprisingly, even Maria Dmitrievna did not get angry when she saw such tactlessness, but laughed at the girl’s spontaneity, followed by all the guests.

Chapter Seventeen

The holiday was in full swing. Suddenly Natasha discovered the absence of her cousin and beloved friend Sonya and, leaving the guests, went to look for her. She saw the girl lying “prone on her nanny’s dirty striped feather bed, on a chest” and crying bitterly. The reason for the tears was that her Nikolenka was going into the army, but not only that. It turned out that Sonya was deeply hurt by the words of Vera, Natasha Rostova’s older sister, who threatened to show her mother Nikolai’s poems and called her ungrateful.

Kind Natasha calmed her friend down, and she became cheerful again. The girls returned to the hall. The guests danced a lot, joked, and rejoiced at such a wonderful event held in honor of the name day of dear Natalya Sr. and Natalya Jr. It was clear from everything that the holiday was a success.

Chapter Eighteen

While joy reigned in the Rostov house, the Bezukhov family was experiencing severe grief, the approach of imminent loss: Count Kirill suffered a sixth blow. People gathered in the reception room, including the confessor, ready to administer unction to the dying man.

“Meanwhile, Prince Vasily opened the door to the princess’s room,” where, according to the author’s description, “it was dark, and there was a good smell of smoke and flowers.”

Vasily called the girl, whom he called Katish (this was his cousin Katerina Sergeevna), to serious conversation. They discussed Count Kirill's will and were very afraid that the entire inheritance might go to his illegitimate son Pierre.

Prince Vasily rightly feared this, but Catherine initially objected: “You never know how many wills he wrote, but he couldn’t make a will to Pierre! Pierre is illegal,” but then, having learned that, by virtue of the count’s written appeal, the sovereign could grant his request for adoption, she was also seriously alarmed.

Vasily and Katish began to think over a plan to destroy the will in the name of Pierre; moreover, they wanted to create a situation where Kirill Bezukhov himself would annull it. The paper lay under the dying man’s pillow, in a mosaic briefcase, and Princess Catherine and Prince Vasily so wanted to get to it.

Chapter nineteen

Anna Mikhailovna turned out to be a far-sighted woman. She assumed that a struggle would flare up over the inheritance and went to the Bezukhovs, urgently calling Pierre. Young Bezukhov was afraid of the upcoming meeting with his dying father, but he understood that it was necessary.

The princess and the son of Count Kirill entered the reception room. Pierre, obeying his leader, sat down on the sofa. The eyes of everyone in the room turned to this young man. But there was participation in them, even respect, and young Bezukhov felt “that this night he was a person who was obliged to perform some terrible ritual expected by everyone, and that therefore he had to accept services from everyone.”

“God's mercy is inexhaustible. The unction will begin now. Let’s go,” Anna Mikhailovna decisively called Pierre, and he entered the room where his dying father lay.

Chapter Twenty

Before the gaze of Pierre, who knew well the furnishings of his father’s room, appeared sad picture: the father lying under the images “with the same gray mane of hair, reminiscent of a lion, above his wide forehead and with the same characteristically noble large wrinkles on his beautiful red-yellow face”; confessors who are ready to administer unction to those departing to another world; two younger princesses, rolling with an angry expression on their faces; Anna Mikhailovna, some unknown lady; Prince Vasily, who was constantly baptized right hand, and others.

Pierre approached his father's bed. “He looked at the count. The Count looked at the place where Pierre's face was while he stood. Anna Mikhailovna showed in her expression an awareness of the touching importance of this last minute meeting between father and son."

Chapter twenty one

There was no one in the reception room anymore, except for Prince Vasily and the eldest princess, who, at the sight of Anna Mikhailovna entering with Pierre, whispered that she could not see this woman.

Katerina was already holding the mosaic briefcase in her hands, which Anna Mikhailovna wanted to take away, persistently and feignedly affectionately convincing the princess not to resist. Two women tried to snatch the controversial item from each other. The fight continued until the middle princess ran out of the room where the count was dying. Katerina dropped her briefcase, which Anna Mikhailovna immediately grabbed and went with it to the bedroom.
Very soon she told Pierre that his father had died.

Chapter twenty two

The estate of the old Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the young Prince Andrei and his wife, the princess. Nikolai himself was different difficult character, recognizing only activity and intelligence as virtues. Education youngest daughter He took care of Mary himself, distributing her life in such a way that the girl did not spend time in idleness. Her father himself taught her algebra and geometry lessons. The main feature this elderly man had precision taken to the extreme.

On the day of the young couple’s arrival, Prince Nikolai gave his daughter a letter from Julie Karagina, a friend of the princess, which reported that Pierre Bezukhov had become a count, having received both the title and almost the entire inheritance from his father, becoming the owner of one of the largest fortunes in Russia. In addition, she spoke about Anna Mikhailovna’s plan to arrange Marya’s marriage with Anatoly Kuragin. In turn, the princess wrote a response letter in which she expressed pity for both Pierre Bezukhov, who suddenly became rich, and for Prince Vasily, who was left with nothing.

The girl also lamented the wars that people wage among themselves and was sad that this was happening. “... Humanity has forgotten the laws of its Divine Savior, who taught us love and forgiveness of insults, and believes its main dignity in the art of killing each other,” she sincerely expressed her opinion in a letter to a friend.

Chapter twenty three

Finally, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky and his wife crossed the threshold of their parents’ house. However, at this time the father, Prince Nikolai, was sleeping and even the arrival of such dear guests could not become a reason to disrupt such a familiar daily routine.

The father had twenty minutes left to rest, and so he suggested that his wife go first to Princess Marya.

Apparently, the little princess was in her husband’s parents’ house for the first time, so when she saw the luxurious furnishings, she could not help exclaiming: “This is a palace!”

Seeing that Maria was practicing playing the piano, the guests wanted to quietly leave, but then Mademoiselle Burien, Princess Bolkonskaya’s companion, noticed them and began to express delight that the long-awaited relatives had finally arrived.

Maria also saw her brother and wife and joined in the joy of their visit. Prince Nikolai did not stand aside, and although he expressed his emotions more sparingly, he was still in a good mood due to the arrival of his son. And again conversations began on military topics, which worried people so much at that time.

Chapter twenty-four

Finally, it was time for lunch, and Prince Nikolai went to the dining room, where Princess Maria, Mademoiselle Burien and the prince’s architect were already waiting for him, for some reason he was allowed to the table, although he was not at all from the nobility. Everyone sat down, and the conversation began again “about the war, about Bonaparte and the current generals and statesmen...”

Chapter twenty-five

The next day, Prince Andrei was getting ready to leave. He was worried. This is how the author describes the mood of the young man at that difficult time: “He, with his hands behind him, quickly walked around the room from corner to corner, looking ahead of him, and shook his head thoughtfully. Was he afraid to go to war, was he sad to leave his wife - maybe both..."

Suddenly the steps of Princess Maria were heard. She was upset, because she really wanted to talk to her brother alone. I looked at him and did not recognize my previously playful brother in this strong and courageous young man.

The sister admitted that she immediately fell in love with his wife Lisa, who, in her opinion, was still a child, but suddenly saw a contemptuous and ironic expression that flashed on Andrei’s face. However, he was very happy to communicate with his dear sister. The conversation proceeded peacefully and when Maria mentioned Mademoiselle Bourien, her brother did not fail to notice that he really did not like her. However, the good princess tried to justify her companion in his eyes, because she is an orphan and so needs to be treated well.

Suddenly a question followed that discouraged Maria. It was about how her father treated her, because it was clear that Andrei’s sister suffered from the difficult and tough character of her beloved dad. Most of all, the girl was depressing that her father did not believe in God. “...How can a person with such a huge mind not see what is clear as day, and can be so mistaken?” – she lamented about his religious worldview.

PART ONE

Eh bien, mon prince. Gênes et Lucques ne sont plus que des apanages, des estates, de la famille Buonaparte. Non, je vous préviens, que

Si vous ne me dites pas, que nous avons la guerre, si vous vous permettez encore de pallier toutes les infamies, toutes les atrocités de cet

Antichrist (ma parole, j"y crois) - je ne vous connais plus, vous n"кtes plus mon ami, vous n"кtes plus my faithful slave, comme vous dites. 1 (See.

Footnotes at the end of the part) Well, hello, hello. Je vois que je vous fais peur, 2 sit down and tell me.
So she said in July 1805 famous Anna Pavlovna Sherer, maid of honor and close associate of Empress Maria Feodorovna, meeting an important and

The official Prince Vasily, the first to arrive at her evening. Anna Pavlovna had been coughing for several days; she had the flu, as she said (the flu was

Then a new word, used only by rare people). In the notes sent out in the morning by the red footman, it was written without distinction in all:
"Si vous n"avez rien de mieux a faire, M. le comte (or mon prince), et si la perspective de passer la soiree chez une pauvre malade ne

Vous effraye pas trop, je serai charmée de vous voir chez moi entre 7 et 10 heures. Annette Scherer".3
“Dieu, quelle virulente sortie 4,” answered, not at all embarrassed by such a meeting, the prince entered, in a courtier’s embroidered uniform, in stockings,

Shoes, with stars, with a bright expression on a flat face. He spoke that refined French, which was not only spoken, but also

Our grandfathers thought, and with those quiet, patronizing intonations that are characteristic of a significant person who has grown old in the world and at court

To a person. He walked up to Anna Pavlovna, kissed her hand, offering her his perfumed and shining bald head, and sat down calmly on the sofa.
- Avant tout dites moi, comment vous allez, chire amie? 5 “Calm your friend,” he said, without changing his voice and in a tone in which, out of decency,

And the participation showed indifference and even mockery.
- How can you be healthy... when you suffer morally? Is it possible to remain calm in our time when a person has feelings? -

Anna Pavlovna said. - You are with me all evening, I hope?
- What about the holiday of the English envoy? It's Wednesday. “I need to show myself there,” said the prince. - My daughter will pick me up and take me.
- I thought that the current holiday was cancelled. Je vous avoue que toutes ces fкtes et tous ces feux d "artifice commencent a devenir insipides. 6
“If they knew that you wanted this, the holiday would be cancelled,” said the prince, out of habit, like a wound-up clock, saying things that he did not

I wanted them to believe.
- Ne me tourmentez pas. Eh bien, qu "a-t-on décidé par rapport a la dépcche de Novosiizoff? Vous savez tout. 7
- How can I tell you? - said the prince in a cold, bored tone. - Qu "a-t-on décidé? On a décidé que Buonaparte a brèlé ses vaisseaux, et je

Crois que nous sommes en train de braille les nêtres. 8 - Prince Vasily always spoke lazily, like an actor speaking the role of an old play. Anna Pavlovna

Scherer, on the contrary, despite her forty years, was full of animation and impulses.
Being an enthusiast became her social position, and sometimes, when she didn’t even want to, she, in order not to deceive people’s expectations,

Those who knew her became an enthusiast.

Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" was written in 1863-1869. To familiarize yourself with the main plot lines of the novel, we suggest that 10th grade students and anyone interested in Russian literature read summary"War and Peace" by chapters and parts online.

“War and Peace” belongs to the literary movement of realism: the book describes in detail a number of key historical events, depicts typical Russian society characters, the main conflict is “hero and society”. The genre of the work is novel epic: “War and Peace” includes both signs of a novel (the presence of several storylines, a description of the development of characters and crisis moments in their fate), and epics (global historical events, the all-encompassing nature of the depiction of reality). In the novel, Tolstoy touches on many “eternal” themes: love, friendship, fathers and children, the search for the meaning of life, the confrontation between war and peace both in the global sense and in the souls of the heroes.

Main characters

Andrey Bolkonsky- the prince, the son of Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, was married to the little princess Lisa. Is in constant search for the meaning of life. Participated in the Battle of Austerlitz. He died from a wound received during the Battle of Borodino.

Natasha Rostova- daughter of Count and Countess Rostov. At the beginning of the novel, the heroine is only 12 years old, Natasha grows up before the reader’s eyes. At the end of the work she marries Pierre Bezukhov.

Pierre Bezukhov- Count, son of Count Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov. He was married to Helen (first marriage) and Natasha Rostova (second marriage). He was interested in Freemasonry. He was present on the battlefield during the Battle of Borodino.

Nikolay Rostov- eldest son of Count and Countess Rostov. Participated in military campaigns against the French and the Patriotic War. After the death of his father, he takes care of the family. He married Marya Bolkonskaya.

Ilya Andreevich Rostov And Natalia Rostova- counts, parents of Natasha, Nikolai, Vera and Petya. Happy married couple living in harmony and love.

Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky- Prince, father of Andrei Bolkonsky. Prominent figure of the Catherine era.

Marya Bolkonskaya- Princess, sister of Andrei Bolkonsky, daughter of Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky. A devout girl who lives for her loved ones. She married Nikolai Rostov.

Sonya- niece of Count Rostov. Lives under the care of the Rostovs.

Fedor Dolokhov- at the beginning of the novel he is an officer of the Semenovsky regiment. One of the leaders of the partisan movement. During his peaceful life, he constantly participated in revelry.

Vasily Denisov- friend of Nikolai Rostov, captain, squadron commander.

Other characters

Anna Pavlovna Sherer- maid of honor and close associate of Empress Maria Feodorovna.

Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya- the impoverished heiress of “one of the best families in Russia”, a friend of Countess Rostova.

Boris Drubetskoy- son of Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya. Made it shiny military career. He married Julie Karagina to improve his financial situation.

Julie Karagina- daughter of Marya Lvovna Karagina, friend of Marya Bolkonskaya. She married Boris Drubetsky.

Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov- Count, father of Pierre Bezukhov, an influential man. After his death, he left his son (Pierre) a huge fortune.

Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova- Godmother of Natasha Rostova, she was known and respected in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Pyotr Rostov (Petya)- youngest son of Count and Countess Rostov. He was killed during the Patriotic War.

Vera Rostova- eldest daughter of Count and Countess Rostov. Wife of Adolf Berg.

Adolf (Alphonse) Karlovich Berg- a German who made a career from lieutenant to colonel. First the groom, then the husband of Vera Rostova.

Lisa Bolkonskaya- a little princess, the young wife of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. She died during childbirth, giving birth to Andrey's son.

Vasily Sergeevich Kuragin- Prince, friend of Scherer, famous and influential socialite in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Occupies an important post at court.

Elena Kuragina (Ellen)- daughter of Vasily Kuragin, first wife of Pierre Bezukhov. A charming woman who liked to shine in the light. She died after an unsuccessful abortion.

Anatol Kuragin- “restless fool”, the eldest son of Vasily Kuragin. Charming and handsome man, dandy, lover of women. Participated in the Battle of Borodino.

Ippolit Kuragin- “the deceased fool”, the youngest son of Vasily Kuragin. The complete opposite of his brother and sister, very stupid, everyone perceives him as a buffoon.

Amelie Bourrien- Frenchwoman, companion of Marya Bolkonskaya.

Shinshin- cousin of Countess Rostova.

Ekaterina Semenovna Mamontova- the eldest of the three Mamontov sisters, niece of Count Kirill Bezukhov.

Bagration- Russian military leader, hero of the war against Napoleon 1805-1807 and the Patriotic War of 1812.

Napoleon Bonaparte- Emperor of France.

Alexander I- Emperor of the Russian Empire.

Kutuzov- Field Marshal General, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army.

Tushin- artillery captain who distinguished himself in the Battle of Shengraben.

Platon Karataev- a soldier of the Absheron regiment, embodying everything truly Russian, whom Pierre met in captivity.

Volume 1

The first volume of War and Peace consists of three parts, divided into “peaceful” and “military” narrative blocks and covers the events of 1805. The “peaceful” first part of the first volume of the work and the initial chapters of the third part describe social life in Moscow, St. Petersburg, in Bald Mountains.

In the second part and the last chapters of the third part of the first volume, the author depicts pictures of the war of the Russian-Austrian army with Napoleon. The central episodes of the “military” blocks of the narrative are the Battle of Shengraben and the Battle of Austerlitz.

From the first, “peaceful” chapters of the novel “War and Peace,” Tolstoy introduces the reader to the main characters of the work - Andrei Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova, Pierre Bezukhov, Nikolai Rostov, Sonya and others. Through depicting the lives of various social groups and families, the author conveys the diversity of Russian life in the pre-war period. The “military” chapters display all the unadorned realism of military operations, further revealing to the reader the characters of the main characters. The defeat at Austerlitz, which concludes the first volume, appears in the novel not only as the loss of the Russian troops, but also as a symbol of the collapse of hopes, a revolution in the lives of most of the main characters.

Volume 2

The second volume of “War and Peace” is the only “peaceful” one in the entire epic and covers the events of 1806-1811 on the eve of the Patriotic War. In it, “peaceful” episodes of the social life of the heroes are intertwined with the world of military history - the adoption of the Tilsit Truce between France and Russia, the preparation of Speransky’s reforms.

During the period described in the second volume, important events take place in the lives of the heroes, which largely change their worldview and views on the world: Andrei Bolkonsky’s return home, his disappointment in life after the death of his wife and subsequent transformation thanks to his love for Natasha Rostova; Pierre's passion for Freemasonry and his attempts to improve the lives of peasants on his estates; Natasha Rostova's first ball; loss of Nikolai Rostov; hunting and Christmastide in Otradnoye (the Rostov estate); the failed kidnapping of Natasha by Anatoly Karagin and Natasha's refusal to marry Andrei. The second volume ends with the symbolic appearance of a comet hanging over Moscow, foreshadowing terrible events in the life of the heroes and all of Russia - the War of 1812.

Volume 3

The third volume of War and Peace is dedicated to the military events of 1812 and their influence on the “peaceful” life of the Russian people of all classes. The first part of the volume describes the invasion of French troops into Russian territory and preparations for the Battle of Borodino. The second part depicts itself battle of Borodino, which is the culmination of not only the third volume, but the entire novel. Many people intersect on the battlefield central characters works (Bolkonsky, Bezukhov, Denisov, Dolokhov, Kuragin, etc.), which emphasizes the inextricable connection of the entire people with a common goal - the fight against the enemy. The third part is devoted to the surrender of Moscow to the French, a description of the fire in the capital, which, according to Tolstoy, happened because of those who left the city, leaving it to their enemies. The most touching scene of the volume is described here - the meeting between Natasha and the mortally wounded Bolkonsky, who still loves the girl. The volume ends with Pierre's unsuccessful attempt to kill Napoleon and his arrest by the French.

Volume 4

The fourth volume of War and Peace covers the events of the Patriotic War of the second half of 1812, as well as the peaceful life of the main characters in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Voronezh. The second and third “military” parts describe the flight of Napoleon’s army from sacked Moscow, the Battle of Tarutino and the partisan war of the Russian army against the French. The “military” chapters are framed by the “peaceful” first and fourth parts, in which the author pays special attention to the sentiments of the aristocracy regarding military events and its distance from the interests of the people.

In the fourth volume, key events occur in the lives of the heroes: Nikolai and Marya understand that they love each other, Andrei Bolkonsky and Helen Bezukhova die, Petya Rostov dies, and Pierre and Natasha begin to think about possible happiness together. However, the central figure of the fourth volume is a simple soldier, a native of the people - Platon Karataev, who appears in the novel as the bearer of everything truly Russian. His words and actions express the same simple wisdom of peasant, folk philosophy, over the comprehension of which the main characters of “War and Peace” suffer.

Epilogue

In the epilogue of the work “War and Peace,” Tolstoy sums up the entire epic novel, depicting the life of the heroes seven years after the Patriotic War - in 1819-1820. Significant changes took place in their destinies, both good and bad: the marriage of Pierre and Natasha and the birth of their children, the death of Count Rostov and the difficult financial situation of the Rostov family, the wedding of Nikolai and Marya and the birth of their children, the growing up of Nikolenka, the son of the deceased Andrei Bolkonsky, in which the character of the father is already clearly visible.

If the first part of the epilogue describes the personal lives of the heroes, then the second presents the author’s reflections on historical events, the role of individual historical figures and entire nations in these events. Concluding his reasoning, the author comes to the conclusion that all history is predetermined by a certain irrational law of random mutual influences and relationships. An example of this is the scene depicted in the first part of the epilogue, when the Rostovs gather a large family: the Rostovs, the Bolkonskys, the Bezukhovs - all of them were brought together by the same incomprehensible law of historical relationships - the main active force directing all the events and destinies of the heroes in the novel.

Conclusion

In the novel War and Peace, Tolstoy managed to masterfully portray the people not as different social strata, but as a single whole, united by common values ​​and aspirations. All four volumes of the work, including the epilogue, are connected by the idea of ​​“folk thought”, which lives not only in every hero of the work, but also in every “peaceful” or “military” episode. It was this unifying thought that, according to Tolstoy, became the main reason for the victory of the Russians in the Patriotic War.

“War and Peace” is rightfully considered a masterpiece of Russian literature, an encyclopedia of Russian characters and human life generally. The work has remained interesting and relevant for modern readers, history buffs and connoisseurs of classical Russian literature for more than a century. War and Peace is a novel that everyone should read.

Very detailed brief retelling“War and Peace,” presented on our website, will allow you to get a complete understanding of the plot of the novel, its characters, the main conflicts and issues of the work.

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