War and peace description of Napoleon. Tolstoy's attitude towards heroes - On the image of Napoleon

The image of Napoleon in "War and Peace"

The image of Napoleon in “War and Peace” is one of L.N. Tolstoy. In the novel, the French emperor operates during the period when he has turned from a bourgeois revolutionary into a despot and conqueror. Tolstoy's diary entries while working on War and Peace show that he followed a conscious intention - to rip off the halo of false greatness from Napoleon. The idol of Napoleon is glory, greatness, that is, the opinion of other people about him. It is natural that he seeks to make a certain impression on people with words and appearance. Hence his passion for posture and phrase. They are not so much the qualities of Napoleon's personality as the obligatory attributes of his position as a “great” person. Acting, he renounces real, genuine life, "with its essential interests, health, illness, work, rest ... with the interests of thought, science, poetry, music, love, friendship, hatred, passions". The role that Napoleon plays in the world does not require the highest qualities, on the contrary, it is possible only for someone who renounces the human in himself. “Not only does a good commander need no genius and any special qualities, but on the contrary, he needs the absence of the highest and best human qualities - love, poetry, tenderness, philosophical, inquisitive doubt. For Tolstoy, Napoleon is not a great person, but an inferior, defective person.

Napoleon - "executioner of peoples". According to Tolstoy, evil is brought to people by an unfortunate person who does not know the joys of true life. The writer wants to inspire his readers with the idea that only a person who has lost a true idea of ​​himself and the world can justify all the cruelties and crimes of war. This is what Napoleon was. When he examines the battlefield of the Battle of Borodino, a battlefield littered with corpses, here for the first time, as Tolstoy writes, “a personal human feeling for a short moment prevailed over that artificial ghost of life that he had served for so long. He endured the suffering and death that he saw on the battlefield. The heaviness of his head and chest reminded him of the possibility of suffering and death for him too.” But this feeling, writes Tolstoy, was brief, instantaneous. Napoleon has to hide the absence of a living human feeling, to imitate it. Having received a portrait of his son, a little boy, as a gift from his wife, “he went up to the portrait and pretended to be thoughtful tenderness. He felt that what he would say and do now was history. And it seemed to him that the best thing he could do now was that he, with his greatness ... so that he showed, in contrast to this greatness, the simplest paternal tenderness.

Napoleon is able to understand the experiences of other people (and for Tolstoy this is the same as not feeling like a person). This makes Napoleon ready "... to play that cruel, sad and difficult, inhuman role that was intended for him." Meanwhile, according to Tolstoy, a person and society are alive precisely by “personal human feeling”.

“Personal human feeling” saves Pierre Bezukhov when he, suspected of espionage, is brought for interrogation to Marshal Dava. Pierre, believing that he was sentenced to death, reflects: “Who finally executed, killed, took his life - Pierre, with all his memories, aspirations, hopes, thoughts? Who did it? And Pierre felt that it was nobody. It was an order, a warehouse of circumstances.” But if a human feeling appears in people who fulfill the requirements of this “order”, then it is hostile to “order” and saving for a person. This feeling saved Pierre. “Both of them at that moment vaguely foresaw countless things and realized that they are both children of humanity, that they are brothers.”

When L.N. Tolstoy talks about the attitude of historians to "great people", and in particular to Napoleon, he leaves a calm epic manner of narration and we hear the passionate voice of Tolstoy - a preacher. But at the same time, the author of War and Peace remains a consistent, strict and original thinker. It is not difficult to be ironic about Tolstoy, who renders greatness to recognized historical figures. It is more difficult to understand the essence of his views and assessments and to compare them. “And it would never occur to anyone,” Tolstoy declared, “that the recognition of greatness, immeasurable by the measure of good and bad, is only the recognition of one’s insignificance and immeasurable smallness.” Many reproached L.N. Tolstoy for his biased portrayal of Napoleon, but to the best of our knowledge, no one has refuted his arguments. Tolstoy, as is characteristic of him, transfers the problem from an objectively abstract plane to a vitally personal one; he addresses not only the mind of a person, but the integral person, his dignity.

The author rightly believes that a person, evaluating a phenomenon, evaluates himself, necessarily giving himself one or another meaning. If a person recognizes as great something that is in no way commensurate with him, with his life, feelings, or even hostile to everything that he loves and appreciates in his personal life, then he recognizes his insignificance. To value that which despises and denies you is not to value yourself. L.N. Tolstoy does not agree with the notion that the course of history is determined by individuals. He considers this view "... not only incorrect, unreasonable, but also contrary to the whole human being." It is to the whole “human being”, and not only to the mind of his reader, that Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy addresses.

1. Introduction
2. Heroes of the novel about Napoleon
3. Andrey Bolkonsky
4. Pierre Bezukhov
5. Nikolay Rostov
6. Boris Drubetskoy
7. Count Rostopchin
8. Characteristics of Napoleon
9. Portrait of Napoleon

Introduction

Historical figures have always been of particular interest in Russian literature. Some are dedicated to separate works, others are key images in the plots of novels. This can be considered the image of Napoleon in the novel War and Peace by Tolstoy. With the name of the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (Tolstoy wrote precisely to Bonaparte, and many heroes called him only Buonoparte) we meet already on the first pages of the novel, and part only in the epilogue.

Heroes of the novel about Napoleon

In the living room of Anna Scherer (the ladies-in-waiting and close empress) the political actions of Europe towards Russia are discussed with great interest. The mistress of the salon herself says: “Prussia has already announced that Bonaparte is invincible and that all of Europe can do nothing against him ...”. Representatives of secular society - Prince Vasily Kuragin, the emigrant Viscount Mortemar invited by Anna Scherer, Abbé Maurio, Pierre Bezukhov, Andrei Bolkonsky, Prince Ippolit Kuragin and other members of the evening were not united in their attitude towards Napoleon.
Someone did not understand him, someone admired him. In War and Peace, Tolstoy showed Napoleon from different angles. We see him as a commander-strategist, as an emperor, as a person.

Andrey Bolkonsky

In a conversation with his father, the old prince Bolkonsky, Andrei says: “... but Bonaparte is still a great commander!” He considered him a "genius" and "could not allow disgrace for his hero." At the evening at Anna Pavlovna’s, Scherer supported Pierre Bezukhov in his judgments about Napoleon, but still retained his own opinion about him: “Napoleon as a man is great on the Arcole bridge, in the hospital in Jaffa, where he gives a hand to the plague, but ... there are other actions that are hard to justify." But after a while, lying on the field of Austerlitz and looking into the blue sky, Andrei heard Napoleon's words about him: "Here is a beautiful death." Bolkonsky understood: “... it was Napoleon - his hero, but at that moment Napoleon seemed to him such a small, insignificant person ...” During the inspection of the prisoners, Andrei thought “about the insignificance of greatness.” Disappointment in his hero came not only to Bolkonsky, but also to Pierre Bezukhov.

Pierre Bezukhov

The young and naive Pierre, who had just appeared in the world, zealously defended Napoleon from the attacks of the viscount: “Napoleon is great because he rose above the revolution, suppressed its abuses, retaining all that was good, both the equality of citizens, and freedom of speech and the press, and only therefore acquired power. Pierre recognized the "greatness of the soul" for the French emperor. He did not defend the murders of the French emperor, but the calculation of his actions for the good of the empire, his willingness to take on such a responsible task - to raise a revolution - it seemed to Bezukhov a real feat, the strength of a great man. But confronted face to face with his "idol", Pierre saw all the insignificance of the emperor, cruelty and lack of rights. He cherished the idea - to kill Napoleon, but realized that he was not worth it, because he did not even deserve a heroic death.

Nikolay Rostov

This young man called Napoleon a criminal. He believed that all his actions were illegal and, out of the naivety of his soul, hated Bonaparte "as best he could."

Boris Drubetskoy

A promising young officer, a protege of Vasily Kuragin, spoke about Napoleon with respect: “I would like to see a great man!”

Count Rostopchin

The representative of secular society, the protector of the Russian army, said about Bonaparte: "Napoleon treats Europe like a pirate on a conquered ship."

Characteristics of Napoleon

The ambiguous characterization of Napoleon in Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" is presented to the reader. On the one hand, he is a great commander, ruler, on the other hand, he is an “insignificant Frenchman”, a “servile emperor”. External features lower Napoleon to the ground, he is not so tall, not so handsome, he is fat and unpleasant, as we would like to see him. It was "a stout, short figure with broad, thick shoulders and an involuntarily protruding belly and chest." The description of Napoleon is present in different parts of the novel. Here he is before the battle of Austerlitz: “... his thin face did not move a single muscle; his shining eyes were motionlessly fixed on one place... He stood motionless... and on his cold face there was that special shade of self-confident, well-deserved happiness that happens on the face of a boy in love and happy. By the way, this day was especially solemn for him, as it was the day of the anniversary of his coronation. But we see him at a meeting with General Balashev, who arrived with a letter from Tsar Alexander: “... firm, decisive steps”, “round belly ... fat thighs of short legs ... White puffy neck ... On a youthful full face ... an expression of gracious and majestic imperial greeting ". The scene of Napoleon awarding the bravest Russian soldier with an order is also interesting. What did Napoleon want to show? His greatness, the humiliation of the Russian army and the emperor himself, or admiration for the courage and stamina of the soldiers?

Portrait of Napoleon

Bonaparte appreciated himself very much: “God gave me a crown. Woe to whoever touches her." These words were spoken by him during his coronation in Milan. Napoleon in "War and Peace" is an idol for some, an enemy for some. “The trembling of my left calf is a great sign,” Napoleon said of himself. He was proud of himself, he loved himself, he glorified his greatness over the whole world. Russia stood in his way. Having defeated Russia, it was not worth the trouble for him to crush the whole of Europe under him. Napoleon behaved arrogantly. In the scene of a conversation with the Russian General Balashev, Bonaparte allowed himself to pull his ear, saying that it was a great honor to be pulled up by the ear by the emperor. The description of Napoleon contains many words containing a negative connotation, Tolstoy especially vividly characterizes the emperor’s speech: “condescendingly”, “mockingly”, “wickedly”, “angrily”, “dryly”, etc. Bonaparte also boldly speaks about the Russian Emperor Alexander: “War is my trade, and his business is to reign, and not to command troops. Why did he take on such a responsibility?

Russian literature of the second half of the 19th century actively mastered the plots and images of European literature. The beginning of the century in Europe was the era of Napoleon, so the theme of Napoleon and Napoleonism became one of the leading ones. In Russian literature, there are several directions in the coverage of this topic. The first is connected with the patriotic coverage of the events of the war of 1812, the theme of the glory of Russian weapons. Here this theme is solved in the aspect of denunciation of Napoleon. The second is romantic (A.S. Pushkin "Napoleon on the Elbe"; "Napoleon"; M.Yu. Lermontov "Airship", "Napoleon"). In romantic lyrics, this image becomes a symbol of freedom, greatness, power. Pushkin writes that after the departure of this "ruler of thoughts, the world was empty."

However, the idea of ​​egoism, individualism is gradually associated with the name of Napoleon, and the theme is comprehended in the aspect of power, domination over people.

L.N. Tolstoy in the epic novel "War and Peace" demythologized this image. That Napoleon, about whom historians write, according to the writer, is a mythical figure, created by the inertia of human consciousness. The concept of a "great man" ultimately leads to the justification of evil and violence, cowardice and meanness, lies and betrayal. And only by finding peace in your soul and finding the path to peace, you can be reborn to true life.

The author of "War and Peace" was reproached for the caricature of the image of Napoleon. But for Tolstoy "there is no greatness where there is no beauty and truth." Tolstoy deprives Napoleon of naturalness and plasticity. The appearance of this "great man" is insignificant and ridiculous. The writer repeats the definitions “small”, “small in stature” more than once, again and again draws the “round belly” of the emperor, “fat thighs of short legs”. Here Tolstoy uses his favorite technique: the repetition of a single expressive detail.

The writer emphasizes the coldness, complacency, feigned profundity in Napoleon's facial expression. One of his features stands out most sharply - posturing. Napoleon behaves like a bad actor on stage.

In front of the portrait of his son, he "made an appearance of thoughtful tenderness", "his gesture is gracefully majestic." The emperor is sure that everything he does and says "is history." And even such an insignificant phenomenon as the trembling of the calf of the left leg, expressing his anger or anxiety, seems to him significant, historical.

During the Battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon still retains human features: “There was a special shade of self-confidence on his cold face. Deserved happiness that happens on the face of a loving and happy boy. As the years go by, his face gets colder and colder. And on the day of the Battle of Borodino, we see a terribly changed, repulsive appearance of the emperor: “yellow, swollen, heavy, with cloudy eyes, a red nose.”
The true appearance of Napoleon is even more clearly clarified when compared with Kutuzov. According to Tolstoy, Napoleon and Kutuzov are the spokesmen for the historical trends of the time. The wise Kutuzov, free from the passions of vanity and ambition, easily subordinated his will to the will of "providence", that is, he saw the higher laws governing the movement of mankind, therefore he became the leader of the people's liberation war. Napoleon, due to complete indifference to man and lack of moral sense, was placed at the head of the war of conquest. Thanks to subjective qualities, Napoleon is chosen as the spokesman for the sad historical necessity - "the movement of peoples from west to east", which resulted in the death of the Napoleonic army. Napoleon, according to Tolstoy, was intended "by providence for the sad, unfree role of the executioner of peoples, he played that cruel, inhuman role that was intended for him ..."

The description of the image of Napoleon occurs throughout all the pages of the novel. At the very beginning of the story, the guests of Anna Pavlovna Scherer's salon begin a dispute about the French emperor. This dispute ends only in the epilogue of the novel.

For the author of the novel, not only was there nothing attractive in Napoleon, but, on the contrary, Tolstoy always considered him a man whose "mind and conscience were darkened." Therefore, all his actions "were too contrary to truth and goodness." Not a statesman who can read in the minds and souls of people, but a spoiled, capricious, narcissistic poseur - this is how the Emperor of France appears in many scenes of the novel.

The imaginary greatness of Napoleon is denounced with particular force in the scene depicting him on the Poklonnaya Hill, from where he admired the daytime panorama of Moscow: “Here it is, this capital: it lies at my feet, waiting for its fate ... One word of mine, one movement of my hand, and this ancient capital perished ... "

So Napoleon thought, waiting in vain for "the boyars with the keys to the majestic city." But he found himself in a pitiful and ridiculous position: "And soon the extraordinary career of this cruel, treacherous conqueror came to an end."

The image of Napoleon serves as a means of understanding the role of the individual in the historical movement in the novel. The value of great people, as Tolstoy believed, is in "the insight of the people's meaning of events."

Many writers turn to historical figures in their work. The 19th century was full of various events in which prominent people participated. One of the leading leitmotifs for the creation of literary works was the image of Napoleon and Napoleonism. Some writers romanticized this person, endowing her with power, greatness and love of freedom. Others saw in this figure selfishness, individualism, the desire to dominate people.

The key was the image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy. The writer in this epic dispelled the myth of the greatness of Bonaparte. Tolstoy denies the concept of a "great man" because it is associated with violence, evil, meanness, cowardice, lies and betrayal. Lev Nikolaevich believes that only a person who has found peace in his soul, who has found the path to peace, can know the true life.

Bonaparte through the eyes of the heroes of the novel

The role of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" can be judged from the very first pages of the work. The heroes call him Buonaparte. For the first time, they begin to talk about him in the living room of Anna Scherer. Many ladies-in-waiting and close associates of the empress are actively discussing political events in Europe. From the lips of the mistress of the salon come the words that Bonaparte was declared invincible in Prussia, and Europe can do nothing to oppose him.

All representatives of high society, invited to the evening, have different attitudes towards Napoleon. Some support him, others admire him, others do not understand him. The image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy showed from different points of view. The writer portrayed how he was a commander, emperor and man. Throughout the work, the characters express their opinion about Bonaparte. So, Nikolai Rostov called him a criminal. The naive young man hated the emperor and condemned all his actions. The young officer Boris Drubetskoy respects Napoleon and would like to see him. One of the representatives of secular society, Count Rostopchin, compared Napoleon's actions in Europe with pirates.

Vision of the great commander Andrei Bolkonsky

Andrei Bolkonsky's opinion about Bonaparte changed. At first he saw him as a great commander, "a great genius." The prince believed that such a person is only capable of majestic deeds. Bolkonsky justifies many actions of the French emperor, and does not understand some. What finally dispelled the prince's opinion about the greatness of Bonaparte? Battle of Austerlitz. Prince Bolkonsky is mortally wounded. He lay on the field, looked at the blue sky and thought about the meaning of life. At this time, his hero (Napoleon) rode up to him on a horse and uttered the words: "Here is a beautiful death." Bolkonsky recognized Bonaparte in him, but he was the most ordinary, small and insignificant person. Later, when they examined the prisoners, Andrei realized how insignificant greatness was. He was completely disillusioned with his former hero.

Views of Pierre Bezukhov

Being young and naive, Pierre Bezukhov defended Napoleon's views with zeal. He saw in him a person who stood above the revolution. It seemed to Pierre that Napoleon gave the citizens equality, freedom of speech and the press. At first, Bezukhov saw a great soul in the French emperor. Pierre took into account the murders of Bonaparte, but admitted that this was permissible for the good of the empire. The revolutionary actions of the French emperor seemed to him the feat of a great man. But the Patriotic War of 1812 showed Pierre the true face of his idol. He saw in him an insignificant, cruel, disenfranchised emperor. Now he dreamed of killing Bonaparte, but he believed that he did not deserve such a heroic fate.

Napoleon before the Battle of Austerlitz and Borodino

At the beginning of hostilities, Tolstoy shows the French emperor, endowed with human features. His face is filled with self-confidence and complacency. Napoleon is happy and looks like a "loving and successful boy". His portrait radiated "thoughtful tenderness".

With age, his face fills with coldness, but still expresses well-deserved happiness. And how do readers see him after the invasion of Russia? Before the Battle of Borodino, he changed a lot. It was impossible to recognize the appearance of the emperor: his face turned yellow, swollen, his eyes clouded, his nose turned red.

Description of the appearance of the emperor

Lev Nikolaevich, drawing the image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace", very often resorts to his description. First, he shows him among the marshals on a gray mare and in a gray overcoat. Then not a single muscle moved on his face, nothing betrayed his nervousness and worries. At first, Bonaparte was thin, but by 1812 he was very stout. Tolstoy describes his round big belly, white leggings on fat short thighs, high over the knee boots. He is a pompous man with a white plump neck, who smelled of cologne. Fat, small, broad-shouldered, clumsy readers see Napoleon in the future. Several times Tolstoy focuses on the short stature of the emperor. He also describes the small plump hands of the ruler. Napoleon's voice was sharp and clear. He spoke every letter. The emperor walked resolutely and firmly, taking quick steps.

Quotes from Napoleon in War and Peace

Bonaparte spoke very eloquently, solemnly, and did not restrain his irritability. He was sure that everyone admired him. Comparing himself and Alexander I, he said: "War is my trade, and his business is to reign, not to command troops..." compares with ordinary cases that need to be completed: "... the wine is uncorked, you have to drink it ..." Speaking about reality, the ruler said: "Our body is a machine for life." Often the commander thought about the art of war. He considered the most important thing to be stronger than the enemy at a certain moment. He also owns the words: "It is easy to make a mistake in the heat of fire."

Napoleon's goals in War and Peace

The French emperor was a very purposeful person. Bonaparte moved step by step towards his goal. At first, everyone was delighted that this man from an ordinary lieutenant became a great ruler. What was it that guided them? Napoleon had an ambitious desire to conquer the whole world. Being a power-hungry and grandiose nature, he was endowed with selfishness and vanity. The inner world of this person is frightening and ugly. Wanting to dominate the world, he dissolves in vanity and loses himself. The emperor has to live for show. Ambitious goals turned Bonaparte into a tyrant and conqueror.

The indifference of Bonaparte, depicted by Tolstoy

The personality of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" is gradually degrading. His actions are contrary to goodness and truth. The fate of other people does not interest him at all. Readers are struck by Napoleon's indifference in War and Peace. People turn out to be pawns in his game of power and authority. In reality, Bonaparte does not notice people. His face did not express a single emotion as he circled the field of Austerlitz after the battle, all littered with corpses. Andrei Bolkonsky noticed that the misfortunes of others gave the emperor pleasure. The terrible picture of the battle of Borodino causes him a slight joy. Taking for himself the slogan "Winners are not judged", Napoleon steps on the corpses to power and glory. This is shown very well in the novel.

Other features of Napoleon

The French emperor considers war to be his craft. He loves to fight. His attitude towards the soldiers is feigned and pompous. Tolstoy shows how important luxury is to this person. The magnificent palace of Bonaparte was simply amazing. The writer portrays him as a pampered and spoiled ghoul. He loves to be admired.

The real appearance of Bonaparte becomes apparent after comparing it with Kutuzov. Both of them are the spokesmen of the historical trends of the times. The wise Kutuzov was able to lead the people's liberation movement. Napoleon was at the head of the war of conquest. The Napoleonic army was destroyed. He himself became a nonentity in the eyes of many, losing the respect even of those who once admired him.

The role of personality in the historical movement on the image of Bonaparte

The characterization of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" is needed in order to show the real meaning of events. Unfortunately, the masses sometimes become tools in the hands of great personalities. Tolstoy in his epic tried to show his vision of the one who directs the historical process: accidents, leaders, people, higher mind? The writer does not consider Napoleon great, because there is no simplicity, truth and goodness in him.

Tolstoy's attitude to the French emperor

Napoleon in War and Peace is depicted by Tolstoy as follows:

1. Limited person. He is overconfident in his military glory.
2. Human attributed genius. In battles, he did not spare his army.
3. A sharpie whose actions cannot be called great.
4. Upstart and personality without conviction.
5. Stupid behavior of Bonaparte after the capture of Moscow.
6. Sneaky man.

What concept of Napoleon's life did Lev Nikolaevich show? The French emperor denied the expediency of historical will. He takes individual interests as the basis of history, so he sees it as a random clash of someone's desires. Napoleon overcomes the cult of personality, he does not believe in the inner wisdom of being. To achieve his own goals, he uses intrigue and adventure. His military campaign in Russia is the approval of adventure as a world law. In an attempt to impose his will on the world, he is powerless, therefore he is defeated.

Leo Tolstoy is amazed at the self-satisfaction, false chivalry, arrogance, false gallantry, irritability, imperiousness, acting, megalomania of the French ruler who threatens to erase Prussia from the European map. Tolstoy really wanted to prove that all great rulers are an evil plaything in the hands of history. After all, Napoleon is a very good commander, why did he lose? The writer believes that he did not see the pain of other people, was not interested in the inner world of others, did not have mercy. The image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy showed a morally mediocre person.

Lev Nikolaevich does not see a genius in Bonaparte, because there is more villainous in him. Depicting the personality of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace", Tolstoy applied the humanistic moral principle. Power endowed the emperor with egocentrism, which developed in him to extreme limits. Napoleon's victories were based on tactics and strategy, but he did not take into account the spirit of the Russian army. According to Tolstoy, the people decide the course of history.

Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy completed work on his novel "War and Peace" in 1867. The events of 1805 and 1812, as well as the military figures who took part in the confrontation between France and Russia, are the main theme of the work.

Like any peace-loving person, Lev Nikolaevich condemned armed conflicts. He argued with those who found the "beauty of horror" in military operations. The author speaks in describing the events of 1805 as a pacifist writer. However, talking about the war of 1812, Lev Nikolaevich is already moving to the position of patriotism.

Image of Napoleon and Kutuzov

The images of Napoleon and Kutuzov created in the novel are a vivid embodiment of the principles used by Tolstoy in depicting historical figures. Far from everything the heroes coincide with real prototypes. Lev Nikolaevich did not strive to draw reliable documentary portraits of these figures when creating the novel "War and Peace". Napoleon, Kutuzov and other heroes act primarily as carriers of ideas. Many well-known facts are omitted in the work. Some qualities of both commanders are exaggerated (for example, the passivity and decrepitude of Kutuzov, the posturing and narcissism of Napoleon). Assessing the French and Russian commanders-in-chief, as well as other historical figures, Lev Nikolayevich applies strict moral criteria to them. The image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" is the subject of this article.

The French emperor is the antithesis of Kutuzov. If Mikhail Illarionovich can be considered a positive hero of that time, then in the image of Tolstoy, Napoleon is the main anti-hero in the work "War and Peace".

Portrait of Napoleon

Lev Nikolaevich emphasizes the limitedness and self-confidence of this commander, which is manifested in all his words, gestures and deeds. The portrait of Napoleon is ironic. He has a "short", "fat" figure, "fat thighs", a fussy, impetuous gait, "a plump white neck", a "round belly", "thick shoulders". This is the image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace". Describing the morning toilet of the French emperor before the battle of Borodino, Lev Nikolaevich enhances the revealing nature of the portrait characterization given originally in the work. The emperor has a “groomed body”, “overgrown fat chest”, “yellow” and These details show that Napoleon Bonaparte (“War and Peace”) was a man far from working life and alien to folk roots. The leader of the French is shown as a narcissistic egoist who thinks that the whole universe obeys his will. For him, people are of no interest.

Napoleon's behavior, his manner of speaking

The image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" is revealed not only through the description of his appearance. In his manner of speaking and behavior, narcissism and narrow-mindedness also show through. He is convinced of his own genius and greatness. Good is what came to his mind, not what is actually good, as Tolstoy notes. In the novel, each appearance of this character is accompanied by the author's merciless commentary. So, for example, in the third volume (first part, sixth chapter), Lev Nikolaevich writes that it was clear from this person that only what was happening in his soul was of interest to him.

In the work "War and Peace" Napoleon's characterization is also marked by the following details. With subtle irony, which sometimes turns into sarcasm, the writer exposes Bonaparte's claims to world domination, as well as his acting, incessant posing for history. All the time the French emperor was playing, there was nothing natural and simple in his words and behavior. This is shown very expressively by Lev Nikolaevich in the scene when he was admiring the portrait of his son. In it, the image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" acquires some very important details. Let's describe this scene briefly.

Episode with a portrait of Napoleon's son

Napoleon approached the painting, feeling that what he would do and say now "is history." The portrait depicted the son of the emperor, who played the globe in a bilbock. This expressed the greatness of the leader of the French, but Napoleon wanted to show "fatherly tenderness." Of course, it was pure acting. Napoleon did not express any sincere feelings here, he only acted, posed for history. This scene shows a man who believed that all of Russia would be subdued with the conquest of Moscow and thus his plans for dominating the whole world would be realized.

Napoleon - actor and player

And in a number of further episodes, the description of Napoleon ("War and Peace") indicates that he is an actor and a player. On the eve of the Battle of Borodino, he says that the chess has already been set, tomorrow the game will begin. On the day of the battle, Lev Nikolaevich remarks after cannon shots: "The game has begun." Further, the writer shows that it cost tens of thousands of people their lives. Prince Andrei thinks that war is not a game, but only a cruel necessity. A fundamentally different approach to it was in this thought of one of the main characters of the work "War and Peace". The image of Napoleon is set off by this remark. Prince Andrei expressed the opinion of the peaceful people, who were forced under exceptional circumstances to take up arms, since the threat of enslavement hung over their homeland.

Comic effect produced by the French emperor

It did not matter to Napoleon what was outside of himself, since it seemed to him that everything in the world depended only on his will. Tolstoy gives such a remark in the episode of his meeting with Balashev ("War and Peace"). The image of Napoleon in it is complemented by new details. Lev Nikolaevich emphasizes the contrast between the insignificance of the emperor and his comic conflict that arises at the same time - the best proof of the emptiness and impotence of this one who pretends to be majestic and strong.

Spiritual world of Napoleon

In Tolstoy's understanding, the spiritual world of the leader of the French is an "artificial world" inhabited by "ghosts of some greatness" (volume three, part two, chapter 38). In fact, Napoleon is a living proof of one old truth that "the king is a slave of history" (volume three, part one, chapter 1). Considering that he is fulfilling his own will, this historical figure was only playing the "heavy", "sad" and "cruel" "inhuman role" that was intended for him. He would hardly have been able to endure it if this person had not had a darkened conscience and mind (volume three, part two, chapter 38). The writer sees the obscuration of the mind of this commander-in-chief in the fact that he consciously cultivated in himself spiritual callousness, which he took for true greatness and courage.

So, for example, in the third volume (part two, chapter 38) it is said that he liked to examine the wounded and killed, thereby testing his spiritual strength (as Napoleon himself believed). In the episode when a squadron of Polish lancers swam across and the adjutant allowed himself to draw the attention of the emperor to the devotion of the Poles before his eyes, Napoleon called Bertier to him and began to walk along the shore with him, giving him orders and occasionally looking with displeasure at the drowned lancers who entertained his attention . For him, death is a boring and familiar sight. Napoleon takes for granted the selfless devotion of his own soldiers.

Napoleon is a deeply unhappy person

Tolstoy emphasizes that this man was deeply unhappy, but did not notice this only due to the absence of at least some moral feeling. The "great" Napoleon, the "European hero" is morally blind. He cannot understand either beauty, or goodness, or truth, or the meaning of his own actions, which, as Leo Tolstoy notes, were "opposite to goodness and truth," "far from everything human." Napoleon simply could not understand the meaning of his deeds (volume three, part two, chapter 38). To come to truth and goodness, according to the writer, is possible only by abandoning the imaginary greatness of one's personality. However, Napoleon is not at all capable of such a "heroic" act.

Napoleon's responsibility for what he did

Despite the fact that he is doomed to play a negative role in history, Tolstoy by no means diminishes the moral responsibility of this man for everything he has done. He writes that Napoleon, destined for the "not free", "sad" role of the executioner of many peoples, nevertheless assured himself that their good was the goal of his actions and that he could control and direct the destinies of many people, to do by his power of beneficence. Napoleon imagined that the war with Russia took place at his will, his soul was not struck by the horror of what had happened (volume three, part two, chapter 38).

Napoleonic qualities of the heroes of the work

In other heroes of the work, Lev Nikolaevich connects the Napoleonic qualities with the lack of a moral feeling in the characters (for example, Helen) or with their tragic delusions. So, in his youth, Pierre Bezukhov, who was fond of the ideas of the French emperor, remained in Moscow in order to kill him and thereby become the "deliverer of mankind." In the early stages of his spiritual life, Andrei Bolkonsky dreamed of rising above other people, even if this required sacrificing loved ones and family. In the image of Lev Nikolaevich, Napoleonism is a dangerous disease that divides people. She makes them wander blindly on the spiritual "off-road".

Image of Napoleon and Kutuzov by historians

Tolstoy notes that historians extol Napoleon, thinking that he was a great commander, and Kutuzov is accused of excessive passivity and military failures. In fact, the French emperor developed a stormy activity in 1812. He fussed, gave orders that seemed brilliant to him and those around him. In a word, this man behaved as a "great commander" should. The image of Kutuzov by Lev Nikolayevich does not correspond to the ideas of a genius accepted at that time. Consciously the writer exaggerates his decrepitude. So, during the military council, Kutuzov falls asleep not in order to show "contempt for the disposition", but simply because he wanted to sleep (volume one, part three, chapter 12). This commander-in-chief does not give orders. He only approves what he considers reasonable, and rejects everything unreasonable. Mikhail Illarionovich does not seek battles, does not undertake anything. It was Kutuzov who, while maintaining outward calm, made the decision to leave Moscow, which cost him great mental anguish.

What determines the true scale of personality, according to Tolstoy?

Napoleon won almost all the battles, while Kutuzov lost almost everything. The Russian army suffered setbacks near the Berezina and Krasnoe. However, it was she who eventually defeated the army under the command of the "brilliant commander" in the war. Tolstoy emphasizes that historians devoted to Napoleon believe that he was precisely a great man, a hero. In their opinion, for a person of this magnitude there can be no bad and good. The image of Napoleon in literature is often presented from this angle. Outside of moral criteria, according to various authors, are the actions of a great man. These historians and writers even evaluate the shameful flight of the French emperor from the army as a majestic act. According to Lev Nikolaevich, the true scale of a person is not measured by the "false formulas" of various historians. The great historical lie turns out to be the greatness of such a person as Napoleon ("War and Peace"). The quotes from the work that we have cited prove this. Tolstoy found true greatness in Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich, a modest worker of history.