“He always had a beautiful heart” (based on the novel by L. Tolstoy “War and Peace”. Reflection on the theme of spiritual quest by Pierre Bezukhov)

Pierre's life is a path of discovery and disappointment, a path of crisis and in many ways dramatic. Pierre is an emotional person. He is distinguished by a mind prone to dreamy philosophizing, distraction, weakness of will, lack of initiative, and exceptional kindness. Main feature hero - the search for peace, harmony with oneself, the search for a life that would be in harmony with the needs of the heart and would bring moral satisfaction.

At the beginning of the novel, Pierre is a fat, massive young man with an intelligent, timid and observant look that distinguishes him from the rest of the visitors to the living room. Having recently arrived from abroad, this illegitimate son of Count Bezukhov stands out in the high society salon for his naturalness, sincerity and simplicity. He is soft, supple, easily amenable to other people's influence. For example, he leads a disorderly, wild life, participating in revelry and atrocities of secular youth, although he perfectly understands the emptiness and worthlessness of such a pastime.

Big and clumsy, he does not fit in with the elegant interior of the cabin, confuses and shocks others. But he also inspires fear. Anna Pavlovna is frightened by the look of a young man: smart, timid, observant, natural. Such is Pierre, the illegitimate son of a Russian nobleman. In the Scherer salon, he is accepted only just in case, and suddenly Count Kirill officially recognizes his son. Much at first seems strange to us in Pierre: he was brought up in Paris - and does not know how to behave in society. And only later we will understand that spontaneity, sincerity, ardor are the essential features of Pierre. Nothing will ever force him to change himself, to live according to a general, average form, to conduct meaningless conversations.

Already here it is noticeable that Pierre does not fit into the false society of flatterers and careerists, the defining feature of which is an all-pervading lie. For this reason, the appearance of Pierre in the majority of those present causes fear, and his sincerity and straightforwardness - outright fear. Let us recall how Pierre moved away from his useless aunt, spoke to the French abbot and was carried away by the conversation so that he began to clearly threaten to violate the system of secular relationships familiar to the Scherer house, which revived the dead, false atmosphere.

With one of his smart and timid glances, Pierre seriously frightened the hostess of the salon and her guests with their false norms of behavior. Pierre has the same kind and sincere smile, his special harmless softness is striking. But Tolstoy himself does not consider his hero weak and weak-willed, as it might seem at first glance: “Pierre was one of those people who, despite their outward, so-called weakness of character, do not look for an attorney for their grief.”

In Pierre, there is a constant struggle between the spiritual and the sensual, internal, moral essence the hero is contrary to his way of life. On the one hand, it is full of noble, freedom-loving thoughts, the origins of which date back to the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. Pierre is an admirer of Rousseau, Montesquieu, who fascinated him with the ideas of universal equality and the re-education of man. On the other hand, Pierre participates in revelry in the company of Anatole Kuragin, and here he manifests that reckless-lordly beginning, the embodiment of which was once his father, Ekaterininsky nobleman, Count Bezukhov.

Pierre's naivete and gullibility, inability to understand people make him make a number of life mistakes, of which the most serious is marrying the stupid and cynical beauty Helen Kuragina. By this thoughtless act, Pierre deprives himself of all hope for possible personal happiness.

This is one of the important milestones in the life of the hero. But Pierre is becoming more and more aware that he does not have a real family, that his wife is an immoral woman. Dissatisfaction grows in him, but not with others, but with himself. This is exactly what happens with real moral people. For their disorder, they consider it possible to execute only themselves. The explosion occurs at a dinner in honor of Bagration. Pierre challenges Dolokhov, who insulted him, to a duel. After everything that happened to him, especially after the duel, Pierre seems meaningless to his whole life. He is going through a mental crisis: this is a strong dissatisfaction with himself and the desire to change his life, to build it on new, good principles, associated with this.

Bezukhov breaks with Helen abruptly after learning how strong her love for his money was. Bezukhov himself is indifferent to money and luxury, therefore he calmly agrees with the demands of his cunning wife to give her most of his fortune. Pierre is disinterested and ready to do anything to get rid of the lies that the insidious beauty surrounded him as soon as possible. Despite his carelessness and youth, Pierre keenly feels the boundary between innocent jokes and dangerous games, which can cripple someone's life, so he is frankly indignant in a conversation with the villain Anatole after the failed kidnapping of Natasha.

Having broken with his wife, Pierre, on the way to Petersburg, in Torzhok, waiting for horses at the station, asks himself difficult (eternal) 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 power controls everything? Here he meets the freemason Bazdeev. At the moment of spiritual discord that Pierre was experiencing, Bazdeev appears to him just the person he needs, Pierre is offered the path of moral improvement, and he accepts this path, because most of all he now needs to improve his life and himself.

Tolstoy makes the hero go through a difficult path of losses, mistakes, delusions and searches. Having become close to the Freemasons, Pierre tries to find the meaning of life in religious truth. Freemasonry gave the hero the belief that there should be a kingdom of goodness and truth in the world, and the highest happiness of a person is to strive to achieve them. He passionately desires "to regenerate the vicious human race." In the teachings of the Freemasons, Pierre is attracted by the ideas of "equality, brotherhood and love," therefore, first of all, he decides to alleviate the fate of the serfs. In moral purification for Pierre, as well as for Tolstoy in certain period, was the truth of Freemasonry, and, carried away by it, at first he did not notice what was a lie. It seems to him that he has finally found the purpose and meaning of life: "And only now, when I ... try ... to live for others, only now I understand all the happiness of life." This conclusion helps Pierre to find real way in his further searches.

Pierre shares his new ideas about life with Andrei Bolkonsky. Pierre is trying to transform the order of Freemasons, draws up a project in which he calls for activity, practical help to his neighbor, for the dissemination of moral ideas for the good of humanity throughout the world ... However, the Masons resolutely reject Pierre's project, and he is finally convinced of the validity of his suspicions about that many of them were looking for a means of expanding their secular ties in Freemasonry, that the Freemasons - these insignificant people - were not interested in the problems of goodness, love, truth, the good of mankind, but in uniforms and crosses, which they achieved in life. Pierre cannot be satisfied with mysterious, mystical rites and sublime conversations about good and evil. Disappointment soon sets in in Freemasonry, since Pierre's republican ideas were not shared by his "brothers", and besides, Pierre sees that hypocrisy, hypocrisy, and careerism exist among the Freemasons. All this leads Pierre to break with the Masons.

In a fit of passion, he tends to succumb to such instant hobbies, taking them for true and correct. And then, when the true essence of things is revealed, when hopes collapse, Pierre also actively falls into despair, disbelief, like a small child who has been offended. He wants to find a field of action in order to translate fair and humane ideas into a concrete useful thing. Therefore, Bezukhov, like Andrei, begins to improve his serfs. All measures taken by him are imbued with sympathy for the oppressed peasantry. Pierre makes sure that only persuasive and not corporal punishments are applied, so that the peasants are not burdened with overwork, and hospitals, shelters and schools are established in each estate. But all the good intentions of Pierre remained only intentions. Why, wanting to help the peasants, he could not do this? The answer is simple. His naivety, lack of practical experience, ignorance of reality prevented the young humane landowner from bringing good undertakings to life. The stupid but cunning chief executive easily fooled the smart and intelligent gentleman around the finger, creating the appearance of the exact execution of his orders.

Feeling a strong need for high noble activity, feeling rich forces in himself, Pierre nevertheless does not see the purpose and meaning of life. The Patriotic War of 1812, the general patriotism of which captured him, helps the hero to find a way out of this state of discord with himself and the world around him. His life only seemed calm and serene from the outside. "Why? Why? What is going on in the world?" - these questions did not cease to disturb Bezukhov. This ongoing inner work prepared his spiritual rebirth in the days Patriotic War 1812.

Of great importance for Pierre was contact with the people on the Borodino field. The landscape of the Borodino field before the start of the battle (bright sun, fog, distant forests, golden fields and copses, smoke from shots) correlates with Pierre's mood and thoughts, causing him some kind of elation, a sense of the beauty of the spectacle, the grandeur of what is happening. Through his eyes Tolstoy conveys his understanding of the decisive in folk, historical life events. Shocked by the behavior of the soldiers, Pierre himself shows courage and readiness for self-sacrifice. At the same time, one cannot fail to note the naivety of the hero: his decision to kill Napoleon.

“To be a soldier, just a soldier!.. To enter this common life with all one's being, to be imbued with what makes them so,” - this is the desire that seized Pierre after the Battle of Borodino. Not being a military officer, like Andrei Bolkonsky, Pierre expressed his love for the fatherland in his own way: he formed a regiment at his own expense and took it to support, while he himself remained in Moscow to kill Napoleon as the main culprit of national disasters. It was here, in the capital occupied by the French, that Pierre's selfless kindness was fully revealed.

With regard to Pierre ordinary people and the author's criterion of beauty in man is once again manifested in nature. Seeing helpless people at the mercy of the rampant French soldiers, he cannot remain just a witness to the numerous human dramas that unfold before his eyes. Not thinking about his own safety, Pierre protects a woman, stands up for a lunatic, saves a child from a burning house. Before his eyes, representatives of the most cultured and civilized nation are outrageous, violence and arbitrariness are happening, people are being executed, accused of arson, which they did not commit. These terrible and painful impressions are aggravated by the conditions of captivity.

But the most terrible thing for the hero is not hunger and lack of freedom, but the collapse of faith in the just structure of the world, in man and God. Decisive for Pierre is his meeting with a soldier, a former peasant Platon Karataev, who, according to Tolstoy, personifies populace. This meeting meant for the hero familiarization with the people, folk wisdom, even closer rapprochement with ordinary people. The round gentle soldier performs a real miracle, forcing Pierre to look at the world brightly and joyfully again, to believe in goodness, love, justice. Communication with Karataev causes a feeling of peace and comfort in the hero. His suffering soul warms up under the influence of the cordiality and participation of a simple Russian person. Platon Karataev has some special gift of love, a sense of blood connection with all people. His wisdom, which struck Pierre, lies in the fact that he lives in complete harmony with everything earthly, as if dissolving in it.

In captivity, Pierre finds that calmness and contentment with himself, to which he had vainly sought before. Here he learned not with his mind, but with his whole being, with his life, that man was created for happiness, that happiness lies in himself, in the satisfaction of natural human needs ... Initiation to the people's truth, to the people's ability to live helps Pierre's inner liberation, always looking for solutions the question of the meaning of life: he sought it in philanthropy, in Freemasonry, in the dispersion secular life, in wine, in the heroic feat of self-sacrifice, in romantic love for Natasha; he sought it by way of thought, and all these searches and attempts all deceived him. And finally, with the help of Karataev, this issue is resolved. The most essential thing in Karataev is loyalty and immutability. Loyalty to yourself, your only and constant spiritual truth. Pierre follows this for a while.

In the characteristic state of mind the hero at this time, Tolstoy develops his ideas about the inner happiness of a person, which consists in complete spiritual freedom, tranquility and peace, independent of external circumstances. However, having experienced the influence of Karataev's philosophy, Pierre, having returned from captivity, did not become a Karataev, non-resistance. By the very nature of his character, he was incapable of accepting life without seeking.

A turning point occurs in Bezukhov's soul, which means the adoption of a life-loving view of the world by Platon Karataev. Having learned the truth of Karataev, Pierre in the epilogue of the novel is already going his own way. His dispute with Nikolai Rostov proves that Bezukhov faces the problem of the moral renewal of society. Active virtue, according to Pierre, can lead the country out of the crisis. It is necessary to unite honest people. Happy family life(married to Natasha Rostova) does not take Pierre away from public interests.

The feeling of complete harmony for such an intelligent and inquisitive person as Pierre is impossible without participation in specific useful activities aimed at achieving a lofty goal - the very harmony that cannot exist in a country where the people are in the position of a slave. Therefore, Pierre naturally comes to Decembristism, joining a secret society in order to fight everything that interferes with life, humiliates the honor and dignity of a person. This struggle becomes the meaning of his life, but does not make him a fanatic who, for the sake of an idea, consciously renounces the joys of being. Pierre speaks with indignation about the reaction that has come in Russia, about Arakcheevism, theft. At the same time, he understands the strength of the people and believes in them. With all this, the hero strongly opposes violence. In other words, for Pierre, the path of moral self-improvement remains decisive in the reorganization of society.

Intense intellectual search, the ability to selfless deeds, high spiritual impulses, nobility and devotion in love (relationship with Natasha), true patriotism, the desire to make society more just and humane, truthfulness and naturalness, the desire for self-improvement make Pierre one of the best people his time.

We see at the end of the novel happy person who has a good family, a faithful and devoted wife who loves and is loved. Thus, it is Pierre Bezukhov who achieves spiritual harmony with the world and himself in War and Peace. He goes through the difficult path of searching for the meaning of life to the end and finds it, becoming an advanced, progressive person of his era.

I would like to once again note Tolstoy's ability to portray his hero as he is, without embellishment, natural person which is constantly changing. The internal changes taking place in the soul of Pierre Bezukhov are profound, and this is reflected in his external appearance. At the first meeting, Pierre is “a massive, fat young man, with a vague observant look.” Pierre looks completely different after his marriage, in the company of the Kuragins: “He was silent ... and, with a completely absent-minded look, he picked his nose with his finger. His face was sad and gloomy. And when it seemed to Pierre that he had found the meaning of activity aimed at improving the life of the peasants, he "spoke with animation of joy."

And only after freeing himself from the oppressive lies of the secular farce, finding himself in difficult military conditions and finding himself among ordinary Russian peasants, Pierre feels the taste of life, gains peace of mind, which again changes his appearance. Despite bare feet, dirty torn clothes, tangled hair, infested with lice, the expression of his eyes was firm, calm and animated, and he had never before had such a look.

In the image of Pierre Bezukhov, Tolstoy shows that no matter how different paths the best of the representatives high society in search of the meaning of life, they come to the same result: the meaning of life is in unity with their native people, in love for this people.

It is in captivity that Bezukhov comes to the conclusion: "Man was created for happiness." But people around Pierre are suffering, and in the epilogue Tolstoy shows Pierre thinking hard how to protect the good and the truth.

So, having gone through a difficult path, full of mistakes, delusions in the reality of Russian history, Pierre finds himself, retains his natural essence, and does not succumb to the influence of society. Throughout the novel, Tolstoy's hero is in constant search, emotional experiences and doubts, which ultimately lead him to his true calling.

And if at first Bezukhov's feelings constantly fight with each other, he thinks contradictoryly, then he finally frees himself from everything superficial and artificial, finds his true face and vocation, clearly knows what he needs from life. We see how beautiful is Pierre's real, genuine love for Natasha, he becomes wonderful father family, is actively engaged in social activities, benefits people and is not afraid of new things.

Conclusion

The novel "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy introduced us to many heroes, each of whom is a bright personality, has individual features. One of the most attractive characters novel is Pierre Bezukhov. His image is at the center of "War and Peace", because the figure of Pierre is significant for the author himself and plays a huge role in his work. It is known that the fate of this hero was the basis of the idea of ​​the whole novel.

After reading the novel, we understand that Pierre Bezukhov is one of Tolstoy's favorite characters. During the course of the story, the image of this hero undergoes significant changes, his development, which is a consequence of his spiritual quest, the search for the meaning of life, some of his highest, enduring ideals. Leo Tolstoy emphasizes the sincerity, childish gullibility, kindness and purity of his hero's thoughts. And we cannot but notice these qualities, not appreciate them, despite the fact that at first Pierre is presented to us as a lost, weak-willed, unremarkable young man.

Fifteen years of Pierre's life are passing before our eyes. Many temptations, mistakes, defeats were on his way, but many accomplishments, victories, overcomings. life path Pierre is an ongoing search for a worthy place in life, an opportunity to benefit people. Not external circumstances, but an internal need to improve oneself, to become better - that's guiding star Pierre.

The problems raised by Tolstoy in the novel "War and Peace" are of universal significance. His novel, according to Gorky, is "a documentary presentation of all the searches that a strong personality undertook in the 19th century in order to find a place and a deed in the history of Russia" ...

On September 8, a very important officer entered the barn to the prisoners, judging by the respectfulness with which he was treated by the guards. This officer, probably a staff officer, with a list in his hands, made a roll call to all Russians, calling Pierre: celui qui n'avoue pas son nom. And, indifferently and lazily looking around at all the prisoners, he ordered the guard officer to dress them decently and tidy up before taking them to the marshal. An hour later a company of soldiers arrived, and Pierre was led with thirteen other soldiers to Maiden's Field. The day was clear, sunny after the rain, and the air was unusually clear. Smoke did not rise from the bottom, as on the day when Pierre was taken out of the guardhouse of the Zubovsky shaft; smoke rose in pillars clean air. The fire of fires was nowhere to be seen, but columns of smoke rose from all sides, and all of Moscow, all that Pierre could see, was one conflagration. Wastelands with stoves and chimneys and the occasional burnt walls of stone houses could be seen from all sides. Pierre looked at the conflagrations and did not recognize the familiar quarters of the city. In some places, the surviving churches were visible. The Kremlin, undestroyed, was white from afar with its towers and Ivan the Great. Nearby, the dome of the Novo-Devichy Convent gleamed merrily, and the Annunciation was especially loudly heard from there. This Blagovest reminded Pierre that it was Sunday and the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin. But it seemed that there was no one to celebrate this holiday: everywhere there was a devastation of a conflagration, and from the Russian people there were only occasionally ragged, frightened people who hid at the sight of the French.

Obviously, Russian nest was ravaged and destroyed; but behind the destruction of this Russian order of life, Pierre unconsciously felt that his own, completely different, but firm French order had been established over this ruined nest. He felt it from the look of those, cheerfully and cheerfully, marching in regular rows of soldiers who were escorting him with other criminals; he felt it from the look of some important French official in a double carriage, driven by a soldier, who rode towards him. He felt this from the cheerful sounds of regimental music coming from the left side of the field, and he especially felt and understood this from the list that, calling the prisoners, was read by the French officer who arrived this morning. Pierre was taken by some soldiers, taken to one place, to another with dozens of other people; it seemed they could forget about him, mix him up with the others. But no: his answers given during the interrogation returned to him in the form of his name: celui qui n'avoue pas son nom. And under this name, which was terrible for Pierre, he was now being led somewhere, with an undoubted confidence written on their faces that all the other prisoners and he were the very ones who were needed, and that they were being led where they needed to be. Pierre felt like an insignificant chip that fell into the wheels of an unknown to him, but correctly operating machine.

Pierre and other criminals were brought to right side Maiden's field, not far from the monastery, to a large white house with a huge garden. It was the house of Prince Shcherbatov, in which Pierre often used to visit the owner and in which now, as he learned from the conversation of the soldiers, the marshal, Duke of Ekmul, was standing.

They were brought to the porch and one by one they began to enter the house. Pierre was brought in sixth. Through a glass gallery, a vestibule, a front hall familiar to Pierre, he was led into a long, low office, at the door of which an adjutant stood.

Davout sat at the end of the room, above the table, his glasses on his nose. Pierre came close to him. Davout, without raising his eyes, seemed to be coping with some paper lying in front of him. Without raising his eyes, he quietly asked:

Pierre was silent because he was unable to utter words. Davout for Pierre was not just a French general; for Pierre Davout was a man known for his cruelty. Looking at the cold face of Davout, who, like a strict teacher, agreed to have patience and wait for an answer for the time being, Pierre felt that every second of delay could cost him his life; but he didn't know what to say. He did not dare to say the same thing that he had said at the first interrogation; to reveal one's rank and position was both dangerous and shameful. Pierre was silent. But before Pierre had time to decide on anything, Davout raised his head, raised his spectacles to his forehead, narrowed his eyes and looked intently at Pierre.

I know this man, - he said in a measured, cold voice, obviously calculated in order to frighten Pierre. The cold that had previously run down Pierre's back seized his head like a vise.

Mon general, vous ne pouvez pas me connaître, je ne vous ai jamais vu…

C’est un espion russe, Davout interrupted him, turning to another general who was in the room and whom Pierre did not notice. And Davout turned away. With an unexpected boom in his voice, Pierre suddenly spoke quickly.

Non, Monseigneur, he said, suddenly remembering that Davout was a duke. - Non, Monseigneur, vous n'avez pas pu me connaître. Je suis un officier militionnaire et je n'ai pas quitte Moscou.

Votre nom? repeated Davout.

Qu'est-ce qui me prouvera que vous ne mentez pas?

Monseigneur! cried Pierre, not offended, but in an imploring voice.

Davout raised his eyes and looked intently at Pierre. For a few seconds they looked at each other, and this look saved Pierre. In this view, in addition to all the conditions of war and judgment, between these two people established human relations. Both of them in that one minute vaguely felt countless things and realized that they were both children of humanity, that they were brothers.

At first glance, for Davout, who only raised his head from his list, where human affairs and life were called numbers, Pierre was only a circumstance; and, without taking the bad deed into his conscience, Davout would have shot him; but now he saw him as a man. He thought for a moment.

Comment me prouverez vous la vérite de ce que vous me dites? Davout said coldly.

Pierre remembered Rambal and named his regiment, and his last name, and the street on which the house was.

Vous n "êtes pas ce que vous dites," said Davout again.

But at that moment the adjutant entered and reported something to Davout.

Davout suddenly beamed at the news given by the adjutant, and began to button up. He apparently completely forgot about Pierre.

When the adjutant reminded him of the prisoner, he, frowning, nodded in the direction of Pierre and told him to be led. But where he was to be led - Pierre did not know: back to the booth or to the prepared place of execution, which, passing through the Maiden's Field, was shown to him by his comrades.

He turned his head and saw that the adjutant was asking something again.

Oui, sans doute! - said Davout, but Pierre did not know what "yes".

Pierre did not remember how, how long he walked and where. He, in a state of complete senselessness and stupefaction, not seeing anything around him, moved his legs along with others until everyone stopped, and he stopped. One thought for all this time was in the head of Pierre. It was the thought of who, who, finally, sentenced him to death. These were not the same people who interrogated him in the commission: none of them wanted and, obviously, could not do this. It was not Davout who looked at him so humanly. Another minute, and Davout would have understood what they were doing badly, but this minute was prevented by the adjutant who entered. And this adjutant, obviously, did not want anything bad, but he might not have entered. Who, finally, executed, killed, took away his life - Pierre with all his memories, aspirations, hopes, thoughts? Who did it? And Pierre felt that it was nobody.

III. Arriving in St. Petersburg, Pierre did not inform anyone of his arrival, did not go anywhere, and began to spend whole days reading Thomas of Kempis, a book that was delivered to him by no one knows who. One and all one understood Pierre, reading this book; he understood the pleasure, unknown to him, to believe in the possibility of achieving perfection and in the possibility of brotherly and active love between people, opened to him by Osip Alekseevich. A week after his arrival, the young Polish Count of Villarsky, whom Pierre knew superficially from St. Petersburg society, entered his room in the evening with that official and solemn air with which Dolokhov's second entered him and, closing the door behind him and making sure that there was no one in the room except for Pierre, he turned to him: - I came to you with an assignment and a proposal, count, - he told him, without sitting down. “A person very highly placed in our fraternity has petitioned for you to be admitted to the fraternity ahead of time, and has offered me to be your guarantor. I regard the fulfillment of the will of this person as a sacred duty. Do you wish to join the brotherhood of free stonemasons on my guarantee? The cold and strict tone of the man whom Pierre almost always saw at balls with an amiable smile, in the company of the most brilliant women, struck Pierre. “Yes, I wish,” said Pierre. Villarsky inclined his head. - One more question, count, he said, to which I ask you, not as a future freemason, but as an honest person (galant homme), to answer me with all sincerity: have you renounced your former convictions, do you believe in God? Pierre considered. "Yes... yes, I believe in God," he said. "In that case..." Villarsky began, but Pierre interrupted him. “Yes, I believe in God,” he said again. "In that case, we can go," said Willarsky. “My carriage is at your service. All the way Villarsky was silent. To Pierre's questions about what he should do and how to answer, Villarsky only said that the brothers, more worthy of him, would test him, and that Pierre needed nothing more than to tell the truth. Entering the gate big house where the lodge was, and going up the dark stairs, they entered the lighted, small hallway, where, without the help of servants, they took off their fur coats. From the hallway they went into another room. A man in strange attire appeared at the door. Villarsky, going out to meet him, said something quietly to him in French and went up to a small closet, in which Pierre noticed robes he had never seen before. Taking a handkerchief from the closet, Villarsky put it over Pierre's eyes and tied it in a knot at the back, painfully trapping his hair in a knot. Then he bent him to him, kissed him and, taking him by the hand, led him somewhere. Pierre was in pain from the knotted hair, he grimaced in pain and smiled ashamed of something. His huge figure, with lowered hands, with a shriveled and smiling face, followed Willarsky with unsteady, timid steps. After leading him ten paces, Villarsky stopped. “Whatever happens to you,” he said, “you must endure everything with courage if you are determined to join our brotherhood. (Pierre answered in the affirmative by inclining his head.) When you hear a knock at the door, you will untie your eyes, added Villarsky; I wish you courage and success. And, shaking hands with Pierre, Villarsky went out. Left alone, Pierre continued to smile the same way. Once or twice he shrugged his shoulders, put his hand up to the handkerchief, as if wishing to take it off, and lowered it again. The five minutes he spent with his eyes tied seemed like an hour to him. His hands were swollen, his legs gave way; he seemed to be tired. He experienced the most complex and varied feelings. He was both afraid of what would happen to him, and even more afraid of how he would not show fear. He was curious to know what would become of him, what would be revealed to him; but most of all he was glad that the moment had come when he would finally embark on that path of renewal and an active and virtuous life, which he had dreamed of since his meeting with Osip Alekseevich. Strong knocks were heard at the door. Pierre took off his bandage and looked around him. The room was black - dark: only in one place was a lamp burning, in something white. Pierre came closer and saw that the lamp stood on a black table, on which lay one open book. The book was the gospel; that white, in which the lamp burned, was a human skull with its holes and teeth. After reading the first words of the Gospel: “In the beginning there was no word, and the word was to God,” Pierre went around the table and saw a large open box filled with something. It was a coffin with bones. He was not at all surprised by what he saw. Hoping to enter into a completely new life, completely different from the old one, he expected everything extraordinary, even more extraordinary than what he saw. The skull, the coffin, the Gospel - it seemed to him that he expected all this, expected even more. Trying to arouse in himself a feeling of tenderness, he looked around him. “God, death, love, the brotherhood of man,” he said to himself, associating with these words vague but joyful ideas of something. The door opened and someone entered. In the weak light, which, however, Pierre had already managed to get a closer look at, a short man entered. Apparently from the light entering the darkness, this man stopped; then, with cautious steps, he moved to the table and placed on it small, closed leather gloves, hands. This short man was dressed in a white leather apron that covered his chest and part of his legs, he was wearing something like a necklace around his neck, and from behind the necklace protruded a tall, white frill, framing his oblong face, illuminated from below. - Why did you come here? - asked the newcomer, according to the rustle made by Pierre, turning in his direction. - Why do you, who do not believe in the truths of the light and do not see the light, why did you come here, what do you want from us? Wisdom, virtue, enlightenment? The moment the door opened and in came Unknown person, Pierre experienced a feeling of fear and reverence, similar to the one he experienced in confession as a child: he felt face to face with a completely alien in terms of living conditions and with a person close to him, in the brotherhood of people. Pierre, with a breath-taking heartbeat, moved towards the rhetor (that was the name in Freemasonry of a brother who prepares a seeker to join the brotherhood). Pierre, coming closer, recognized in the rhetorician a familiar person, Smolyaninov, but it was insulting to him to think that the person who entered was a familiar person: the one who entered was only a brother and a virtuous mentor. Pierre could not utter a word for a long time, so the rhetor had to repeat his question. “Yes, I ... I ... want updates,” Pierre said with difficulty. “Very well,” said Smolyaninov, and immediately continued: “Do you have any idea of ​​the means by which our holy order will help you achieve your goal?...” the rhetorician said calmly and quickly. “I ... hope ... guidance ... help ... in renewal,” said Pierre with a trembling voice and difficulty in speech, which comes from excitement and from the unaccustomedness to speak in Russian about abstract subjects. - What concept do you have about Freemasonry? “I mean that Freemasonry is fraterienite and the equality of people with virtuous goals,” said Pierre, ashamed, as he spoke, of the inconsistency of his words with the solemnity of the moment. I mean... "Very well," said the rhetorician hastily, apparently quite satisfied with this answer. - Have you looked for means to achieve your goal in religion? “No, I considered it unfair, and did not follow it,” Pierre said so quietly that the rhetorician did not hear him and asked what he was saying. “I was an atheist,” answered Pierre. - You are looking for truth in order to follow its laws in life; therefore, you seek wisdom and virtue, do you not? said the orator after a moment's silence. “Yes, yes,” Pierre confirmed. The rhetor cleared his throat, folded his gloved hands on his chest and began to speak: “Now I must reveal to you the main goal of our order,” he said, “and if this goal coincides with yours, then you will profitably join our brotherhood. First main goal and the foundation of our order, on which it is established, and which no human power can overthrow, is the preservation and transmission to posterity of some important sacrament ... from the most ancient centuries and even from the first man who has come down to us, from whom the sacraments may be depends on the fate of the human race. But since this sacrament is of such a nature that no one can know it and use it, if one has not prepared for a long-term and diligent purification of oneself, then not everyone can hope to find it soon. Therefore, we have a second goal, which is to prepare our members, as far as possible, to correct their hearts, purify and enlighten their minds by those means that are revealed to us by tradition from men who have labored in the search for this sacrament, and thereby make them capable of perception of it. Purifying and correcting our members, we try to correct thirdly and all human race , offering him in our members an example of piety and virtue, and thus we try with all our might to oppose the evil that reigns in the world. Think about it, and I will come to you again,” he said and left the room. “To resist the evil that reigns in the world ...” Pierre repeated, and he imagined his future activities in this field. He imagined the same people as he himself was two weeks ago, and he mentally turned to them instructive and mentoring speech. He imagined vicious and unfortunate people whom he helped in word and deed; imagined the oppressors from whom he saved their victims. Of the three goals named by the rhetor, this last one - the correction of the human race, was especially close to Pierre. Some important sacrament mentioned by the rhetorician, although it aroused his curiosity, did not seem to him essential; and the second goal, the purification and correction of himself, interested him little, because at that moment he felt with pleasure that he was already completely corrected from his former vices and ready for only one good thing. Half an hour later the orator returned to convey to the seeker those seven virtues, corresponding to the seven steps of Solomon's temple, which every Mason had to cultivate in himself. These virtues were: 1) modesty, observance of the secrets of the order, 2) obedience to the highest ranks of the order, 3) good nature, 4) love of humanity, 5) courage, 6) generosity and 7) love of death. “Seventhly, try,” said the rhetorician, “by frequent thoughts of death, bring yourself to such a point that it does not seem to you a more terrible enemy, but a friend ... who frees a soul languishing in the labors of virtue from this miserable life, her into a place of reward and comfort. “Yes, it must be so,” thought Pierre, when, after these words, the rhetorician again left him, leaving him to solitary reflection. "It must be so, but I am still so weak that I love my life, the meaning of which is only now being revealed to me little by little." But the remaining five virtues, which Pierre remembered fingering, he felt in his soul: courage, and generosity, and kindness, and love for humanity, and especially obedience, which did not even seem to him a virtue, but happiness. (He was so happy now to get rid of his arbitrariness and subordinate his will to that and those who knew the undoubted truth.) Pierre forgot the seventh virtue and could not remember it. The third time, the rhetor returned sooner and asked Pierre if he was still firm in his intention, and whether he dared to expose himself to everything that was required of him. "I'm ready for anything," said Pierre. - I must also inform you, - said the rhetorician, - that our order teaches its teaching not only in words, but by other means, which, perhaps, have a stronger effect on the true seeker of wisdom and virtue than verbal explanations only. This temple with its decoration, which you see, should have already explained to your heart, if it is sincere, more than words; you will see, perhaps, in your further acceptance of a similar way of explaining. Our order imitates the ancient societies that revealed their teachings with hieroglyphs. A hieroglyph, said the rhetorician, is the name of some thing that is not subject to feelings, which contains qualities similar to the one depicted. Pierre knew very well what a hieroglyph was, but did not dare to speak. He silently listened to the rhetor, feeling in everything that the trials would immediately begin. “If you are firm, then I must begin to introduce you,” said the rhetorician, coming closer to Pierre. “As a sign of generosity, I ask you to give me all your precious things. “But I don’t have anything with me,” said Pierre, who believed that they were demanding that he hand over everything he had. - What you have on: watches, money, rings ... Pierre hastily took out a wallet, a watch, and for a long time could not remove it from his fat finger wedding ring. When this was done, the Mason said: “As a sign of obedience, I ask you to undress. - Pierre took off his tailcoat, waistcoat and left boot at the direction of the rhetor. Mason opened the shirt on his left chest, and, bending down, lifted his trouser leg on his left leg above the knee. Pierre hurriedly wanted to take off his right boot and roll up his trousers in order to save a stranger from this labor, but the mason told him that this was not necessary - and gave him a shoe on his left foot. With a childish smile of modesty, doubt and self-mockery, which appeared on his face against his will, Pierre stood with his hands down and legs apart in front of his brother rhetorician, waiting for his new orders. “And finally, as a sign of candor, I ask you to reveal to me your main passion,” he said. - My passion! I had so many of them,” said Pierre. “That passion which, more than any other, has caused you to waver in the path of virtue,” said the Mason. Pierre was silent for a while, looking for. “Wine? He went over his vices, mentally weighing them and not knowing which one to give priority to. “Women,” said Pierre in a low, barely audible voice. The Mason did not move or speak for a long time after this answer. Finally, he moved towards Pierre, took the handkerchief lying on the table and again blindfolded him. -- Last time I tell you: turn all your attention to yourself, put chains on your feelings and seek bliss not in passions, but in your heart. The source of bliss is not outside, but inside us ... Pierre already felt this refreshing source of bliss in himself, now filling his soul with joy and tenderness. pierre in Lately rarely saw his wife face to face. Both in St. Petersburg and in Moscow, their house was constantly full of guests. The next night after the duel, as he often did, he did not go to the bedroom, but remained in his huge father's study, the very one in which he died. old earl Bezukhov. No matter how painful all the inner work of the last sleepless night was, now an even more painful one began. He lay down on the sofa and wanted to fall asleep in order to forget everything that had happened to him, but he could not do it. Such a storm of feelings, thoughts, memories suddenly arose in his soul that he not only could not sleep, but could not sit still and had to jump up from the sofa and walk around the room with quick steps. Then she seemed to him at the first time after her marriage, with bare shoulders and a tired, passionate look, and immediately next to her he saw Dolokhov’s beautiful, arrogant and firmly mocking face, as it was at dinner, and the same face of Dolokhov, pale, trembling and suffering, as it had been when he turned and fell into the snow. “What happened? he asked himself. - I killed lover, yes, he killed his wife's lover. Yes, it was. From what? How did I get there? “Because you married her,” answered the inner voice. “But what is my fault? he asked. “That you married without loving her, that you deceived both yourself and her,” and he vividly imagined that minute after dinner at Prince Vasily’s, when he said these words that did not come out of him: “Je vous aime “. All from this? Even then I felt, he thought, I felt then that it was not that I had no right to it. And so it happened." He remembered Honeymoon and blushed at the memory. Particularly vivid, insulting and shameful for him was the memory of how one day, shortly after his marriage, he, at twelve o'clock in the afternoon, in a silk dressing gown, came from the bedroom to the office and found the chief manager in the office, who bowed respectfully, looked at the face Pierre, on his dressing gown and smiled slightly, as if expressing with this smile respectful sympathy for the happiness of his principal. “And how many times have I been proud of her,” he thought, proud of her majestic beauty, her worldly tact; he was proud of his home, in which she received all of Petersburg, was proud of her inaccessibility and beauty. So what am I proud of? At the time I thought I didn't understand her. How often, pondering her character, I said to myself that it was my fault that I did not understand her, that I did not understand this eternal calmness, contentment and absence of any predilections and desires, and the whole clue was in that terrible word that she was a depraved woman: imagine it scary word and everything became clear! Anatole went to her to borrow money from her and kissed her bare shoulders. She didn't give him money, but she let him kiss her. Her father, jokingly, aroused her jealousy: she said with a calm smile that she was not so stupid as to be jealous: let her do what she wants, she said about me. I asked her once if she felt any signs of pregnancy. She laughed contemptuously and said that she was not a fool to wish to have children, and that me She won't have children." Then he remembered the clarity and coarseness of her thoughts and the vulgarity of her expressions, despite her upbringing in the highest aristocratic circle. “I’m not some kind of fool ... go and try it yourself ... allez vous promener,” she said. Often, looking at her success in the eyes of old and young men and women, Pierre could not understand why he did not love her. “Yes, I never loved her,” Pierre said to himself. “I knew she was a depraved woman,” he repeated to himself, “but I did not dare to admit it. And now Dolokhov—here he sits in the snow and smiles forcibly and dies, perhaps responding to my remorse with some kind of feigned youth! Pierre was one of those people who, despite their outward so-called weakness of character, do not look for an attorney for their grief. He processed his grief alone in himself. “She is in everything, she alone is to blame for everything,” he said to himself. “But what of it? Why did I associate myself with her, why did I say this to her: “Je vous aime,” which was a lie, and even worse than a lie, he said to himself. — I am to blame and must bear... But what? The shame of the name, the misfortune of life? Eh, it's all nonsense, he thought, and the disgrace of the name and honor - everything is conditional, everything is independent of me. Louis XVI was executed for They they said that he was dishonorable and a criminal (it occurred to Pierre), and they were right from their point of view, just as those who died for him were right martyrdom and counted him among the saints. Then Robespierre was executed for being a despot. Who is right, who is wrong? Nobody. And live - and live: tomorrow you will die, how could I die an hour ago. And is it worth it to suffer when one second remains to live in comparison with eternity? But at the moment when he considered himself reassured by this kind of reasoning, he suddenly imagined she and in those moments when he most of all showed her his insincere love, and he felt a rush of blood to his heart, and had to get up again, move, and break, and tear things that fell under his hands. "Why did I say 'Je vous aime' to her?" he kept repeating to himself. And after repeating this question for the tenth time, it occurred to him that Molière's mais que diable allait il faire dans cette galère?, and he laughed at himself. At night, he called the valet and ordered to pack in order to go to Petersburg. He couldn't stay under the same roof with her. He couldn't imagine how he would talk to her now. He decided that tomorrow he would leave and leave her a letter in which he would announce to her his intention to be separated from her forever. In the morning, when the valet, bringing coffee, entered the study, Pierre was lying on the ottoman and sleeping with an open book in his hand. He woke up and looked around frightened for a long time, unable to understand where he was. “The countess was ordered to ask if your excellency is at home,” the valet asked. But before Pierre had time to decide on an answer, which he would make, like the countess herself, in a white satin robe embroidered with silver, and in plain hair(two huge braids en diadème doubled around her lovely head) entered the room calmly and majestically; only on her marble, somewhat convex forehead was a wrinkle of anger. She, with her all-enduring calmness, did not speak in front of the valet. She knew about the duel and came to talk about it. She waited until the valet filled the coffee and left. Pierre timidly looked at her through his glasses, and just as a hare, surrounded by dogs, flattening its ears, continues to lie in sight of its enemies, so he tried to continue reading; but he felt that it was senseless and impossible, and again looked timidly at her. She did not sit down and looked at him with a contemptuous smile, waiting for the valet to come out. - What's that? What have you done, I ask you? she said sternly. - I what? I... said Pierre. - Here is a brave man found. Well, tell me, what kind of duel is this? What did you want to prove with this? What? I'm asking you. Pierre turned heavily on the sofa, opened his mouth, but could not answer. “If you do not answer, then I will tell you ...” Helen continued. You believe everything you are told. They told you…” Helen laughed, “that Dolokhov is my lover,” she said in French, with her crude precision of speech, pronouncing the word “lover” like any other word, “and you believed it! But what did you prove? What did you prove with this duel? That you are a fool, que vous êtes un sot; so everyone knew it. What will it lead to? To make me the laughingstock of all Moscow; so that everyone would say that you, in a drunken state, not remembering yourself, challenged to a duel a man whom you are jealous of without reason,” Helen raised her voice more and more and became animated, “who is better than you in every respect ... “Hm ... hm,” Pierre murmured, grimacing, not looking at her and not moving a single member. - And why could you believe that he was my lover? .. Why? Because I love his company? If you were smarter and nicer, then I would prefer yours. “Don’t talk to me ... I beg you,” Pierre whispered hoarsely. "Why shouldn't I speak!" I can speak and boldly say that it is a rare wife who, with a husband like you, would not take a lover (des amants), but I did not, she said. Pierre wanted to say something, looked at her with strange eyes, which she did not understand the expression, and lay down again. He suffered physically at that moment: his chest was tight, and he could not breathe. He knew that he needed to do something to end this suffering, but what he wanted to do was too scary. "We'd better part ways," he said brokenly. “To part, if you please, only if you give me a fortune,” said Helen ... “To part, that’s what scared me!” Pierre jumped up from the sofa and, staggering, rushed to her. - I'll kill you! he shouted, and seizing a marble slab from the table with a force unknown to him, he took a step towards it and swung it at her. Helen's face grew frightful; she yelped and jumped away from him. The breed of her father affected her. Pierre felt the fascination and charm of rage. He threw the plank, smashed it, and, approaching Helen with open arms, shouted: “Get out!” - in such a terrible voice that this scream was heard in the whole house with horror. God knows what Pierre would have done at that moment if Helen had not run out of the room. A week later, Pierre gave his wife a power of attorney to manage all the Great Russian estates, which accounted for more than half of his fortune, and left alone for Petersburg.

Pierre Bezukhov is one of Tolstoy's favorite characters. Pierre's life is a path of discovery and disappointment, a path of crisis and in many ways dramatic. Pierre is an emotional person. He is distinguished by a mind prone to dreamy philosophizing, distraction, weakness of will, lack of initiative, and exceptional kindness. The main feature of the hero is the search for calm, harmony with himself, the search for a life that would be in harmony with the needs of the heart and bring moral satisfaction.

We first meet Pierre in Scherer's living room. The writer draws our attention to the appearance of the newcomer: a massive, fat young man with an intelligent and at the same time timid, observant and natural look that distinguished him from everyone in this living room. This is exactly how Pierre is depicted in Boklevsky's drawing: the illustrator emphasizes the same features in the portrait of the hero as Tolstoy. And if we recall the works of Shmarinov, then they convey more of Pierre's state of mind at one time or another: illustrations by this artist help to understand the character more deeply, to more clearly capture his spiritual growth. A constant portrait feature is the massive, fat figure of Pierre Bezukhov, depending on the circumstances, either clumsy or strong. can express both confusion, and anger, and kindness, and fury. In other words, Tolstoy's constant artistic detail each time acquires new, additional shades. What smile does Pierre have? oh ... Not like the others ... With him, on the contrary, when a smile came, his serious face suddenly instantly disappeared ... and a different, childish, kind one appeared ...

In Pierre, there is a constant struggle between the spiritual and the sensual, the inner, moral essence of the hero contradicts the way of his life. On the one hand, it is full of noble, freedom-loving thoughts, the origins of which date back to the Age of Enlightenment and French Revolution. Pierre is an admirer of Rousseau, Montesquieu, who fascinated him with the ideas of universal equality and the re-education of man,

On the other hand, Pierre participates in revelry in the company of Anatole Kuragin, and here he manifests that reckless-lordly beginning, the embodiment of which was once his father, Catherine's nobleman, Count Bezukhov. The sensual first prevails over the spiritual: he marries Helen, a stranger to him. This is one of milestones in the life of a hero. But Pierre is becoming more and more aware that he does not have a real family, that his wife is an immoral woman. Dissatisfaction grows in him, but not with others, but with himself. This is exactly what happens to truly moral people. For their disorder, they consider it possible to execute only themselves. The explosion occurs at a dinner in honor of Bagration. Pierre challenges Dolokhov, who insulted him, to a duel. But during the duel, seeing the enemy wounded by him lying on the snow, Pierre grabbed his head and, turning back, went into the forest, walking entirely through the snow and aloud saying incomprehensible words, Stupid ... stupid! Death... lie... - he repeated, grimacing. Stupid and false - this again applies only to himself.

After everything that happened to him, especially after the duel, Pierre seems meaningless to his whole life. He is going through a spiritual crisis: this is a strong dissatisfaction with himself and the desire to change his life associated with this, to build it on new ones, good beginnings. Having broken with his wife, Pierre, on the way to Petersburg, in Torzhok, waiting for horses at the station, asks himself difficult (sheepish) questions: What is wrong? What well? What should you love, what should you hate? Why live and what am I? What is life, what is death? What power controls everything? Here he meets the freemason Bazdeev. At the moment of spiritual discord that Pierre was experiencing, Bazdeev appears to him just the person he needs, Pierre is offered the path of moral improvement, and he accepts this path, because most of all he now needs to improve his life and himself.

In moral purification for Pierre, as for Tolstoy at a certain period, was the truth of Freemasonry, and, carried away by it, at first he did not notice what was a lie. Pierre shares his new ideas about life with Andrei Bolkonsky. Pierre is trying to transform the order of Freemasons, draws up a project in which he calls for activity, practical help to his neighbor, for the dissemination of moral ideas for the good of humanity throughout the world ... However, the Masons resolutely reject Pierre's project, and he is finally convinced of the validity of his suspicions about that many of them were looking for a means of expanding their secular ties in Freemasonry, that the Masons - these insignificant people - were not interested in the problems of goodness, love, truth, the good of mankind, but in uniforms and crosses, which they achieved in life.

Pierre experiences a new spiritual upsurge in connection with the popular patriotic upsurge during the Patriotic War of 1812. Not being a military man, he takes part in the Battle of Borodino. The landscape of the Borodino field before the start of the battle (bright sun, fog, distant forests, golden fields and copses, smoke from shots) correlates with Pierre's mood and thoughts, causing him some kind of elation, a sense of the beauty of the spectacle, the grandeur of what is happening. Through his eyes, Tolstoy conveys his understanding of the decisive events in the national, historical life. Shocked by the behavior of the soldiers, Pierre himself shows courage and readiness for self-sacrifice. At the same time, one cannot fail to note the naivety of the hero: his decision to kill Napoleon.

In one of the illustrations, Shmarinov conveys this trait well: Pierre is depicted dressed in a folk dress, which makes him awkward, gloomy and concentrated. On the way, approaching the main apartment of the French, he commits noble deeds: saves a girl from a burning house, stands up for civilians who were robbed by French marauders. In Pierre's attitude to ordinary people and to nature, the author's moral and aesthetic criterion of the beautiful in man is once again manifested: Tolstoy finds it in a merger with the people and nature. Decisive for Pierre is his meeting with a soldier, a former peasant Platon Karataev, who, according to Tolstoy, personifies the masses. This meeting meant for the hero familiarization with the people, folk wisdom, even closer rapprochement with ordinary people.

In captivity, Pierre finds that calmness and contentment with himself, to which he vainly sought before. Here he realized not with his mind, but with his whole being, with his life, that man was created for happiness, that happiness is in himself, in satisfying natural human needs ... solution to the question of the meaning of life: ... he sought this in philanthropy, in Freemasonry, in the dispersion of secular life, in wine, in the heroic feat of self-sacrifice, in romantic love to Natasha; he was looking for this by thought, and all these searches and attempts all deceived him. And finally, with the help of Karataev, this issue is resolved. The most essential thing in Karataev is loyalty and immutability. Loyalty to yourself, your only and constant spiritual truth. Pierre follows this for a while.

In characterizing the state of mind of the hero at this time, Tolstoy develops his ideas about the inner happiness of a person, which consists in complete spiritual freedom, peace and tranquility, independent of external circumstances. However, having experienced the influence of Karataev's philosophy, Pierre, having returned from captivity, did not become a Karataev, non-resistance. By the very nature of his character, he was incapable of accepting life without seeking.

Having learned the truth of Karataev, Pierre in the epilogue of the novel is already going his own way. His dispute with Nikolai Rostov proves that Bezukhov faces the problem of the moral renewal of society. Active virtue, according to Pierre, can lead the country out of the crisis. Consolidation needed honest people. A happy family life (married to Natasha Rostova) does not take Pierre away from public interests. He becomes a member secret society. Pierre speaks with indignation about the reaction that has come in Russia, about Arakcheevism, theft. At the same time, he understands the strength of the people and believes in them. With all this, the hero strongly opposes violence.

In other words, for Pierre, the path of moral self-improvement remains decisive in the reorganization of society. Intense intellectual search, the ability to selfless deeds, high spiritual impulses, nobility and devotion in love (relationship with Natasha), true patriotism, the desire to make society more just and humane, truthfulness and naturalness, the desire for self-improvement make Pierre one of the best people of his time .

I would like to finish the essay with the words of Tolstoy, which explain a lot in the fate of the writer and his favorite heroes: In order to live honestly, one must tear, get confused, fight, make mistakes, start and quit, and start again and quit again, and always fight and lose. And peace is a spiritual meanness.