The theme of love in Russian literature has always occupied one of the leading places. At all times, great poets, writers, and essayists turned to her. Likewise, Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, a titanic figure on the scale of world literature, does not stand aside. Almost all of his works touch on issues of love - love for the mother, for the Motherland, for a woman, for the land, for friends and family. In the epic novel “War and Peace,” inspired by “folk thought,” “family thought” is inextricably present. It is love that is fundamental driving force in the lives of the novel's heroes.
Throughout the entire novel, the author leads us along the “paths of the soul” of Natasha Rostova, Andrei Bolkonsky, Pierre Bezukhov, Marya Bolkonskaya, Nikolai Rostov and other key characters. He repeatedly emphasizes that internal beauty is important in a person, not external, and moral and spiritual values are higher than material ones. Perhaps Tolstoy idealized his heroes a little, but they all adhere to exactly this opinion.
Let us turn, for example, to the image of Natasha Rostova, who does not have such a spectacular appearance as the social beauty Helen Kuragina, but becomes surprisingly beautiful in moments of happiness. Regarding spiritual qualities heroine, she does not hesitate to give all the carts to the wounded, without even thinking about her material losses. She carefully looks after her mother when she loses the desire to live after Petya's death. Natasha makes every effort to rescue the wounded Andrei, despite the differences between them. At the same time, the heroine does not forget to remain true to herself and never ceases to enjoy life. This is how the author sees the triumph of morality over the coldness and prudence of the world.
Marya Bolkonskaya is not particularly beautiful, in which only her big ones are attractive, radiant eyes. She sacrifices her personal life to care for her sick father and is ready to sacrifice more for the benefit of those around her, the wounded and the needy. At the end of the novel, Tolstoy rewards both heroines with strong families, since only in this he sees the meaning of true, complete happiness. Both Natasha and Marya marry men they love and love, becoming wonderful wives and mothers.
In the background love stories heroes go through the merciless Patriotic War of 1812. We see an inextricable connection between the lives of the main characters and the lives of the people. In the forefront of the war, Andrei Bolkonsky first appears, and then his best friend, Pierre Bezukhov. Bolkonsky is a self-possessed man with great life experience and great ambitions. If at the beginning of the novel we see how captivated he is by Napoleon, how he imagines the war as something heroic and sublime, then before his death he finds answers to all the questions that previously tormented him. He understands that the meaning of life is not in war, but in peace with oneself and others, in kindness and forgiveness.
Changes are also taking place in the views of Pierre Bezukhov. We can say that this is another not very handsome hero of Tolstoy, but there is so much goodness and nobility in him that we don’t even notice that he is fat and clumsy. His appearance in the salon of Madame, the organizer of social receptions and evenings, frightened the hostess, since his appearance did not express aristocracy. Only Prince Andrei loves and understands this hero. He knows that behind Pierre's timidity lies a remarkable mind and talent. Pierre, just like Natasha, knows how to dilute any social atmosphere with her naturalness. Over time it only changes better side and transforms as a person. If at first we see him captivated by the cold and calculating Helen, then during the war all his best qualities are revealed - physical strength, openness, kindness, lack of selfishness, the ability to sacrifice comfort for the good of the people, the ability to risk his life to save others.
With all this, the writer tries not to idealize his heroes. He fully reveals their small weaknesses and big mistakes. But the main thing in them invariably remains “kindness”. Even the “bad” war could not dislodge this trait, like love, from the main characters.
“War and Peace” is a Russian national epic, which is reflected national character of the Russian people at the moment when their historical fate was being decided. L.N. Tolstoy worked on the novel for almost six years: from 1863 to 1869. From the very beginning of work on the work, the writer’s attention was attracted not only historical events, but also private, family life heroes. Tolstoy believed that the family is a unit of the world, in which the spirit of mutual understanding, naturalness and closeness to the people should reign.
The novel “War and Peace” describes the life of several noble families: the Rostovs, the Bolkonskys and the Kuragins.
The Rostov family is an ideal harmonious whole, where the heart prevails over the mind. Love binds all family members. It manifests itself in sensitivity, attention, and closeness. With the Rostovs, everything is sincere, it comes from the heart. Cordiality, hospitality, hospitality reign in this family, and the traditions and customs of Russian life are preserved.
Parents raised their children, giving them all their love. They can understand, forgive and help. For example, when Nikolenka Rostov lost a huge amount of money to Dolokhov, he did not hear a word of reproach from his father and was able to pay off his gambling debt.
The children of this family have absorbed all the best qualities of the “Rostov breed”. Natasha is the personification of heartfelt sensitivity, poetry, musicality and intuitiveness. She knows how to enjoy life and people like a child.
Life of the heart, honesty, naturalness, moral purity and decency determine their relationships in the family and behavior among people.
Unlike the Rostovs, the Bolkonskys live with their minds, not their hearts. This is an old aristocratic family. In addition to blood ties, the members of this family are also connected by spiritual closeness.
At first glance, the relationships in this family are difficult and devoid of cordiality. However, internally these people are close to each other. They are not inclined to show their feelings.
The old Prince Bolkonsky embodies the best features of a serviceman (nobility, devoted to those to whom he “sworn allegiance.” The concept of honor and duty of an officer was in the first place for him. He served under Catherine II, participated in Suvorov’s campaigns. He considered intelligence and activity to be the main virtues , and his vices are laziness and idleness. The life of Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky is a continuous activity. He either writes memoirs about past campaigns, or manages the estate. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky greatly respects and honors his father, who was able to instill in him a high concept of honor.” Yours road -- road honor,” he says to his son. And Prince Andrei fulfills his father’s instructions both during the campaign of 1806, in the Battles of Shengraben and Austerlitz, and during the War of 1812.
Marya Bolkonskaya loves her father and brother very much. She is ready to give all of herself for the sake of her loved ones. Princess Marya completely submits to her father's will. His word is law for her. At first glance, she seems weak and indecisive, but at the right moment she shows strength of will and strength of spirit. Tolstoy's novel family national
Both the Rostovs and the Bolkonskys are patriots, their feelings were especially clearly manifested during Patriotic War 1812. They express folk spirit war. Prince Nikolai Andreevich dies because his heart could not stand the shame of the retreat of the Russian troops and the surrender of Smolensk. Marya Bolkonskaya rejects the French general's offer of patronage and leaves Bogucharovo. The Rostovs give their carts to the soldiers wounded on the Borodino field and pay the most dear ones - with the death of Petya.
Another family is shown in the novel. This is Kuragin. The members of this family appear before us in all their insignificance, vulgarity, callousness, greed, and immorality. They use people to achieve their selfish goals. The family is devoid of spirituality. For Helen and Anatole, the main thing in life is the satisfaction of their base desires. They are completely divorced from folk life, live in a brilliant but cold world, where all feelings are perverted. During the war, they lead the same salon life, talking about patriotism.
In the epilogue of the novel, two more families are shown. This is the Bezukhov family (Pierre and Natasha), which embodied the author's ideal of a family based on mutual understanding and trust, and the Rostov family - Marya and Nikolai. Marya brought kindness and tenderness, high spirituality to the Rostov family, and Nikolai shows spiritual kindness in relation to those closest to him.
Showing in your novel different families, Tolstoy wanted to say that the future belongs to families such as the Rostovs, Bezukhovs, and Bolkonskys.
"Love and be loved
Happy just like us
In love, obstacles can be overcome
All dreams come true."
Amirova A.
What is love? I think there is no person who would not be interested in this question. Love, on the one hand, is an elementary concept, but at the same time mysterious, somehow incomprehensible. Only love makes a person happy or unhappy. She is the one who can support you in difficult times or throw you unexpectedly. Some say: “Well, what is love? It's nothing. Just think you’ve fallen in love, you’ll soon forget...” But this erroneous opinion, yes, I agree, falling in love can pass, but not love! After all, falling in love and love are different feelings. Falling in love is like a match, and love is like a candle. The first flares up brightly, often burns, but quickly burns out, the second burns for a long time with a clear, clean flame. Let's look at this with an example. Take for example Tolstoy's novel War and Peace.
In this work, the author very clearly divides love into several types. For example, let's take love in the Rostov family. The Countess loves her children motherly love. Little Natasha's friendship with Boris - childhood hobby, need to love, curiosity. Maria Bolkonskaya sacrifices herself for the sake of love for her father and because of this, at the beginning of the novel she does not marry. Natalya's love for Anatoly Kuragin turned out to be simple love, self-hypnosis. Berg marries Vera for convenience in order to receive a dowry in the form of money and make new connections. Boris also marries Julie, because she, in turn, was rich, although not even beautiful. I consider the feelings between Andrei and Natasha to be the brightest and most sincere love in this novel. After all, even after the “betrayal” they were able to forgive each other, because they were truly in love, but unfortunately it was too late to change anything. Andrei was wounded and she could only hope and care for her beloved. This is one of the principles of love:
Caring - “If he feels unwell, the first duty is to support him under any circumstances.” She herself was weak after the incident, but that did not stop her. She! It was Natasha who looked after Andrei, despite the fact that her parents tried to hide the news from her that Andrei was among the wounded soldiers. I hope that Natalya Rostova will serve as an example to readers sincerely loving girl, but I would also like to note that you shouldn’t rush headlong into the pool, because it could end badly. This is exactly what happened to the heroine of the novel in her relationship with Kuragin. And also to know that there are such nasty, heartless people like Helen. In love, the main thing for me is to be happy and give happiness to others, and not the thickness of my wallet or a profitable list of acquaintances. After all, judge for yourself, in our time you can find many people for whom it is not important inner world person, not him good qualities, but appearance, condition and benefit.
Tolstoy showed love from different sides
Acquaintance, trials, betrayal, meeting again
This is the fate of my two favorite heroes
Andrey and Natasha. Now I'll tell you about them
Natalya Rostova is a Russian soul for us
She was good at both singing and dancing
Andrei Bolkonsky strived for fame
This sometimes happens to us too
But their love was mutual, pure
After all, the attempt to escape was not without reason
Natasha was egged on by Helen.
And she herself was captured by her feelings
And out of stupidity, she was infatuated with Kuragin
Andrei Rostova was not forgiven
But then they met at a tragic moment
And Bolkonsky was hurt by Natasha’s tears
He forgave her and reminded her of love,
But, unfortunately, they did not stay together.
Tolstoy also told us about love of convenience.
And even now there is no account of this love.
Boris's mother was prone to money
This should serve us as a good lesson
After all, money is not the most important thing on earth
So, at least it seems to me
Please don't ever do this
And don’t leave a person to the mercy of fate.
In the novel “War and Peace” L.N. Tolstoy singled out and considered the most significant “folk thought”. This theme is most vividly and multifacetedly reflected in those parts of the works that tell about the war. In the depiction of the “world,” the “family thought” predominates, playing a very important role in the novel.
Almost all the heroes of “War and Peace” are subjected to the test of love. TO true love and mutual understanding, to moral beauty they do not come all at once, but only after going through mistakes and the suffering that redeems them, developing and purifying the soul.
Andrei Bolkonsky's path to happiness was thorny. A twenty-year-old inexperienced youth, carried away and blinded by “ external beauty“, he marries Lisa. However, very quickly Andrei came to a painful and depressing understanding of how “cruelly and uniquely” he had made a mistake. In a conversation with Pierre, Andrei, almost in despair, utters the words: “Never, never get married... until you have done everything you could... My God, what I wouldn’t give now not to be married! ”
Family life did not bring Bolkonsky happiness and peace; he was burdened by it. He did not love his wife, but rather despised her as a child of an empty, stupid world. Prince Andrei was constantly oppressed by the feeling of the uselessness of his life, equating him with a “court lackey and idiot.”
Then there was the sky of Austerlitz, the death of Lisa, and a deep spiritual change, and fatigue, melancholy, contempt for life, disappointment. Bolkonsky at that time was like an oak tree, which “stood like an old, angry and contemptuous monster between the smiling birches” and “did not want to submit to the charm of spring.” “An unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes” arose in Andrei’s soul. He left transformed, and again in front of him was an oak tree, but not an old, ugly oak tree, but covered with “a tent of lush, dark greenery,” so that “no sores, no old mistrust, no grief - nothing was visible.”
Love, like a miracle, revives Tolstoy's heroes to a new life. A true feeling for Natasha, so unlike the empty, absurd women of the world, came to Prince Andrei later and with incredible force turned him over and renewed his soul. He “seemed and was a completely different, new person,” and it was as if he had stepped out of a stuffy room into the free light of God. True, even love did not help Prince Andrei to humble his pride; he never forgave Natasha for “betrayal.” Only after a mortal wound and a mental break and rethinking of life did Bolkonsky understand her suffering, shame and repentance and realize the cruelty of breaking up with her. “I love you more, better than before,” he said then to Natasha, but nothing, not even her fiery feeling, could keep him in this world.
“I love you more, better than before,” he said then to Natasha, but nothing, not even her fiery feeling, could keep him in this world.
Pierre's fate is somewhat similar to his fate best friend. Just like Andrei, who in his youth was carried away by Lisa, who has just arrived from Paris, the childishly enthusiastic Pierre is carried away by the “doll-like” beauty of Helen. The example of Prince Andrei did not become a “science” for him; Pierre was convinced from his own experience that external beauty is not always internal - spiritual beauty.
Pierre felt that there were no barriers between him and Helen, she “was terribly close to him,” her beautiful and “marble” body had power over him. And although Pierre felt that this was “not good for some reason,” he weakly succumbed to the feeling instilled in him by this “depraved woman” and eventually became her husband. As a result, a bitter feeling of disappointment, gloomy despondency, contempt for his wife, for life, for himself gripped him some time after the wedding, when Helen’s “mystery” turned into spiritual emptiness, stupidity and debauchery.
Having met Natasha, Pierre, like Andrei, was amazed and attracted by her purity and naturalness. Feelings for her had already timidly begun to grow in his soul when Bolkonsky and Natasha fell in love with each other. The joy of their happiness mixed in his soul with sadness. Unlike Andrey, kind heart Pierre understood and forgave Natasha after the incident with Anatoly Kuragin. Although he tried to despise her, he saw the exhausted, suffering Natasha, and “a never-before-experienced feeling of pity filled Pierre’s soul.” And love entered his “soul, which blossomed towards a new life.” Pierre understood Natasha, perhaps because her connection with Anatole was similar to his infatuation with Helen. Natasha believed in inner beauty Kuragin, in communication with whom she, like Pierre and Helen, “felt with horror that there was no barrier between him and her.” After a disagreement with my wife, the way life's quest Pierre continues. He became interested in Freemasonry, then there was a war, and the half-childish idea of killing Napoleon, and the burning one - Moscow, terrible minutes of waiting for death and captivity. Having gone through suffering, Pierre's renewed, purified soul retained his love for Natasha. Having met her, who had also changed greatly, Pierre did not recognize Natasha. They both believed that after everything they had experienced they would be able to feel this joy, but love awoke in their hearts, and suddenly “it smelled and filled with long-forgotten happiness,” and the “forces of life” began to beat, and “joyful madness” took possession of them.
“Love has awakened, and life has awakened.” The power of love revived Natasha after the mental apathy caused by the death of Prince Andrei.
The power of love revived Natasha after the mental apathy caused by the death of Prince Andrei. She thought that her life was over, but the love for her mother that arose with renewed vigor showed her that her essence - love - was still alive in her. This all-encompassing power of love, which brought to life the people it loved and towards whom it was directed.
The fates of Nikolai Rostov and Princess Marya were not easy. Quiet, meek, ugly in appearance, but beautiful soul, the princess during her father’s life did not even hope to get married or raise children. The only wooer, and even then for the sake of a dowry, Anatole, of course, could not understand her high spirituality and moral beauty.
In the epilogue of the novel “War and Peace,” Tolstoy exalts the spiritual unity of people, which forms the basis of nepotism. Was created new family, in which seemingly different principles - the Rostovs and the Bolkonskys - were combined.
“As in every real family, in the Lysogorsk house several completely different worlds lived together, which, each maintaining its own peculiarity and making concessions to one another, merged into one harmonious whole.”
Introduction
The theme of love in Russian literature has always occupied one of the first places. Great poets and writers of all times turned to her. Love for the Motherland, for the mother, for the woman, for the land, for the family - the manifestation of this feeling is very different, it depends on people and circumstances. It is very clearly shown what love can be and what it is in the novel “War and Peace” by Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy. After all, it is love in the novel “War and Peace” that is the main driving force in the lives of the heroes. They love and suffer, hate and care, despise, discover truths, hope and wait - and all this is love.
The heroes of Leo Tolstoy's epic novel live life to the fullest, their destinies are intertwined. Natasha Rostova, Andrei Bolkonsky, Helen Kuragina, Pierre Bezukhov, Marya Bolkonskaya, Nikolai Rostov, Anatol, Dolokhov and others - all of them, to a greater or lesser extent, experienced a feeling of love and went through the path of spiritual rebirth or moral decline. Therefore, today the theme of love in Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace” remains relevant. Whole lives of people, different in their status, character, meaning of life and beliefs, flash before us.
Love and heroes of the novel
Helen Kuragina
The secular beauty Helen had “an undoubted and too powerful and victorious beauty.” But all this beauty was present only in her appearance. Helen's soul was empty and ugly. For her, love is money, wealth and recognition in society. Helen enjoyed great success with men. Having married Pierre Bezukhov, she continued to flirt with everyone who attracted her attention. Status married woman did not embarrass her at all, she took advantage of Pierre’s kindness and deceived him.
All members of the Kuragin family showed the same attitude of love. Prince Vasily called his children “fools” and said: “My children are a burden to my existence.” He expected to marry his "junior" prodigal son» Anatole on the daughter of the old Count Bolkonsky - Marya. Their whole life was built on profitable calculations, and human relationships were alien to them. Vulgarity, meanness, secular entertainment and pleasures - here life ideal Kuragin family.
But the author of the novel does not support such love in War and Peace. L.N. Tolstoy shows us a completely different love - real, faithful, all-forgiving. Love that has stood the test of time, the test of war. Reborn, renewed, bright love is the love of the soul.
Andrey Bolkonsky
This hero went through a difficult time moral path to your true love, to understanding your own purpose. Having married Lisa, he did not have family happiness. He was not interested in society, he himself said: “...this life that I lead here, this life is not for me!
“Andrei was going to war, despite the fact that his wife was pregnant. And in a conversation with Bezukhov, he said: “...what would I not give now in order not to be married!” Then the war, the sky of Austerlitz, disappointment in his idol, the death of his wife and the old oak tree... “our life is over!” The revival of his soul will occur after meeting Natasha Rostova - “... the wine of her charm went to his head: he felt revived and rejuvenated...” Dying, he forgave her for the fact that she refused to love him when she was enchanted by Anatoly Kuragin. But it was Natasha who took care of the dying Bolkonsky, it was she who sat at his head, it was she who received his last look. Wasn’t this the happiness of Andrei? He died in the arms of his beloved woman, and his soul found peace. Just before his death, he told Natasha: “...I love you too much. More than anything else." Andrei forgave Kuragin before his death: “Love your neighbors, love your enemies. To love everything—to love God in all his manifestations.”
Natasha Rostova
Natasha Rostova meets us in the novel as a thirteen-year-old girl who loves everyone around her. In general, the Rostov family was distinguished by its special cordiality and sincere care for each other. Love and harmony reigned in this family, so Natasha could not be different. Childhood love for Boris Drubetsky, who promised to wait for her for four years, sincere joy and kind attitude towards Denisov, who proposed to her, speak of the sensuality of the heroine’s nature. Her main need in life is to love. When Natasha saw Andrei Bolkonsky, a feeling of love completely overwhelmed her. But Bolkonsky, having proposed to Natasha, left for a year. Infatuation with Anatoly Kuragin in Andrei's absence gave Natasha doubt about her love. She even planned to escape, but Anatole’s revealed deception stopped her. The spiritual emptiness left by Natasha after her relationship with Kuragin gave rise to a new feeling for Pierre Bezukhov - a feeling of gratitude, tenderness and kindness. While Natasha did not know that it would be love.
She felt guilty before Bolkonsky. While caring for the wounded Andrei, she knew that he would soon die. He and she needed her care. It was important for her that she would be there when he closed his eyes.
Natasha's despair after all the events that happened - the flight from Moscow, the death of Bolkonsky, the death of Petya - was accepted by Pierre Bezukhov. After the end of the war, Natasha married him and found true family happiness. “Natasha needed a husband... And her husband gave her a family... all her spiritual strength was directed towards serving this husband and family...”
Pierre Bezukhov
Pierre came into the novel as the illegitimate son of Count Bezukhov. His attitude towards Elen Kuragina was based on trust and love, but after a while he realized that he was simply being led by the nose: “This is not love. On the contrary, there is something disgusting in the feeling that she aroused in me, something forbidden.” The difficult path of life's quest for Pierre Bezukhov began. He treated Natasha Rostova with care and tender feelings. But even in the absence of Bolkonsky, he did not dare to do anything extra. He knew that Andrei loved her, and Natasha was waiting for his return. Pierre tried to correct Rostova's situation when she became interested in Kuragin; he truly believed that Natasha was not like that. And he was not mistaken. His love survived all expectations and separation and found happiness. Having created a family with Natasha Rostova, Pierre was humanly happy: “After seven years of marriage, Pierre felt a joyful, firm consciousness that he was not a bad person, and he felt this because he was reflected in his wife.”
Marya Bolkonskaya
Tolstoy writes about Princess Marya Bolkonskaya: “...Princess Marya dreamed of family happiness and children, but her main, strongest and hidden dream was earthly love.” It was difficult to live in her father’s house; Prince Bolkonsky kept his daughter strictly. It cannot be said that he did not love her, only for him this love was expressed in activity and reason. Marya loved her father in her own way, she understood everything and said: “My calling is to be happy with another happiness, the happiness of love and self-sacrifice.” She was naive and pure and saw the good and the good in everyone. Even Anatoly Kuragin, who decided to marry her for advantageous position, she thought kind person. But Marya found her happiness with Nikolai Rostov, for whom the path to love turned out to be thorny and confusing. This is how the Bolkonsky and Rostov families united. Nikolai and Marya did what Natasha and Andrey could not do.
Love for the Motherland
The fates of the heroes and their contact are inseparable from the fate of the country. The theme of love for the homeland runs like a red thread through the life of each character. Moral quest Andrei Bolkonsky led him to the idea that the Russian people cannot be defeated. Pierre Bezukhov went from " young man“who doesn’t know how to live” to a real man who dared to look Napoleon in the eyes, save a girl in a fire, endure captivity, sacrifice himself for the sake of others. Natasha Rostova, who gave the carts to the wounded soldiers, knew how to wait and believe in the strength of the Russian people. Petya Rostov, who died at the age of fifteen for a “just cause,” experienced true patriotism. Platon Karataev, a peasant partisan who fought for victory with his bare hands, managed to explain the simple truth of life to Bezukhov. Kutuzov, who gave all of himself “for the Russian land,” believed to the end in the strength and spirit of Russian soldiers. L.N. Tolstoy in the novel showed the power of the Russian people in the unity, faith and steadfastness of Russia.
Love for parents
It is no coincidence that the Rostov, Bolkonsky, Kuragin families are presented in the novel by Tolstoy with detailed description the lives of almost all family members. They are opposed to each other on the principles of education, morality, and internal relationships. Reverence family traditions, love for parents, care and participation - this is the basis of the Rostov family. Respect, justice and non-questioning of one’s father are the principles of life of the Bolkonsky family. The Kuragins live at the mercy of money and vulgarity. Neither Hippolyte, nor Anatole, nor Helen have grateful feelings for their parents. A love problem arose in their family. They deceive others and deceive themselves, thinking that wealth is human happiness. In fact, their idleness, frivolity, and promiscuity do not bring happiness to anyone of them. Initially, this family did not cultivate a sense of love, kindness, or trust. Everyone lives for himself, without grieving for his neighbor.
Tolstoy gives this contrast of families for full picture life. We see love in all its manifestations - destructive and all-forgiving. We understand whose ideal is close to us. We have the opportunity to see what path we need to take to achieve happiness.
Characteristics of the relationships of the main characters and a description of their love experiences will help 10th grade students when writing an essay on the topic “The Theme of Love in the novel “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy.”
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