False and true patriotism in Tolstoy's novel War and Peace - essay. Essay “Patriotism, fidelity to duty in the novel “War and Peace”

Novel “War and Peace” - greatest work world literature. It was created from 1863 to 1869. There are more than 600 in the novel characters. The destinies of the heroes are traced over 15 years in peacetime and war. And although Tolstoy peaceful life believes real life people, in the center of the story is a story about Patriotic War. Tolstoy hated wars, but this war on the part of Russia was a liberation war, Russia defended its independence, the Russian people defended their fatherland. Naturally, therefore, the author touches on the problem of patriotism in his novel, but views it ambiguously. He proves that in difficult days for Russia, the majority of Russian people showed true patriotism and courage in defending their homeland. But there were also those - they were a minority - who only played at patriotism and courage. This is hateful to Tolstoy secular society, regulars at the salons of Scherer, Kuragina, Bezukhova. Their so-called patriotism was expressed in the fact that they stopped speaking French, they did not serve French dishes on their table, and in Helene’s salon they did not refuse this and sympathized with Napoleon. There were people like Boris Trubetskoy who made their careers during the days of the suffering of their fatherland. Tolstoy contrasts this group of false patriots with the true sons of the fatherland, for whom the homeland was the main thing in times of trial. The people and the best part of the nobility, in Tolstoy's understanding, constituted the nation. During the days of the war true love The nobles Bolkonsky, Rostov and many others came to their homeland. They equipped the militia at their own expense; Bolkonsky’s son, Andrei, went into the active army, not wanting to be an adjutant. Pierre Bezukhov remains in Moscow to kill Napoleon. But he fails to do this. At the Raevsky battery he helps the battery workers. Residents of Moscow leave and burn the city. When the old man Bolkonsky sees off his son, he says that if Andrei behaves meanly, he will be bitter and ashamed. Natasha gives carts for the wounded. Princess Bolkonskaya cannot remain on an estate captured by enemies.
Tolstoy talks about the mood that possessed the soldiers. On the eve of the Battle of Borodino, the soldiers put on clean shirts because they were going to a sacred mortal battle for Russia. They refused the extra portion of vodka because they did not want to be drugged. They said: “They want to attack the whole world, they want to make one end. The writer shows how the soldiers of Raevsky's battery fought. Pierre was struck by the routine manner with which they carried out their duty in these terrible conditions. Tolstoy believes that the Battle of Borodino was a moral victory for the Russian army. The Russians did not give in. The steadfastness and courage shown by the defenders of Moscow in the Battle of Borodino were fueled precisely by a sense of patriotism.
Pierre talks with Prince Andrei. Prince Andrei is extremely angry: “The French are your enemies and mine. They came to destroy Russia. War is an abomination, but the Russians are forced to wage this war, and Napoleon came as an invader, the enemy must be destroyed, then the war will be destroyed.”

“War and Peace” - a novel by Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy - is a national epic dedicated to the heroism of the Russian people in the Patriotic War of 1812, a feat accomplished by the people.

While still describing the Battle of Shengraben, one of the main episodes of the 1805 campaign, Tolstoy showed the feat of Captain Tushin and the soldiers of his battalion. Captain Tushin is an ordinary officer, a man who personifies folk wisdom and simplicity. During the battle, he fearlessly leads the bombing, showing an example of courage to the soldiers, religiously fulfilling his military duty.

Captain Timokhin also accomplishes a feat, and the attack of his company at a critical moment changed the course of the battle. Like Tushin, he is... duty, courage and diligence.

According to Tolstoy, war is “contrary to human reason in its own way.” human nature event,” but the War of 1812 was a terrible necessity. Execute the enemy, expel him from native land- the duty of every Russian person.

If in the highest aristocratic circles they only uttered pompous phrases about love for the fatherland, but in fact only “followed ... the weather vane of the royal favor,” then the best people from the nobles acted differently: Nikolai Rostov returned to the army, the young man went to war Petya, gives a million to the militia Pierre Bezukhov, commands the regiment, trying to be closer to the people, Prince Andrey, gives all the carts to the soldiers wounded near the village of Borodin, Rostov, dooming themselves to ruin.

A feeling of hatred for the enemies of the homeland forces the residents of Smolensk and Moscow to burn their property so that the French do not get it, and the act of the merchant Ferapontov and the “man in a frieze overcoat” is an example of true patriotism.

Russian peasants, “Karps and Vlasas,” as Tolstoy calls them, did not want to sell hay to the French even for big money, they burned it. Each Russian person fought the enemy in his own way.

The Battle of Borodino is the greatest manifestation of the patriotism of the Russian people. Ordinary people understood the importance of this moment. “They want to attack all the people,” says one of the soldiers; In preparation for possible death in the upcoming battle, the militia men put on white shirts. The same mood reigns in Andrei Bolkonsky’s regiment.

The artillerymen on the Raevsky battery behave calmly and courageously during the battle, ready to die but fulfill their duty.

Kutuzov is the exponent of the patriotic folk spirit in the novel. He is confident in the courage and perseverance of the soldiers, and knows that the enemy will be defeated. This “wonderful, incomparable people” is understandable and close to Kutuzov. Material from the site

Played a huge role in the Patriotic War of 1812 partisan movement. The writer speaks about the detachment of elder Vasilisa, who killed hundreds of Frenchmen, and about the sexton who commanded the detachment, and about Denisov’s partisans, and about Dolokhov’s detachment. Tolstoy tells about the partisan Tikhon Shcherbat, the bravest and most necessary person in Denisov’s detachment, who was distinguished by his special daring. Shcherbaty is one of those heroes who quietly and imperceptibly do their job, doing everything that prompted them to feel love for their Motherland.

The patriotism of Russian people of all classes, the courage and heroism of officers and ordinary soldiers - this is the guarantee of the invincibility of the Russian people.

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L.N. Tolstoy was a participant in the Sevastopol defense. In these tragic months of the shameful defeat of the Russian army, he understood a lot, realized how terrible war is, what suffering it brings to people, how a person behaves in war. He was convinced that true patriotism and heroism does not manifest itself in beautiful phrases or brilliant exploits, but in the honest performance of duty, military and human, no matter what.

This experience was reflected in the novel War and Peace. It depicts two wars that are in many ways opposed to each other. The war on foreign territory for foreign interests took place in 1805 - 1807. AND true heroism Soldiers and officers showed this only when they understood the moral purpose of the battle. That is why they stood heroically near Shengraben and fled shamefully near Austerlitz, as Prince Andrei recalls on the eve of the Battle of Borodino.

The War of 1812 as depicted by Tolstoy has a completely different character. A mortal danger loomed over Russia, and those forces came into action that the author and Kutuzov call “national feeling”, “the hidden warmth of patriotism”.

Kutuzov, on the eve of the Battle of Borodino, driving around the positions, saw militiamen wearing white shirts: they were ready to die for their Motherland. “Wonderful, incomparable people,” Kutuzov said with excitement and tears. Tolstoy put words that express his thoughts into the mouth of the people’s commander.

Tolstoy emphasizes that in 1812 Russia was saved not by individuals, but by the efforts of the entire people as a whole. In his opinion, the Russians won the Battle of Borodino moral victory. Tolstoy writes that not only Napoleon, but all the soldiers and officers of the French army experienced the same feeling of horror in front of that enemy, who, having lost half of the army, stood at the end of the battle in the same way as at the beginning. The French were morally broken: it turns out that the Russians can be killed, but not defeated. The adjutant reports to Napoleon with hidden fear that the French artillery is hitting point-blank, and the Russians continue to stand.

What did this unshakable strength of the Russians consist of? From the joint actions of the army and the entire people, from the wisdom of Kutuzov, whose tactics are “patience and time,” whose focus is primarily on the spirit of the troops.

This strength consisted of the heroism of the soldiers and best officers of the Russian army. Remember how the soldiers of Prince Andry’s regiment behaved, placed in reserve on a targeted field. Their situation is tragic: under the lingering horror of death, they stand for more than eight hours without food, without anything to do, losing people. But Prince Andrei “had nothing to do or order. Everything was done by itself. The dead were dragged to the front, the wounded were carried, the ranks closed. If the soldiers ran away, they immediately returned hastily.” Here is an example of how fulfilling a duty grows into a feat.

This strength was made up of patriotism not in words, but in deeds the best people from the nobility, such as Prince Andrei. He refused to serve in the headquarters, but took a regiment and received a mortal wound during the battle. And Pierre Bezukhov, a purely civilian, goes to Mozhaisk, and then to the battlefield. He understood the meaning of the quote he heard from the old soldier: “They want to rush in with all the people... Make one end. One word - Moscow.” Through the eyes of Pierre, a picture of the battle is drawn, the heroism of the artillerymen at the Raevsky battery.

This invincible force consisted of the heroism and patriotism of Muscovites who left hometown, no matter how sorry it is for them to leave their property to destruction. Let us remember how the Rostovs left Moscow, trying to take away the most valuable things from home on carts: carpets, porcelain, clothes. And then Natasha and the old count decide to give the carts to the wounded and unload all the goods and leave them for plunder by the enemy. At the same time, the insignificant Berg asks for one cart to take out of Moscow a beautiful wardrobe that he bought cheaply... Even during a patriotic upsurge, one can never do without Bergs.

The invincible strength of the Russians consisted of the actions of partisan detachments. Some of them are described in detail by Tolstoy. This is Denisov's detachment, where the most the right person- Tikhon Shcherbaty, people's avenger. Partisan detachments destroyed Napoleonic army piece by piece. On the pages of volume IV, the image of a “club” appears people's war", which rose with all its formidable and majestic force and nailed the French until their invasion ended, until in the souls of the people the feeling of insult and revenge was replaced by a feeling of contempt and pity for the defeated enemy.

Tolstoy hates war, and he paints not only pictures of battles, but also the suffering of all people in war, whether enemies or not. The easy-going Russian heart suggested that one can feel sorry for the frostbitten, dirty, hungry French taken prisoner. The same feeling is in the soul of old Kutuzov. Addressing the soldiers of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, he says that while the French were strong, we beat them, and now we can feel sorry for them, because we are people too.

For Tolstoy, patriotism is inseparable from humanism, and this is natural: ordinary people have always had no need for war.

So, Tolstoy depicts the war of 1812 as a people's war, a Patriotic one, when the entire people rose to defend the Motherland. And the writer did this with enormous artistic power, creating a grandiose novel - an epic that has no equal in the world.

1. The concept of a sense of patriotism.
2. The dedication of the Russian people.
3. Patriotism and heroism of the nobility.
4. Anti-people mood of the aristocracy.
5. The role of Andrei Bolkonsky in the novel.

Patriotism is a special feeling that lives in the human soul. This is devotion and love for the fatherland, one’s people, readiness for sacrifices and exploits in its name. These bright feelings have been inherent in the masses since ancient times. Inspired by a sense of patriotism, the people did truly amazing things - they rose up to fight their enemies and won, despite the enemy’s advantages and the conditions of the battle. The basis of this feeling is devotion to the native people, the desire to help them, to devote all their strength to their protection. Historical reality suggests that the Russian people, starting from the time Kievan Rus, was subjected to constant attacks from outside. And in such cases, not only soldiers, but also ordinary people rose to defend the country. The creation of an epic novel by L.N. Tolstoy, dedicated to the courage of the Russian people, can also be considered a manifestation of patriotism. In two works, the author recognizes the decisive force in historical process precisely for the people. In his vision of historical reality, Tolstoy was closest to the views of Russian revolutionary figures. Moreover, the idea of ​​creating a novel arose from the writer under the influence of the mood of the 60s of the 19th century, at a time when the movement of revolutionary democrats began to take shape.

Beginning his narrative, Tolstoy described the first clashes between Russian and French troops in 1805 in the introduction of the novel. The Shengraben and Austerlitz battles, in which Russian troops were defeated, were described quite accurately. But even in describing lost battles, the writer does not forget about the courage of the soldiers and commanders. The author speaks with sympathy about P.I. Bagration, who led his troops into the battle near the village of Shengraben. There is another unnoticed hero - Captain Tushin, a simple and modest man who shares the life and views of the soldiers. The authorities showed their dissatisfaction with regards to the inability to comply with the ceremonial military regulations. But in battle, it was Tushin who demonstrated heroism, valor and courage - with a handful of soldiers he held the fortifications for a long time, despite a serious onslaught from the enemy, who did not expect “the audacity of firing four unprotected cannons.” With an unprepossessing, ugly appearance, but with a beautiful and pure soul of a patriot, Timokhin appears before the reader, “whose company alone remained in order.” At the same time, the soldiers do not see the point in fighting on foreign territories and cannot hate the soldiers of the enemy army, and disunited officers are not able to convey to their subordinates the need to conduct military operations.

A different state arises among soldiers and officers after Napoleon’s army begins to move into Russia. This war becomes a people's war, a war of liberation, and all the people take part in it. great country. For support Russian army All ranks and classes become: merchants and peasants, nobles and artisans. “From Smolensk to Moscow in all the cities and villages of the Russian land,” people rose up and went against their enemy. The motto of the liberation movement in Russia was the saying: “It is better to destroy, but not to give it to the enemy.” Merchants, to the detriment of their business, began to refuse help from the French army.

The reader may recall the behavior of the merchant Ferapontov. He forgets about personal goals at a tragic moment for his country, and this patriotic feeling makes him ordinary people and a rich merchant: “Get everything, guys... I’ll light it myself.”

The patriotic impulse of Natasha Rostova on the eve of the surrender of Moscow to Napoleon becomes similar. This feeling was typical of the nobles who retained national traditions. Andrei and Marya Bolkonsky, Natasha Rostova, Pierre Bezukhov are the writer’s favorite characters. It is through the example of two families - the Bolkonskys and the Rostovs - that Tolstoy shows the dedication of the Russian nobility. These families, like no other, were close to the Russian people, respected and loved the nature and culture of their country. Their national and moral needs during difficult events for the country formed the basis of a coherent patriotic impulse. This is “hidden patriotism”, expressed in actions, not words. Thanks to this feeling, everyone understood that the surrender of Moscow into the hands of the enemy was not cowardice or betrayal, but a cruel necessity. “It was impossible to be under French control: that would be the worst thing. They left before the Battle of Borodino, and even faster after it.”

The people's partisan movement rose in an unstoppable mighty wave: “The club of the people's war rose with all its formidable and majestic strength. “And good for that people... who, in a moment of trial, without asking how others acted according to the rules in similar situations, with simplicity and ease, will pick up the first club that comes their way and nail it with it until the feeling of insult and revenge is in his soul will not be replaced by contempt and pity.” Tolstoy shows a lot here different destinies: and fate partisan detachments Dolokhov and Denisov, and the fate of a simple sexton, who united with his will a real forest army, and the elder Vasilisa, who exterminated hundreds of enemies. The writer describes the behavior of the aristocracy with completely different feelings. The contempt for the human class, which has gone far from its native people, is clearly visible. Callousness, envy, cruelty and stupidity are the most striking characteristics of the regulars of Madame Scherer's salon. Court gossip and complex intrigues, gossip and career mouth constitute the main life interests of these people. It was this soulless crowd that opposed the appointment of “old man” M.I. Kutuzov to the commanding post.

This category of anti-patriotic people includes both Boris Drubetskoy and Berg, who joined the army only for the sake of a career, for the sake of the desire to become commanders over the masses. Andrei Bolkonsky characterized them with these words: “They are busy only with their own small interests and wait only a minute to get an extra cross or ribbon.”

This hero occupies a special place in overall composition novel. He searches for the meaning of his life for a long time and difficultly, but becomes a real hero thanks to his love for his homeland.

He strives to live for others, so that “my life is not for me alone.” In heavy war time the prince proves himself to be a true patriot and officer who cherishes his honor as a warrior. He wins the sympathy of the soldiers subordinate to him, who affectionately call him “our prince,” are proud of him and love their commander.

But it’s not only field battles that give birth to heroes. Pierre Bezukhov fights with enemies in captured Moscow. He shows the best spiritual qualities and rushes to the aid of the girl, an Armenian, and it is because of this that he is captured. He could not remain indifferent to the suffering of others, and without realizing it, he took heroic actions.

These images, which the author treats with sympathy and love, contain real heroes. An invisible force emanating from hundreds of inhabitants of Russian soil helped them overcome doubts and survive during the battles, and the name of this force is patriotism.

Municipal high school N 1

Literature abstract on the topic

True and false patriotism in the novel

"War and Peace"

Completed by a student of grade 10 “B”

Zinovieva Irina

Checked by literature teacher

Chinina Olga Yurievna

Voronezh 2006

Introduction

Heroically patriotic and anti-war themes are the defining, leading themes of Tolstoy's epic novel. This work has forever captured the feat of the Russian people, who defended their national independence with arms in their hands. “War and Peace” will continue to retain this meaning in the future, inspiring peoples to fight against foreign invaders.

The author of War and Peace was a committed and passionate advocate of peace. He knew well what war was, he saw it closely with his own eyes. For five years young Tolstoy wore a military uniform, serving as an artillery officer in active army first in the Caucasus, then on the Danube and, finally, in the Crimea, where he participated in the heroic defense of Sevastopol.

The great work was preceded by a work on a novel about the Decembrist. In 1856, a manifesto was announced on amnesty for the people of December 14, and their return to their homeland caused an aggravation of Russian society. L.N. Tolstoy also showed attention to this event. He recalled: “In 1856 I began to write a story with well-known destination, whose hero was supposed to be a Decembrist returning with his family to Russia...” The writer did not intend to give the reader the apotheosis of the Decembrist movement: his plans included revising this page of Russian history in the light of the defeat of Decembrism and offering his understanding of the fight against it, carried out by peaceful means and through non-violence. Therefore, the hero of the story was supposed to, upon returning from exile, condemn his revolutionary past and become a supporter of another solution to the problem - moral improvement as a recipe for the improvement of the entire society. However, Tolstoy's plan underwent significant changes. Let's listen to the writer himself: “Involuntarily, from the present (that is, 1856), I moved to 1825, the era of my hero’s delusions and misfortunes, and left what I started. But in 1825 my hero was already mature, family man. To understand him, I needed to travel back to his youth, and his youth coincided with the glory for Russia of the era of 1812. Another time I abandoned what I had started and began to write from the time of 1812, the smell and sound of which are still audible and dear to us.” So main theme The new novel was a heroic epic of the fight against the Napoleonic invasion. L. Tolstoy, however, continues: “The third time I returned back due to a feeling that may seem strange. I was ashamed to write about our triumph in the fight against Bonaparte’s France without describing our failures and our shame. If the reason for our triumph was not accidental, but lay in the essence of the character of the Russian people and troops, then this character should have been expressed even more clearly in the era of failures and defeats. So, having returned from 1825 to 1805, from now on I intend to take not one, but many of my heroines and heroes through historical events 1805, 1807, 1812, 1825 and 1856.” This important author’s testimony conveys the grandiose scale of what is captured in the novel, and the development of the latter into an epic, and the multi-heroic nature of the work, and the significance of comprehension in it national character, and its deep historicism. An important previous work of Tolstoy was “Sevastopol Stories”, and the impetus in covering historical events was Crimean War with its failures that needed to be understood.

The work on “War and Peace” was accompanied by a huge creative surge of the writer. Never before had he felt his mental and moral powers so free and destined for creative work.

L. N. Tolstoy begins a thorough study historical sources, documentary literature, memoirs of participants in ancient events. He studies the works of A. I. Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky about the wars of 1805-1814, “Essays on the Battle of Borodino” by F. N. Glinka, “Diary of Partisan Actions of 1812” by D. V. Davydov, the book “Russia and the Russians” by N. I. Turgenev, “Notes about 1812” by S. N. Glinka, memoirs of A. P. Ermolov, memoirs of A. D. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, “Camping notes of an artilleryman” by I. T. Radozhitsky and many other works of this type. In library Yasnaya Polyana 46 books and magazines have been preserved, which Tolstoy used throughout the entire time he was working on the novel War and Peace. In total, the writer used works, the list of which includes 74 titles.

An important trip took place in September 1867 to the Borodino field, where the great battle. The writer walked around the famous field on foot, studying the location of Russian and French troops, the location of the Shevardinsky redoubt, Bagration's flushes, and Raevsky's battery. No less significant were the inquiries of the surviving contemporaries of the great battles and the study of the life of a distant era.

As we work on the novel, its folk origins become stronger and enriched. “I tried to write the history of the people,” Tolstoy left such a confession in the draft of the fourth volume. Gradually, “people's thought” became decisive in “War and Peace”; the favorite theme of the epic was the depiction of the feat of the people during the events of Russian history. The novel included 569 characters, including 200 historical figures. But among them the main characters of the work are by no means lost, whose fates the writer traces carefully, with all the necessary psychological persuasiveness. At the same time, the author binds them with a variety of ties of kinship, love, friendship, marriage, business relations, general participation in grandiose historical events. There are quite a few people in the novel whose individual traits of life and character reflect the properties of L. N. Tolstoy’s ancestors and closest relatives. Thus, in Count Rostov one can discern the features of Count Ilya Andreevich Tolstoy, the writer’s grandfather, and in the old Prince Bolkonsky - the features of another grandfather; Countess Rostova resembles Tolstoy’s grandmother, Pelageya Nikolaevna Tolstoy, Princess Marya absorbed the traits of the Writer’s mother, Maria Nikolaevna Volkonskaya, and Nikolai Rostov - the traits of his father, Nikolai Ilyich Tolstoy. Prince Andrei absorbed the characteristics of Sergei Nikolaevich, the writer’s brother, and Natasha Rostova imprinted the image of Tatyana Andreevna Bers, the writer’s sister-in-law. All this testifies to the significant autobiographical nature of the novel and the deep vitality of its characters. But “War and Peace” is by no means reduced to autobiography: it is a broad canvas that reflects Russian history. Its heroes and many faces folk world.

Working on the great book required titanic work. The total number of surviving manuscripts of the novel is over ten thousand draft texts. Some of the parts of the epic were rewritten many times, individual scenes were redone, according to Tolstoy, “ad infinitum.” But as a result of the author’s tireless and intense work, a novel emerged that constituted an entire era in the history of Russian culture.

True and false patriotism in the novel “War and Peace”

The novel “War and Peace” in terms of genre is an epic novel, since Tolstoy shows us historical events that cover a large period of time (the action of the novel begins in 1805 and ends in 1821, in the epilogue); There are over 200 characters in the novel, there are real historical figures(Kutuzov, Napoleon, Alexander I, Speransky, Rostopchin, Bagration and many others), all social strata of Russia at that time: elite, noble aristocracy, provincial nobility, army, peasantry, even merchants.

One of the main issues that worries Tolstoy is the question of patriotism and heroism of the Russian people; it is examined very deeply in the novel. At the same time, Tolstoy does not fall into the false patriotic tone of the narrative, but looks at events sternly and objectively, like a realist writer. The author talks about his novel and about the faithful sons of the Fatherland, ready to give their lives for the salvation of the Motherland, about false patriots who think only about their own selfish goals. With this solution to the patriotic theme, Lev Nikolaevich reflected the true historical reality. It consists of depicting the feat of the Russian people in the Patriotic War of 1812. The author speaks in his novel both about the faithful sons of the Fatherland and about false patriots who think only about their own selfish goals.

In the novel “War and Peace,” Tolstoy created a voluminous and multifaceted picture of the war. But in this work the reader sees not galloping warriors with unfurled banners, not a parade and the splendor of victories, but ordinary military everyday life. On the pages of the novel we meet ordinary soldiers, we see their difficult, hard work.

The writer introduces us to inner world an ordinary person at first glance. But he shows us that even such inconspicuous people can be interesting and attractive in their own way. spiritual beauty. The author reveals to us, the readers, the poetry of the hero’s spiritual life. It is often difficult to discern the true face of a person under the layers of vanity Everyday life. The writer shows what you need to be able to see in everyone human dignity, that divine spark that will not allow a person to commit a truly vile act. In extreme situations, in moments of great upheaval and global change, a person will definitely prove himself, show his inner essence, certain qualities of his nature. In Tolstoy's novel, someone utters loud words, engages in noisy activities or useless vanity - someone experiences a simple and natural feeling of “the need for sacrifice and suffering in the consciousness of general misfortune.” The former only consider themselves patriots and loudly shout about love for the Fatherland, while the latter are them and give their lives in the name of common victory or leave their own property to be plundered so that it does not fall to the enemy. In the first case we are dealing with false patriotism, repulsive with its falseness, selfishness and hypocrisy. This is how secular nobles behave at a dinner in honor of Bagration: when reading poems about the war, “everyone stood up, feeling that the dinner was more important than the poetry.” A false patriotic atmosphere reigns in the salons of Anna Pavlovna Scherer, Helen Bezukhova and in other St. Petersburg salons: “... calm, luxurious, concerned only with ghosts, reflections of life, St. Petersburg life went on as before; and because of the course of this life it was necessary to do great effort in order to be aware of the danger and the difficult situation in which the Russian people found themselves. There were the same exits, balls, the same french theater, the same interests of the courtyards, the same interests of service and intrigue. Only in the highest circles were efforts made to recall the difficulty of the present situation.” Indeed, this circle of people was far from understanding all-Russian problems, from understanding the great misfortune and needs of the people during this war. The world continued to live by its own interests, and even in a moment of national disaster, greed and promotion reign here.

Count Rastopchin also displays false patriotism, posting stupid “posters” around Moscow, calling on city residents not to leave the capital, and then, fleeing the people’s anger, deliberately sending the innocent son of the merchant Vereshchagin to death. Meanness and betrayal are combined with conceit and pout: “It not only seemed to him that he controlled the external actions of the inhabitants of Moscow, but it seemed to him that he controlled their mood through his proclamations and posters, written in that ironic language that in its midst despises the people and which he does not understand when he hears it from above.”

Just like Rostopchin, the novel shows Berg, who, in a moment of general confusion, is looking for profit and is preoccupied with buying a wardrobe and a toilet “with an English secret.” It doesn’t even occur to him that now it’s embarrassing to think about purchases that are not necessary. Such, finally, is Drubetskoy, who, like other staff officers, thinks about awards and promotion, wants to “arrange for himself best position, especially the position of adjutant to an important person, which seemed especially tempting to him in the army.” It is probably no coincidence that on the eve of the Battle of Borodino, Pierre notices this greedy excitement on the faces of the officers; he mentally compares it with “another expression of excitement,” “which spoke of not personal, but general issues, issues of life and death.”

About what “other” persons we're talking about? Of course, these are the faces of ordinary Russian men, dressed in soldiers' greatcoats, for whom the feeling of the Motherland is sacred and inalienable. True patriots in the Tushin battery fight without cover. And Tushin himself “did not experience the slightest unpleasant feeling of fear, and the thought that he could be killed or painfully wounded did not occur to him.” The blood feeling of the Motherland forces soldiers to resist the enemy with incredible fortitude. From the description of the janitor Ferapontov, we see that this man, who gives up his property for plunder when leaving Smolensk, beats his wife because she asks him to leave, he pettyly bargains with the cab driver, but, having understood the essence of what is happening, he burns own house and leaves. He is also, of course, a patriot. For him, there is no point in acquired wealth when the fate of his homeland is being decided. “Get everything, guys, don’t leave it to the French!” - he shouts to the Russian soldiers.

What is Pierre doing? He gives his money, sells his estate to equip the regiment. And what makes him, a rich aristocrat, go into the thick of the Battle of Borodino? The same feeling of concern for the fate of one’s country, the desire to help the Russian people.

Let us finally remember those who left Moscow, not wanting to submit to Napoleon. They were convinced: “It was impossible to be under the control of the French.” That is why they “simply and truly” did “that great deed that saved Russia.”

True patriots in Tolstoy's novel do not think about themselves, they feel the need for their own contribution and even sacrifice, but do not expect rewards for this, because they carry in their souls a genuine holy feeling of the Motherland.

There's a war going on in Austria. General Mack is defeated at Ulm. The Austrian army surrendered. The threat of defeat loomed over the Russian army. And then Kutuzov decided to send Bagration with four thousand soldiers through the rugged Bohemian mountains to meet the French. Bagration had to quickly make a difficult transition and delay the forty-thousand-strong French army until the commander-in-chief arrived. His squad needed to accomplish a great feat in order to save the Russian army. This is how the author leads the reader to the depiction of the first great battle.

In this battle, as always, Dolokhov is bold and fearless. His bravery is demonstrated in battle, where “he killed one Frenchman at point-blank range and was the first to take a surrendering officer by the collar.” But after that he goes to the regimental commander and reports on his “trophies”: “Please remember, Your Excellency!” Then he untied the handkerchief, pulled it and showed the dried blood: “Wound with a bayonet, I stayed at the front. Remember, Your Excellency.” Everywhere and always Dolokhov worries about himself, only about himself, everything he does, he does for himself.

We are not surprised by Zherkov’s behavior either. When, at the height of the battle, Bagration sent him with an important order to the general of the left flank, he did not go forward, where the shooting was heard, but began to “look” for the general away from the battle. Because the order was not transmitted, the French cut off the Russian hussars, many died and were wounded. There are many such officers. They are not cowardly, but they do not know how to forget themselves, their careers and personal interests for the sake of the common cause. However, the Russian army consisted not only of such officers.

Heroism in the novel looks everyday and natural. In the chapters depicting the Battle of Shengraben, we meet the true heroes. In describing this battle, the author shows how confusion gripped the infantry regiments at the news of the encirclement. “The moral hesitation that decided the fate of the battles was apparently resolved in favor of fear.” Here he sits, the hero of this battle, the hero of this “deed,” small, thin and dirty, sitting barefoot, taking off his boots. This is artillery officer Tushin. “With big, smart and kind eyes, he looks at the commanders who entered and tries to joke: “The soldiers say that you are more agile when you take off your shoes,” and he is embarrassed, feeling that the joke was not a success. Tolstoy does everything to make Captain Tushin appear before us in the most unheroic form, even funny. But this one funny man was the hero of the day. Prince Andrei will rightly say about him: “We owe the success of the day most of all to the action of this battery and the heroic fortitude of Captain Tushin and his company.”

The second hero of the Battle of Shengraben is Timokhin. The battle seemed lost. But at that moment the advancing French suddenly ran back... and Russian riflemen appeared in the forest. This was Timokhin's company. He appears at the very moment when the soldiers panicked and ran. His actions occur at the behest of his heart. It is not numerical superiority, not the complex plans of the commanders, but the inspiration of the company commander who led the soldiers that decides the outcome of the battle; it was his determination and belligerence that forced the enemy to retreat. “...With such insane and drunken determination, with one skewer...” Only thanks to Timokhin, the defenders had the opportunity to return and gather battalions. The Russians won “a moral victory, one that convinces the enemy of the moral superiority of his enemy and of his own powerlessness.”

Courage is diverse. There are many people who are uncontrollably brave in battle, but get lost in everyday life. Through the images of Tushin and Timokhin, Tolstoy teaches the reader to see truly brave people, their discreet heroism, their enormous will, which helps to overcome fear and win battles.

The author leads us to the idea that not only the outcome of a military battle, but the direction of the development of history is determined precisely by the activities of the human masses, bound by the unity of feelings and aspirations. Everything depends on the spirit of the soldiers, which can turn into panic fear- and then the battle is lost, or rise to heroism - and then the battle will be won. Generals become strong only if they control not only the actions of the soldiers, but also the spirit of their troops. And to accomplish this task, the commander must be not only the military commander-in-chief, but also its spiritual leader. This is how Kutuzov appears before us. During the Battle of Borodino, he concentrated in himself all the patriotism of the Russian army. The Battle of Borodino is a “people's battle”. The “hidden warmth of patriotism” that flared up in the soul of every soldier and the general “spirit of the army” predetermined victory. In this battle, the true beauty of the Russian man is revealed. The Russians won “a moral victory, one that convinces the enemy of the moral superiority of his enemy and of his powerlessness. In this battle, the Napoleonic army “was laid down by the hand of the strongest enemy in spirit.”

In the war of 1812, when every soldier fought for his home, for his family and friends, for his homeland, the consciousness of danger increased tenfold. The deeper Napoleon advanced into Russia, the more the strength of the Russian army grew, the more the French army weakened, turning into a bunch of thieves and marauders. Only the will of the people, only people's patriotism makes the army invincible. This conclusion follows from L.N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace.”

Bibliography

1. L.N. Tolstoy “War and Peace”.

2. Yu. V. Lebedev “Russian literature XIX century."

3. K. N. Lomunova “ Great book life."

4. E. S. Rogover “Russian literature second half of the 19th century century."