Salon of Anna Pavlovna Scherrer
The A.P. Sherrer salon is the place where the cream of St. Petersburg society gathers. (26, 43) Among the guests of Anna Scherrer's salon there are many central characters: Andrei Bolkonsky with his wife, Pierre Bezukhov, the Kuragin family, etc. . The meaning of her life lies in the maintenance of her salon. One of the first guests she greets Prince Vasily Kuragin. Their conversation gradually moves from discussing the horrific actions of the Antichrist-Napoleon and secular gossip to intimate topics. Anna Pavlovna tells the prince that it would be nice to marry his son Anatoly, “a restless fool.” The woman immediately suggests a suitable candidate - her relative Princess Bolkonskaya, who lives with her stingy but rich father. On the way out, an elderly lady approached Prince Vasily - Drubetskaya Anna Mikhailovna. The woman, trying to use her former charm, asks the man to place her son Boris in the guard. During a conversation about politics, Pierre speaks about the revolution as a great cause, going against the other guests, who consider Napoleon’s actions to be terrifying. The young man could not fully defend his opinion, but Andrei Bolkonsky supported him.. Guests gather in separate circles, where, as a rule, someone is the center of attention, and Anna Pavlovna walks between them and pays special attention to the circle where the conversation is dying out. The lady has a sense of humor, intelligence, she presents new “faces” to her guests to make her evening more interesting: “this evening Anna Pavlovna served her guests first the Viscount, then the Abbot, like something supernaturally refined.” “Being an enthusiast became her social position.” Different people visit the Scherer salon. Here Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. (61) He will soon go to fight with Bonaparte. He is not interested in anything at all in Anna Pavlovna’s living room and he comes there to accompany his wife, who cannot go out into the big world due to pregnancy, but attends small parties.
In the house of Count Bezukhov 366
A soulless, selfish atmosphere reigns in the house of the dying Count Bezukhov. We see what is happening through the eyes of the naive Pierre. The young man does not understand what caused the increased attention to his modest person, what worries his relatives, which is why there are scandals and even fights near his father’s deathbed. Those around him are little concerned about the count's condition. It is important for them not to miss the chance to grab a piece of a rich inheritance. Count Bezukhov suffered a sixth stroke, after which the doctors announced that there was no longer any hope of recovery - most likely, the patient would die at night. Prince Vasily learns from Princess Ekaterina Semyonovna that the letter in which the Count asks to adopt Pierre is in the Count's mosaic briefcase under his pillow. Pierre and Anna Mikhailovna arrive at Bezukhov's house. Heading to the dying man’s room, Pierre does not understand why he is going there and whether he should show up in his father’s chambers at all. During the unction, Counts Vasily and Catherine quietly take away the briefcase with papers. Seeing the dying Bezukhov, Pierre finally realized how close his father was to death. In the reception room, Anna Mikhailovna notices that the princess is hiding something and is trying to take the briefcase from Catherine. At the height of the quarrel, the middle princess reported that the count had died. Everyone is saddened by Bezukhov's death. The next morning, Anna Mikhailovna tells Pierre that his father promised to help Boris and she hopes that the count’s will will be carried out.
Name day at the Rostovs
The Rostovs celebrate the name day of their mother and youngest daughter - the two Natalias. (175) Women gossip about the illness of Count Bezukhov and the behavior of his son Pierre. The young man got involved in bad company: his last revelry led to Pierre being expelled from St. Petersburg to Moscow. The women are wondering who will become the heir to Bezukhov's wealth: (183) Pierre or the direct heir of the count - Prince Vasily. The old Count Rostov says that Nikolai, their eldest son, is going to leave the university and his parents, deciding to go to war with a friend. Nikolai replies that he really feels drawn to military service.
Natasha (195) (“a dark-eyed, big-mouthed, ugly, but lively girl, with her childish open shoulders”), accidentally seeing the kiss of Sonya (the count’s niece) and Nikolai, calls Boris (Drubetskaya’s son) and kisses him herself. Boris confesses his love to the girl, and they agree on a wedding when she turns 16. Vera(217), seeing them cooing Sonya(204) with Nikolai and Natasha with Boris(200), reprimands that it is bad to run after a young man, tries in every possible way to offend young people. This upsets everyone, and they leave, but Vera remains satisfied. Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya tells Rostova that Prince Vasily got her son into the guard, but she doesn’t even have money for uniforms for her son. Drubetskaya hopes only for the mercy of Boris’s godfather, Count Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov, and decides to hang him right now. Anna Mikhailovna asks her son to “be as nice as you know how to be” towards the count, but he believes that this will be like humiliation. Holiday at the Rostovs. While they are waiting for Natasha's godmother, Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova, a sharp and straightforward woman, in Rostov's office, Countess Shinshin's cousin and the selfish guards officer Berg argue about the advantages and benefits of serving in the cavalry over the infantry. Shinshin makes fun of Berg. Pierre arrived just before dinner, feels awkward, sits in the middle of the living room, preventing the guests from walking, is embarrassed and cannot carry on a conversation, constantly as if looking for someone in the crowd. At this time, everyone is assessing how such a lout could participate in the bear business, which the gossips were gossiping about. At dinner, the men talked about the war with Napoleon and about the manifesto by which this war was declared. The colonel claims that only through war can the security of the empire be preserved, Shinshin does not agree, then the colonel turns to Nikolai Rostov for support. The young man agrees with the opinion that “Russians must die or win,” but understands the awkwardness of his remark.
To the Bolkonsky estate Bald Mountains
The estate of Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, a strict man who considered “idleness and superstition” to be the main human vices, was located in Bald Mountains. He raised his daughter Marya himself and was demanding and harsh with everyone around him, so everyone was afraid of him and obeyed him. Andrei Bolkonsky and his wife Lisa come to the estate to Nikolai Bolkonsky. Andrei, telling his father about the upcoming military campaign, is met with obvious discontent in response. The elder Bolkonsky is against Russia's desire to participate in the war. He believes that Bonaparte is “an insignificant Frenchman who was successful only because there were no longer Potemkins and Suvorovs.” Andrei does not agree with his father, because Napoleon is his ideal. Angry at his son’s stubbornness, the old prince shouts at him to go to his Bonaparte. Andrei is getting ready to leave. The man is tormented by mixed feelings. Marya, Andrei’s sister, asks his brother to put on “an old icon of the savior with a black face in a silver robe on a finely made silver chain” and blesses him with the image. Andrei asks the old prince to take care of his wife Lisa. Nikolai Andreevich, although he seems strict, betrays the letter of recommendation to Kutuzov. At the same time, saying goodbye to his son, he gets upset. Having said a cold goodbye to Lisa, Andrei leaves.
Austerlitz planting
The beginning of the Battle of Austerlitz. At 5 am the movement of Russian columns began. There was heavy fog and smoke from fires, behind which it was impossible to see those around us or the direction. There is chaos in the movement. Due to the shift of the Austrians to the right, there was great confusion. Kutuzov becomes the head of the 4th column and leads it. Before the battle, the emperor asks Kutuzov why the battle has not yet begun, to which the old commander-in-chief replies: “That’s why I’m not starting, sir. We are not at the parade and not on Tsaritsyn Meadow.” Before the start of the battle, Bolkonsky was firmly convinced that “today was the day of his Toulon.” Through the dissipating fog, the Russians see French troops much closer than expected, break the formation and flee from the enemy. Kutuzov orders them to be stopped and Prince Andrei runs forward, leading the battalion behind him. On the right flank, commanded by Bagration, at 9 o’clock nothing has yet begun, so the commander sends Rostov to the commander-in-chief for orders to begin military operations. Rostov, advancing along the Russian front, does not believe that the enemy is already practically in their rear. Near the village of Praca, Rostov finds only upset crowds of Russians. Beyond the village of Gostieradek, Rostov finally saw the sovereign, but did not dare to approach him. At this time, Captain Tol, seeing the pale Alexander, helps him cross the ditch, for which the emperor shakes his hand. Rostov regrets his indecision and goes to Kutuzov’s headquarters. At the fifth hour in the Battle of Austerlitz, the Russians lost on all counts. The Russians are retreating. At the Augest dam they are overtaken by French artillery cannonade. The soldiers are trying to advance by walking over the dead. Dolokhov jumps from the dam onto the ice, others run after him, but the ice cannot stand it, everyone drowns. The wounded Bolkonsky lies on Pratsenskaya Mountain, bleeding and, without noticing it, quietly moaning, in the evening he falls into oblivion. Waking up from burning pain, he felt alive again, thinking that “he knew nothing, nothing until now.” Suddenly, the tramp of approaching French is heard, among them Napoleon. Bonaparte praises his soldiers, looking at the dead and wounded. Seeing Bolkonsky, he says that his death is wonderful, while for Andrei all this did not matter: “His head was burning; he felt that he was emanating blood, and he saw above him the distant, high and eternal sky. He knew that it was Napoleon - his hero, but at that moment Napoleon seemed to him such a small, insignificant person in comparison with what was now happening between his soul and this high, endless sky with clouds running across it. Bonaparte notices that Bolkonsky is alive and orders him to be taken to the dressing station. Together with the other wounded, the man remains in the care of the local population. In his delirium, he sees quiet pictures of life and happiness in the Bald Mountains, which is destroyed by little Napoleon. The doctor claims that Bolkonsky’s delirium will end in death rather than recovery.
In Bald Mountains, the estate of Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, the arrival of the young Prince Andrei and the princess was expected every day; but the wait did not disrupt the orderly order in which life went on in the old prince’s house. General-in-Chief Prince Nikolai Andreevich, nicknamed le roi de Prusse in society, from the time he was exiled to the village under Paul, lived constantly in his Bald Mountains with his daughter, Princess Marya, and with her companion, Mlle Bourienne . And during the new reign, although he was allowed to enter the capitals, he also continued to live in the countryside, saying that if anyone needed him, he would travel one and a half hundred miles from Moscow to Bald Mountains, and that he did not need anyone or anything. . He said that there are only two sources of human vices: idleness and superstition, and that there are only two virtues: activity and intelligence. He himself was involved in raising his daughter and, in order to develop both main virtues in her, gave her lessons in algebra and geometry and distributed her whole life in continuous studies. He himself was constantly busy either writing his memoirs, or calculating higher mathematics, or turning snuff boxes on a machine, or working in the garden and observing the buildings that did not stop on his estate. Since the main condition for activity is order, order in his way of life was brought to the utmost degree of precision. His trips to the table took place under the same unchanging conditions, and not only at the same hour, but also at the same minute. With the people around him, from his daughter to his servants, the prince was harsh and invariably demanding, and therefore, without being cruel, he aroused fear and respect for himself, which the most cruel person could not easily achieve. Despite the fact that he was retired and now had no importance in state affairs, every head of the province where the prince’s estate was, considered it his duty to come to him and, just like an architect, gardener or Princess Marya, waited for the appointed hour of the prince's appearance in the high waiter's room. And everyone in this waitress experienced the same feeling of respect and even fear, while the enormously high door of the office opened and the short figure of an old man with small dry hands and gray drooping eyebrows, sometimes, as he frowned, obscured the shine of smart people, appeared in a powdered wig. and young shiny eyes. On the day of the newlyweds’ arrival, in the morning, as usual, Princess Marya entered the waitress’s room at the appointed hour for morning greetings and crossed herself with fear and read an internal prayer. Every day she went in and every day she prayed that this daily meeting would go well. A powdered old servant sitting in the waiter's room stood up with a quiet movement and announced in a whisper: "Please." The steady sounds of the machine could be heard from behind the door. The princess timidly pulled the door that opened easily and smoothly and stopped at the entrance. The prince was working at the machine and, looking back, continued his work. The huge office was filled with things that were obviously in constant use. A large table on which books and plans lay, tall glass library cabinets with keys in the doors, a high standing writing table on which lay an open notebook, a lathe with tools laid out and shavings scattered around - everything showed a constant, varied and orderly activities. From the movements of his small foot, shod in a Tatar boot embroidered with silver, and from the firm fit of his sinewy, lean hand, one could see in the prince the stubborn and enduring strength of fresh old age. Having made several circles, he took his foot off the pedal of the machine, wiped off the chisel, threw it into a leather pocket attached to the machine, and, going up to the table, called his daughter. He never blessed his children and only, presenting his stubbled, not yet shaved cheek to her, said, looking at her sternly and at the same time carefully and tenderly: - Are you healthy?.. well, sit down! He took the geometry notebook he had written in his own hand and pushed his chair forward with his foot. - For tomorrow! - he said, quickly finding the page and marking it from paragraph to paragraph with a hard fingernail. The princess bent down on the table over her notebook. “Wait, the letter is for you,” the old man suddenly said, taking out an envelope written in a woman’s hand from a pocket attached above the table and throwing it on the table. The princess's face became covered with red spots at the sight of the letter. She hurriedly took it and bent down towards him. - From Eloise? - asked the prince, showing his still strong and yellowish teeth with a cold smile. “Yes, from Julie,” said the princess, looking timidly and smiling timidly. “I’ll miss two more letters, and I’ll read the third,” the prince said sternly, “I’m afraid you’re writing a lot of nonsense.” I'll read the third one. “At least read this, mon père,” answered the princess, blushing even more and handing him the letter. “Third, I said, third,” the prince shouted briefly, pushing away the letter, and, leaning on the table, pulled up a notebook with geometry drawings. “Well, madam,” the old man began, bending close to his daughter over the notebook and placing one hand on the back of the chair on which the princess was sitting, so that the princess felt surrounded on all sides by that tobacco and senile-acrid smell of her father, which she had so long ago knew. - Well, madam, these triangles are similar; would you like to see the corner abc... The princess looked fearfully at her father’s sparkling eyes close to her; red spots shimmered across her face, and it was clear that she did not understand anything and was so afraid that fear would prevent her from understanding all her father’s further interpretations, no matter how clear they were. Whether the teacher was to blame, or the student was to blame, the same thing was repeated every day: the princess’s vision was blurred, she saw nothing, heard nothing, only felt his breath and smell and only thought about how she could leave as quickly as possible. understand the task from the office and in your own open space. The old man would lose his temper: he would noisily move and move the chair on which he was sitting, make efforts on himself so as not to get excited, and almost every time he would get excited, curse, and sometimes throw his notebook. The princess made a mistake in her answer. - Well, what a fool! - the prince shouted, pushing away the notebook and quickly turning away, but immediately stood up, walked around, touched the princess’s hair with his hands and sat down again. He moved closer and continued his interpretation. “It’s impossible, princess, it’s impossible,” he said when the princess, having taken and closed the notebook with the assigned lessons, was already preparing to leave, “mathematics is a great thing, my madam.” And I don’t want you to be like our stupid ladies. If you endure it, you will fall in love. “He patted her cheek with his hand. - The nonsense will jump out of your head. She wanted to go out, he stopped her with a gesture and took out a new, uncut book from the high table. - Here's another one Key of the Sacrament your Eloise sends you. Religious. And I don’t interfere with anyone’s faith... I looked through it. Take it. Well, go, go! He patted her on the shoulder and locked the door behind her. Princess Marya returned to her room with a sad, frightened expression that rarely left her and made her ugly, sickly face even more ugly, and sat down at her desk, lined with miniature portraits and littered with notebooks and books. The princess was as disorderly as her father was decent. She put down her geometry notebook and impatiently opened the letter. The letter was from the princess’s closest friend since childhood; this friend was the same Julie Karagina who was at the Rostovs’ name day. Julie wrote: "Chère et excellente amie, quelle chose terrible et effrayante que l"absence! J"ai beau me dire que la moitié de mon existence et de mon bonheur est en vous, que malgré la distance qui nous sépare, nos coeurs sont unis par des liens indissolubles; le mien se révolte contre la destinée, et je ne puis, malgré les plaisirs et les distractions qui m'entourent, vaincre une certaine tristesse cachée que je ressens au fond du cur depuis notre séparation. Pourquoi ne sommes-nous pas réunies, comme cet été dans votre grand cabinet sur le canapé bleu, le canapé à confidences? Pourquoi ne puis-je, comme il y a trois mois, puiser de nouvelles forces morales dans votre regard si doux, si calme et si pénétrant, regard que j "aimais tant et que je crois voir devant moi, quand je vous écris?” Having read up to this point, Princess Marya sighed and looked back at the dressing table, which stood to her right. The mirror reflected an ugly, weak body and thin face. The eyes, always sad, now looked at themselves in the mirror especially hopelessly. “She flatters me,” thought the princess, turned away and continued reading. Julie, however, did not flatter her friend: indeed, the princess’s eyes, large, deep and radiant (as if rays of warm light sometimes came out of them in sheaves), were so beautiful that very often, despite the ugliness of her whole face, these eyes became more attractive beauty. But the princess had never seen a good expression in her eyes, the expression they took on in those moments when she was not thinking about herself. Like all people, her face took on a tense, unnatural, bad expression as soon as she looked in the mirror. She continued to read: “Tout Moscou ne parle que guerre. L"un de mes deux frères est déjà à l"étranger, l"autre est avec la garde qui se met en marche vers la frontière. Notre cher empereur a quitté Pétersbourg et, à ce qu"on prétend, compte lui-même exposer sa précieuse existence aux chances de la guerre. Dieu veuille que le monstre corsicain, qui détruit le repos de l"Europe, soit terrassé par l"ange que le Tout-Puissant, dans sa miséricorde, nous a donné pour souverain. Sans parler de mes frères, cette guerre m"a privée d"une relation des plus chères à mon cur. Je pane du jeune Nicolas Rostoff qui avec son enthousiasme n"a pu supporter l"inaction et a quitté l"université pour aller s"enrôler dans l"armée. Eh bien, chère Marie, je vous avouerai, que, malgré son extrême jeunesse , son départ pour l "armée a été un grand chagrin pour moi. Le jeune homme, dont je vous parlais cet été, a tant de noblesse, de véritable jeunesse qu"on rencontre si rarement dans le siècle où nous vivons parmi nos vieillards de vingt ans. Il a surtout tant de franchise et de cur. Il est tellement pur et poétique, que mes relations avec lui, quelques passagères qu"elles fussent, ont été l"une des plus douces jouissances de mon pauvre cur, qui a déjà tant souffert. "est dit en partant. Tout cela est encore trop frais. Ah! chère amie, vous êtes heureuse de ne pas connaître ces jouissances et ces peines si poignantes. Vous êtes heureuse, puisque les dernières sont ordinairement les plus fortes! Je sais fort bien que le comte Nicolas est trop jeune pour pouvoir jamais devenir pour moi quelque chose de plus qu"un ami, mais cette douce amitié, ces relations si poétiques et si pures ont été un besoin pour mon cur. Mais n"en parlons plus. La grande nouvelle du jour qui occupe tout Moscou est la mort du vieux comte Bezukhov et son héritage. Figurez-vous que les trois princesses n"ont reçu que très peu de chose, le prince Basile rien, et que c"est M. Pierre qui a tout hérité, et qui par-dessus le marché a été reconnu pour fils légitime, par conséquent comte Bezukhov est possesseur de la plus belle fortune de la Russie. On prétend que le prince Basile a joué un très vilain rôle dans toute cette histoire et qu"il est reparti tout penaud pour Pétersbourg. Je vous avoue que je comprends très peu toutes ces affaires de legs et de testament; ce que je sais, c"est que depuis que le jeune homme que nous connaissions tous sous le nom de M. Pierre tout court est devenu comte Bezukhov et possesseur de l"une des plus grandes fortunes de la Russie, je m"amuse fort à observer les changes de ton et des manières des mamans acquablées de filles à marier et des demoiselles elles-mêmes à l"égard de cet individu qui, par parenthèse, m"a paru toujours être un pauvre sire Comme on s"amuse depuis. deux ans à me donner des promis que je ne connais pas le plus souvent, la chronique matrimoniale de Moscow me fait comtesse Bezukhova. Mais vous sentez bien que je ne me soucie nullement de le devenir. A propos de mariage, savez-vous que tout dernièrement la tante en general Anna Mikhailovna m"a confié sous le sceau du plus grand secret un projet de mariage pour vous. Ce n"est ni plus ni moins que le fils du prince Basile, Anatole, qu"on voudrait ranger en le mariant à une personne riche et distinguée, et c"est sur vous qu"est tombé le choix des parents. Je ne sais comment vous envisagerez la chose, mais j"ai cru de mon devoir de vous en avertir. On le dit très beau et très mauvais sujet; c"est tout ce que j"ai pu savoir sur son compte. Mais assez de bavardage comme cela. Je finis mon second feuillet, et maman me fait chercher pour aller dîner chez les Apraksines. Lisez le livre mystique que je vous envoie et qui fait fureur chez nous. Quoiqu"il y ait des choses dans ce livre difficiles à atteindre avec la faible conception humaine, c"est un livre admirable dont la lecture calme et élève l"âme. Adieu. Mes respects à monsieur votre père et mes compliments à m-lle Bourienne. Je vous embrasse comme je vous aime.Julie.
P.S. Donnez-moi des nouvelles de votre frère et de sa charmante petite femme.” The princess thought, smiled thoughtfully (and her face, illuminated by radiant eyes, was completely transformed) and, suddenly getting up, walking heavily, moved to the table. She took out the paper, and her hand quickly began to walk over it. This is what she wrote in response: “Chère et excellente amie.” Votre lettre du 13 m"a causé une grande joie. Vous m"aimez donc toujours, ma poétique Julie. L"absence dont vous dites tant de mal, n"a donc pas eu son influence habituelle sur vous. Vous vous plaignez de l"absence - que devrai-je dire moi si j"osais me plaindre, privée de tous ceux qui me sont chers? Ah! si nous n"avions pas la religion pour nous consoler, la vie serait bien triste. Pourquoi me supposez-vous un regard sévère quand vous me partez de votre affection pour le jeune homme? Sous ce rapport je ne suis rigide que pour moi. Je comprends ces sentiments chez les autres et si je ne puis approuver ne les ayant jamais ressentis, je ne les condamne pas. Il me paraît seulement que l"amour chrétien, l"amour du prochain, l"amour pour ses ennemis est plus méritoire, plus doux et plus beau, que ne le sont les sentiments que peuvent inspirer les beaux yeux d"un jeune homme à une jeune fille poétique et aimante comme vous. La nouvelle de la mort du comte Bezukhov nous est par-venue avant votre lettre, et mon père en a été très affecté. Il dit que c"était l"avant-dernier représentant du grand siècle, et qu"à présent c"est son tour; mais qu"il fera son possible pour que son tour vienne le plus tard possible. Que Dieu nous garde de ce terrible malheur! Je ne puis partager votre opinion sur Pierre que j"ai connu enfant. Il me paraissait toujours avoir un cur excellent, et c"est la qualité que j"estime le plus dans les gens. Quant à son héritage et au rôle qu"y a joué le prince Basile, c"est bien triste pour tous les deux. Ah! chère amie, la parole de Notre Divin Sauveur qu"il est plus aisé à un chameau de passer par le trou d"une aiguille, qu"il ne l"est à un riche d"entrer dans le royaume de Dieu, cette parole est terriblement vraie; je plains le prince Basile et je regrette encore davantage Pierre. Si jeune et acquablé de cette richesse, que de tentations n"aura-t-il pas à subir! Si on me demandait ce que je désirerais le plus au monde, ce serait d"être plus pauvre que le plus pauvre des mendiants. Mille grâces, chère amie, pour l"ouvrage que vous m"envoyez, et qui fait si grande fureur chez vous. Cependant, puisque vous me dites qu"au milieu de plusieurs bonnes choses il y en a d"autres que la faible conception humaine ne peut atteindre, il me paraît assez inutile de s"occuper d"une lecture intelligible qui par là même ne pourrait être d"aucun fruit. Je n"ai jamais pu comprendre la passion qu"ont certaines personnes de s"embrouiller l"entendement en s"attachant à des livres mystiques, qui n"élèvent que des doutes dans leurs esprits, exaltent leur imagination et leur donnent un caractère d "Exagération tout à fait contraire à la simplicité chrétienne. Lisons les apôtres et l"Evangile. Ne cherchons pas à pénétrer ce que ceux-là renferment de mystérieux, car comment oserions-nous, misérables pécheurs que nous sommes, prétendre à nous initier dans les secrets terribles et sacrés de la providence, tant que nous portons cette dépouille charnelle, qui él ève entre nous et l"éternel un voile impénétrable? Bornons-nous donc à étudier les principes sublimes que Notre Divin Sauveur nous a laissé pour notre conduite ici-bas; cherchons à nous y conformer et à les suivre, persuadons-nous que moins nous donnons d"essor à notre faible esprit humain et plus il est agréable à Dieu, qui rejette toute science ne venant pas de lui; que moins nous cherchons à approfondir ce qu"il lui a plu de dérober à notre connaissance, et plutôt il nous en accordera la découverte par son divin esprit. Mon père ne m"a pas parlé du prétendant, mais il m"a dit seulement qu"il a reçu une lettre et attendait une visite du prince Basile. Pour ce qui est du projet de mariage qui me regarde, je vous dirai, chère et excellente amie, que le mariage selon moi, est une institution divine à laquelle il faut se conformer. Quelque pénible que cela soit pour moi, si le Tout-Puissant m"impose jamais les devoirs d"épouse et de mère, je tâcherai de les remplir aussi fidèlement que je le pourrai, sans m"inquiéter de l"examen de mes sentiments à l"égard de celui qu"il me donnera pour époux. J"ai reçu une lettre de mon frère qui m"annonce son arrivée à Bald Mountains avec sa femme. Ce sera une joie de courte durée, puisqu"il nous quitte pour prendre part à cette malheureuse guerre, à laquelle nous sommes entraînés Dieu sait comment et pourquoi. Non seulement chez vous, au center des affaires et du monde, on ne parle que de guerre, mais ici, au milieu de ces travaux champêtres et de ce calme de la nature que les citadins se représentent ordinairement à la campagne, les bruits de la guerre se font entendre et sentir péniblement Mon père ne parle que marche et contremarche, choses. auxquelles je ne comprends rien; et avant-hier en faisant ma promenade habituelle dans la rue du village, je fus témoin d"une scène déchirante... C"était un convoi des recrues enrôlés chez nous et expédiés pour l"armée. Il fallait voir l"état dans lequel se trouvaient les mères, les femmes, les enfants des hommes qui partaient et entendre les sanglots des uns et des autres! On dirait que l"humanité à oublié les lois de Son Divin Sauveur qui prêchait l" amour et le pardon des offenses, et qu"elle fait consister son plus grand mérite dans l"art de s"entre-tuer. Adieu, chère et bonne amie, que Notre Divin Sauveur et sa très Sainte Mère vous aient en leur sainte et puissante garde. “Ah, vous expédiez le courrier, princesse, moi j"ai déjà expédié le mien. J"ai écris à ma pauvre mère,” the smiling Mlle Bourienne spoke in a quickly pleasant, rich voice, burring at R and bringing with him into the concentrated, sad and gloomy atmosphere of Princess Marya a completely different, frivolous, cheerful and self-satisfied world. “Princesse, il faut que je vous prévienne,” she added, lowering her voice, “le prince a eu une altercation,” “alternation,” she said, especially graceful and listening to herself with pleasure, “une altercation avec Michel Ivanoff.” Il est de très mauvaise humeur, très morose. Soyez prévenue, vous savez... - Ah! chère amie,” answered Princess Marya, “je vous ai priée de ne jamais me prévenir de l"humeur dans laquelle se trouve mon père. Je ne me permets pas de le juger, et je ne voudrais pas que les autres le fassent. The princess looked at her watch and, noticing that she had already missed the time she should have used to play the clavichord by five minutes, she went to the sofa with a frightened look. Between twelve and two o'clock, in accordance with the routine of the day, the prince rested, and the princess played the clavichord.Prussian king. Mamzel Bourien. Father. Dear and priceless friend, what a terrible and terrible thing is separation! No matter how much I tell myself that half of my existence and my happiness lies in you, that, despite the distance that separates us, our hearts are united by inextricable bonds, my heart rebels against fate, and, despite the pleasures and distractions that surround me, I I cannot suppress some hidden sadness that I have been experiencing in the depths of my heart since our separation. Why aren’t we together, like last summer, in your big office, on the blue sofa, on the sofa of “confessions”? Why can’t I, like three months ago, draw new moral strength from your gaze, meek, calm and penetrating, which I loved so much and which I see before me the minute I write to you? All of Moscow is talking about the war. One of my two brothers is already abroad, the other is with the guard, which is marching to the border. Our dear sovereign leaves St. Petersburg and, it is assumed, intends to expose his precious existence to the accidents of war. May God grant that the Corsican monster, which disturbs the tranquility of Europe, may be cast down by the angel whom the Almighty, in his goodness, has made sovereign over us. Not to mention my brothers, this war has deprived me of one of the relationships closest to my heart. I'm talking about young Nikolai Rostov, who, despite his enthusiasm, could not tolerate inactivity and left the university to join the army. I confess to you, dear Marie, that, despite his extreme youth, his departure for the army was a great grief for me. In the young man about whom I told you last summer, there is so much nobility, true youth, which you see so rarely in our age among our twenty-year-olds! He especially has so much candor and heart. He is so pure and full of poetry that my relationship with him, despite all its fleetingness, was one of the sweetest joys of my poor heart, which had already suffered so much. Someday I will tell you our farewell and everything that was said at parting. All this is still too fresh... Ah! dear friend, you are happy that you do not know these burning pleasures, these burning sorrows. You are happy because the latter are usually stronger than the former. I know very well that Count Nikolai is too young to become anything other than a friend to me. But this sweet friendship, this so poetic and so pure relationship was the need of my heart. But enough about that. Top news, occupying all of Moscow - the death of the old Count Bezukhov and his inheritance. Imagine, three princesses received some small amount, Prince Vasily received nothing, and Pierre is the heir to everything and, moreover, is recognized as the legitimate son and therefore Count Bezukhov and the owner of the largest fortune in Russia. They say that Prince Vasily played a very nasty role in this whole story and that he left for St. Petersburg very embarrassed. I confess to you that I understand very poorly all these matters regarding spiritual wills; I only know that since the young man, whom we all knew under the name simply Pierre, became Count Bezukhov and the owner of one of the best fortunes in Russia, I am amused by observing the change in tone of the mothers who have daughter-brides, and themselves young ladies in relation to this gentleman, who (be it said in parentheses) always seemed very insignificant to me. Since for two years now everyone has been amusing themselves with finding suitors for me, whom I mostly do not know, the marriage chronicle of Moscow makes me Countess Bezukhova. But you understand that I don’t want this at all. Speaking of marriages. Did you know that recently everyone's auntie Anna Mikhailovna entrusted me, under the greatest secret, with the plan to arrange your marriage. This is nothing more or less than the son of Prince Vasily, Anatole, whom they want to settle down by marrying him to a rich and noble girl, and your parents’ choice fell on you. I don’t know how you look at this matter, but I considered it my duty to warn you. He is said to be very good and a big rake. That's all I could find out about him. But he will talk. I’m finishing my second piece of paper, and my mother has sent for me to go to the Apraksins for dinner. Read the mystical book I am sending you; it has been a huge success with us. Although there are things in it that are difficult for the weak human mind to understand, it is an excellent book; reading it calms and elevates the soul. Farewell. My respect to your father and my greetings to Mamzelle Bourrienne. I hug you from the bottom of my heart.
Julie.
P.S. Let me know about your brother and his lovely wife.Dear and priceless friend. Your letter of the thirteenth brought me great joy. You still love me, my poetic Julie. The separation, about which you say so many bad things, apparently did not have its usual influence on you. You complain about separation, what should I say? if I dared,- me, deprived of all those who are dear to me? Ah, if we didn’t have the consolation of religion, life would be very sad. Why do you attribute a stern look to me when you talk about your inclination towards a young man? In this regard, I am only strict with myself. I understand these feelings in others, and if I cannot approve of them, having never experienced them, then I do not condemn them. It only seems to me that Christian love for one’s neighbor, love for enemies is more worthy, more gratifying and better than those feelings that the beautiful eyes of a young man can inspire in a young girl, poetic and loving, like you.
The news of Count Bezukhov's death reached us before your letter, and my father was very touched by it. He says that this was the penultimate representative of the great century and that now it is his turn, but that he will do everything in his power to ensure that this turn comes as late as possible. God save us from this misfortune!
I cannot share your opinion about Pierre, whom I knew as a child. It seemed to me that he always had a wonderful heart, and this is the quality that I value most in people. As for his inheritance and the role that Prince Vasily played in this, this is very sad for both. Ah, dear friend, the words of our divine Savior, that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God - these words are terribly true! I feel sorry for Prince Vasily and even more for Pierre. So young to be burdened with such a huge fortune - how many temptations will he have to go through! If you asked me what I desire more than anything in the world, I would say: I want to be poorer than the poorest of the poor. I thank you a thousand times, dear friend, for the book that you send me and which makes so much noise with you. However, since you tell me that among many good things in it there are some that the weak human mind cannot comprehend, then it seems to me unnecessary to engage in incomprehensible reading, which for this reason could not bring any benefit. I have never been able to understand the passion that some people have: to confuse their thoughts by becoming addicted to mystical books, which only arouse doubts in their minds, irritate their imagination and give them a character of exaggeration, completely contrary to Christian simplicity. Let us read better the apostles and the Gospel. Let us not try to penetrate what is mysterious in these books, for how can we, miserable sinners, know the terrible and sacred secrets of Providence as long as we carry on ourselves that fleshly shell that erects an impenetrable curtain between us and the eternal? Let us confine ourselves rather to studying the great rules which our divine Savior left us for our guidance here on earth; Let's try to follow them and try to make sure that the less we give our minds free rein, the more understandable we will be to God, who rejects all knowledge that does not come from Him, and that the less we delve into what He wanted to hide from us, the sooner He will give us this discovery with His divine mind.
My father did not tell me anything about the groom, but only said that he had received a letter and was waiting for a visit from Prince Vasily; As for the marriage plan for me, I will tell you, dear and priceless friend, that marriage, in my opinion, is a divine institution that must be obeyed. No matter how hard it may be for me, if the Almighty pleases to impose on me the duties of a wife and mother, I will try to fulfill them as faithfully as I can, without bothering to study my feelings regarding the one whom He will give me as a spouse.
I received a letter from my brother, who announced to me his arrival with his wife in Bald Mountains. This joy will be short-lived, since he leaves us to take part in this war, into which we are drawn God knows how and why. Not only here, in the center of affairs and light, but also here, among this field work and this silence, which townspeople usually imagine in the countryside, the echoes of war are heard and make themselves painfully felt. My father only talks about hiking and crossings, which I understand nothing about, and the day before yesterday, while taking my usual walk along the village street, I saw a heart-rending scene. This was a batch of recruits recruited from us and sent to the army. You should have seen the state in which the mothers, wives and children of those who left were, heard the sobs of both! You will think that humanity has forgotten the laws of its divine Savior, who taught us love and forgiveness of offenses, and that it places its main dignity in the art of killing each other. This work has entered the public domain. The work was written by an author who died more than seventy years ago, and was published during his lifetime or posthumously, but more than seventy years have also passed since publication. It may be freely used by anyone without anyone's consent or permission and without payment of royalties.
The Bolkonsky family in the novel "War and Peace".
The novel "War and Peace" is the largest work of world literature. It alone combines an excellent depiction of historical events, a superb depiction of the “Dialectics of the Soul”, historical figures shown with great accuracy, and, finally, several completely different families are perfectly described. In general, the entire novel flows along several parallel storylines, intertwined in one way or another. This means there are several main characters in the novel. Namely: Pierre Bezukhov, Natasha Rostova, Andrei Bolkonsky. Pierre's family is not very large: sisters, his father's daughters and his wife, whom he never loved. The Rostov family is much larger, but that is not what interests us, we are interested in the family of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. She is smaller than the Rostov family, but this does not diminish the interest of the reader and author in her. On the contrary, the life of this family is described even more and better than a similar description concerning the Rostovs. The first time we encounter the Bolkonsky family in its entirety is at the end of the first part of the first volume, when everyone in Bald Mountains, on the main Bolkonsky estate, is awaiting the arrival of Prince Andrei and his wife. From this moment on, a lot, one might say almost everything, becomes clear about this family, about all their members. Starting with the old prince and ending with mlle Bourienne. Before we begin describing the family members, it should be said that everyone in the Bolkonsky family is special in their own way. If we draw a parallel with the Rostovs, we can immediately say: these are completely different people. The Rostovs are simple nobles, a good-natured father, a kind mother, a generous son, carefree children. Here everything is completely different. The dictator-father is a submissive daughter, a fearful daughter-in-law, and an independent son. This is an overview of the whole family, which gives some insight into the Bolkonskys. You can figuratively imagine the Bolkonskys as a triangle, at the top of which is their father, Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, on the other peak Andrei, and not the third, Princess Marya Bolkonskaya with Lisa, the wife of Prince Andrei. These are three fronts, three completely opposite groups (if one or two people can be called that) in the family.
Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky bore the rank of general-in-chief, that is, the same as Kutuzov had at that time, with whom he was very familiar. Despite the lifting of the ban on leaving the village, which he received from the new Emperor Alexander, he had no intention of leaving anywhere, since his Bald Mountains were his real empire, and he was an emperor in them, moreover, an autocratic dictator. “With the people around him, from his daughter to his servants, the prince was harsh and invariably demanding, and therefore, without being cruel, he aroused in himself fear and respect, which the most cruel person could not easily achieve.” But despite this attitude of the prince towards the others there was such a person, the architect Mikhail Ivanovich, who always dined with him, and whom the prince respected, despite his simple origin. He “said that all people are equal, and more than once inspired his daughter that Mikhaila Ivanovich is no worse than you and me. At the table, the prince most often turned to the dumb Mikhaila Ivanovich.” This is undoubtedly more than strange if you look at his attitude towards his daughter and servants. The same thing was observed later, when the prince swore that he would marry mlle Bourienne, in response to Prince Andrei’s request for a blessing for his wedding with Natasha Rostova. It seemed absurd, but the prince really began to bring the Frenchwoman closer to him. Marya began to suffer even more at that time. Timid, quiet, who did not bring harm to anyone, even the most disgusting cockroach, she dies, which no one needed, even Prince Andrei suffers greatly, despite the fact that he did not love his wife as much as he would later love Natasha; "about two hours after that, Prince Andrei entered his father's office with quiet steps. The old man already knew everything. He stood at the very door, and as soon as it opened, the old man silently, with his senile, hard hands, like a vice, grabbed his son's neck and sobbed, like a child". This passage proves that even he, the stern Prince Bolkonsky, managed to become very attached to the little princess. After her death, Marya was left without a good friend, like Princess Bolkonskaya managed to become for her. And then the process of separation begins with both Mlle Bourienne and Julie Karagina. Only in the horse itself does the long-awaited happiness come in the person of Nikolai Rostov. Despite attempts to marry his daughter, the old prince was never able to do this during his lifetime. After all, we remember the incident when Prince Vasily came to Bald Mountains with his son, the handsome Anatole, who would break many more women’s hearts.
By 1812, life in the Bolkonsky family had become almost unbearable for Princess Marya; the prince had become old, more grouchy and picky towards his daughter. More and more often, his causeless anger fell on her, and he almost brought her to run away from home and wander. People of God constantly came to Princess Marya, whom the old prince always drove away, and for which he was always angry with his daughter. In general, the prince completely denied idleness and religion in people; these two integral parts of that time were prohibited in the empire of Prince Bolkonsky; for him, holidays were replaced by work at the machine, and faith by comprehending the heights of mathematics. He wanted to make Princess Marya the same, but he didn’t succeed, which is why he had frequent quarrels with her, although it’s difficult to call it a quarrel, because the princess was always in the role of defending herself, he would never have dared to untie quarrel with father. And so, in 1812, when Napoleon’s forces were on the outskirts of Smolensk, and therefore the Bald Mountains, the prince decided to create his own militia, which ended in a blow for him, which caused his imminent death. And it was death that forced Prince Bolkonsky to finally apologize to his daughter; this never happened during his lifetime. Thus ends the history of the empire, the great Lysogorsk empire of Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky.
What about Andrey? After all, he is one of the three main characters of the epic novel. He, of course, is also the son of Prince Bolkonsky, but his environment is very different from his family. He himself is a magnificent, beautifully portrayed personality. A man of honor, independent, leading a correct lifestyle, patriot, good friend and an adviser - he is such throughout the novel, from the first meeting with Pierre in St. Petersburg, where we first get to know him in detail, to the explosion of a cannonball on the Borodino field and his death next to Natasha. At the same time, Prince Andrei has something contradictory, like his father: his desire for glory. Somehow this does not fit with his basic qualities. But this did not last him so long, although he thought about it for a long time. Soon a turning point came, a turning point in his life, after which he said that “he would not fight even if the French stood near the Bald Mountains.” This detail is the sky of Austerlitz, one of the most beautiful episodes of the entire novel, unforgettable for its artistic beauty and power. The author here showed all his ability to penetrate into the state of the heroes, to be in their place: “That’s not how the clouds crawl across this high, endless sky. How come I haven’t seen this high sky before? And how happy I am that I finally recognized it. Yes! Everything is empty, everything is a lie, except this endless sky. There is nothing, nothing except it. Before this, Prince Andrei, realizing what he was getting into, thought, “This is it!” rushed with a flag to meet the French, which was followed by the fleeing soldiers. Thus, nature changed the life of Prince Andrei, after which he began to lead a completely different way of life: he began to live on the Bogucharovo estate and engage in purely economic affairs. Everything was changed again by the beauty of the surrounding world, namely the oak, a simple old oak. And here one cannot resist a decent-sized quote: “on the edge of the road stood an oak tree. Probably ten times older than the birches that make up the forest, it was ten times thicker and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge oak tree, twice the girth of an oak tree, with branches that had been broken off for a long time and with broken bark [E] only he did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun “Spring, and love, and happiness! - it was as if this oak tree was speaking. “And how can you not get tired of the same stupid and senseless deception! E.” and then, returning, Prince Andrei saw the new life of this oak tree, and decided that it was time for him to start a new life. spread out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, it was thrilled, slightly swaying in the rays of the evening sun. [E] “No, life is not over at thirty-one.” Thus, the life of Prince Andrei was twice radically changed by nature, with all its beauty.
Prince Andrey is a completely different topic, so it’s probably worth ending here. You can’t talk about the Bolkonsky family as something unified, since everyone there is completely different, unlike the Rostovs. Here is a brief description of each family member individually and together with others. After all, the Bolkonsky family is the most interesting in the novel, both from an artistic point of view and from a purely reader’s point of view, since it is always interesting to read about people who are so very different, but nevertheless live in the same family.
The role of the Bolkonsky family in the work
The Bolkonsky family plays an important role in the novel War and Peace. The main problems of the great writer’s work are inextricably linked with them. The text traces the stories of several families. The main attention is paid to the Bolkonskys, Rostovs and Kuragins. The author's sympathies are with the Rostovs and Bolkonskys. There is a big difference between them. The relationship between the Rostovs is sensual and emotional. The Bolkonskys are guided by reason and expediency. But it is in these families that Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy’s favorite heroes are brought up. Members of the Bolkonsky family are prominent representatives of people of “peace and light.” Their destinies are closely intertwined with the life paths of the other characters in the work. They take an active part in the development of the storyline of the story. Psychological problems, issues of morality, ethics, family foundations are reflected in the depiction of these characters.
Characteristics of relationships
The Bolkonskys belong to an ancient princely family and live on the Bald Mountains estate, located not far from the capital. Each of the family members is an extraordinary person, endowed with a strong character and remarkable abilities.
Head of the family
Old Prince Nikolai Andreevich, his son Andrei Nikolaevich and Princess Marya Nikolaevna are members of the Bolkonsky family in the novel “War and Peace”.
The head of the family is the old Prince Bolkonsky. This is a person with a strong character and an established worldview. A successful military career, honors and respect remained in the distant past for him. On the pages of the book we see an old man who has withdrawn from military service and government affairs, secluded himself on his estate. Despite the blows of fate, he is full of strength and energy. An old man's day is scheduled minute by minute. His routine includes both mental and physical labor. Nikolai Andreevich draws up plans for military campaigns, works in a carpentry workshop, and is engaged in arranging the estate. He is of sound mind and good physical shape, does not recognize idleness for himself and forces all household members to live by his rules. It is especially difficult for the daughter, who is forced to study natural sciences and endure her father’s difficult temper.
The proud and unyielding character of the old prince causes a lot of trouble for those around him, and his integrity, honesty and intelligence inspire respect.
Prince Andrey
We meet Andrei Bolkonsky in the first chapter of the work. He appears among the guests of Anna Pavlovna Scherer's social salon and immediately attracts everyone's attention. The young man stands out from the general background not only with his appearance, but also with his behavior. We understand that the people around him cause irritation and even anger. He dislikes false masks, lies, hypocrisy and empty talk of secular society. A sincere, kind smile appears on the hero’s face only when he sees Pierre Bezukhov. Andrei Bolkonsky is young, handsome, educated, but dissatisfied with his existence on this earth. He doesn't love his beautiful wife and is dissatisfied with his career. Throughout the development of the storyline, the image of the hero is revealed to the reader in all its depth.
At the beginning of the novel, Andrei is a man who dreams of becoming like Napoleon. Therefore, he decides to leave his pregnant wife and his boring lifestyle and goes to military service. He dreams of heroic deeds, glory and popular love. The high sky of Austerlitz changes his worldview and adjusts his plans for life. He is constantly searching for himself. Feats and serious wounds, love and betrayal, disappointments and victories fill the life of one of Tolstoy’s favorite heroes. As a result, the young prince finds the true meaning of life in serving the Fatherland and protecting his homeland. The hero's fate is tragic. He dies from a serious wound without realizing his dream.
Princess Marya
Andrei Bolkonsky's sister, Princess Marya, is one of the most striking and touching characters in the story. Living next to her father, she is patient and submissive. Thoughts about her husband, her family and children seem like pipe dreams to her. Marya is unattractive: “an ugly, weak body and a thin face,” insecure and lonely. The only remarkable thing about her appearance was her “large, deep, radiant” eyes: “She sees her purpose in serving the Lord. Deep faith gives strength and is an outlet in her difficult life situation. “I don’t wish for another life, and I can’t wish for it, because I don’t know another life,” the heroine says about herself.
The timid and soft Princess Marya is equally kind to everyone, sincere and spiritually rich. For the sake of her loved ones, the girl is ready to make sacrifices and take decisive actions. At the end of the novel, we see the heroine as the happy wife of Nikolai Rostov and a caring mother. Fate rewards her for her devotion, love and patience.
Family traits
In the novel War and Peace, the Bolkonsky house is an example of truly aristocratic foundations. Restraint reigns in relationships, although all family members sincerely love each other. The Spartan way of existence does not allow you to express your feelings and experiences, whine, or complain about life. No one is allowed to violate the strict rules of conduct.
The Bolkonskys in the novel “War and Peace” personify the best features of the noble class that is fading into history. Once upon a time, representatives of this class were the basis of the state; they devoted their lives to serving the Fatherland, just like the representatives of this noble family.
Each of the Bolkonsky family has its own unique character traits. But there is something in common that unites these people. They are distinguished by family pride, honesty, patriotism, nobility, and a high intellectual level of development. Betrayal, meanness, cowardice have no place in the souls of these heroes. The characteristics of the Bolkonsky family develop gradually throughout the narrative.
The concept of a classic
Testing the strength of family ties, the writer takes his characters through a series of tests: love, war and social life. Representatives of the Bolkonsky family successfully cope with difficulties thanks to the support of their relatives.
According to the great writer’s plan, the chapters devoted to the description of the life of the Bolkonsky family play a huge role in the ideological content of the novel “War and Peace.” They are people of “light”, worthy of deep respect. The depiction of the family life of the favorite characters helps the classic to display the “family thought”, to build his work in the genre of a family chronicle.
Work test
If they kill you, I, an old man,
it will hurt... What if I find out that you
did not behave like Nikolai's son
Bolkonsky, I will be... ashamed!
This is something you might not have said
me, father.
L. N. Tolstoy
L.N. Tolstoy wrote that in “Anna Karenina” he loved “family thought,” and in “War and Peace” - “people's thought.” Nevertheless, the “family thought” is very convincing in War and Peace. Throughout the entire epic, we intensely follow the destinies of different generations of the noble families of the Rostovs, Bolkonskys, Bezukhovs, and Kuragins. Tolstoy, in his own way, solves the problem of “fathers and sons”, the family resemblance of people of the “same breed”, despite their individual differences.
In my opinion, the Bolkonskys are especially good, significant and spiritually close, although many believe that the Rostovs are closer to the writer himself. One thing is indisputable: both of them embody the standards of life that Tolstoy considers natural, excluding the falsehood and hypocrisy inherent in court circles.
Wherever the young Bolkonskys appear, an atmosphere of moral purity, high morality and decency reigns. This is how their father raised them. Who is he, the man nicknamed “the Prussian king”, who lives on his estate without a break? The old Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, Catherine's nobleman, general, was dismissed by the Empress's son Paul and settled on his family estate. After Paul's death, his son, Alexander I, allowed the exiles to return to the capital, but the proud Prince Bolkonsky did not respond to the call of the new tsar. Later, his son, Andrei Nikolaevich, would abandon his court career, forever losing himself in the eyes of the world.
The life of the old prince in Bald Mountains is in no way similar to the life of rich nobles. “He said that there are only two sources of human vices: idleness and superstition, and that there are only two virtues: activity and intelligence.
The daughter and son have different attitudes towards despotism and the whims of their father: Princess Marya meekly submits to him, and Prince Andrei allows himself irony, but internally his father is very close to him. It is amazing that the younger Bolkonsky writes to his father every day from the army, he so needs communication with this harsh, despotic, but understanding, dearest person in the world.
The old prince is the son of his century. His actions are contradictory, but always sincere, there is no pretense or falsehood in him. They are different, a father, his son and daughter. But there are common family traits, traits of people of the “same breed” that bring them very close and allow them to understand each other at a glance, and sometimes even at a glance. This is, first of all, the constant work of thought, “the mind of the mind,” according to Tolstoy’s definition; high demands on oneself and others; serious spiritual interests; decency in everything; inability and unwillingness to make moral compromises.
It is impossible to explain the scene of the old prince's farewell to his son leaving for the front. You can only re-read it and be proud of the people who know how to feel this way and love so much. And the word “buddy” (or “darling”), uttered by already numb lips and addressed to the daughter in her dying moments! How much it told her, how much it helped!
The Bolkonskys don't talk about love - they love. And once the words are spoken, then they are forever. If they are friends, they do not betray their friendship. The concept of family honor is very important to them. Prince Andrey constantly remembers his responsibility for his family. But he is a man, a warrior... But Princess Marya’s courage and sense of responsibility are truly amazing: “So that she, the daughter of Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky, asks Mr. General Rameau to provide her with patronage and enjoy his benefits!” - this thought alone horrified her! And she leaves Bald Mountains.
The princess is sure that her father and brother would approve of her, and this gives her strength. The war treated the Bolkonsky family cruelly, but Princess Marya bears her suffering with dignity and does not betray herself in anything. Probably for this Tolstoy gives her love and family happiness. Material from the site
1820... Eight years have passed since Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky died and Prince Andrei died. Much has changed in Bald Mountains: the house, the garden, and the estate; New voices began to sound, it became noisy and crowded. But the high spirituality, special nobility, and “eternal mental tension” of Countess Marya remained unchanged. Her “exalted moral world” has a beneficial effect on all family members, and we, readers, closing the great book, think with gratitude and admiration about the ugly beautiful woman, in which her unbending, proud father and selfless brother continue to live - the Bolkonsky family lives.
And in one more person the life of this family will continue. Nikolenka Bolkons, who is 15 years old at the end of the novel. He is honest and knows how to think. Without knowing it, he lives in the high spirit of his loved ones. The memory of his father is sacred to him. "Father! Father! Yes, I will do something that would make even him happy.” This is what Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky thinks... His path is predetermined - this is the honorable path of an honest Russian nobleman-patriot, a member of a wonderful, noble family.
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