The novel "War and Peace", the fundamental work of the great Russian writer Count Leo Tolstoy, was written between 1863 and 1869.
The author formed the idea of the work long before writing, turning to the theme of the Decembrist uprising, which took place in St. Petersburg on December 14, 1825. Leo Tolstoy set out to show the life of Russian society of that time, and since the opposition movement of various secret societies with the participation of the Decembrists was the most radical and significant in the political life of the Russian state, the writer decided to use this topic as the basis of his work.
Interpretation of the novel
In the draft introduction to the future literary masterpiece “War and Peace”, the problems of the novel by Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy were identified as searches for the protagonist. The writer assumed that this would be the image of the Decembrist, one of the heroes of that time, returning with his family to their native places after exile. However, the plot of the novel required a characteristic description of the main character from the time of his youth, and therefore, it was necessary to return about 20 years ago, to his past. The writer decided to start the story in 1805. At the same time, the general theme of the novel "War and Peace" demanded a broader interpretation than the one disclosed by the plot about the Decembrists and, thus, during the writing of the novel, the war against Napoleon and events related in one way or another came to the fore .
The writer’s attention turned to the Patriotic War of 1812, as well as to the period preceding the invasion of the French army led by Napoleon Bonaparte. However, Tolstoy used several chapters from an unfinished 1860 work entitled Decembrists in the novel War and Peace. The problems of the novel consisted in constructing a plot that, according to the author’s intention, was to cover almost a quarter century of the history of the Russian people and the Russian army. The writer succeeded, he coped with the task brilliantly.
Examples of heroism in a novel
Tolstoy Lev Nikolayevich wrote his epoch-making work “War and Peace” for six years; there are no more similar ones in the depth and strength of the narration of novels in world literature. The novel is impressive with imagery, each character is registered with a high degree of reliability, the heroism of the Russian soldiers is obvious - they are fighting for a just cause, for their families, for their native land. An example of this is Captain Tushin and his battery, which restrained the advance of the enemy. The unprecedented courage of the Russian army in the battle on the Borodino field, when the fate of Russia was decided, is described by the writer with frightening naturalism, but every word on the pages of the novel is undoubtedly true. The moral condition of the French, of course, can not stand any comparison with the fighting spirit of the Russian soldiers, in this, by and large, the main foundation of the victory of the Russian army was laid. All the characters of Tolstoy are reflected in the novel as patriots of their land.
Literature and painting
When writing the work “War and Peace”, the problems of the novel also consisted in the fact that it was fiction, the broadest field, a mosaic of human destinies. The characters of Leo Tolstoy are drawn with delicate, precise strokes, his literary skill can be compared to the painting of Paolo Veronese, who also accurately conveyed every little line in the faces of his heroes on the huge canvases of the Venetian Doge's Palace, and there are hundreds of heroes.
The artistic value of the work
In the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy presented on the pages all social strata, from a simple soldier to the emperor and his entourage. All age categories, various classes, rich and poor, respectable and dishonorable, healthy and sick are shown. Russian society, the lower classes and the middle class, the tsar and his subjects - all found a place in the greatest literary work of that time.
The artistry of the work is closely intertwined with the realities of life, a crowd of commoners, the marginal part of society is sometimes a wild uncontrollable force, driven by an impulse. The scene of the murder of Vereshchagin is an example of this. The brutal, base ruthlessness as a result of the impulse sweeps everything in its path - such is the Russian people, history knows several similar examples. This is the main meaning of the novel "War and Peace" - to show Russian society, all its advantages and disadvantages.
Philosophy of the novel
Throughout the novel, Leo Tolstoy tries to comprehend the original beginning of the life of a Russian person, to determine the causes of the spontaneity of his actions. The philosophy of the work is that the will and abilities of individuals are lost in vain, if they do not come into contact with reality, go away from what is happening. Only selfless service to the idea can move a person to the battle for a just cause, bring him to the battlefield, make him take death for granted.
Characteristic
Numerous images of the novel "War and Peace" are presented by the author intelligibly, with a description of the nature of each. Hence the writer's special, respectful attitude towards Kutuzov, who is strong not with the strategic talent and heroism of the warrior, but with the fact that he realized the only method that can be used to deal with Napoleon. Hence Tolstoy's denial of the personal qualities of Napoleon himself, who boasted of his achievements, attributing them to his imaginary exclusivity. The writer did not spare the colors when describing the simple soldier Karataev Platon, who, according to Tolstoy, was in the hypostasis of the greatest sage, only because he realized himself as part of the whole, social and threw away his personality.
Writer Responsibility
The philosophy of Leo Tolstoy is not a discussion on the topic, as is usually the case with most writers, but a meticulous analysis of the smallest details of events taking place in society, as well as its ingenious ability to combine disparate details into a single whole, creating a complete picture and signing it with your own by name. Tolstoy’s responsibility is felt in every chapter of his immortal work; this fascinates the reader, who gradually begins to think in the same direction as the author.
Characters
In the work "War and Peace," the problems of the novel also consisted in the fact that it was necessary to designate the whole Russian army as one of the main characters. The theme of the unconditional support of the soldiers and commanders by the people is a red thread in the work. To cleanse the Russian land from invasion - everyone thought about it: officers, soldiers, peasants, workers, officials. The identity of the Russian people could not be violated by an invasion from outside, this does not fit into the mentality of Russian society, and if so, the invader will certainly be destroyed. The thought of every Russian person worked for this result. The crushing scope of the partisan movement, patriotism and love for the fatherland gave rise to the "club of the people's war", which destroyed the enemies.
Leo Tolstoy is proud of the military power of the Russian army, multiplied by patriotism and selflessness of the rest of the population of the Russian state. The bogatyr people united with the Russian nobility during the war to knock out the enemy. The best representatives of the nobility of Russia reached out to the masses, among them were Pierre Bezukhov, and Andrei Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova and Vasily Denisov.
The image of Kutuzov
The hero of the war with Napoleon, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, was inseparable from his soldiers, it was this that gave him strength. The commander did not receive moral support from the emperor, he was secretly hated, but Kutuzov did not need the loyalty of the tsar’s entourage, he had a much more powerful source of inspiration - the army, soldiers and loyal officers. Field Marshal Kutuzov won, fulfilling the will of the Russian people, well understanding the goal facing him and the whole country.
Editions
The characteristic of the novel "War and Peace" reveals the mighty potential of Russian society, whose history does not know enslavements. The shortsightedness of ambitious invaders like Napoleon, their pomp, except shame, carries nothing. The historical military confrontation inevitably ends with the victory of the Russian people.
In 1865, the first two parts of a novel called 1805 were published in the journal Russian Bulletin. The full edition of the epoch-making work “War and Peace” by Tolstoy, in six volumes, was published in 1869.
Leo Tolstoy, the novel "War and Peace" forever entered the golden fund of world literature.