The central characters are war and peace. The image of Helen Kuragina in the novel “War and Peace”

Tolstoy’s favorite characters in the novel “War and Peace” are Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky. They are united by the quality that the writer himself most valued in people. In his opinion, to be a real person, you need to “tear, struggle, get confused, make mistakes, start and quit” all your life, and “calmness is spiritual meanness" That is, a person should not calm down and stop, he should search for meaning all his life and strive to find an application for his strengths, talents, and mind.

In this article we will look at the characteristics of the main characters of the novel “War and Peace” by Tolstoy. Pay attention to why Tolstoy endowed these heroes with such traits and what he wanted to tell his readers by this.

Pierre Bezukhov in the novel "War and Peace"

As we have already noted, speaking about the main characters of Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace,” it is definitely worth discussing the image of Pierre Bezukhov. The reader first sees Pierre in the aristocratic St. Petersburg salon of Anna Pavlovna Scherer. The hostess treats him somewhat condescendingly, because he is just the illegitimate son of a rich nobleman of Catherine’s times, who has just returned from abroad, where he received an education.

Pierre Bezukhov differs from other guests in his spontaneity and sincerity. Drawing psychological picture of his main character, Tolstoy points out that Pierre was fat, absent-minded person, but all this was redeemed by “an expression of good nature, simplicity and modesty.” The owner of the salon was afraid that Pierre would say something wrong, and indeed, Bezukhov passionately expresses his opinion, argues with the viscount and does not know how to follow etiquette rules. At the same time, he is good-natured and smart. The qualities of Pierre, shown in the first chapters of the novel, will be inherent in him throughout the entire narrative, although the hero himself will go through a difficult path of spiritual evolution. Why can Pierre Bezukhov be considered one of the main characters of Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace”? Consideration of the image of Pierre Bezukhov helps to understand this.

Pierre Bezukhov is so loved by Tolstoy because he main character the novel tirelessly searches for the meaning of life, asks itself painful questions: “What is bad? What well? What should you love, what should you hate? Why live, and what am I? What is life, what is death? What force controls everything?

Pierre Bezukhov goes through a difficult path of spiritual quest. He is not satisfied with the St. Petersburg revelries of the golden youth. Having received an inheritance and becoming one of the richest people in Russia, the hero marries Helen, but fails family life and even blames himself for his wife’s infidelity, since he proposed without feeling love.

For a while he finds meaning in Freemasonry. He is close to the idea of ​​his spiritual brothers about the need to live for the sake of others, to give as much as possible to others. Pierre Bezukhov is trying to change and improve the situation of his peasants. But soon disappointment sets in: the main character of Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace” understands that most of the Masons are trying to make acquaintances with influential people. Further, the image and characteristics of Pierre Bezukhov are revealed in an interesting aspect.

The most important stage on a way spiritual formation Pierre Bezukhov is the war of 1812 and captivity. On the Borodino field, he understands that the truth is in the universal unity of people. In captivity, the peasant philosopher Platon Karataev reveals to the main character how important it is to “live with people” and stoically accept everything that fate brings.

Pierre Bezukhov has an inquisitive mind, thoughtful and often ruthless introspection. He is a decent person, kind and a little naive. He asks himself and the world philosophical questions about the meaning of life, God, the purpose of existence, without finding an answer, he does not brush aside painful thoughts, but tries to find the right path.

In the epilogue, Pierre is happy with Natasha Rostova, but personal happiness is not enough for him. He becomes a member secret society preparing transformations in Russia. So, discussing who the main characters are in Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace,” we focused on the image of Pierre Bezukhov and his characteristics. Let's move on to the next key character of the novel - Andrei Bolkonsky.

Andrei Bolkonsky in the novel "War and Peace"

The Bolkonsky family is united by common generic traits: a sharp analytical mind, nobility, the highest sense of honor, an understanding of their duty in serving the Fatherland. It is no coincidence that, seeing off his son to war, the father, admonishing him, says: “Remember one thing, Prince Andrei: if they kill you, it will hurt me, an old man... And if I find out that you did not behave like the son of Nikolai Bolkonsky, I will ... ashamed!" Undoubtedly, Andrei Bolkonsky bright character and one of the main characters in Tolstoy's War and Peace.

During military service, Bolkonsky is guided by considerations of the common good, and not own career. He heroically rushes forward with a banner in his hands, because it pains him to see the flight of the Russian army on the Field of Austerlitz.

Andrei, like Pierre, faces a difficult path of searching for the meaning of life and disappointments. At first he dreams of the glory of Napoleon. But after the Austerlitz sky, in which the prince saw something infinitely lofty, beautiful and calm, the former idol seems to him small, insignificant with his vain aspirations.

The main character of the novel “War and Peace” Tolstoy experiences disappointment in love (Natasha betrays him, deciding to run away with the fool Anatoly Kuragin), in life for the sake of his family (he understands that this is not enough), in public service (Speransky’s activities turn out to be meaningless vanity, not bringing true benefit).

Any book you read is an additional life lived. “War and Peace” by Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy is a unique work, having no analogues either in Russian or in foreign literature. The events in the novel span 15 years and take place in Russia and abroad, at balls on magnificent estates and in the courtyards where simple serfs live, in Peaceful time and during hostilities. The author reveals to his reader not one, but several destinies of heroes with rich and contradictory inner world. Not all the characters mentioned by Tolstoy occupy dominant positions on the pages of the novel; many only complement big picture while playing cameo roles, or serve as auxiliary factors for the full disclosure of the images of the main characters, which are discussed below in this article.

Brief description and characteristics of the main characters of the novel “War and Peace”

The main character of the work is the Russian people. By “people” Tolstoy means not just a category of society, but all the best that is in the Russian nation. The author considers “the people” not only peasants, but also those aristocrats who are characterized by self-sacrifice and mercy. The people's representatives are opposed by the regulars of the Scherer salon, for example, Helen and Anatole Kuragin, and Napoleon. These heroes are negative.

Literary scholars tend to divide folk characters into two groups:

• People with a “simple consciousness”, guided in their life choice by the dictates of the heart: Platon Karataev, Natasha Rostova, Kutuzov and others.
• And people “searching for themselves”: Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov.

The latter are characterized by personal development and Tolstoy subjects them to severe life tests.

Image Andrey Bolkonsky in the novel "War and Peace"

The author introduces the reader to twenty-seven-year-old Andrei Bolkonsky at the very beginning of the novel. Andrey is the son of a wealthy prince. He is good-looking, short in stature with “dry” facial features. His mother is no longer alive and he has a sister, Marya. His best friend is Pierre Bezukhov. In his youth, the hero finds happiness next to Lisa Meinen, who is Kutuzov’s niece. Lisa dies during childbirth, leaving Andrei with a newborn son, Nikolenka.

The prince does not like secular society. In search of himself, he goes to war. Military actions “sober” the hero and he understands that glory earned on the battlefields is worth nothing, a person’s life is much more valuable. After the death of his wife,

Andrey loses his meaning own life and finds him again, having fallen in love with young Natasha Rostova. The couple did not have a happy life together - they broke up because of Natasha's passion for Anatoly Kuragin. At the Battle of Borodino, Bolkonsky was seriously wounded and soon died.

Image Natasha Rostova in the novel "War and Peace"

Natasha is a cheerful, subtle, loud and stubborn girl, but not particularly beautiful. But she has a beautiful voice that captivates everyone around her. The heroine's romance with Andrei Bolkonsky ends due to her betrayal with Anatole, about which she reproached herself for a long time. The death of the prince in the war becomes in her life turning point. At the end of the story, little remains of the “living” Natasha. In the epilogue, she is the quiet, plump wife of Pierre Bezukhov, the mother of four children.

Image Pierre Buzukhov in the novel "War and Peace"

The author's favorite hero, who has a highly noble character and treats the common people with understanding. Pierre is moderately lazy, not practical, absent-minded and peaceful in all respects. He is Andrei Bolkonsky's best friend. Rich aristocrat. The hero had an outstanding appearance: large to the point of clumsiness in physique, but with an intelligent, albeit timid look.

According to the plot, Pierre experiences many emotional experiences, while he retains his good nature, remains responsive, ready to help. The hero's first marriage did not work out. He married a beautiful, but completely “alien” woman to him - Elen Kuragina. Pierre actively took part in the hostilities; the Battle of Borodino is shown to the reader entirely through his eyes. He was in French captivity, survived the death of his wife and best friend, was interested in Freemasonry.

Having fallen in love and married Natasha, the hero found happiness. But unlike his wife, he did not focus only on the family; his plans are to transform society for the better.

Image Marya Bolkonskaya in the novel "War and Peace"

An interesting and unforgettable image in the novel is the young Princess Bolkonskaya, and in the development of the plot - Rostova. The author describes her as thin and weak in body, but attractive with her deep and radiant eyes. Marya is a pious, caring and kind girl.

At first she directed her love to her family, then to the family of her husband, Nikolai Rostov.

Image Nikolai Rostov in the novel "War and Peace"

TO important characters The novel also includes Nikolai, the eldest child in the Rostov family. A young man of short stature, curly hair, with open to the world and people face. He is friendly, honest and strives for military glory, romanticizing it.

After participating in hostilities, the hero lost his illusions about battles and battles. He realized how absurd and cruel war is. Nikolai found happiness and peace next to Marya Bolkonskaya, who turned out to be very close to him in spirit.

Image Sonya Rostova in the novel "War and Peace"

Sonya is the niece of Count Rostov and lives in his family. The heroine is petite and slender, with long eyelashes, her black hair tied up in a thick braid. The author speaks of her as reasonable, quiet and kind girl. Sonya is in love with Nikolai Rostov, but when she realizes that her chosen one has chosen Marya, she calmly lets him go, not wanting to interfere with the happiness of her dear person.

Image Elen Kuragina in the novel "War and Peace"

Bright and beautiful female character in the novel. Helen shone in secular society and turned the men's heads. But under the mask of her charm there was a false and not gifted personality. She knew Napoleon personally and married the wealthy Count Pierre Bezukhov. The family life of the Bezukhov couple did not work out. Helen died of a sore throat, although there were rumors that she committed suicide.

Image Anatoly Kuragin in the novel "War and Peace"

Anatole is Helen's brother. As beautiful and effective as she is. But, unfortunately, like his sister, he did not have tall moral principles. The hero, having turned the head of the naive Natasha Rostova, at that time Andrei Bolkonsky's fiancée, planned to kidnap the girl and marry her secretly, while he himself was married. His plans were destroyed. However, the union of Natasha and Prince Bolkonsky also fell apart.

Image Platon Karataev in the novel "War and Peace"

An important character, thanks to whom Pierre Bezukhov understood the meaning of life. Pierre met Plato in French captivity. He was struck by the calmness, wisdom, and folk philosophy that radiated from Karataev, a simple Russian soldier nicknamed “Falcon” by his fellow soldiers. Platon Karataev died and “bequeathed” his wisdom to a random comrade Pierre.

Images Kutuzova And Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace"

In the novel there are not only characters fictional by Tolstoy, but also heroes who have real prototypes. The main ones include Napoleon Bonaparte and Kutuzov.

Kutuzov in the plot of the novel, as in historical reality, occupies the post of commander-in-chief Russian army. He is described as a white-haired man with a plump face, a disfigured scar and an aquiline nose. This is a majestic, serious figure in the novel. Tolstoy characterizes the character as cunning, diplomatic, attentive and thoughtful in military campaigns.

Another historical figure who definitely deserves attention is the Emperor of France Napoleon. At the beginning of the novel, the hero is something of a model for imitation and admiration of Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov. Napoleon is confident that the whole world and everything that happens in it depends only on him. The hero is overly complacent and needs constant admiration from people.

In custody

Brief characteristics of the characters in the novel “War and Peace” allow us to notice the inextricable connection in their destinies. Just like all events in the work, the meetings and partings of its heroes depend on the irrational law of mutual influence. Due to this law, according to the author of the novel, destinies are decided and the views of the heroes are formed.

One of the main mysteries Patriotic War 1812, the question arises - who was the initiator of the fire in Moscow. Napoleon categorically rejected suggestions that the ancient Russian capital was set on fire on his orders. The Emperor accused the Moscow governor-general, Count Rostopchin, of deliberate arson, dubbing him “Herostratus.”

Fyodor Vasilyevich Rostopchin really dreamed of great fame all his life. However, not at all about this...

In war or at court

The son of a wealthy Oryol landowner, a retired major Vasily Fedorovich Rostopchin, got good home education. At the age of 10, a nobleman Fedor Rostopchin enlisted in the Preobrazhensky Regiment.

This was the practice of those times - being formally registered from an early age to military service, the nobles grew in rank, and by the time they actually appeared in their regiments they already had respectable titles.

After a three-year journey through Europe in 1786-1788, during which young Rostopchin alternated between entertainment and lectures at the university, he arrived in the regiment as a captain and lieutenant.

During Russian-Turkish war Rostopchin served under Suvorov, participated in the assault on Ochakov, in the battle of Focsani and the battle of Rymnik. Quite quickly becoming disillusioned with the prospects for a career in the military field, the young officer decided to succeed at court.

However, around the aging Catherine the Great There were already a lot of ambitious and attractive young people, so Rostopchin was not in demand.

The favor and disgrace of Emperor Paul

Rejected by the empress, Fyodor Rostopchin ended up in the heir's retinue, Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, who gained confidence in him.

When Paul I became emperor, Rostopchin was promoted to adjutant general under His Imperial Majesty, and then promoted to major general and awarded the Order of St. Anna 2nd, and after that 1st degree.

The emperor's favor alternated with disfavor - in March 1798, Rostopchin was dismissed from service and exiled to his Voronovo estate near Moscow. But already in August of the same year, Paul I promoted him to lieutenant general, instructing him to head the Military Department.

In the same year, Rostopchin became cabinet minister of the Department of Foreign Affairs. In fact, over the next two years he led foreign policy empires.

In February 1799, Rostopchin was elevated to the rank of count. Russian Empire. At the beginning of 1801, one of the closest people to Paul I again found himself in disgrace. Contributed to this Count Palen, who was at enmity with Rostopchin.

Together with his family, Rostopchin again left for Moscow, and literally three weeks later he learned that the emperor was no longer alive. He fell victim to a conspiracy ideological inspirer which was Palen.

The writer returns to service

Alexander I was wary of Rostopchin, and the count remained for a long time in his Voronov estate near Moscow. In addition to housekeeping, he became addicted to literary work. Most Rostopchin read his plays only to relatives and friends, after which he burned them. However, in 1807 his book “Thoughts Out Loud on the Red Porch” was published, and a year later the play “News, or Killed Alive” was staged in Moscow.

In 1810, Rostopchin's request to return to service was granted. He received the rank of chief chamberlain, but was ordered to be listed as “on leave.”

The wariness of Alexander I was explained simply - at the beginning of his reign he adhered to liberal views, and Rostopchin was a staunch conservative.

In 1812, however, people critical of Europe were in demand. On May 24, 1812, Fyodor Rostopchin was appointed Moscow military governor, and on May 29, 1812, Moscow commander-in-chief. Along with the position of commander-in-chief, he received the rank of infantry general.

"Posters of 1812"

In his new post, Rostopchin acted energetically. He initiated the gathering of a militia, which was joined by several tens of thousands of people, ensured the supply of provisions and everything necessary to the active army, and housed the wounded arriving in Moscow.

Separately, it is necessary to say about Rostopchin’s appeals. “Posters of 1812, or friendly messages from the commander-in-chief in Moscow to its inhabitants” were hung on the streets and distributed to the homes of citizens in the same way as theater ones. Calling on all his literary talent to help, the count branded the enemy, praised the Russian army, and promised the enemy imminent death. As Napoleon approached Moscow, the Posters stated that the city would not be surrendered to the enemy.

But the military governor himself did not rule out the fall of the city. In a letter Bagration he wrote: “I cannot imagine that the enemy could come to Moscow. Whenever it happens that you retreat to Vyazma, then I will begin the administration of all state things and will give everyone the freedom to get out, and the people here, out of loyalty to the sovereign and the fatherland, will decisively die at the walls of Moscow, and if God does not help them in their good enterprise, then, following the Russian rule: do not get it from the villain, he will turn the city into ashes, and Napoleon will receive instead of booty the place where the capital was. It’s not a bad idea to let him know about this, so that he doesn’t count millions of grain stores, for he will find coal and ash.”

Thus, Rostopchin really had thoughts about burning the city. In addition, just before the French entered Moscow, fire extinguishing equipment was removed from it. True, the mayor himself claimed that this was done at will Field Marshal Kutuzov.

Public execution of the traitor Vereshchagin

After Kutuzov informed Rostopchin of his intention to surrender Moscow, the governor’s main concern was the evacuation of valuables. In general, he coped with the task, in contrast to the evacuation of wounded soldiers, of whom, according to various sources, there were from 2,000 to 10,000 left in Moscow. Some of them became victims of the Moscow fire.

The count himself found himself in difficult situation. In order not to heat up the atmosphere, he refused to evacuate his own property worth half a million rubles, leaving it to be plundered by the enemy. But even without this, leaving the city turned out to be difficult.

His house was besieged by angry Muscovites, who considered the governor a deceiver - after all, he had promised that Moscow would not be surrendered. Rostopchin was not afraid to talk to the people, but here he realized that words would not be enough.

On his orders, a merchant's son was brought to the house from prison Vereshchagina, arrested for distributing Napoleonic proclamations, and the Frenchman Moutona, sentenced to be beaten with batogs and exiled to Siberia.

In front of the crowd, the Count began to denounce the traitor, and then announced that he had been sentenced to death by the Senate. By order of Rostopchin, the dragoons struck Vereshchagin several times with sabers, after which the wounded but still alive man was thrown to be torn to pieces by angry Muscovites.

The pale Mouton expected the same terrible fate, but the governor had his own plans. He ordered the prisoner to be released, telling him: “Go to Napoleon and tell him how the Russians deal with traitors!”

Everything that Rostopchin did was blatant arbitrariness and a violation of the laws, but this allowed the count to leave Moscow.

“I am setting my house on fire so that it will not be desecrated by your presence.”

The count personally burned his estate in Voronovo, leaving the French with a plaque with the inscription: “For eight years I decorated this village, in which I enjoyed happiness among my family. When you approach, the townsfolk, 1,720 in number, leave their homes, and I set my house on fire so that it will not be desecrated by your presence.”

After this, Rostopchin left for Vladimir, from where he called on the people to wage a guerrilla war against the enemy. He also released a new “Poster”: “We will destroy sufficient enemy force, we will bury them in Holy Rus', we will begin to beat them wherever we meet. There are very few of them left, and there are forty million of us people, flocking from all sides like a flock of eagles. We will exterminate the overseas reptile and give their bodies to the wolves and crows; and Moscow will be decorated again.”

Everything indicates that the count could have given the order to set fire to Moscow. Moreover, the fire confused the plans of Napoleon, who planned to spend the winter in Moscow.

But why then did Rostopchin subsequently stubbornly deny his involvement, even writing the book “The Truth about the Fire of Moscow”?

Firstly, arson itself ancient city as a measure to combat the enemy was perceived ambiguously. Secondly, the death of thousands of wounded soldiers in a fire was on Rostopchin’s conscience. Thirdly, Moscow homeowners were not averse to collecting damages from the culprit, which threatened the count with complete ruin.

On the other hand, if we still assume that the fire arose from the actions of Napoleon’s soldiers, who could set fire to Moscow during the robberies, then the emperor’s desire to cleverly remove responsibility for the barbarity, shifting it onto the shoulders of the eccentric Rostopchin, is understandable.

“What does a monument made of cannons and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior mean to the people?”

The mayor returned to Moscow almost immediately after the French left. We must pay tribute to the count, he made a lot of efforts to ensure that the city returned to normal life. By the end of December 1812, the work of all public places in the city was restored. Food supplies were ensured, and assistance was provided to those who had lost their homes and property.

By January 1814, 4,806 stone and wooden houses had been rebuilt and repaired after the fire, that is, more than half of the buildings damaged by the fire. At the same time, Rostopchin did not hide his irritation, believing that St. Petersburg is not paying due attention to the restoration of Moscow: “What is a monument made of cannons and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to the people? To this day I do not have a penny for the poor, and if it were not for the remnants of emergency sums and my own money, five thousand faithful people would have died of hunger and poverty.” This is how the mayor responded to the emperor’s demand to collect French cannons to create a pompous monument in honor of the victory over Napoleon.

In 1814, Rostopchin, whose health was undermined by hard work, asked for resignation from the post of Moscow mayor, and Alexander I agreed to accept it.

Fyodor Rostopchin. Artist Orest Kiprensky.

Sorrows instead of honors

The count counted on high appreciation of his merits, but was awarded only the status of a member State Council without the obligation to attend meetings.

Having never received recognition at court, Rostopchin went abroad, officially to undergo a course of treatment. The “treatment” lasted for eight years, and the count spent almost six of them in Paris. There, however, he was also haunted by the fame of the “arsonist of Moscow.” And even the book he wrote, “The Truth about the Fire of Moscow,” did not change anything.

Poisoned life and family problems. Relations with his wife were difficult for many years, as Rostopchin could not come to terms with the fact that his wife converted to Catholicism and convinced his daughters to do the same. The son, who lived in Paris as a reveler and spendthrift, incurred debts of almost 100,000 rubles and ended up in prison, from where his father had to ransom him.

In 1823, Rostopchin’s favorite, youngest daughter, fell seriously ill Elizabeth. The Count returned to his homeland, finally retired, and was ready to spend any money on Lisa’s treatment.

It didn’t help - in March 1825, 18-year-old Elizaveta Rostopchina died. This grief finally broke the former Moscow mayor. His own illnesses worsened, paralysis developed in December, and on January 18, 1826, Count Fyodor Vasilyevich Rostopchin died.

The Moscow mayor took his place in history. Although he never managed to get rid of the shadow of the fire of 1812.

Every book you read is another life lived, especially when the plot and characters are so well developed. “War and Peace” is a unique epic novel; there is nothing like it in either Russian or world literature. The events described in it take place in St. Petersburg, Moscow, foreign estates of nobles and in Austria over the course of 15 years. The characters are also striking in their scale.

"War and Peace" is a novel in which more than 600 characters are mentioned. Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy describes them so aptly that the few apt characteristics bestowed upon the cross-cutting characters are enough to form an idea about them. Therefore, “War and Peace” is a whole life in all the fullness of colors, sounds and sensations. It's worth living.

The birth of an idea and creative quest

In 1856, Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy began writing a story about the life of the Decembrist who returned after exile. The time of action was supposed to be 1810-1820. Gradually, the period expanded until 1825. But by this time the main character had already matured and became a family man. And in order to better understand him, the author had to return to the period of his youth. And it coincided with a glorious era for Russia.

But Tolstoy could not write about the triumph over Bonaparte's France without mentioning failures and mistakes. Now the novel already consisted of three parts. The first (as conceived by the author) was supposed to describe the youth of the future Decembrist and his participation in the War of 1812. This is the first period of the hero's life. Tolstoy wanted to devote the second part to the Decembrist uprising. The third - the return of the hero from exile and his later life. However, Tolstoy quickly abandoned this idea: the work on the novel turned out to be too large-scale and painstaking.

Initially, Tolstoy limited the duration of his work to 1805-1812. The epilogue, dated 1920, appeared much later. But the author was concerned not only with the plot, but also with the characters. "War and Peace" is not a description of the life of one hero. Central figures several characters appear at once. And most importantly actor- a people that is much larger than the thirty-year-old Decembrist Pyotr Ivanovich Labazov, who returned from exile.

Work on the novel took Tolstoy six years, from 1863 to 1869. And this does not take into account the six that went into developing the idea of ​​​​the Decembrist, which became its basis.

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

The main character in Tolstoy is the people. But in his understanding he is not just social category, but a creative force. According to Tolstoy, the people are all the best that is in the Russian nation. Moreover, this includes not only representatives of the lower classes, but also those of the nobles who have a desire to live for the sake of others.

Tolstoy contrasts representatives of the people with Napoleon, the Kuragins and other aristocrats - regulars at Anna Pavlovna Scherer's salon. This negative characters novel "War and Peace". Already in the description of their appearance, Tolstoy emphasizes the mechanical nature of their existence, lack of spirituality, “animality” of actions, lifelessness of smiles, selfishness and inability to compassion. They are incapable of change. Tolstoy does not see the possibility of their spiritual development, so they remain forever frozen, distant from the real understanding of life.

Researchers often distinguish two subgroups of “folk” characters:

• Those who are endowed with “simple consciousness”. They easily distinguish right from wrong, guided by the “mind of the heart.” This subgroup includes such characters as Natasha Rostova, Kutuzov, Platon Karataev, Alpatych, officers Timokhin and Tushin, soldiers and partisans.
• Those who are “looking for themselves.” Upbringing and class barriers prevent them from connecting with the people, but they manage to overcome them. This subgroup includes such characters as Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky. It is these heroes who are shown capable of development, internal changes. They are not without shortcomings; they make mistakes in their life quests, but pass all tests with dignity. Sometimes Natasha Rostova is included in this group. After all, she too was once carried away by Anatole, forgetting about her beloved Prince Bolkonsky. The War of 1812 becomes a kind of catharsis for this entire subgroup, which makes them look at life differently and discard the class conventions that previously prevented them from living according to the dictates of their hearts, as the people do.

The simplest classification

Sometimes the characters in War and Peace are divided according to an even simpler principle - their ability to live for the sake of others. Such a character system is also possible. “War and Peace,” like any other work, is the author’s vision. Therefore, everything in the novel happens in accordance with Lev Nikolaevich’s worldview. The people, in Tolstoy’s understanding, are the personification of all the best that is in the Russian nation. Characters such as the Kuragin family, Napoleon, and many regulars at the Scherer salon know how to live only for themselves.

Along Arkhangelsk and Baku

• “Life-wasters,” from Tolstoy’s point of view, are the furthest from the correct understanding of existence. This group lives only for themselves, selfishly neglecting those around them.
• "Leaders" This is what Arkhangelsky and Buck call those who think they control history. For example, the authors include Napoleon in this group.
• “Wise men” are those who understood the true world order and were able to trust providence.
• "Ordinary people". This group, according to Arkhangelsky and Buck, includes those who know how to listen to their hearts, but do not particularly strive for anything.
• “Truth Seekers” are Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky. Throughout the novel, they painfully search for the truth, strive to understand what the meaning of life is.
• The authors of the textbook include Natasha Rostova in a separate group. They believe that it is at the same time close to “ ordinary people", and to the "wise men". The girl easily comprehends life empirically and knows how to listen to the voice of her heart, but the most important thing for her is family and children, as it should be, according to Tolstoy, for an ideal woman.

You can consider many more classifications of the characters in War and Peace, but they all ultimately come down to the simplest one, which fully reflects the worldview of the author of the novel. After all, he saw true happiness in serving others. Therefore, positive (“folk”) heroes know how and want to do this, but negative ones do not.

L.N. Tolstoy “War and Peace”: female characters

Any work is a reflection of the author's vision of life. According to Tolstoy, the highest purpose of a woman is to care for her husband and children. It is the keeper of the hearth that the reader sees Natasha Rostova in the epilogue of the novel.

All positive female characters in War and Peace fulfill their highest purpose. The author also imparts happiness to motherhood and family life to Maria Bolkonskaya. Interestingly, she is perhaps the most positive hero novel. Princess Marya has practically no flaws. Despite her diverse education, she still finds her purpose, as befits a Tolstoy heroine, in caring for her husband and children.

A completely different fate awaited Helen Kuragina and the little princess, who saw no joy in motherhood.

Pierre Bezukhov

This is Tolstoy's favorite character. "War and Peace" describes him as a man who by nature has a highly noble character, so he easily understands the people. All his mistakes are due to the aristocratic conventions instilled in him by his upbringing.

Throughout the novel, Pierre experiences many mental traumas, but does not become embittered or become less good-natured. He is loyal and responsive, often forgetting about himself in an effort to serve others. Having married Natasha Rostova, Pierre found that grace and true happiness that he so lacked in his first marriage to the completely false Helen Kuragina.

Lev Nikolaevich loves his hero very much. He describes in detail its formation and spiritual development from the very beginning to the end. The example of Pierre shows that the main thing for Tolstoy is responsiveness and devotion. The author rewards him with happiness with his favorite female heroine - Natasha Rostova.

From the epilogue one can understand Pierre's future. By changing himself, he strives to transform society. He does not accept the contemporary political foundations of Russia. It can be assumed that Pierre will participate in the Decembrist uprising, or at least actively support it.

Andrey Bolkonsky

The reader first meets this hero in the salon of Anna Pavlovna Scherer. He is married to Lisa - the little princess, as she is called, and will soon become a father. Andrei Bolkonsky behaves extremely arrogantly with all the regulars of Sherer. But the reader soon notices that this is only a mask. Bolkonsky understands that those around him cannot understand his spiritual quest. He talks to Pierre in a completely different way. But Bolkonsky at the beginning of the novel is not alien to the ambitious desire to achieve heights in the military field. It seems to him that he is above aristocratic conventions, but it turns out that his eyes are just as blinkered as those of others. Andrei Bolkonsky realized too late that he should have given up his feelings for Natasha in vain. But this insight comes to him only before his death.

Like other “searching” characters in Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace,” Bolkonsky spends his entire life trying to find the answer to the question of what is the meaning of human existence. But he understands the highest value of family too late.

Natasha Rostova

This is Tolstoy's favorite female character. However, the entire Rostov family seems to the author to be the ideal of nobles living in unity with the people. Natasha cannot be called beautiful, but she is lively and attractive. The girl has a good sense of people's moods and characters.

According to Tolstoy, inner beauty does not match with the outside. Natasha is attractive due to her character, but her main qualities are simplicity and closeness to the people. However, at the beginning of the novel she lives in her own illusion. Disappointment in Anatol makes her an adult and contributes to the heroine’s maturation. Natasha begins to attend church and ultimately finds happiness in family life with Pierre.

Marya Bolkonskaya

The prototype of this heroine was Lev Nikolaevich’s mother. It is not surprising that it is almost completely devoid of flaws. She, like Natasha, is ugly, but has a very rich inner world. Like others positive characters novel "War and Peace", at the end she also becomes happy, becoming the keeper of the hearth in her own family.

Helen Kuragina

Tolstoy has a multifaceted characterization of his characters. War and Peace describes Helen as a cutesy woman with a fake smile. It immediately becomes clear to the reader what external beauty there is no internal filling. Marrying her becomes a test for Pierre and does not bring happiness.

Nikolay Rostov

The core of any novel is its characters. War and Peace describes Nikolai Rostov as a loving brother and son, as well as a true patriot. Lev Nikolaevich saw in this hero the prototype of his father. Having gone through the hardships of the war, Nikolai Rostov retires to pay off his family's debts and finds his true love in the person of Marya Bolkonskaya.

In his novel, Tolstoy depicted whole line heroes. It is not for nothing that the author presented detailed characteristics characters. "War and Peace" is a novel in which the components of wholes noble families, show the reader a reflection of people who lived during the war with Napoleon. In "War and Peace" we see the Russian spirit, features historical events, characteristic of the period of the late 18th - early 19th centuries. The greatness of the Russian soul is shown against the background of these events.

If you make a list of characters ("War and Peace"), you will only get about 550-600 heroes. However, they are not all equally important to the narrative. "War and Peace" is a novel whose characters can be divided into three main groups: main, minor characters and simply mentioned in the text. Among them there are both fictional and historical figures, as well as heroes who have prototypes among the writer’s environment. This article will introduce the main characters. "War and Peace" is a work in which the Rostov family is described in detail. So let's start with it.

Ilya Andreevich Rostov

This is a count who had four children: Petya, Nikolai, Vera and Natasha. Ilya Andreevich is a very generous and kind-hearted person who loved life. As a result, his excessive generosity led to wastefulness. Rostov - loving father and husband He is a good organizer of receptions and balls. But living in grand style, as well as selfless help to wounded soldiers and the departure of Russians from Moscow, took a toll on his condition. fatal blows. Ilya Andreevich’s conscience constantly tormented him because of the approaching poverty of his relatives, but he could not help himself. After Petya's death, youngest son, the count turned out to be broken, but perked up, preparing the wedding of Pierre Bezukhov and Natasha. Count Rostov dies a few months after these characters get married. “War and Peace” (Tolstoy) is a work in which the prototype of this hero is Ilya Andreevich, Tolstoy’s grandfather.

Natalya Rostova (wife of Ilya Andreevich)

This 45-year-old woman, the wife of Rostov and the mother of four children, had some oriental. Those around her regarded the focus of sedateness and slowness in her as solidity, as well as her high significance for the family. However the real reason these manners lies in the weak and exhausted physical condition because of childbirth and the energy devoted to raising children. Natalya loves her family and children very much, so she was almost driven crazy by the news of Petya’s death. Countess Rostova, like Ilya Andreevich, loved luxury and demanded that everyone follow her orders. In her you can find the features of Tolstoy’s grandmother, Pelageya Nikolaevna.

Nikolay Rostov

This hero is the son of Ilya Andreevich. He is loving son and brother, respects his family, but at the same time faithfully serves in the army, which is very important and significant feature in his characteristics. He often saw even his fellow soldiers as a second family. Even though Nikolai was in love for a long time to Sonya, his cousin, nevertheless marries Marya Bolkonskaya at the end of the novel. Nikolai Rostov is a very energetic man, with open and curly hair. His love for the Russian emperor and patriotism never dried up. Having gone through the hardships of the war, Nikolai becomes a brave and courageous hussar. He retires after the death of Ilya Andreevich in order to improve financial situation of the family, pay off debts and finally become good husband for your wife. Tolstoy sees this hero as a prototype of his own father. As you have probably already noticed, the presence of prototypes in many heroes characterizes the character system. "War and Peace" is a work in which the morals of the nobility are presented through the features of the family of Tolstoy, who was a count.

Natasha Rostova

This is the Rostovs' daughter. A very emotional and energetic girl who was considered ugly, but attractive and lively. Natasha is not very smart, but at the same time she is intuitive, as she could “guess people” well, their character traits and mood. This heroine is very impetuous and prone to self-sacrifice. She dances and sings beautifully, which was the case at that time important characteristic a girl belonging to a secular society. Leo Tolstoy repeatedly emphasizes Natasha's main quality - closeness to the Russian people. It absorbed nations and Russian culture. Natasha lives in an atmosphere of love, happiness and goodness, but after a while the girl is faced with harsh reality. Blows of fate, as well as heartfelt experiences, make this heroine an adult and ultimately give her true love to her husband, Pierre Bezukhov. The story of the rebirth of Natasha’s soul deserves special respect. She began attending church after becoming the victim of a deceitful seducer. Natasha is collective image, the prototype of which was Tolstoy’s daughter-in-law, Tatyana Andreevna Kuzminskaya, as well as her sister (the author’s wife) Sofya Andreevna.

Vera Rostova

This heroine is the daughter of the Rostovs ("War and Peace"). The character portraits created by the author are distinguished by their diversity of characters. Vera, for example, was famous for her strict disposition, as well as for the inappropriate, although fair, remarks she made in society. Her mother, for some unknown reason, did not love her very much, and Vera felt this acutely, and therefore often went against everyone. This girl later became the wife of Boris Drubetsky. The prototype of the heroine is Lev Nikolaevich (Elizabeth Bers).

Peter Rostov

The Rostovs' son, still just a boy. Petya, growing up, was eager to go to war as a young man, and his parents could not stop him. He escaped from their tutelage and joined Denisov’s regiment. In the very first battle, Petya dies before he has even had time to fight. The death of their beloved son greatly devastated the family.

Sonya

With this heroine we finish the description of the characters ("War and Peace") belonging to the Rostov family. Sonya, a nice miniature girl, was Ilya Andreevich’s own niece and lived her whole life under his roof. Love for Nikolai became fatal for her, since she failed to marry him. Natalya Rostova, the old countess, was against this marriage, since the lovers were cousins. Sonya acted nobly, refusing Dolokhov and deciding to love only Nikolai all her life, freeing him from the promise given to her. She spends the rest of her life in the care of Nikolai Rostov, under the old countess.

The prototype of this heroine is Tatyana Aleksandrovna Ergolskaya, the writer’s second cousin.

Not only the Rostovs in the work are the main characters. "War and Peace" is a novel in which the Bolkonsky family also plays a large role.

Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky

This is the father of Andrei Bolkonsky, a general-in-chief in the past, but in the present he is a prince who has earned the nickname “Prussian king” in Russian secular society. He is socially active, strict like a father, pedantic, and a wise owner of the estate. Outwardly, he is a thin old man with thick eyebrows that hang over intelligent and penetrating eyes, wearing a powdered white wig. Nikolai Andreevich does not like to show his feelings even to his beloved daughter and son. He torments Marya with constant nagging. Prince Nikolai, sitting on his estate, follows the events taking place in the country, and only before his death he loses the idea of ​​​​the scale of the Russian war with Napoleon. Nikolai Sergeevich Volkonsky, the writer’s grandfather, was the prototype of this prince.

Andrey Bolkonsky

This is the son of Nikolai Andreevich. He is ambitious, like his father, and is reserved in expressing his feelings, but he loves his sister and father very much. Andrei is married to Lisa, the “little princess.” He made a successful military career. Andrey philosophizes a lot about the meaning of life, the state of his spirit. He is in constant search. In Natasha Rostova, after the death of his wife, he found hope for himself, because he saw a real girl, and not a fake one, as in secular society, and that’s why he fell in love with her. Having proposed to this heroine, he was forced to go abroad for treatment, which became a test of their feelings. The wedding ended up being cancelled. Andrei went to war with Napoleon, where he was seriously wounded and died as a result. Until the end of his days, Natasha devotedly looked after him.

Marya Bolkonskaya

This is Andrei's sister, daughter of Prince Nikolai. She is very meek, ugly, but kind-hearted and also very rich. Her devotion to religion serves as an example of meekness and kindness to many. Marya unforgettably loves her father, who often pesters her with his reproaches and ridicule. This girl also loves her brother. She did not immediately accept Natasha as her future daughter-in-law, since she seemed too frivolous for Andrei. After all the hardships, Marya marries Nikolai Rostov.

Its prototype is Maria Nikolaevna Volkonskaya, Tolstoy’s mother.

Pierre Bezukhov (Peter Kirillovich)

The main characters of the novel "War and Peace" would not be fully listed if Pierre Bezukhov were not mentioned. This hero plays one of the critical roles. He has experienced a lot of pain and mental trauma, and has a noble and kind disposition. Lev Nikolaevich himself loves Pierre very much. Bezukhov, as a friend of Andrei Bolkonsky, is very responsive and devoted. Despite the intrigues weaving under his nose, Pierre did not lose trust in people and did not become embittered. By marrying Natasha, he finally found the happiness and grace that he lacked with his first wife, Helen. At the end of the work, his desire to change the political foundations in Russia is noticeable; one can even guess from afar Pierre’s Decembrist sentiments.

These are the main characters. "War and Peace" is a novel in which big role is given to such historical figures, like Kutuzov and Napoleon, as well as some other commanders in chief. Others are presented social groups, except for the nobility (merchants, burghers, peasantry, army). The list of characters ("War and Peace") is quite impressive. However, our task is to consider only the main characters.