War and peace are the main characters of the novel. "War and Peace": characters. "War and Peace": characteristics of the main characters. Characteristics of Sonya Rostova

We all have read or heard about the novel War and Peace, but not everyone will be able to remember the characters in the novel the first time. The main characters of the novel War and Peace- love, suffer, live life in the imagination of each reader.

Main characters War and Peace

The main characters of the novel War and Peace - Natasha Rostova, Pierre Bezukhov, Andrey Bolkonsky.

It is rather difficult to say which is the main one, since Tolstoy's characters are described as if in parallel.

The main characters are different, they have different views on life, different aspirations, but the trouble is common, the war. And Tolstoy shows in the novel not one, but many destinies. The history of each of them is unique. There is no best, there is no worst. And we understand the best and the worst in comparison.

Natasha Rostova- one of the main characters with her own history and troubles, Bolkonsky also one of the best characters, whose story, alas, had to have an end. He himself has exhausted his life limit.

Bezukhov a little strange, lost, insecure, but his fate bizarrely presented him with Natasha.

The main character is the one closest to you.

Characteristics of heroes War and peace

Akhrosimova Marya Dmitrievna- a Moscow lady, known throughout the city "not for wealth, not for honors, but for her directness of mind and frank simplicity of address." Anecdotal stories were told about her, they quietly laughed at her rudeness, but they were afraid and sincerely respected. A. knew both capitals and even royal family. The prototype of the heroine is A. D. Ofrosimova, well-known in Moscow, described by S. P. Zhikharev in the Student's Diary.

The heroine's usual way of life consists of doing chores at home, traveling to mass, visiting prisons, receiving petitioners, and traveling to the city on business. Four sons serve in the army, which she is very proud of; he knows how to hide his anxiety for them from outsiders.

A. always speaks in Russian, loudly, she has a “thick voice”, a fat body, she holds high “her fifty-year-old head with gray curls.” A. is close to the Rostov family, loving Natasha more than anyone else. On the name day of Natasha and the old countess, it is she who dances with Count Rostov, enthralling the entire assembled society. She boldly reprimands Pierre for the incident, because of which he was expelled from St. Petersburg in 1805; she gives a rebuke to the old prince Bolkonsky for the impoliteness done to Natasha during the visit; she also frustrates Natasha's plan to run away with Anatole.

Bagration- one of the most famous Russian military leaders, hero Patriotic War 1812, prince. In the novel, he acts as a real historical person and a participant in the plot action. B. "short, with an oriental type of hard and motionless face, dry, not yet an old man." In the novel, he participates mainly as the commander of the Shengraben battle. Before the operation, Kutuzov blessed him "for the great feat" of saving the army. The mere presence of the prince on the battlefield changes a lot in his course, although he does not give any visible orders, but at the decisive moment he dismounts and himself goes on the attack ahead of the soldiers. He is loved and respected by everyone, it is known about him that Suvorov himself gave him a sword for his courage in Italy. During the battle of Austerlitz, one B. fought off twice as strong an enemy all day and, during the retreat, led his column undisturbed from the battlefield. That is why Moscow chose him as its hero, in honor of B. a dinner was given in an English club, in his person "due honor was paid to a fighting, simple, without connections and intrigues, Russian soldier ...".

Bezukhov Pierre- one of the main characters of the novel; at first, the hero of the story about the Decembrist, from the idea of ​​which the work arose.

P. - the illegitimate son of Count Bezukhov, a famous Catherine nobleman, who became the heir to the title and a huge fortune, "a massive, fat young man with a cropped head, wearing glasses", he is distinguished by an intelligent, timid, "observant and natural" look P. was brought up abroad and appeared in Russia shortly before the death of his father and the beginning of the campaign of 1805. He is intelligent, inclined to philosophical reasoning, soft and kind-hearted, compassionate to others, kind, impractical and prone to passions. His closest friend, Andrei Bolkonsky, characterizes P. as the only "living person" in the whole world.

At the beginning of the novel, P. considers Napoleon the greatest man in the world, but gradually becomes disillusioned, reaching the point of hating him and wanting to kill him. Having become a rich heir and falling under the influence of Prince Vasily and Helen, P. marries the latter. Very soon, having understood the character of his wife and realizing her depravity, he breaks with her. In search of the content and meaning of his life, P. is fond of Freemasonry, trying to find answers to his questions in this teaching and get rid of the passions that torment him. Realizing the falsity of the Masons, the hero breaks with them, tries to rebuild the life of his peasants, but fails because of his impracticality and gullibility.

The greatest trials fall on the lot of P. on the eve and during the war, it is not without reason that “his eyes” readers see the famous comet of 1812, which, according to common belief, foreshadowed terrible misfortunes. This sign follows P.'s declaration of love to Natasha Rostova. During the war, the hero, deciding to look at the battle and not yet very clearly aware of the power national unity and the significance of the ongoing event, falls on the Borodino field. This day gives him a lot last time conversation with Prince Andrei, who understood that the truth is where "they", that is simple soldiers. Left in burning and deserted Moscow to kill Napoleon, P. tries as best he can to deal with the misfortune that has befallen people, but is captured and experiences terrible moments during the execution of prisoners.

The meeting with Platon Karataev opens up for P. the truth that one must love life, even suffering innocently, seeing the meaning and purpose of each person in being a part and reflection of the whole world. After meeting with Karataev, P. learned to see "the eternal and infinite in everything." At the end of the war, after the death of Andrei Bolkonsky and the rebirth of Natasha to life, P. marries her. In the epilogue, he is a happy husband and father, a man who, in a dispute with Nikolai Rostov, expresses convictions that allow him to be seen as a future Decembrist.

Berg- German, "a fresh, pink guards officer, impeccably washed, buttoned and combed." At the beginning of the novel, a lieutenant, at the end - a colonel who has made a good career and has awards. B. is accurate, calm, courteous, selfish and stingy. The people around him laugh at him. B. could only talk about himself and his interests, the main of which was success. He could talk about this subject for hours, with visible pleasure for himself and at the same time teaching others. During the campaign of 1805, B. was a company commander, proud of the fact that he was diligent, accurate, enjoyed the trust of his superiors, and arranged his financial affairs in a profitable way. When meeting in the army, Nikolai Rostov treats him with slight contempt.

B. first, the alleged and desired fiance of Vera Rostova, and then her husband. The hero makes an offer to his future wife at a time when refusal is impossible for him - B. correctly takes into account the financial difficulties of the Rostovs, which does not prevent him from demanding part of the promised dowry from the old count. Having reached a certain position, income, having married Vera, who meets his requirements, Colonel B. feels contented and happy, even in Moscow, leaving the inhabitants, taking care of acquiring furniture.

Bolkonskaya Liza- the wife of Prince Andrei, for whom the name of the "little princess" was fixed in the world. “Her pretty, with a slightly blackened mustache, her upper lip was short in teeth, but it opened all the nicer and stretched out even more nicely sometimes and fell on the lower one. As is always the case with quite attractive women, her shortcomings—the shortness of her lips and her half-open mouth—seemed to be her special, her own beauty. It was fun for everyone to look at this full of health and liveliness, pretty future mother, who so easily endured her situation.

The image of L. was formed by Tolstoy in the first edition and remained unchanged. The wife of the second cousin of the writer, Princess L. I. Volkonskaya, nee Truzson, served as the prototype of the little princess, some of whose features were used by Tolstoy. The "little princess" enjoyed universal love because of her constant liveliness and courtesy of a secular woman who could not even imagine her life outside the world. In her relationship with her husband, she is distinguished by a complete misunderstanding of his aspirations and character. During disputes with her husband, her face took on a “brutal, squirrel expression” because of her raised lip, but Prince Andrei, repenting of his marriage to L., notes in a conversation with Pierre and his father that this is one of the rare women with whom “you can be calm for your honor.

After Bolkonsky left for the war, L. lives in the Bald Mountains, experiencing constant fear and antipathy for his father-in-law and friendly not with his sister-in-law, but with the empty and frivolous companion of Princess Marya, Mademoiselle Bourrienne. L. dies, as she foresaw, during childbirth, on the day of the return of Prince Andrei, who was considered dead. The expression on her face before and after her death seems to indicate that she loves everyone, does no harm to anyone and cannot understand what she is suffering for. Her death leaves a feeling of irreparable guilt in Prince Andrei and sincere pity in the old prince.

Bolkonskaya Marya- Princess, daughter of the old Prince Bolkonsky, sister of Prince Andrei, later the wife of Nikolai Rostov. M. has “an ugly weak body and a thin face ... the princess’s eyes, large, deep and radiant (as if rays of warm light sometimes came out of them in sheaves), were so good that very often, despite the ugliness of the whole face, these eyes became more attractive beauty."

M. is very religious, accepts pilgrims and wanderers, enduring ridicule from her father and brother. She has no friends with whom she could share her thoughts. Her life is focused on love for her father, who is often unfair to her, for her brother and his son Nikolenka (after the death of the “little princess”), for whom she, as best she can, replaces her mother, M. is a smart, meek, educated woman, not hoping for personal happiness. Because of the unfair reproaches of her father and the impossibility of enduring it any longer, she even wanted to go on a wandering. Her life changes after meeting with Nikolai Rostov, who managed to guess the wealth of her soul. Having married, the heroine is happy, completely sharing all her husband's views "on duty and oath."

Bolkonsky Andrey- one of the main characters of the novel, the prince, the son of N. A. Bolkonsky, the brother of Princess Mary. "...Small in stature, a very handsome young man with definite and dry features." This is a smart, proud person who is looking for great intellectual and spiritual content in life. His sister notes in him some kind of “pride of thought”, he is restrained, educated, practical and has a strong will.

B. by origin occupies one of the most enviable places in society, but is unhappy in family life and dissatisfied with the emptiness of light. At the beginning of the novel, his hero is Napoleon. Wanting to imitate Napoleon, dreaming of "his Toulon", he leaves for the army, where he shows courage, composure, heightened sense of honor, duty, and justice. Participates in the Battle of Shengraben. Seriously wounded in the battle of Austerlitz, B. understands the futility of his dreams and the insignificance of his idol. The hero returns home, where he was considered dead, on the birthday of his son and the death of his wife. These events shock him even more, leaving him feeling guilty about his dead wife. Deciding after Austerlitz to no longer serve, B. lives in Bogucharov-ve, doing housework, raising his son and reading a lot. During Pierre's arrival, he admits that he lives for himself alone, but something wakes up in his soul for a moment when he sees the sky above him for the first time after being wounded. From that time on, while maintaining the same circumstances, “his new life began in the inner world.”

During the two years of his life in the village, B. has been much involved in analyzing the latest military campaigns, which prompts him, under the influence of a trip to Otradnoye and awakened vitality, to go to St. Petersburg, where he works under Speransky, who is in charge of preparing legislative changes.

In St. Petersburg, the second meeting of B. with Natasha takes place, in the soul of the hero, deep feeling and hope for happiness. Postponing the wedding for a year under the influence of his father, who did not agree with the decision of his son, B. goes abroad. After the betrayal of the bride, in order to forget about it, to calm the feelings that flooded over him, he again returns to the army under the command of Kutuzov. Participating in the Patriotic War, B. wants to be at the front, and not at the headquarters, draws closer to the soldiers and comprehends the imperious power of the "spirit of the army" fighting for the liberation of their homeland. Before participating in the last battle of Borodino in his life, the hero meets and talks with Pierre. Having received a mortal wound, B., by chance, leaves Moscow in the Rostovs' train, reconciling with Natasha along the way, forgiving her and understanding before death the true meaning of the power of love that unites people.

Bolkonsky Nikolai Andreevich- prince, general-in-chief, retired from service under Paul I and exiled to the village. Father of Princess Marya and Prince Andrei. In the image of the old prince, Tolstoy restored many features of his maternal grandfather, Prince N. S. Volkonsky, "an intelligent, proud and gifted man."

N. A. lives in the countryside, meticulously allocating his time, most of all not enduring idleness, stupidity, superstition and violation of the once established order; he is demanding and harsh with everyone, often harassing his daughter with nit-picking, in the depths of his soul he loves her. The revered prince “walked in the old way, in a caftan and powder”, was short, “in a powdered wig ... with small dry hands and gray drooping eyebrows, sometimes, as he frowned, obscured the brilliance of smart and as if young shining eyes.” He is very proud, smart, restrained in showing feelings; perhaps his main concern is the preservation of family honor and dignity. Before last days life, the old prince retains an interest in political and military events, only before his death he loses real ideas about the scale of the misfortune that happened to Russia. It was he who brought up feelings of pride, duty, patriotism and scrupulous honesty in his son Andrei.

Bolkonsky Nikolenka- the son of Prince Andrei and the "little princess", born on the day of the death of his mother and the return of his father, who was considered dead. He was brought up first in the house of his grandfather, then Princess Mary. Outwardly, he is very much like his dead mother: he has the same upturned lip and curly dark hair. N. grows up as a smart, impressionable and nervous boy. In the epilogue of the novel, he is 15 years old, he becomes a witness to a dispute between Nikolai Rostov and Pierre Bezukhov. Under this impression, N. sees a dream with which Tolstoy completes the events of the novel and in which the hero sees glory, himself, his late father and Uncle Pierre at the head of a large "right" army.

Denisov Vasily Dmitrievich- combat hussar officer, gambler, gambler, noisy " small man with a red face, shining black eyes, black tousled mustache and hair." D. is the commander and friend of Nikolai Rostov, a man for whom the highest honor in life is the honor of the regiment in which he serves. He is brave, capable of daring and rash acts, as in the case of the seizure of food transport, participates in all campaigns, commanding a partisan detachment in 1812, which freed the prisoners, including Pierre.

The hero of the war of 1812, D. V. Davydov, who is also mentioned in the novel as a historical person, served as the prototype for D. in many respects. Dolokhov Fedor - "Semenov officer, famous player and breter." Dolokhov was a man of medium height, curly-haired and with light, blue eyes. He was twenty-five years old. He did not wear a mustache, like all infantry officers, and his mouth, the most striking feature of his face, was completely visible. The lines of this mouth were remarkably finely curved. In the middle, the upper lip fell energetically onto the strong lower lip in a sharp wedge, and something like two smiles constantly formed in the corners, one on each side; and all together, and especially in combination with a firm, insolent, intelligent look, made such an impression that it was impossible not to notice this face. The prototypes of the image of D. are R. I. Dorokhov, a reveler and a brave man whom Tolstoy knew in the Caucasus; a relative of the writer, known in early XIX in. Count F. I. Tolstoy-American, who also served as the prototype for the heroes of A. S. Pushkin, A. S. Griboyedov; partisans during the Patriotic War of 1812 A. S. Figner.

D. is not rich, but he knows how to position himself in society in such a way that everyone respects and even fears him. He is bored in the conditions of ordinary life and gets rid of boredom in a strange, even cruel way, doing incredible things. In 1805, he was expelled from St. Petersburg for tricks with the quarter, demoted to the rank and file, but during the military campaign he regained his officer rank.

D. is smart, brave, cold-blooded, indifferent to death. He carefully hides from. outsiders his tender affection for his mother, confessing to Rostov that everyone considers him an evil person, but in fact he does not want to know anyone except those whom he loves.

Dividing all people into useful and harmful, he sees around him mostly harmful, unloved, whom he is ready to “pass over if they get on the road.” D. is impudent, cruel and cunning. Being Helen's lover, he provokes Pierre to a duel; coolly and dishonestly beats Nikolai Rostov, taking revenge for Sonya's refusal to accept his offer; helps Anatole Kuragin to prepare an escape with Natasha, Drubetskaya Boris - the son of Princess Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya; from childhood he was brought up and lived for a long time in the Rostov family, who, through his mother, is a relative, was in love with Natasha. "A tall, blond youth with regular, delicate features of a calm and beautiful face". Prototypes of the hero - A. M. Kuzminsky and M. D. Polivanov.

D. from his youth dreams of a career, is very proud, but accepts his mother's troubles and condones her humiliations if it benefits him. A. M. Drubetskaya, through Prince Vasily, gets her son a place in the guard. Once in the military service, D. dreams of making a brilliant career in this area.

Participating in the campaign of 1805, he acquires many useful contacts and understands his "unwritten subordination", wishing to continue to serve only in accordance with it. In 1806, A.P. Scherer “treats” them, who came from the Prussian army as a courier, to his guests. In the light of D. seeks to make useful contacts and uses the last money to give the impression of a rich and prosperous person. He becomes a close person in Helen's house and her lover. During the meeting of the emperors in Tilsit, D. is in the same place, and since that time his position has been especially firmly established. In 1809, D., seeing Natasha again, is carried away by her and for some time does not know what to prefer, since marriage with Natasha would mean the end of her career. D. is looking for a rich bride, choosing at one time between Princess Mary and Julie Karagina, who eventually became his wife.

Karataev Platon- a soldier of the Apsheron regiment, who met Pierre Bezukhov in captivity. Nicknamed in the service Falcon. This character was not in the first edition of the novel. His appearance is apparently due to the development and finalization of the image of Pierre and the philosophical concept of the novel.

At the first meeting with this small, affectionate and good-natured man, Pierre is struck by the feeling of something round and calm that comes from K. He attracts everyone to him with his calmness, confidence, kindness and smile of his round face. One day, K. tells the story of an innocently convicted merchant, who has resigned himself and suffers “for his own, but for people’s sins.” This story makes an impression among the prisoners as something very important. Weakened from a fever, K. begins to lag behind on transitions; he is shot by French escorts.

After the death of K., thanks to his wisdom and unconsciously expressed in all his behavior, the folk philosophy of life, Pierre comes to understand the meaning of life.

Kuragin Anatole- son of Prince Vasily, brother of Helen and Ippolit, officer. In contrast to the "calm fool" Ippolit, Prince Vasily looks at A. as a "restless fool" who always needs to be rescued from trouble. A. is a tall handsome man with a good-natured and "victorious look", "beautiful big" eyes and blond hair. He is dapper, arrogant, stupid, not resourceful, not eloquent in conversations, depraved, but "on the other hand, he also had the ability of calmness, precious to the world, and unchanging confidence." Being a friend of Dolokhov and a participant in his revels, A. looks at his life as a constant pleasure and amusement that should have been arranged for him by someone, he does not care about his relationships with other people. A. treats women contemptuously and with a consciousness of his superiority, accustomed to being liked and not experiencing serious feelings for anyone.

After infatuation with Natasha Rostova and an attempt to take her away, A. was forced to hide from Moscow, and then from Prince Andrei, who intended to challenge the offender to a duel. Them last meeting will take place in the infirmary after the Battle of Borodino: A. is wounded, his leg is amputated.

Kuragin Vasily- Prince, father of Helen, Anatole and Hippolyte; a well-known and influential person in Petersburg society, holding important court posts.

Prince V. treats everyone around him condescendingly and patronizingly, he speaks quietly, always bending down the hand of his interlocutor. He appears “in a courtly, embroidered uniform, in stockings, shoes, with stars, with a bright expression of a flat face”, with a “perfumed and shining bald head”. When he smiles, there is “something unexpectedly rough and unpleasant” in the wrinkles of his mouth. Prince V. does not wish harm to anyone, does not think over his plans in advance, but, as a secular person, he uses circumstances and connections to carry out the plans that spontaneously arise in his mind. He always seeks rapprochement with people who are richer and higher than him in position.

The hero considers himself an exemplary father who has done everything possible to raise children and continues to take care of their future. Learning about Princess Marya, Prince V. takes Anatole to the Bald Mountains, wanting to marry him to a rich heiress. A relative of the old Count Bezukhov, he travels to Moscow and starts an intrigue with Princess Katish before the count's death to prevent Pierre Bezukhov from becoming heir. Having failed in this matter, he starts a new intrigue and marries Pierre and Helen.

Kuragina Helen- the daughter of Prince Vasily, and then the wife of Pierre Bezukhov. A brilliant St. Petersburg beauty with an "unchanging smile", full white shoulders, glossy hair and a beautiful figure. There was no noticeable coquetry in her, as if she was ashamed “for her undoubtedly and too much and win? effective beauty." E. is imperturbable, giving everyone the right to admire herself, which is why she feels, as it were, gloss from a multitude of other people's views. She knows how to be silently worthy in the world, giving the impression of a tactful and intelligent woman, which, combined with beauty, ensures her constant success.

Having married Pierre Bezukhov, the heroine discovers in front of her husband not only a limited mind, coarseness of thought and vulgarity, but also cynical depravity. After breaking up with Pierre and receiving a large part of the fortune from him by proxy, she lives either in St. Petersburg or abroad, then returns to her husband. Despite the family break, the constant change of lovers, including Dol ohov and Drubetskoy, E. continues to be one of the most famous and favored ladies of St. Petersburg. She is making very great progress in the world; living alone, she becomes the mistress of the diplomatic and political salon, gaining a reputation as an intelligent woman. Having decided to convert to Catholicism and considering the possibility of divorce and a new marriage, entangled between two very influential, high-ranking lovers and patrons, E. dies in 1812.

Kutuzov- Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army. A participant in real historical events described by Tolstoy, and at the same time the plot of the work. He has a "chubby, wounded face" with an aquiline nose; he is gray-haired, plump, steps heavily. On the pages of the novel, K. first appears in an episode of a review near Braunau, impressing everyone with his knowledge of the matter and attention, hidden behind seeming absent-mindedness. K. knows how to be diplomatic; he is cunning enough and speaks "with elegance of expression and intonation", "with an affectation of deference" of a subservient and unreasoning person, when the matter does not concern the security of the homeland, as before the battle of Austerlitz. Before the Battle of Shengraben, K., crying, blesses Bagration.

In 1812, K., contrary to the opinion of secular circles, received the dignity of a prince and was appointed commander in chief of the Russian army. He is a favorite of soldiers and combat officers. From the beginning of his activity as commander-in-chief, K. believes that to win the campaign “you need patience and time”, that not knowledge, not plans, not mind, but “something else, independent of mind and knowledge” can solve the whole thing. . According to Tolstoy's historical and philosophical concept, a person is not able to really influence the course of historical events. K. has the ability to "calmly contemplate the course of events", but he knows how to see everything, listen, remember, do not interfere with anything useful and not allow anything harmful. On the eve and during the battle of Borodino, the commander oversees the preparations for the battle, together with all the soldiers and militias, he prays before the icon of the Smolensk Mother of God, and during the battle he controls the "elusive force" called the "spirit of the army." K. experiences painful feelings when he decides to leave Moscow, but “with his whole Russian being” he knows that the French will be defeated. Having directed all his forces to the liberation of his homeland, K. dies when his role is fulfilled, and the enemy is driven out of the borders of Russia. “This simple, modest, and therefore truly majestic figure could not fit into that deceitful form of a European hero, allegedly controlling people, which history invented.”

Napoleon- French Emperor a real historical person depicted in the novel, a hero whose image is associated with the historical and philosophical concept of L. N. Tolstoy.

At the beginning of the work, N. is the idol of Andrei Bolkonsky, a man whose greatness bows to Pierre Bezukhov, a politician whose actions and personality are discussed in the high society salon of A.P. Scherer. how actor The novel appears in the battle of Austerlitz, after which the wounded Prince Andrei sees “a radiance of complacency and happiness” on the face of N., admiring the view of the battlefield.

The figure of N. "fat, short ... with wide, thick shoulders and involuntarily protruding belly and chest, had that representative, portly appearance that people living in their forties have in the hall"; his face is youthful, full, with a protruding chin, short hair, and "his white plump neck protruded sharply from behind the black collar of his uniform." N.'s self-satisfaction and self-confidence are expressed in the conviction that his presence plunges people into delight and self-forgetfulness, that everything in the world depends only on his will. Sometimes he is prone to outbursts of anger.

Even before the order to cross the borders of Russia, the hero’s imagination is haunted by Moscow, and during the war he does not foresee its general course. Giving battle of Borodino, N. acts "involuntarily and senselessly", not being able to somehow influence his course, although he does nothing harmful to the cause. For the first time during the Battle of Borodino, he experienced bewilderment and hesitation, and after him the sight of the dead and wounded "overcame that spiritual strength in which he believed his merit and greatness." According to the author, N. was destined for an inhuman role, his mind and conscience were darkened, and his actions were "too opposite to goodness and truth, too far from everything human."

Rostov Ilya Andreevich- Count, father of Natasha, Nikolai, Vera and Petya Rostovs, famous Moscow gentleman, rich man, hospitable. R. knows how and loves to live, is good-natured, generous and motivated. Many character traits and some episodes of the life of his paternal grandfather, Count I. A. Tolstoy, the writer used when creating the image of the old Count Rostov, noting in his appearance those features that are known from the portrait of his grandfather: a full body, “rare grey hair on a bald spot."

R. is known in Moscow not only as a hospitable host and a wonderful family man, but also as a person who knows how to arrange a ball, a reception, a dinner better than others, and if necessary, put his own money for this. He is a member and foreman of the English club from the day of its foundation. It is he who is entrusted with the chores of arranging a dinner in honor of Bagration.

The life of Count R. is burdened only by the constant consciousness of his gradual ruin, which he is unable to stop, allowing the managers to rob themselves, not being able to refuse petitioners, not being able to change the once established order of life. Most of all, he suffers from a consciousness that ruins children, but he becomes more and more confused in business. In order to improve property matters, the Rostivs live in the village for two years, the count leaves the leaders, looks for a place in St. Petersburg, transporting his family there and with his habits and social circle, giving the impression of a provincial there.

R. is distinguished by tender deep love and kindness of heart towards his wife and children. When leaving Moscow after the Battle of Borodino, it was the old count who began to slowly give up carts for the wounded, thus inflicting one of the last blows to his condition. Events of 1812-1813 and the loss of Petya finally broke the mental and physical strength of the hero. Last event, which, out of old habit, he directs, making the same active impression - the wedding of Natasha and Pierre; in the same year, the count dies "just at the time when things ... got so confused that it was impossible to imagine how it would all end," and leaves a good memory behind him.

Rostov Nikolai- son of Count Rostov, brother of Vera, Natasha and Petya, officer, hussar; at the end of the novel, the husband of Princess Marya Volkonskaya. "A short, curly-haired young man with an open expression," in which he saw "swiftness and enthusiasm." N. the writer gave some features of his father, N.I. -Tolstoy, a participant in the war of 1812. The hero is distinguished in many respects by the same features of openness, cheerfulness, goodwill, self-sacrifice, musicality and emotionality as all Rostovs. Being sure that he is neither an official nor a diplomat, N. at the beginning of the novel leaves the university and enters the Pavlograd Hussar Regiment, in which his whole life is concentrated for a long time. He participates in military campaigns and the Patriotic War of 1812. N. takes his first baptism of fire while crossing the Enns, not being able to combine "the fear of death and a stretcher and love for the sun and life." In the battle of Shengraben, he goes on the attack too bravely, but, being wounded in the arm, he gets lost and leaves the battlefield with the thought of the absurdity of the death of the one "whom everyone loves so much." Having passed these tests, N. becomes a brave officer, a real hussar; he retains a sense of adoration for the sovereign and fidelity to his duty. Feeling at home in his own regiment, as in some special world where everything is simple and clear, N. turns out to be not free from solving complex moral problems, as, for example, in the case of officer Telyanin. In the regiment, N. becomes a “quite coarse” kind fellow, but remains sensitive and open to subtle feelings. In civilian life, he behaves like a real hussar.

His long-lasting romance with Sonya ends with the noble decision of N. to marry a dowry even against the will of his mother, but he receives a letter from Sonya with the return of his freedom. In 1812, during one of his trips, N. met Princess Marya and helped her leave Bogucharov. Princess Mary amazes him with her meekness and spirituality. After the death of his father, N. retires, taking on all the obligations and debts of the deceased, taking care of his mother and Sonya. When meeting with Princess Volkonskaya, out of noble motives, he tries to avoid her, one of the richest brides, but their mutual feeling does not weaken and is crowned with a happy marriage.

Rostov Petya- the youngest son of the Rostov counts, brother of Vera, Nikolai, Natasha. At the beginning of P.'s novel a little boy, enthusiastically yielding general atmosphere life in the Rostov house. He is musical, like all Rostovs, kind and cheerful. After the entry of Nicholas into the army, P. wants to imitate his brother, and in 1812, carried away by a patriotic impulse and an enthusiastic attitude towards the sovereign, he asks for leave to join the army. “Snub-nosed Petya, with his cheerful black eyes, a fresh blush and a little fluff on his cheeks” becomes after leaving the mother’s main concern, realizing only at that time the full depth of her love for her youngest child. During the war, P. accidentally ends up with an assignment in the Denisov detachment, where he remains, wanting to take part in the present case. He accidentally dies, showing everything on the eve of death in relations with his comrades. best features"Rostov breed", inherited by him in his home.

Rostov- the countess, "a woman with an oriental type of thin face, forty-five years old, apparently exhausted by children ... The slowness of her movements and speech, which came from the weakness of her strength, gave her a significant look that inspires respect." When creating the image of the Countess, R. Tolstoy used the character traits and some circumstances of the life of his paternal grandmother P. N. Tolstoy and mother-in-law L. A. Bers.

R. used to live in luxury, in an atmosphere of love and kindness. She is proud of the friendship and trust of her children, pampers them, worries about their fate. In spite of apparent weakness and even lack of will, the countess makes balanced and reasonable decisions regarding the fate of children. Her love for children is also dictated by her desire to marry Nikolai to a rich bride at all costs, nit-picking Sonya. The news of Petya's death almost drives her insane. The only object of displeasure of the countess is the inability of the old count to manage affairs and small quarrels with him because of the waste of the state of the children. At the same time, the heroine cannot understand either the position of her husband, or the position of her son, with whom she remains after the death of the count, demanding the usual luxury and the fulfillment of all her whims and desires.

Rostova Natasha- one of the main characters of the novel, daughter of Count Rostov, sister of Nikolai, Vera and Petya; at the end of the novel, Pierre Bezukhov's wife. N. - "black-eyed, with a big mouth, ugly, but alive ...". As its prototype, Tolstoy was served by his wife and her sister T. A. Bers, married Kuzminskaya. According to the writer, he "took Tanya, reworked with Sonya, and Natasha turned out." The image of the heroine took shape gradually from the very birth of the idea, when the writer, next to his hero, a former Decembrist, introduces himself to his wife.

N. is very emotional and sensitive, she intuitively guesses people, “not deigning” to be smart, sometimes she is selfish in the manifestations of her feelings, but more often she is capable of self-forgetfulness and self-sacrifice, as is the case with the removal of the wounded from Moscow or nursing mother after the death of Petya.

One of N.'s defining qualities and virtues is her musicality and rare beauty of her voice. With her singing, she is able to influence the best in a person: it is N.'s singing that saves Nikolai from despair after losing 43 thousand. Old Count Rostov says about N. that she is all in him, “gunpowder”, while Akhrosimova calls her “Cossack” and “potion girl”.

Constantly carried away, N. lives in an atmosphere of love and happiness. A change in her fate occurs after a meeting with Prince Andrei, who became her fiancé. The impatient feeling that overwhelms N., the insult inflicted by the old prince Bolkonsky, pushes her to be infatuated with Anatole Kuragin, to refuse Prince Andrei. Only having experienced and felt a lot, she realizes her guilt before Bolkonsky, reconciling with him and remaining near the dying Prince Andrei until his death. N. feels true love only for Pierre Bezukhov, with whom he finds complete understanding and whose wife he becomes, plunging into the world of family and maternal worries.

Sonya- niece and pupil of the old Count Rostov, who grew up in his family. The storyline of S. is based on the fate of T. A. Ergolskaya, a relative, close friend and teacher of the writer, who lived until the end of her days in Yasnaya Polyana and in many ways prompted Tolstoy to engage in literary work. However, the spiritual appearance of Yergolskaya is quite far from the character and inner world of the heroine. At the beginning of the novel, S. is 15 years old, she is “a thin, petite brunette with a soft look tinted with long eyelashes, a thick black braid that wraps around her head twice, and a yellowish tint of skin on her face and especially on her naked, thin, but graceful hands and neck . With smoothness of movements, softness and flexibility of small members and a somewhat cunning and restrained manner, she resembles a beautiful, but not yet formed kitten, which will be a lovely cat.

S. fits perfectly into the Rostov family, is unusually close and friendly with Natasha, and has been in love with Nikolai since childhood. She is restrained, silent, judicious, cautious, her ability to self-sacrifice is highly developed. S. attracts attention with her beauty and moral purity, but she does not have that immediacy and inexplicably irresistible charm that Natasha has. S.'s feeling for Nikolai is so constant and deep that she wants to "always love, and let him be free." This feeling makes her refuse the enviable groom in her dependent position - Dolokhov.

The content of the heroine's life depends entirely on her love: she is happy, being connected by a word with Nikolai Rostov, especially after Christmas and his refusal of his mother's request to go to Moscow to marry the rich Julie Karagina. S. finally decides her fate under the influence of biased reproaches and reproaches of the old countess, not wanting to pay ingratitude for everything that was done for her in the Rostov family, and most importantly, wishing Nikolai happiness. She writes him a letter in which she frees him from this word, but secretly hopes that his marriage to Princess Mary will be impossible after the recovery of Prince Andrei. After the death of the old count, he remains with the countess to live in the care of the retired Nikolai Rostov.

Tushin- staff captain, hero of the Shengraben battle, “a small, dirty, thin artillery officer with big, intelligent and kind eyes. There was something "unmilitary, somewhat comical, but extremely attractive" about this man. T. becomes shy when meeting with his superiors, and there is always some kind of his fault. On the eve of the battle, he speaks of the fear of death and the uncertainty of what awaits after it.

In battle, T. completely changes, presenting himself as the hero of a fantastic picture, a hero throwing cannonballs at the enemy, and the enemy guns seem to him to be the same puffing smoking pipes as his own. Battery T. forgotten during the battle, left without cover. During the battle, T. does not have a sense of fear and thoughts about death and injury. He becomes more and more cheerful, the soldiers listen to him like children, but he does everything he can, and thanks to his ingenuity sets fire to the village of Shengraben. From another trouble (cannons left on the battlefield), the hero is rescued by Andrei Bolkonsky, who announces to Bagration that the detachment largely owes its success to this man.

Sherer Anna Pavlovna- the maid of honor and close associate of the Empress Maria Feodorovna, the hostess of the fashionable high-society "political" salon in St. Petersburg, describing the evening in which Tolstoy begins his novel. A.P. is 40 years old, she has “obsolete facial features”, every time the Empress is mentioned, she expresses a combination of sadness, devotion and respect. The heroine is dexterous, tactful, influential at court, prone to intrigues. Her attitude to any person or event is always dictated by the latest political, court or secular considerations, she is close to the Kuragin family and friendly with Prince Vasily. A.P. is constantly “full of animation and impulse”, “to be an enthusiast has become her social position”, and in her salon, in addition to discussing the latest court and political news, she always “treats” guests with some novelty or celebrity, and in 1812 Her circle demonstrates salon patriotism in Petersburg light.

Chapped Tikhon- a peasant from Pokrovsky near Gzhatya, who joined Denisov's partisan detachment. He got his nickname because of the lack of one tooth. He is agile, walks on "flat, twisted legs." In the detachment T. is the most essential person, no one more dexterous than him can lead the "language" and perform any inconvenient and dirty work. T. goes to the French with pleasure, bringing trophies and bringing prisoners, but after his injury, he begins to kill the French needlessly, laughingly referring to the fact that they were “bad”. For this, he is not loved in the detachment.

Now you know the main characters of War and Peace, as well as their brief description.

In this article, we will introduce you to the main characters of Leo Tolstoy's work "War and Peace". Characteristics of the characters include the main features of appearance and inner world. All the characters in the story are very interesting. Very large in volume is the novel "War and Peace". The characteristics of the heroes are given only briefly, but meanwhile, a separate work can be written for each of them. Let's start our analysis with a description of the Rostov family.

Ilya Andreevich Rostov

The Rostov family in the work are typical Moscow representatives of the nobility. Its head, Ilya Andreevich, is known for his generosity and hospitality. This is a count, the father of Petya, Vera, Nikolai and Natasha Rostovs, a rich man and a Moscow gentleman. He is motivated, good-natured, loves to live. In general, speaking of the Rostov family, it should be noted that sincerity, goodwill, lively contact and ease in communication were characteristic of all its representatives.

Some episodes from the life of the writer's grandfather were used by him to create the image of Rostov. The fate of this person is aggravated by the realization of ruin, which he does not immediately understand and is unable to stop. In its appearance, there are also some similarities with the prototype. This technique was used by the author not only in relation to Ilya Andreevich. Some internal and external features of Leo Tolstoy's relatives and friends are also guessed in other characters, which is confirmed by the characteristics of the heroes. "War and Peace" - a large-scale work with huge amount actors.

Nikolai Rostov

Nikolai Rostov - son of Ilya Andreevich, brother of Petya, Natasha and Vera, hussar, officer. At the end of the novel, he appears as the husband of Princess Marya Bolkonskaya. In the appearance of this man one could see "enthusiasm" and "swiftness". It reflected some of the features of the writer's father, who participated in the war of 1812. This hero is distinguished by such features as cheerfulness, openness, goodwill and self-sacrifice. Convinced that he is not a diplomat or an official, Nikolai leaves the university at the beginning of the novel and enters the hussar regiment. Here he participates in the Patriotic War of 1812, in military campaigns. Nicholas takes his first baptism of fire when the Enns is crossed. In the battle of Shengraben, he was wounded in the arm. After passing the test, this man becomes a real hussar, a brave officer.

Petya Rostov

Petya Rostov - youngest child in the Rostov family, brother of Natasha, Nikolai and Vera. He appears at the beginning of the work as a small boy. Petya, like all Rostovs, is cheerful and kind, musical. He wants to imitate his brother and also wants to join the army. After the departure of Nikolai, Petya becomes the main concern of the mother, who only realizes at that time the depth of her love for this child. During the war, he accidentally ends up in the Denisov detachment with an assignment, where he remains, because he wants to take part in the case. Petya dies by coincidence, showing before his death the best features of the Rostovs in relations with his comrades.

Countess of Rostov

Rostova is a heroine, when creating the image of which the author used, as well as some circumstances of the life of L. A. Bers, the mother-in-law of Lev Nikolayevich, as well as P. N. Tolstoy, the writer’s paternal grandmother. The Countess is used to living in an atmosphere of kindness and love, in luxury. She is proud of the trust and friendship of her children, pampers them, worries about their fate. Despite external weakness, even some heroine makes reasonable and balanced decisions regarding her children. Dictated by love for children and her desire to marry Nikolai to a wealthy bride at any cost, as well as nit-picking Sonya.

Natasha Rostova

Natasha Rostova is one of the main characters of the work. She is the daughter of Rostov, the sister of Petya, Vera and Nikolai. At the end of the novel, she becomes the wife of Pierre Bezukhov. This girl is presented as "ugly, but alive", with a big mouth, black-eyed. Tolstoy's wife and her sister T. A. Bers served as the prototype for this image. Natasha is very sensitive and emotional, she can intuitively guess the characters of people, sometimes selfish in manifestations of feelings, but most often capable of self-sacrifice and self-forgetfulness. We see this, for example, during the removal of the wounded from Moscow, as well as in the episode of nursing the mother after Petya died.

One of the main advantages of Natasha is her musicality, beautiful voice. With her singing, she can awaken all the best that is in a person. This is what saves Nikolai from despair after he lost a large amount.

Natasha, constantly carried away, lives in an atmosphere of happiness and love. After meeting Prince Andrei, a change occurs in her fate. The insult inflicted by Bolkonsky (the old prince) pushes this heroine to be infatuated with Kuragin and to refuse Prince Andrei. Only after feeling and experiencing a lot, she realizes her guilt before Bolkonsky. But this girl feels true love only for Pierre, whose wife she becomes at the end of the novel.

Sonya

Sonya is the pupil and niece of Count Rostov, who grew up in his family. She is 15 at the beginning of the story. This girl fits perfectly into the Rostov family, she is unusually friendly and close to Natasha, she has been in love with Nikolai since childhood. Sonya is silent, restrained, cautious, reasonable, she has a highly developed ability for self-sacrifice. She attracts attention with moral purity and beauty, but she does not have the charm and immediacy that Natasha possesses.

Pierre Bezukhov

Pierre Bezukhov is one of the main characters in the novel. Therefore, without him, the characterization of the heroes ("War and Peace") would be incomplete. Let us briefly describe Pierre Bezukhov. He is the illegitimate son of a count, a famous nobleman, who became the heir to a huge fortune and title. In the work, he is depicted as a fat, massive young man, wearing glasses. This hero is distinguished by a timid, intelligent, natural and observant look. He was brought up abroad, appeared in Russia shortly before the start of the 1805 campaign and the death of his father. Pierre is inclined to philosophical reflections, smart, kind-hearted and gentle, compassionate towards others. He is also impractical, sometimes subject to passions. Andrei Bolkonsky, his closest friend, characterizes this hero as the only "living person" among all representatives of the world.

Anatole Kuragin

Anatole Kuragin - officer, brother of Ippolit and Helen, son of Prince Vasily. Unlike Ippolit, the "calm fool", Anatole's father looks at Anatole as a "restless fool" who must always be rescued from various troubles. This hero is stupid, arrogant, dapper, not eloquent in conversations, depraved, not resourceful, but he has confidence. He looks at life as a constant amusement and pleasure.

Andrey Bolkonsky

Andrei Bolkonsky is one of the main characters in the work, the prince, the brother of Princess Marya, the son of N. A. Bolkonsky. Described as a "quite handsome" young man of "small stature". He is proud, intelligent, looking for great spiritual and intellectual content in life. Andrey is educated, restrained, practical, has a strong will. His idol at the beginning of the novel is Napoleon, whom our characterization of the heroes will also introduce to readers just below ("War and Peace"). Andrei Balkonsky dreams of imitating him. After participating in the war, he lives in the village, raises his son, and takes care of the household. Then he returns to the army, dies in the Battle of Borodino.

Platon Karataev

Imagine this hero of the work "War and Peace". Platon Karataev - a soldier who met Pierre Bezukhov in captivity. In the service, he is nicknamed the Falcon. Note that this character was not in the original version of the work. His appearance was caused by the final design in the philosophical concept of "War and Peace" of the image of Pierre.

When he first met this good-natured, affectionate man, Pierre was struck by the feeling of something calm emanating from him. This character attracts others with his calmness, kindness, confidence, as well as smiling. After the death of Karataev, thanks to his wisdom, folk philosophy, expressed unconsciously in his behavior, Pierre Bezukhov understands the meaning of life.

But they are not only depicted in the work "War and Peace". Characteristics of heroes include real historical figures. The main ones are Kutuzov and Napoleon. Their images are described in some detail in the work "War and Peace". The characteristics of the heroes we mentioned are given below.

Kutuzov

Kutuzov in the novel, as in reality, is the commander-in-chief of the Russian army. Described as a man with a plump face, disfigured by a wound, with heavy steps, full, gray-haired. For the first time on the pages of the novel appears in an episode when a review of troops near Branau is depicted. He impresses everyone with his knowledge of the matter, as well as the attention that is hidden behind external absent-mindedness. Kutuzov is able to be diplomatic, he is quite cunning. Before the Battle of Shengraben, he blesses Bagration with tears in his eyes. A favorite of military officers and soldiers. He believes that time and patience are needed to win the campaign against Napoleon, that the matter can be decided not by knowledge, not by intelligence, and not by plans, but by something else that does not depend on them, that a person is not able to really influence the course of history . Kutuzov contemplates the course of events more than intervenes in them. However, he knows how to remember everything, listen, see, not interfere with anything useful and not allow anything harmful. This is a modest, simple and therefore majestic figure.

Napoleon

Napoleon is a real historical person, the French emperor. On the eve of the main events of the novel is the idol of Andrei Bolkonsky. Even Pierre Bezukhov bows before the greatness of this man. His confidence and complacency are expressed in the opinion that his presence plunges people into self-forgetfulness and delight, that everything in the world depends only on his will.

Takova a brief description of characters in the novel "War and Peace". It can serve as a basis for more detailed analysis. Turning to the work, you can supplement it if you need a detailed description of the characters. "War and Peace" (1 volume - the introduction of the main characters, subsequent - the development of characters) describes in detail each of these characters. The inner world of many of them changes over time. Therefore, Leo Tolstoy presents in dynamics the characteristics of the heroes ("War and Peace"). Volume 2, for example, reflects their life between 1806 and 1812. The next two volumes describe further developments, their reflection in the fate of the characters.

Characteristics of heroes are of great importance for understanding such a creation of Leo Tolstoy as the work "War and Peace". Through them, the philosophy of the novel is reflected, the author's ideas and thoughts are transmitted.

Field Marshal General Prince, adjutant wing Count, son-in-law of commander Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov. All three led the soldiers into the attack under heavy fire with a battle banner in their hands. All three were wounded, only Prince Volkonsky survived. one

Tolstoy about the hero: “There I will be sent,” he thought, “with a brigade or division, and there, with a banner in my hand, I will go forward and break everything that is in front of me.”

“At this time, a new face entered the living room. The new face was the young Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, the husband of the little princess. Prince Bolkonsky was short, a very handsome young man with definite and dry features. ... Apparently, everyone who was in the living room not only did they know each other, but they bored him so much that it was very boring for him to look at them and listen to them.

Take a look at the painting by Adolf Ladurner "The Armorial Hall Winter Palace", where Prince Peter Volkonsky is in the center. See how accurate Tolstoy is.

All photographs of the heroes of the novel are taken from the film "War and Peace" (1965).

Count Nikolai Rostov

Prototype: the writer's father, Count.

Tolstoy about the hero: "... So much nobility, true youth, which you meet so rarely in our age between our twenty-year-old old people! .."

Count Pierre Bezukhov

Tolstoy about the hero:"... When moments of cruelty were found on him, like those in which he connected the quarterly with a bear and let him into the water, or when he challenged a man to a duel for no reason, or killed the coachman's horse with a pistol ..."; "... Dolokhov (also a partisan with a small party)."

Princess Helen Kuragina (Countess Bezukhova)

Prototype: H; beloved of Chancellor Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Gorchakov, who became the morganatic wife of Duke Nikolai Maximilianovich of Leuchtenberg, grandson of Nicholas I (Tolstoy has "a young blond man with a long face and nose") 3 .

Tolstoy about the heroine: "In Petersburg, Helen enjoyed the special patronage of a nobleman who occupied one of the highest positions in the state. In Vilna, she became close to a young foreign prince. When she returned to Petersburg, the prince and nobleman<>both claimed their rights, and Helen presented a new task in her career: to maintain her close relationship with both without offending either.

Vasily Denisov

Prototype:, a participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, a hussar who, like the hero of the novel, fought in a partisan detachment.

Tolstoy about the hero: "... Denisov, to the surprise of Rostov, in a new uniform, pomaded and perfumed, appeared in the living room in the same dandy that he used to be in battles ..."

Artillery Staff Captain Tushin

Prototypes: Major General of Artillery Ilya Timofeevich Radozhitsky and Staff Captain of Artillery Yakov Ivanovich Sudakov. In character, he resembled the brother of the writer Nikolai Nikolaevich.

Tolstoy about the hero:"... Tushin appeared on the threshold, timidly making his way from behind the backs of the generals. Bypassing the generals in a cramped hut, embarrassed, as always, at the sight of his superiors ..."

Baron Alfons Karlovich Berg

Prototype: field marshal general, baron, then count 4. In the rank of second lieutenant of the Semyonovsky Life Guards Regiment, he was wounded at Austerlitz in right hand, but, shifting the sword to his left hand, he remained in the ranks until the end of the battle. For this, he was awarded the Golden Sword "For Courage" 5 .

Tolstoy about the hero: “It was not for nothing that Berg showed everyone his right hand wounded in the battle of Austerlitz and held a completely unnecessary sword in his left. He told everyone this concealment so stubbornly and with such significance that everyone believed in the expediency and dignity of this act, and Berg received two awards for Austerlitz ".

Anna Pavlovna Sherer

Prototype: maid of honor to Empress Maria Alexandrovna, daughter of the great poet.

Tolstoy about the heroine:"... The famous Anna Pavlovna Scherer, maid of honor and close associate of Empress Maria Feodorovna ..."

Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova

Prototype: who had a scandalous reputation in high society. “She was depicted with photographic accuracy, down to her last name and rolling up her sleeves, as is well known, by L.N. Tolstoy in War and Peace 6 .

Tolstoy about the heroine:Akhrosimova is known "not for wealth, not for honors, but for her directness of mind and frank simplicity of address."

Lyovochka MAYBE WILL DESCRIBE US WHEN HE WILL BE 50 YEARS OLD. S. A. TOLSTAYA - TO SISTER. NOVEMBER 11, 1862

1. Patriotic war of 1812 and the liberation campaign of the Russian army in 1813-1814. Encyclopedia: In 3 volumes. T. 1. M .: Russian Political Encyclopedia (ROSSPEN), 2012. S. 364; There. T. 3. S. 500.
2. Patriotic war of 1812 and the liberation campaign of the Russian army in 1813-1814. Encyclopedia: In 3 volumes. T. 1. M .: Russian Political Encyclopedia (ROSSPEN), 2012. S. 410.
3. Ekshtut S.A. Nadine, or the novel of a high society lady through the eyes of the secret political police. M.: Consent, 2001. S. 97-100.
4. Patriotic war of 1812 and the liberation campaign of the Russian army in 1813-1814. Encyclopedia: In 3 volumes. T. 1. M .: Russian Political Encyclopedia (ROSSPEN), 2012. S. 623.
5. Ekshtut S.A. The daily life of the Russian intelligentsia from the era of the Great Reforms to Silver Age. M.: Molodaya Gvardiya, 2012. S. 252.
6. Gershenzon M.O. Griboedovskaya Moscow. M.: Moskovsky Rabochiy, 1989. S. 83.

Tolstoy's favorite characters in War and Peace are Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky. They are united by the quality that the writer himself most valued in people. In his opinion, to be a real person, you need to “torn, fight, get confused, make mistakes, start and quit” all your life, and “peace is spiritual meanness.” That is, a person should not calm down and stop, he should search for meaning all his life and strive to find an application for his strengths, talents, mind.

In this article we will consider what are the characteristics of the main characters of Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace". Pay attention to why Tolstoy endowed these characters with such features and what he wanted to say to his readers.

Pierre Bezukhov in the novel "War and Peace"

As we have already noted, speaking about the main characters of the novel "War and Peace" by Tolstoy, it is definitely worth discussing the image of Pierre Bezukhov. For the first time the reader sees Pierre in the aristocratic Petersburg salon of Anna Pavlovna Scherer. The hostess treats him somewhat condescendingly, because he is just the illegitimate son of a rich nobleman of Catherine's time, who has just returned from abroad, where he received an education.

Pierre Bezukhov differs from other guests in his spontaneity and sincerity. Drawing a psychological portrait of his protagonist, Tolstoy points out that Pierre was a fat, absent-minded person, but all this was redeemed by "an expression of good nature, simplicity and modesty." The hostess of the salon was afraid that Pierre would say something wrong, and indeed, Bezukhov passionately expresses his opinion, argues with the viscount and does not know how to follow the rules of etiquette. At the same time, he is kind and smart. The qualities of Pierre, shown in the first chapters of the novel, will be inherent in him throughout the entire story, although the hero himself will go through a difficult path of spiritual evolution. Why can Pierre Bezukhov be safely attributed to the main characters of Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace"? Consideration of the image of Pierre Bezukhov helps to understand this.

Pierre Bezukhov is so loved by Tolstoy because this the protagonist novel tirelessly searches for the meaning of life, asks himself painful questions: “What is wrong? What well? What should you love, what should you hate? Why live, and what am I? What is life, what is death? What power governs everything?

Pierre Bezukhov goes through a difficult path of spiritual quest. He is not satisfied with the St. Petersburg revelry of golden youth. Having received an inheritance and becoming one of the richest people in Russia, the hero marries Helen, but he blames himself for the failures of family life and even his wife's infidelities, since he proposed without feeling love.

For a time he finds meaning in Freemasonry. He is close to the idea of ​​spiritual brothers about the need to live for the sake of others, to give to others as much as possible. Pierre Bezukhov is trying to change and improve the situation of his peasants. But disappointment soon sets in: the protagonist of Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" realizes that most of the Masons are trying to make acquaintances with influential people in this way. Further, the image and characteristics of Pierre Bezukhov are revealed in an interesting aspect.

The most important stage on the path of spiritual development of Pierre Bezukhov is the war of 1812 and captivity. On the Borodino field, he understands that the truth is in the universal unity of people. In captivity, the peasant philosopher Platon Karataev reveals to the main character the realization of how important it is to “live with people” and stoically accept everything that fate brings.

Pierre Bezukhov has an inquisitive mind, thoughtful and often ruthless introspection. He is a decent person, kind and a little naive. He asks himself and the world philosophical questions about the meaning of life, God, the purpose of existence, not finding an answer, he does not dismiss painful thoughts, but tries to find the right path.

In the epilogue, Pierre is happy with Natasha Rostova, but personal happiness is not enough for him. He becomes a member of a secret society preparing reforms in Russia. So, discussing who are the main characters of the novel "War and Peace" by Tolstoy, we focused on the image of Pierre Bezukhov and his characteristics. Let's move on to the next key character of the novel - Andrei Bolkonsky.

Andrei Bolkonsky in the novel "War and Peace"

The Bolkonsky family is united by common generic features: a sharp analytical mind, nobility, the highest sense of honor, an understanding of one's duty in serving the Fatherland. It is no coincidence that, seeing off his son to the war, the father, admonishing him, says: “Remember one thing, Prince Andrei: if they kill you, it will hurt me, an old man ... And if I find out that you behaved not like the son of Nikolai Bolkonsky, I will be ... ashamed!" Undoubtedly, Andrei Bolkonsky is a bright character and one of the main characters in Tolstoy's novel War and Peace.

During military service Bolkonsky is guided by considerations of common good, and not his own career. He heroically rushes forward with a banner in his hands, because it hurts him to see the flight of the Russian army on the Austerlitz field.

Andrey, like Pierre, is waiting for a difficult path of searching for the meaning of life and disappointments. At first, he dreams of the glory of Napoleon. But after the Austerlitz sky, in which the prince saw something infinitely high, beautiful and calm, the former idol seems to him small, insignificant with his vain aspirations.

Comprehends the main character of the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy and disappointment in love (Natasha betrays him, deciding to run away with the fool Anatoly Kuragin), in life for the sake of the family (he understands that this is not enough), in public service (Speransky's activities turn out to be meaningless fuss, without real benefit).

Leo Tolstoy in the article "A few words about the book" War and Peace "" says that the names of the characters in the epic are consonant with the names real people, because he "felt awkward" using the names of historical figures next to fictitious ones. Tolstoy writes that he "would be very sorry" if readers thought that he was deliberately describing the characters of real people, because all the characters are fictitious.

At the same time, there are two characters in the novel, to whom Tolstoy "unwittingly" gave the names of real people - Denisov and M. D. Akhrosimova. He did this because they were "characteristic faces of the time". Nevertheless, in the biographies of other characters in War and Peace, one can notice similarities with the stories of real people, which probably influenced Tolstoy when he worked on the images of his characters.

Prince Andrei Bolkonsky

Nikolay Tuchkov. (wikimedia.org)

The surname of the hero is consonant with the surname of the Volkonsky princely family, from which the writer's mother came, however, Andrei is one of those characters whose image is more fictional than borrowed from specific people. How out of reach moral ideal, Prince Andrei, of course, could not have a specific prototype. Nevertheless, in the facts of the character's biography, one can find a lot in common, for example, with Nikolai Tuchkov. He was a lieutenant general and, like Prince Andrei, was mortally wounded in the Battle of Borodino, from which he died in Yaroslavl three weeks later.

Nikolai Rostov and Princess Marya - the writer's parents

The scene of the wounding of Prince Andrei in the Battle of Austerlitz is probably borrowed from the biography of Staff Captain Fyodor (Ferdinand) Tizenhausen, Kutuzov's son-in-law. He, with a banner in his hands, led the Little Russian Grenadier Regiment in a counterattack, was wounded, captured and died three days after the battle. Also, the act of Prince Andrei is similar to the act of Prince Peter Volkonsky, who, with the banner of the Phanagoria regiment, led the brigade of grenadiers forward.

It is possible that Tolstoy gave the image of Prince Andrei the features of his brother Sergei. At least this applies to the story of the failed marriage of Bolkonsky and Natasha Rostova. Sergei Tolstoy was engaged to Tatyana Bers, the elder sister of Sophia Tolstaya (the writer's wife). The marriage never took place, because Sergei had been living with the gypsy Maria Shishkina for several years, whom he eventually married, and Tatyana married lawyer A. Kuzminsky.

Natasha Rostova

Sophia Tolstaya is the writer's wife. (wikimedia.org)

It can be assumed that Natasha has two prototypes at once - Tatyana and Sofya Bers. In the comments to War and Peace, Tolstoy says that Natasha Rostova turned out when he "reworked Tanya and Sonya."

Tatyana Bers spent most of her childhood in the writer's family and managed to make friends with the author of War and Peace, despite the fact that she was almost 20 years younger than him. Moreover, under the influence of Tolstoy, Kuzminskaya herself took up literary creativity. In her book “My Life at Home and in Yasnaya Polyana”, she wrote: “Natasha - he directly said that I didn’t live with him for nothing, that he was writing me off.” This can be found in the novel. The episode with Natasha's doll, which she offers Boris to kiss, is really written off from the real case, when Tatyana offered her friend to kiss Mimi's doll. She later wrote: "My big Mimi doll got into a novel!" The appearance of Natasha Tolstoy also wrote from Tatiana.

For the image of the adult Rostova - wife and mother - the writer probably turned to Sophia. Tolstoy's wife was devoted to her husband, gave birth to 13 children, she herself was engaged in their upbringing, housekeeping, and indeed rewrote War and Peace several times.

Rostov

In the drafts of the novel, the family's surname is first the Tolstoys, then the Simples, then the Plokhovs. The writer used archival documents to recreate the life of his family and depict it in the life of the Rostov family. There are similarities in names with Tolstoy's paternal relatives, as in the case of the old Count Rostov. This name hides the writer's grandfather Ilya Andreevich Tolstoy. This man, in fact, led a rather wasteful lifestyle and spent enormous sums on entertainment events. Leo Tolstoy in his memoirs wrote about him as generous, but limited person, who constantly arranged balls and receptions on the estate.

Even Tolstoy did not hide the fact that Vasily Denisov is Denis Davydov

And yet this is not the good-natured Ilya Andreevich Rostov from War and Peace. Count Tolstoy was the governor of Kazan and a bribe taker known throughout Russia, although the writer recalls that his grandfather did not take bribes, and his grandmother took them secretly from her husband. Ilya Tolstoy was removed from his post after the auditors discovered the theft of almost 15 thousand rubles from the provincial treasury. The reason for the shortage was called "lack of knowledge in the position of the governor of the province."

Nikolai Tolstoy. (wikimedia.org)

Nikolai Rostov is the father of the writer Nikolai Ilyich Tolstoy. There are more than enough similarities between the prototype and the hero of War and Peace. Nikolai Tolstoy at the age of 17 voluntarily joined the Cossack regiment, served in the hussars and went through everything Napoleonic Wars including the Patriotic War of 1812. It is believed that the descriptions of military scenes with the participation of Nikolai Rostov were taken by the writer from the memoirs of his father. Nikolai inherited huge debts, he had to get a job as an educator in the Moscow military orphanage department. To remedy the situation, he married the ugly and withdrawn Princess Maria Volkonskaya, who was four years older than him. The marriage was arranged by the relatives of the bride and groom. Judging by the memoirs of contemporaries, the arranged marriage turned out to be very happy. Maria and Nikolai led a solitary life. Nikolai read a lot and collected a library on the estate, was engaged in farming and hunting. Tatyana Bers wrote to Sofya that Vera Rostova was very similar to Lisa Bers, Sophia's other sister.

Sisters Bers: Sophia, Tatyana and Elizabeth. (tolstoy-manuscript.ru)

Princess Mary

There is a version that the prototype of Princess Marya is the mother of Leo Tolstoy, Maria Nikolaevna Volkonskaya, by the way, also the full namesake of the book heroine. However, the writer's mother died when Tolstoy was less than two years old. There were no portraits of Volkonskaya, and the writer studied her letters and diaries in order to create her image for himself.

Unlike the heroine, the writer's mother had no problems with the sciences, in particular with mathematics and geometry. She learned four foreign languages, and, judging by Volkonskaya's diaries, she had a fairly warm relationship with her father, she was devoted to him. Maria lived for 30 years with her father in Yasnaya Polyana (Bald Mountains from the novel), but never married, although she was a very enviable bride. She was a closed woman and rejected several suitors.

Dolokhov's prototype probably ate his own orangutan

Princess Volkonskaya even had a companion - Miss Hanessen, somewhat similar to Mademoiselle Bourienne from the novel. After the death of her father, the daughter began to literally give away property. She gave part of the inheritance to her companion's sister, who had no dowry. After that, her relatives intervened in the matter, arranging the marriage of Maria Nikolaevna with Nikolai Tolstoy. Maria Volkonskaya died eight years after the wedding, having managed to give birth to four children.

Old Prince Bolkonsky

Nikolay Volkonsky. (wikimedia.org)

Nikolai Sergeevich Volkonsky - an infantry general who distinguished himself in several battles and received the nickname "King of Prussia" from his colleagues. In character, he is very similar to the old prince: proud, self-willed, but not cruel. Left the service after the accession of Paul I, retired to Yasnaya Polyana and took up the education of his daughter. For days on end he improved his household and taught his daughter languages ​​and sciences. An important difference from the character from the book: Prince Nikolai perfectly survived the war of 1812, and died nine years later, a little before reaching seventy. In Moscow, he had a house on Vozdvizhenka, 9. Now it has been rebuilt.

The prototype of Ilya Rostov is Tolstoy's grandfather, who ruined his career

Sonya

The prototype of Sonya can be called Tatyana Ergolskaya, the second cousin of Nikolai Tolstoy (the writer's father), who was brought up in his father's house. In their youth, they had an affair that never ended in marriage. Not only Nikolai's parents opposed the wedding, but Yergolskaya herself. The last time she rejected a marriage proposal from her cousin was in 1836. The widowed Tolstoy asked for the hand of Yergolskaya so that she would become his wife and replace the mother of five children. Ergolskaya refused, but after the death of Nikolai Tolstoy, she really took up the education of his sons and daughter, devoting the rest of her life to them.

Leo Tolstoy appreciated his aunt and maintained a correspondence with her. She was the first to collect and store the writer's papers. In his memoirs, he wrote that Tatyana was loved by everyone and "her whole life was love," but she herself always loved one person - the father of Leo Tolstoy.

Dolokhov

Fedor Tolstoy is an American. (wikimedia.org)

Dolokhov has several prototypes. Among them, for example, lieutenant general and partisan Ivan Dorokhov, the hero of several major campaigns, including the war of 1812. However, if we talk about character, then Dolokhov has more similarities with the writer's cousin Fyodor Ivanovich Tolstoy, nicknamed "The American". He was famous in his time as a breter, gambler and lover of women. Dolokhov is also compared with officer A. Figner, who commanded a partisan detachment, participated in duels and hated the French.

Tolstoy is not the only writer to include the American in his work. Fedor Ivanovich is also considered the prototype of Zaretsky, Lensky's second from Eugene Onegin. Tolstoy got his nickname after he made a trip to America, during which he was put off the ship. There is a version that then he ate his own monkey, although Sergei Tolstoy wrote that this is not true.

Kuragins

In this case, it is difficult to talk about the family, because the images of Prince Vasily, Anatole and Helen are borrowed from several people who are not related by kinship. Kuragin Sr. is undoubtedly Alexei Borisovich Kurakin, a prominent courtier during the reigns of Paul I and Alexander I, who made a brilliant career at court and made a fortune.

Alexey Borisovich Kurakin. (wikimedia.org)

He had three children, exactly like those of Prince Vasily, of whom his daughter brought him the most trouble. Alexandra Alekseevna really had a scandalous reputation, especially her divorce from her husband made a lot of noise in the world. Prince Kurakin in one of his letters even called his daughter the main burden of his old age. Looks like a character from War and Peace, doesn't it? Although Vasily Kuragin spoke a little differently.

On the right is Alexandra Kurakina. (wikimedia.org)

Prototypes of Helen - the wife of Bagration and the mistress of a classmate of Pushkin

Anatoly Lvovich Shostak, the second cousin of Tatiana Bers, who courted her when she came to St. Petersburg, should be called the prototype of Anatol Kuragin. After that, he came to Yasnaya Polyana and annoyed Leo Tolstoy. In the draft notes of War and Peace, Anatole's surname is Shimko.

As for Helen, her image is taken from several women at once. In addition to some similarities with Alexandra Kurakina, she has much in common with Ekaterina Skvaronskaya (Bagration's wife), who was known for her careless behavior not only in Russia, but also in Europe, where she left five years after the wedding. At home, she was called the "Wandering Princess", and in Austria she was known as the mistress of Clemens Metternich, the empire's foreign minister. From him, Ekaterina Skavronskaya gave birth - of course, out of wedlock - a daughter, Clementine. Perhaps it was the "Wandering Princess" that contributed to the entry of Austria into the anti-Napoleonic coalition.

Another woman from whom Tolstoy could borrow Helen's traits is Nadezhda Akinfova. She was born in 1840 and was very famous in St. Petersburg and Moscow as a woman of scandalous reputation and riotous temper. She gained wide popularity thanks to an affair with Chancellor Alexander Gorchakov, a classmate of Pushkin. By the way, he was 40 years older than Akinfova, whose husband was the Chancellor's great-nephew. Akinfova also divorced her first husband, but she already married the Duke of Leuchtenberg in Europe, where they moved together. Recall that in the novel itself, Helen never divorced Pierre.

Ekaterina Skavronskaya-Bagration. (wikimedia.org)

Vasily Denisov

Denis Davydov. (wikimedia.org)

Every schoolchild knows that the prototype of Vasily Denisov was Denis Davydov - a poet and writer, lieutenant general, partisan. Tolstoy used the works of Davydov when he studied the Napoleonic Wars.

Julie Karagina

There is an opinion that Julie Karagina is Varvara Alexandrovna Lanskaya, the wife of the Minister of Internal Affairs. She is known exclusively for the fact that she had a long correspondence with her friend Maria Volkova. From these letters Tolstoy studied the history of the war of 1812. Moreover, they almost completely entered War and Peace under the guise of correspondence between Princess Marya and Julie Karagina.

Pierre Bezukhov

Peter Vyazemsky. (wikimedia.org)

Pierre has no obvious prototype, since this character has similarities both with Tolstoy himself and with many historical figures who lived during the time of the writer and during the years of the Patriotic War.

However, some similarities can be seen with Peter Vyazemsky. He also wore glasses, received a huge inheritance, and participated in the Battle of Borodino. In addition, he wrote poetry, published. Tolstoy used his notes in his work on the novel.

Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova

In Akhrosimov's novel, she is the guest that the Rostovs are waiting for on Natasha's name day. Tolstoy writes that all of St. Petersburg and all of Moscow knows Marya Dmitrievna, and for her frankness and rudeness they call her "le terrible dragon."

The similarity of the character can be seen with Nastasya Dmitrievna Ofrosimova. This is a lady from Moscow, the niece of Prince Volkonsky. Prince Vyazemsky wrote in his memoirs that she was a strong, powerful woman who was very respected in society. The Ofrosimovs' estate was located in Chisty lane (Khamovniki district) in Moscow. It is believed that Ofrosimova was also the prototype of Khlestova in Griboyedov's Woe from Wit.

Estimated portrait of N. D. Ofrosimova by F. S. Rokotov. (wikimedia.org)

Lisa Bolkonskaya

Tolstoy wrote the appearance of Lisa Bolkonskaya from Louise Ivanovna Truson, the wife of his second cousin. This is evidenced by Sophia's signature on the back of her portrait in Yasnaya Polyana.