What a sincere and noble friendship looks like, built on the spiritual closeness of people, can be understood by reading Leo Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace.” Such friendship existed between Prince Andrei Bolkonsky and Count Pierre Bezukhov.
Pierre, who has arrived from abroad, meets Andrei in the noble social salon of Anna Scherer. When meeting Pierre, who was spontaneous and childlike, Bolkonsky felt revived. He appreciated Pierre for his liveliness and simplicity.
Prince Andrei told him that Pierre was dear to him as the only “living person” of all high society that surrounds it. Bolkonsky loved and accepted Pierre for who he is.
Their conversations were always sincere and confidential. Bolkonsky showed interest in Pierre’s affairs and asked his young friend about his choice: who he would be - a diplomat or a cavalry guard. Pierre was indecisive and delayed his choice. Prince Andrei advised the young man to make up his mind as quickly as possible, since Pierre’s father was also waiting for this. Andrei frankly, without hiding, explained to Pierre the reason for his decision to serve in the army. He realized that Savor, full of gossip, indifference and pomposity, is not for him. Bolkonsky advised Pierre not to rush into marriage, he advised him to get to know the woman better. They had a common idol - Napoleon. Young Bezukhov admired him as a great commander. Prince Andrei wanted to become famous, like Napoleon.
Pierre saw the value of his older friend, considered him an ideal and hoped for his help in the future. Pierre Bezukhov considered Bolkonsky a strong and strong-willed person. Prince Andrei dissuaded his young friend from traveling to the Kuragins, drawing Pierre’s attention to the fact that carousing is a waste of time.
The serious injury of Prince Andrei forced him to settle in Bogucharovo. Dreams of fame are a thing of the past. He fell into a state of apathy and lost interest in public life. Pierre, aware of the changes that had occurred with his friend, was always there. They talked about the meaning of life. Pierre saw happiness in the pleasure of doing good for everyone, living for others. Andrei understood happiness differently. Happiness in life in his understanding is to live for himself and his family and friends, to raise his son.
During a trip to the Bald Mountains estate, Pierre and Andrey had a conversation about life and faith in the best. Leo Tolstoy writes that during a difficult period in the life of Andrei Bolkonsky, the help of Pierre Bezukhov helped him start new life. The conversation between Prince Andrei and Pierre before the Battle of Borodino was very important. Bolkonsky thought not only about his life, but also about the lives of other people. The outcome of the Battle of Borodino could greatly influence their destinies.
The friendship of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky and Count Pierre Bezukhov was built on a commonality of interests, on a commonality of spiritual needs - the search for the meaning of life.
Can people who know each other always become friends? This is always a free choice, it does not concern parents and children, who, as we all know, are not chosen. Therefore, only someone who can always be completely trusted, respected and taken into account in everything can be a friend. But friends don't always think alike. It’s not for nothing that the proverb says that the enemy will assent, but a true friend- argue. The basis of the friendship of Prince Andrei and Pierre Bezukhov, who are completely different in character and have different personalities, is selflessness and sincerity. They are ready to support each other and help in difficult situations. They have many differences, but they have one thing in common - the desire for useful activity. Their common goal is a full and meaningful life. Just as two opposites attract, so these two people found each other in a whole crowd. They will meet at one of the high-society evenings, held among many guests, the glitter of jewelry and expensive outfits, where false courtesy reigns, artificial smiles, and “decent” conversations are conducted. Two dissimilar people will find each other among everyone else, they will not part until the end of their days. one of them.
The friendship of these two men seems strange, the sophisticated aristocrat - Bolkonsky and the illegal born son noble nobleman - Pierre. Bolkonsky belongs in this society, he is accepted by everyone in this society, with his impeccable manners. Education and flexible mind. And Pierre, appearing in this living room for the first time, without observing the rules of etiquette, begins an argument about Napoleon. Everything here is new to him and therefore interesting: both the conversations and the people who lead them. They were sincerely happy to meet. Having known each other since childhood, they did not meet each other for several years. They have something to talk about, even despite these years and the difference in their ages. What can unite them now, what makes them interesting to each other? Both young men are at a crossroads, their thoughts are not a career, but the meaning of life, and useful, worthy of a person, activity. They both know what they want and what they need to strive for. Neither naive Pierre nor Prince Andrey knows this. He himself does not like the life Bolkonsky leads, he considers it a failure and is constantly looking for a way out of this situation. He tries to influence Pierre, convince him that he can be useful in various fields, warns him about the bad influence of the company of Kuragin and Dolokhov.
These two friends talk not only about their personal problems; the name of Napoleon, which causes not only indignation, but also fear, was then on the lips of the entire court society. The rifles perceive him differently. Thus, Pierre, who ardently defends, justifies his cruelty as a necessity for preserving his conquests french revolution. Prince Andrei is attracted to Bonaparte by his eccentricity, as a great commander who, thanks to his talent, rose to the very pinnacle of glory. On many issues, friends do not agree with each other, but they retain the right to their own judgment and choice. Prince Bolkonsky, as the more experienced one, fears for his friend, for the negative and corrupting influence that the environment in which Pierre finds himself may have. For Bezukhov, his friend is an example of all perfections, but he does not listen to his advice, so he learns from his own mistakes. Fate will test friends more than once, but they never forgot about each other, no matter what. difficult situation they weren't there. Everyone struggles with themselves, they sometimes win it, sometimes they suffer defeat, but they still persist in it, never giving up. In the novel we see two different people who supported each other all the time, became better, somewhere fairer and purer in soul. One can only dream of such friendship and mutual assistance these days.
Why do people become friends? If parents, children, and relatives are not chosen, then everyone is free to choose friends. Therefore, a friend is a person whom we completely trust, whom we respect, and whose opinion we take into account. But this does not mean that friends should think alike. Popular proverb says: “The enemy agrees, but the friend argues.” Sincerity and selflessness, mutual understanding and willingness to support and help - this is the basis of true friendship, such as the friendship of Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov, different in character, with different personalities, but with a common desire for a meaningful, fulfilling life, for useful activity.
“The soul must work,” these words, spoken a century after the creation of “War and Peace,” could become the motto of their life, their friendship. The reader's attention is drawn to Prince Andrei and Pierre from the first pages of the novel. Let's imagine a high-society evening in Anna Pavlovna Scherer's salon. Famous guests, glitter of clothes and jewelry, false pleasantries, artificial smiles, “decent” conversations. Two people, so different from everyone else, found each other in the crowd of guests so as not to be separated until the end of the life of one of them.
How different they are: the sophisticated aristocrat Prince Bolkonsky, and the illegitimate son of the noble Catherine’s nobleman Count Bezukhov Pierre. Prince Andrey belongs here. He is accepted in society, smart, educated, his manners are impeccable. And Pierre’s appearance frightens Anna Pavlovna. Tolstoy explains that her fear “could only relate to that intelligent and at the same time timid, observant and natural look that distinguished him from everyone in this living room.” Andrei Bolkonsky is frankly bored at this evening, he is tired of everything and everyone, but Pierre is not bored: he is interested in people and their conversations. Without observing etiquette, he “breaks into” disputes about Napoleon, disrupting the flow of a “decent conversational machine.” They were delighted to meet. Having known each other since childhood, the young people have not seen each other for a long time. They have something to tell each other, despite the age difference.
What unites them now, why are they interesting to each other? Both are at a crossroads. Both think not about a career, but about the meaning of life, about useful, worthy human activity. They don’t yet know what they want, what they need to strive for, not only the naive Pierre, but also Prince Andrei does not understand this, but Bolkonsky knows for sure that the life he leads is not according to him. He believes that life has failed, he rushes about, looking for a way out. However, this does not stop him from trying to influence Pierre, convincing him that he “will be good” in any field, but he must stay away from the company of Dolokhov and Anatoly Kuragin. They are concerned not only with personal problems. The name of Napoleon is on everyone's lips. It causes fear and indignation in court society. Pierre and Prince Andrei perceive him differently. Pierre ardently defends Napoleon, justifying his cruelty by the need to preserve the gains of the revolution; Prince Andrei is attracted to Bonaparte by the eccentricity of the commander, whose talent raised him to the pinnacle of glory.
While largely disagreeing with each other, they recognize the right of everyone to make their own judgments and make their own choices. But at the same time, the more experienced Bolkonsky is afraid (and, unfortunately, he is right!) of the corrupting influence on Pierre of the environment in which he found himself. But Pierre, considering Prince Andrei a model of all perfections, still does not heed his advice and is forced to learn from his own mistakes.
They still have a lot to do. Both cannot help but think, both struggle with themselves, often suffer defeats in this struggle, but do not give up, but continue to “fight, get confused, make mistakes, start and quit...” (L.N. Tolstoy). And this, according to Tolstoy, the main thing is not to be satisfied with yourself, to judge and punish yourself, to overcome yourself again and again. No matter how fate tests Prince Andrei and Pierre, they do not forget about each other.
Pierre, who has experienced a lot and has grown up, visits the widowed Prince Andrei in Bogucharovo after a trip to his estates. He is active, full of life, hopes, aspirations. Having become a Freemason, he became interested in the idea of internal purification, believed in the possibility of the brotherhood of man, and did, as it seemed to him, a lot to alleviate the situation of the peasants. And Prince Andrei, who survived his “Austerlitz” and lost faith in life, is depressed and gloomy. Bezukhov was struck by the change in him: “... the words were kind, a smile was on the lips and face of Prince Andrei, but his gaze was extinguished, dead.”
I think it is no coincidence that the writer brings his heroes together at this very moment, when one of them, trying to live for others, “understood all the happiness of life,” and the other, having lost his wife, parted with the dream of fame, decided to live only for himself and his loved ones , "avoiding only two evils - remorse and illness." If they are connected by true friendship, this meeting is necessary for both. Pierre is inspired, he shares his new thoughts with Prince Andrei, but Bolkonsky listens to him incredulously and gloomily, does not want to talk about himself, does not even hide the fact that he is not interested in everything that Pierre is talking about, but does not give up the argument. Bezukhov proclaims that it is necessary to do good to people, and Prince Andrei believes that it is enough not to harm anyone. It seems that Pierre is right in this dispute, but in reality everything is more complicated. Prince Andrei, who had that “practical tenacity” that Pierre did not have, manages to do much of what he dreams of and what his friend cannot achieve: he is older, more experienced, knows life and people better.
The dispute, at first glance, did not change anything. However, the meeting with Pierre made a strong impression on Prince Andrei; it “awakened something that had long fallen asleep, something better that was in him.” Apparently, Bezukhov’s “golden heart” did not let him down when he was not afraid to hurt his friend, to offend the prince’s grief, convincing him that life goes on, that much is still ahead. He helped Prince Andrei take the first step towards internal rebirth, towards a new life, towards love.
It seems to me that if it were not for Bogucharov’s meeting, Bolkonsky would not have noticed any poetic moonlit night in Otradnoye, nor the lovely girl who would soon enter his life and change it, and the old oak tree would not have helped him make such an important conclusion: “No, life is not over at thirty-one... It is necessary for everyone to know me, so that not for My life was going on only for me... So that it would be reflected on everyone and so that they would all live with me.” In two months he will leave for St. Petersburg to be useful people, and Pierre, under the influence of a conversation with Bolkonsky, looking more closely at the Freemason brothers, realized that behind their correct words about the brotherhood of man lies their own goal - “the uniforms and crosses that they sought in life.” This, in fact, began his break with Freemasonry.
Both friends still have many hopes, disappointments, downs, and ups ahead. But one thing, the main thing that unites them, both of them will retain - the constant desire to seek truth, goodness and justice. And how Pierre rejoices when he learns that Prince Andrei fell in love with Natasha Rostova, how wonderful and generous he is when he hides his feelings for her, moreover, he persuades his friend to forgive the girl for her infatuation with Anatoly Kuragin. Having failed to achieve this, Pierre painfully experiences their breakup, he hurts for both, he fights for their love, without thinking about himself. Before the events of 1812, Tolstoy again leads his friends to a deep crisis: Prince Andrei became disillusioned with government activities, his hope for personal happiness collapsed, his faith in people was trampled; Pierre broke with Freemasonry and unrequitedly loves Natasha. How difficult it is for both of them, and how they need each other! The events of 1812 are a severe test for both, and both pass it with honor, finding their place in the fight against the invaders. Before the Battle of Borodino, Pierre had to see Prince Andrei, because only he could explain to him everything that was happening. And so they meet. Pierre's expectations come true: Bolkonsky explains to him the situation in the army. Now Bezukhov understood that “hidden warmth... of patriotism” that was flaring up before his eyes. And for Prince Andrey, the conversation with Pierre is very important: expressing his thoughts to a friend, he felt that he might not return from this field, and, probably, he felt sorry for his life, his loved ones, his friendship with this huge, absurd, beautiful Pierre, but Andrei Bolkonsky - the true son of his father - restrains himself and does not betray the excitement that has gripped him.
They won't have to talk heart to heart anymore. A wonderful friendship was cut short by an enemy grenade. Although no, she didn’t cut it off. Dead friend will forever remain next to Pierre as the most precious memory, as the most sacred thing that he had in his life. He still mentally consults with Prince Andrei and, making the main decision in his life - to actively fight evil, he is sure that Prince Andrei would be on his side. Pierre proudly speaks about this to Nikolenka Bolkonsky, the fifteen-year-old son of Prince Andrei, because he wants to see in the boy the heir to the thoughts and feelings of a person who has not died for him and will never die. What united the two wonderful people: constant work of the soul, a tireless search for truth, the desire to always be pure before one’s conscience, to benefit people - immortal. There is something in human feelings that is always modern. The pages of War and Peace, dedicated to the friendship of such different and equally wonderful people as Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov, are unforgettable. After all, before our eyes, these people, supporting each other, become better, cleaner, fairer. Everyone dreams of such friends and such friendship.
The epic novel "War and Peace" covers a large historical period, and represents many real historical characters. Leo Tolstoy managed to describe all social strata of that time: nobility, aristocracy, elite, merchants, peasants, army. main idea novel - to show the feat of the Russian people who rebelled against the conqueror Napoleon. One of the most interesting storylines became a friendship between Pierre Bezukhov and Prince Andrei Bolkonsky.
The images of the heroes are very contradictory: they have different ages, different tempers And social status, but they have a lot in common. The prince sees in Pierre a bright soul who can be taught life. Bolkonsky becomes a mentor and role model for Pierre. Both are united by the search for the values of life, the search for ideals, self-development, and a great desire to comprehend the world around them.
Bolkonsky’s contemptuous and arrogant attitude towards people is the prince’s initial position; this is evidenced even by his disrespect for his own wife. But, having gone through the path of loss and disappointment, he understands both the meaninglessness of his previous worldview and the value of the joys of life.
Pierre is an incredibly trusting person. He cannot resist someone else's will, and therefore submits to it. Having gone through humiliation in captivity, he understands that the highest value lies in the person himself, the individual’s ability to satisfy the needs of his restless soul. He is constantly tormented by philosophical questions: who am I, what is good and evil, what is death? In order to achieve happiness and wisdom, he is forced to go through hatred and disgust for himself and everything around him. It was these attacks of powerlessness and despair that helped the hero in the formation of spiritual life.
Tolstoy argued that a person will always go hand in hand with finds and discoveries, as well as with losses and disappointments. Every event that happens to the characters in the novel makes you think not only about the causes and consequences of their actions, but also about the motives that prompted them to do so. And the main motive for the friendship between Pierre and Prince Andrei is, undoubtedly, all those amazing qualities that each of them lacks so much, but which they find in each other.
The novel “War and Peace” has become nothing less than a masterpiece of not only Russian, but also world literature. Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov are the heroes of the novel, constantly searching for their place in life. Perhaps, thanks to common goals, their relationship grew into a true friendship in which they sincerely trusted each other.
Both are at a crossroads. Both think not about a career, but about the meaning of life, about useful, worthy human activity. They do not yet know what they want, what they need to strive for, not only the naive Pierre, but also Prince Andrei does not understand this, but Bolkonsky knows for sure that the life he leads is not according to him. He believes that life has failed, he rushes about, looking for a way out. However, this does not stop him from trying to influence Pierre, convincing him that he “will be good” in any field, but he must stay away from the company of Dolokhov and Anatoly Kuragin. They are concerned not only with personal problems.
Both Pierre and Prince Andrei at one time go through a fascination with Napoleon, and if Bezukhov is attracted to this man as the “heir” of the French revolution, then Bolkonsky associates his own dreams of great glory and feat with the name of Napoleon. Observation and communication with ordinary Russian people, soldiers during historical events war of 1812.
Tolstoy leads his heroes through a continuous series of hobbies for what seems to them the most significant in the life of man and society, but very often these hobbies lead the heroes to disappointment, since what initially attracts them turns out to be small and insignificant. And only as a result of brutal clashes with the world, as a result of liberation from “mirages,” do friends discover what, from their point of view, is true, authentic.
However, the most interesting thing is that both Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov, uniquely, each in his own way and even in different time come to results that are striking in their generality. Thus, as they penetrate deeper into the true essence of the society around them, they become cramped in the narrow, false and meaningless space of light, which limits and burdens them, and they leave there in search of new human values.
The pages of War and Peace, dedicated to the friendship of such different and equally wonderful people as Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov, are unforgettable. After all, before our eyes, these people, supporting each other, become better, cleaner, fairer. Everyone dreams of such friends and such friendship.