"War and Peace" - the problems of the novel. "War and Peace", L. N. Tolstoy

The novel "War and Peace", the fundamental work of the great Russian writer Count Leo Tolstoy, was written between 1863 and 1869.

The author created the idea of the work long before writing, referring to the theme of the Decembrist uprising that took place in St. Petersburg on December 14, 1825. Leo Tolstoy set out to show the life of Russian society of that time, and since the opposition movement of various secret societies with the participation of the Decembrists was the most radical and significant in the political life of the Russian state, the writer decided to use this theme as the basis of his work.

The interpretation of the novel

In the draft of the preface to the future literary masterpiece "War and Peace" of the problem of the novel, Leo Tolstoy named the search for the main character. The writer assumed that this would be the image of a Decembrist, one of the heroes of that time, returning with his family to his native places after exile. However, the plot of the novel required a characteristic description of the main character from the time of his youth, and therefore, it was necessary to return about 20 years ago, in his past. The writer decided to start the story exactly from 1805 onwards. At the same time, the general theme of the novel "War and Peace" required a broader interpretation than the one that the story about the Decembrists revealed, and thus, in the course of writing the novel, the war against Napoleon and events related to it in one way or another .

The writer's attention was switched to the Patriotic War of 1812, and also to the period preceding the invasion of the French army led by Napoleon Bonaparte. Nevertheless, several chapters from the unfinished work of 1860 under the name "Decembrists" Tolstoy used in the novel "War and Peace". The problems of the novel were the construction of a plot, which, according to the author's intention, was to cover almost a quarter of a century of the history of the Russian people and the Russian army. The writer succeeded, he coped with the task brilliantly.

Examples of heroism in the novel

Tolstoy Leo Nikolayevich wrote his epoch-making work "War and Peace" for six years, analogous to the depth and strength of the narrative of novels in world literature no longer exists. The novel impresses with imagery, each character is registered with a high degree of reliability, the heroism of Russian soldiers is obvious - they are fighting for a just cause, for their families, for their native land. An example of this is Captain Tushin and his battery, which kept the enemy offensive. The unprecedented courage of the Russian army in the battle in the Borodino field, when the fate of Russia was decided, is described by the writer with frightening naturalism, but every word on the pages of the novel is undoubtedly true. The morale of the French, of course, does not stand up to any comparison with the morale of the Russian soldiers, in this, by and large, the main basis for the victory of the Russian army was laid. All the characters of Tolstoy are reflected in the novel as patriots of their land.

Literature and Painting

When writing the work "War and Peace" the problems of the novel were also in the fact that it was fiction, the widest field, a mosaic of human destinies. The characters of Leo Tolstoy are written out in subtle, precise strokes, his literary skills can be compared to the paintings of Paolo Veronese, who also thoroughly passed every dash in the faces of his heroes on the huge canvases of the Venetian Doge's Palace, and the heroes of these hundreds.

Artistic value of the work

In the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy presented on the pages of all social strata, from a simple soldier to the emperor and his entourage. Show all age categories, different classes, rich and poor, respectable and dishonest, healthy and sick. Russian society, the lower classes and the middle class, the tsar and his subjects - all found a place in the greatest literary work of that time.

The art of the work is closely intertwined with the realities of life, a crowd of commoners, the marginal part of society is sometimes a wild uncontrollable force, driven by an impulse. The scene of Vereshchagin's murder is an example. The brutal, baseless ruthlessness as a result of the impulse all sweeps away on its way - such is the Russian people, history knows several similar examples. This is the main meaning of the novel "War and Peace" - to show Russian society, all its advantages and disadvantages.

Philosophy of the novel

Throughout the novel Leo Tolstoy tries to comprehend the primordial beginning of the life of a Russian man, to determine the causes of the spontaneity of his actions. The philosophy of the work lies in the fact that the will and ability of individual people disappear in vain, if they do not come into contact with reality, go away from what is happening. Only selfless service to the idea can encourage a person to fight for a just cause, bring him to the battlefields, force him to accept death for granted.

Characteristics

Numerous images of the novel "War and Peace" are presented by the author intelligibly, with a description of each character. Hence the special, respectful attitude of the writer to Kutuzov, who is not strong with the strategic talent and heroism of the warrior, but with the fact that he realized the only method by which he can cope with Napoleon. Hence Tolstoy's denial of the personal qualities of Napoleon himself, who boasted of his achievements, attributing them to his imaginary exclusiveness. The writer did not spare the paints when describing a simple soldier Karataev Plato, who, according to Tolstoy, is in the capacity of the greatest sage, only because he realized himself as part of the whole, social, and threw away his individuality.

The writer's responsibility

Philosophy Leo Tolstoy is not about reasoning on the topic, as is usually the case with most writers, but in scrupulous analysis of the smallest details of events occurring in society, as well as in his brilliant ability to unite the disparate details into one, creating a complete picture and signing it to his Name. Tolstoy's responsibility is felt in every chapter of his immortal work, it fascinates the reader, who gradually begins to think in one direction with the author.

Characters

In the work "War and Peace" the problems of the novel were also in the fact that it was necessary to designate the whole Russian army as one of the main characters. A red thread in the work is the theme of unconditional support for soldiers and generals by the people. Clear the Russian land from the invasion - everyone thought about this: officers, soldiers, peasants, workers, officials. The identity of the Russian people could not be violated by invasion from outside, this does not fit the mentality of Russian society, and if so, the invader will certainly be destroyed. The thought of every Russian person worked on this result. The crushing scope of the partisan movement, patriotism and love of the fatherland gave rise to the "club of people's war", which destroyed the enemies.

Leo Tolstoy is proud of the military power of the Russian army, multiplied by the patriotism and dedication of the rest of the population of the Russian state. The people-hero joined with the Russian nobility during the war years to knock out the enemy. The best representatives of the nobility of Russia reached out to the masses, among them were Pierre Bezukhov, and Andrei Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova and Vasily Denisov.

The image of Kutuzov

The hero of the war with Napoleon, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, was inseparable from his soldiers, this was what gave him strength. The commander did not receive moral support from the emperor, he was secretly hated, but Kutuzov did not need loyalty to the royal environment, he had a much more powerful source of inspiration - the army, soldiers and loyal officers. General-Field Marshal Kutuzov won, fulfilling the will of the Russian people, well aware of the goal facing him and the whole country.

Publications

Characteristics of the novel "War and Peace" reveals the mighty potential of Russian society, whose history does not know of enslavement. Shortsightedness of ambitions like Napoleon, their bombast, except for shame, nothing. The historical military confrontation inevitably ends with the victory of the Russian people.

In 1865, the magazine Russky Vestnik published the first two parts of the novel entitled 1805. Full edition of the epoch-making work "War and Peace" by Tolstoy, in six volumes, was published in 1869.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, the novel "War and Peace" forever entered the golden fund of world literature.