The image of Napoleon and the state of mind of Kutuzov. Essay on the theme "Kutuzov and Napoleon in the novel War and Peace

Aleksandrov Slava, grade 10 "A"

Pupil of grade 10 A, Aleksandrov Vyacheslav, a keen person of Russian classical literature. Over the course of several years of study, he showed himself to be a well-read, educated, intelligent person. In works classical literature, studied in the lessons of the 10th grade, aroused in him a great interest in the history of the State of Russia, the favorite work of the student was the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace". Excited young man two extraordinary personalities, Napoleon and Kutuzov. Therefore, for the credit work was selected and developed Comparative characteristics two generals of the novel Kutuzov and Napoleon. The work is interesting.

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An intelligent commander is never belligerent. A skilled warrior is never angry. He who knows how to defeat the enemy does not attack. Lao - tzu Napoleon and Kutuzov in Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" work: Aleksandrov Vyacheslav 10 a

LN Tolstoy There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth.

Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" is, according to famous writers and critics, " greatest novel in the world. "" War and Peace "is an epic novel that tells about significant and grandiose events from the history of the country, illuminating important parties people's life, views, ideals, life and customs of various sectors of society.

Antipodes

Antithesis Kutuzov Napoleon Opposition

People's commander. For Tolstoy, Kutuzov is the ideal of a historical figure and the ideal of a person.

Kutuzov's wisdom lies in his ability to accept “the need for obedience to a common cause” and in his readiness to sacrifice his personal feelings for a common cause.

Kutuzov embodies the image of a commander who thinks about his soldiers and knows everyone by sight: "he knew that the fate of the battle was not decided by the orders of the commander-in-chief, not the place where the troops were stationed, not the number of guns and killed people, but that elusive force called the spirit of war , and he watched this power and directed it, as far as it was in his power "

Even historical figures are not influenced by the course of history. Napoleon is shown in a comic form. ... Napoleon did not control the course of the battle, because nothing was executed from his disposition and during the battle he did not know about what was happening in front of him. Consequently, the way in which these people killed each other did not take place at the will of Napoleon, but went independently of him, at the behest of hundreds of thousands of people who participated in the common cause. It seemed to Napoleon only that the whole thing happened at his will. (LN Tolstoy) Kutuzov - as the savior of Russia. He knew and with his senile mind understood that it was impossible for one person to lead hundreds of thousands of people fighting death, and he knew that the fate of the battle was not decided by the orders of the commander-in-chief, not the place where the troops were stationed, not the number of guns and killed people, but that elusive one. a force called the spirit of the army, and he watched this force and led it, as far as it was in his power. (L. N. Tolstoy)

The image of Napoleon Napoleon is the idol of his time, they worshiped him, imitated him, saw him as a genius and a great man. "A small man in a gray frock-coat ... He was in a blue uniform, open over a white waistcoat, descending on a round belly, in white leggings, tight-fitting fat thighs of short legs."

The fame of Napoleon spread almost all over the world. But Tolstoy did not idealize this universal "idol", gradually in the novel there is a debunking of him as a commander and as great personality... This is how Tolstoy describes Napoleon's “great army”: “It was a crowd of marauders, each of whom was carrying or carrying a bunch of things that seemed valuable and necessary to him.”

According to legend, Kutuzov went to Fili with the words: "Whether my head is good or bad, but there is no one else to rely on." "This day will remain forever unforgettable for Russia, for the council gathered by Field Marshal Prince Kutuzov in the village of Fili decided to save the army with a donation from Moscow" "Moscow, like a sponge, will absorb the French"

Morality always triumphs over brute force The imaginary greatness of Napoleon is especially clearly manifested in the scene when he stands on Poklonnaya Hill and admires the panorama of Moscow: "One word of mine, one movement of my hand, and this ancient capital perished ..." But he did not have to enjoy his greatness for long. He found himself in a miserable and ridiculous position, never waiting for the keys to the majestic city. Tolstoy opposes Field Marshal Kutuzov to Napoleon (both as a military leader and as a person). Unlike the Emperor of France, the Russian commander did not consider the leadership of military operations to be a "game of chess". Moreover, he never ascribed to himself the main role in the successes achieved by the Russian army. Unlike Napoleon, he relied not on his genius, but on the strength of the army. Kutuzov was convinced that the "spirit of the army" was of decisive importance in the war.

There is no greatness where there is no simplicity and truth. Cruel in an effort to satisfy his ambition at the cost of thousands of lives, in an attempt to impose his will on an entire country. His behavior is determined not by the heart, but by the mind, therefore he is doomed to defeat. Tolstoy is not impressed by the number of states he won - he has a different measure: "There is no greatness where there is no simplicity and truth." He is depicted as a commander not so much directing the actions of the army as not interfering with the course of events. It is not the experience of the commander, but the experience of the heart that tells him that the outcome of the war is predetermined by the moral superiority of the Russians. Therefore, he sees his first task in raising the morale of the troops, instilling faith in victory. I don’t presume to defeat ambition and cordiality, I’ll try to outwit

Pettiness and wisdom Petty irritability, acting - in no way does he look like a great man. Coldness, pomp are emphasized, he poses all the time, plays the role of a genius. "He was like a child who, holding on to the ribbons tied inside the carriage, imagines that he rules." He is kind, wise, simple and open to people, like an ordinary - old and morally experienced - person. The image is given in perception different people... A man and alive he is depicted in conversations (with Bolkonsky, Denisov, Bagration), at military councils, in the Austerlitz and Borodino battles.

Of all historical figures shown in the novel, only Kutuzov Tolstoy calls a truly great man: “... it's hard to imagine historical person whose activity would be so invariably and constantly directed towards one and the same goal. " In the novel "War and Peace" Kutuzov is presented as a folk hero, whose entire power consisted "in that popular feeling that he carried in himself in all its purity and strength." It can be concluded that the main difference between these generals Tolstoy saw in the anti-popular activities of Napoleon and the popular principle underlying all of Kutuzov's actions. Kutuzov - folk hero

In the images of Napoleon and Kutuzov, Tolstoy depicted the idea of ​​war and peace. Heroes gravitating towards Napoleon, endowed with Napoleonic features, contribute to the outbreak of wars between people. Such are the Kuragins, Anna Pavlovna Sherer, Vera Rostova and others, who are far from the battles. The heroes, gravitating towards the Kutuzov pole, carry the ideas of peace, spirituality and love. These are Natasha Rostova, Marya Bolkonskaya and, paradoxically, "military" people - Tushin, Timokhin, Denisov. The main characters of the novel - Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky - go from Napoleon to Kutuzov, from false values ​​to true ideals. Conclusion

Comparative characteristics of Kutuzov and Napoleon in the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace". comparison table is at the end of the article.

What are these commanders-in-chief: Kutuzov and Napoleon appear in the image of Tolstoy?

Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" is, according to famous writers and critics, "the greatest novel in the world." In his work, the writer glorified the commander-in-chief Kutuzov as the inspirer and organizer of the victories of the Russian people. Tolstoy repeatedly emphasizes that Kutuzov is a real folk hero... Kutuzov appears before us in the novel as a simple Russian man and at the same time as a wise historical figure and military leader. For Tolstoy, the main thing in Kutuzov is his blood connection with the people - "that national feeling that he carries in himself in all its purity and strength." The author presents Kutuzov as a wise commander who deeply and correctly understands and assumes the course of events. It is no coincidence that Kutuzov's correct assessment of the course of events is always confirmed later. For example, he correctly assessed the significance of the Battle of Borodino, noting that it was a victory. In the image of Tolstoy, Kutuzov is a living face. The author shows his gait, gestures, facial expressions, his famous eye, which is either affectionate or derisive.

The opposite figure to Kutuzov is Napoleon. Tolstoy decisively opposes the "cult" of Napoleon. For the writer, Napoleon is an aggressor who attacked Russia. He burned cities and villages, killed Russian people, robbed, destroyed the great cultural values, even gave the order to destroy the Kremlin. Napoleon is a narcissistic, domineering commander who strives for world domination. In the first parts of the novel, Tolstoy ironically speaks of servility towards Napoleon, which arose and spread in the highest secular circles of Russia. From the very beginning of the novel, Tolstoy clearly expresses his attitude towards this statesman. So, he shows that in the actions of Napoleon there is nothing but a whim. However, Napoleon "believed in himself and the whole world believed in him."

Each character in the novel thinks of Napoleon differently. The writer describes this famous military leader as “ little man"With an unpleasantly feigned smile on his face, with a" round belly. " Napoleon appears before us as a man in love with himself, who is far from thinking about the people. It is no coincidence that the word "I" is Napoleon's favorite word. In this one can see the opposition of Kutuzov to Napoleon. According to the author, the real hero is the people's commander, the one who really cares for the freedom of his Fatherland.

Thus, the reader concludes that the two commanders are diametrically opposed. Napoleon is the embodiment of self-confidence and ambition. The only positive thing about this image is his acting ability. Tolstoy helps the reader to conclude that Napoleon became famous in Europe only because of these abilities. A sharp contrast between Kutuzov and Napoleon is presented by the author of the novel from the point of view of the attitude of each of them to the people, as well as to his own personality. Tolstoy believes that Kutuzov embodies best features a public figure of that time - patriotism, simplicity, modesty, sensitivity, determination and sincerity in achieving the goal, subordination of one's own interests and goals to the will of the people. At the same time, Napoleon, according to Leo Tolstoy, is a selfish person who neglects the interests of the people.

All thoughts, feelings and actions of Kutuzov are aimed at achieving a goal that meets the interests of the people - to preserve his independence, to get rid of an evil and insidious enemy. All his activities are folk character, is determined by his love for the Motherland, the people, faith in his strength. Appointed commander-in-chief against the will of the tsar, but at the request of the people, Kutuzov sees the patriotism of the army and the population as a decisive prerequisite for victory.
The activities of Napoleon have a completely different, anti-popular character. It is directed against interests European nations that he robbed and killed.

He presented himself as a superman who is not fit to take care of the spiritual state of the people around him.

In the behavior of the Russian commander, Tolstoy notes modesty, availability for the people. Moreover, for Kutuzov, it is important to have an opinion about himself. ordinary people... Napoleon appears before us quite differently. He cannot meet high moral standards, so there is no real majesty in him.

And, finally, the main difference between these two commanders is that Kutuzov in battles always tried to act in complete unity with the entire Russian people. Leo Tolstoy sees in this the main reason Russia's victories in the difficult war of 1812. In contrast to Kutuzov, Napoleon not only did not understand, but did not even try to understand the mood of his people.
Based on the above, we can conclude that an outstanding figure becomes a real winner only on condition of unity with the people. The unity of the leader and the people is the key to victory. The lack of such unity leads to defeat.

One of the best works of all world literature. The work superbly depicts historical events, highlights the aspects of the life of Russian people, their views and ideals (completely different strata of society).

The artistic device that Tolstoy chose for the novel is an antithesis. Even in the title of the work, we see the opposition of the concepts "War" and "Peace", he compares the battle at Borodino and Austerlitz, Petersburg and Moscow. The author has favorite and unloved heroes.

A striking example of the antithesis in the work is the images of Kutuzov and Napoleon. These two great generals are also opposed to each other. They can be compared to the psychological and moral poles of an epic novel. They are like light and shadow. The images of these two great people are key in the description of both historical events and the disclosure of the idea of ​​the novel. They were created by the author on the principle of contrast. These characters are the undisputed leaders and worthy opponents. The only difference is that one of the generals will inevitably be defeated, while the other gains a glorious victory.

In the image of Kutuzov, a field marshal of the Russian army, the author shows his seemingly incongruous features such as folk simplicity and historical greatness. We will not see anything unnatural and superficial in this person. The author often emphasizes his old age in various details, he writes about a loose body, a scar on his face, plump hands, that it has already become difficult for him to climb on a horse. Having seen a lot in his life, the Russian commander-in-chief, being a representative of the Suvorov school, is described as always restrained and very calm person... Even in spite of fatigue and age, the Kutuzovs always make brilliant decisions, especially during military operations. How very strong personality, it has such features as: simplicity, firmness, truth and goodness. By appearance the hero may get the impression that he is inactive, constantly dozing, but this is just a superficial definition. Kutuzov has always been a self-confident and strong-willed person. He was, like no other, close to every soldier. The reason for this is the constant concern for the soldiers, the desire to preserve their lives, these qualities of Kutuzov's character are perhaps the most important in his character. The skill of the commander is the moral leadership of the battle, the staff officers do not like this, they constantly criticize Kutuzov's decisions. He himself often spoke to his soldiers, not as a military commander, but as a combat friend. He sent soldiers to the battlefield as if own father, he was answered with mutual love and respect, calling him "myself." Mikhail Illarionovich was a real wise politician who could, with the help of cunning, take over intrigue and defeat the enemy with his own weapon.

The image of Napoleon in the novel is multidimensional and complex, as this figure was quite iconic at the time. He made his dizzying career, from a simple officer to an emperor, this caused admiration among his contemporaries. For many, he was a genius, and served true example, they tried to imitate him in many ways. For the author of the novel, he was not even a statesman, they describe him as a capricious, narcissistic player and poser. The attention of readers is drawn to the fact that the emperor never looked at people, namely past them and believed that everything in the world depends only on his will: both the fate of people and the outcome Patriotic War... But the objective requirements of reality and the interests of the people were at odds with their personal interests. The author of the novel using different ways, exposes the greatness of Napoleon, debunking the cult of personality and superman. The moral side of this hero is shown satirical techniques and by means, this can be seen from the characteristics of his portrait. The author compares Napoleon to an actor, as if he is playing chess and always calculates the steps of all the pieces in advance. He was used to the fact that everything should happen exactly as he decided, but the Battle of Borodino destroyed this stereotype. He underestimated the courage of the Russian soldiers, who, even after losing half of their strength, also bravely continued to stand in their positions. The author predetermined the fate of the emperor, time itself put everything in its place. Napoleon is viewed by Tolstoy not as a talented commander, but from other sides - moral and moral. He believes that he is a benefactor for his people, but in fact turns out to be an executioner. In the work, the author refused the emperor the talent, since he believed that "villain" and "genius" are incompatible concepts.

Introduction

Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" is practically the only historical epic novel. He describes in detail the military campaigns of 1805, 1809 and the war of 1812. Some readers believe that the novel can be used to study individual battles in the course of history. But for Tolstoy it was not the main thing to tell about the war, how historical event... He had a different idea - "the idea of ​​the people." Show people, their characters, revealing the meaning of life. People not only simple, but also great historical figures such as Kutuzov, Napoleon, Alexander, Bagration. Leo Tolstoy gives a specific characterization of Kutuzov and Napoleon in War and Peace. This open comparison of the two generals runs through the entire plot of the work.

The principle of contrast, taken as a basis by Tolstoy, reveals in War and Peace the images of Kutuzov and Napoleon as military strategists, shows the attitude towards their country, towards their army, towards their people. The author made a true portrait of his heroes, without inventing heroes and false flaws. They are real, alive - from describing their appearance to character traits.

The place of heroes in the novel

At first glance, it seems that Napoleon is given more space in the novel than Kutuzov. We see it from the first lines to the last. Everyone is talking about him: in the salon of Anna Pavlovna Sherer, and in the house of Prince Bolkonsky, and in the soldiers' ranks. Many believe that "... Bonaparte is invincible and that the whole of Europe can do nothing against him ..." And Kutuzov does not appear in whole parts of the novel. They scold him, laugh at him, forget about him. Vasily Kuragin mockingly speaks of Kutuzov when it comes about who will be the commander-in-chief in the hostilities of 1812: “Is it possible to appoint as commander-in-chief a man who cannot sit on horseback, falls asleep on the council, a man of the most bad morals! ... a decrepit and blind man? .. He does not see anything. Play blind man's buff ... "But here Prince Vasily recognizes him as a commander:" I'm not talking about his qualities as a general! " But Kutuzov is present invisibly, they hope for him, but they do not speak about it aloud.

Napoleon Bonaparte

The great French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in the novel is presented to us through the eyes of his soldiers, Russian secular society, Russian and Austrian generals, the Russian army and Leo Tolstoy himself. His vision of Napoleon's minor traits helps us understand this complex image.

We see Napoleon in a moment of anger, when he realizes that his General Murat was mistaken in his calculations and thereby gave the Russian army the opportunity to win. "Go, destroy the Russian army!" He exclaims in a letter to his general.

We see him in a moment of glory, when Napoleon, with his head held high and a contemptuous grin, looks around the field of Austerlitz after the battle. The wounded are lined up for him for examination, for him this is another trophy. Either with respect, or with derision, he thanks the Russian General Repnin for an honest fight.

We see him in a minute complete peace of mind and the confidence of victory as he stands on the top of the hill on the morning before the Battle of Austerlitz. Unshakable, arrogant, he raises the "white glove" and with one movement of his hand begins the battle.

We see him in a conversation with Alexander when he came to a meeting in Tilsit. A tough decision, undeniable by anyone, a domineering look and confidence in action gives the French emperor what he wants. The peace of Tilsit was incomprehensible to many, but Alexander was blinded by Bonaparte's "honesty", he did not see the cold calculation and obvious deception of this truce.

Tolstoy shows his attitude towards the French soldiers without hiding. For Napoleon, this is just a weapon that must always be ready for battle. He doesn't think about people at all. His cynicism, cruelty, complete indifference to human life, cold calculating mind, cunning - these are the qualities that Tolstoy speaks of. He has only one goal - to conquer Europe, capture, just capture, Russia and conquer the whole world. But Napoleon did not calculate his strength, he also did not understand that the Russian army is strong not only with howitzers and cannons, but above all by faith. Faith in God, faith in the Russian man, faith in one people, faith in the victory of Russia for the Russian tsar. The outcome of the Battle of Borodino became a shameful defeat for Napoleon, the defeat of all his great plans.

Mikhail Ilarionovich Kutuzov

In comparison with Napoleon, the acting, thinking young, but experienced emperor, Kutuzov looks like a passive commander. We often see him talking to soldiers, sleeping at military councils, not deciding categorically the course of battles and not imposing his opinion on other generals. He acts in his own way. The Russian army believes in him. All the soldiers behind the back call him "Kutuzov-father". Unlike Napoleon, he does not boast of his rank, but simply goes to the field not after the battle, but during it, fighting hand in hand alongside his comrades. For him, there are no privates and generals, all are united in the struggle for the Russian land.

When examining the troops near Braunau, Kutuzov "with an affectionate smile" looks at the soldiers, and takes the problem of the lack of boots upon himself. He also recognizes Timokhin, to whom he gives a separate bow. This suggests that for Kutuzov, it is not the rank, not the title that is important, but simply a person with his soul. Tolstoy in "War and Peace" by Kutuzov and Napoleon shows in vivid contrast precisely in this aspect - the attitude towards his army. For Kutuzov, each soldier is a person, a person with his own inclinations and shortcomings. Everyone is important to him. He often wipes his eyes full of tears, because he tends to worry about people, about the outcome of the case. He is worried about Andrei Bolkonsky, because he loves his father. With bitterness he accepts the news of the death of old Bolkonsky. Understands losses and realizes failure at Austerlitz. Accepts the right decision at the Shengraben battle. He thoroughly prepares for the Battle of Borodino and believes in the victory of the Russian army.

Comparison of Kutuzov and Napoleon

Kutuzov and Napoleon are two great commanders who played an important role in history. Each had its own goal - to defeat the enemy, only they went to it in different ways. Leo Tolstoy used different means to describe Kutuzov and Napoleon. He gives us both an external characteristic, and the character of the soul, the action of thought. It all helps to fold full image heroes and understand whose priorities are more important to us.

Comparison of Kutuzov and Napoleon in Tolstoy's novel is not random selection the author. He does not put two emperors, Alexander and Bonaparte, on the same level, he builds a comparison of just two generals - Kutuzov and Napoleon. Apparently, Alexander, still a very young ruler, did not have the qualities of a real commander to be able to resist "Napoleon himself." Only Kutuzov could claim this.

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The work "War and Peace" is one of the greatest in all Russian literature. In it, L.N. Tolstoy was able to draw a broad panorama of the life of Russian society from 1805 to 1820. And in the central part of this panorama is the defeat of Napoleonic troops, which until that time seemed completely invincible. On the pages of his novel, Tolstoy develops the idea of ​​the role of the people and the individual in the development of historical events.

Unity with the people

The image of Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace" is one of the most noble in the entire work. The commander was a man who did not betray his own convictions by any of his actions or words. He was an example of true selflessness, as well as the ability to understand the future meaning of upcoming events. It is difficult to imagine such a person whose activities were aimed at achieving the same goal for such a long time. And it is just as difficult to imagine a more worthy task than Kutuzov had.

Kutuzov was not only wise, but also close to the people, he appreciated the life of every soldier. And so from the rest historical figures only Kutuzov is called a truly great man. The writer raises the image of a commander to the highest level of purity of spiritual aspirations.

A good-natured and attentive commander

Describing the image of Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace", it is necessary to emphasize: the commander is endowed with Tolstoy features of a charismatic leader - he has an authority that is based on his personal qualities. This is wisdom and heroism, and even to some extent holiness. During meetings with soldiers, the commander knows how to find with them mutual language, sometimes even brings into play an interesting and funny joke... You can hear from Kutuzov and "old man's good-natured curse." For example, you can recall how the soldiers shared their impressions of Kutuzov after the review at Braunau. One soldier says that Kutuzov is "crooked, about one eye." Another echoes him - "It's all crooked." But to this the answer follows that Kutuzov was able to see everything - both boots and wraps.

Understanding the spirit of the army

In 1812, both the commander and every ordinary soldier were filled with patriotism. Describing the Battle of Borodino, Tolstoy emphasizes: Kutuzov understood that the outcome of the battle was not decided by the orders of the commander of the troops. Describing the image of Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace", the student can emphasize: he understood that the main role is played by that elusive force, which is called "the spirit of the army." The leader can only observe and control this force, but only to a certain extent. For example, when Kutuzov receives news of the capture of Murat, he says that it is too early to rejoice. However, at the same time, he sends an adjutant to ride through the troops and tell everyone this news.

With the same purpose of maintaining a high spirit in the army, Kutuzov at the end of the day of the Battle of Borodino gives the order to read among the soldiers an order for tomorrow's offensive. When ordinary soldiers heard this order, the meaning of which stemmed from the feelings of the commander-in-chief, they, although exhausted, were encouraged and comforted.

The image of Kutuzov in the novel War and Peace is deeply patriotic. This quality can be traced not only in the words of Kutuzov himself, but also in those words that characterize him by other heroes. For example, Prince Andrey regains peace after meeting with Kutuzov. Bolkonsky reflects on the commander in this vein: Kutuzov will not think of anything, but he will be able to listen and put everything in its place. He will not interfere with the useful, but will not allow the harmful.

The image of Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace" by Tolstoy: the goals of the commander

Kutuzov gives the order to leave Moscow with only one goal - to achieve victory and drive out the enemy troops at all costs. It is no coincidence that the commander constantly repeats the same words: "I will make them eat horse meat." All of Kutuzov's actions are aimed at three main goals:

• exertion of all forces for triumph over the enemy;
• gaining victory;
• expelling the enemy from the borders of the country and alleviating, as far as possible, the consequences for the people and soldiers.

And only after these tasks have been solved, the commander leaves the activity of the commander-in-chief of the troops. How could he achieve these goals without ever deviating from his noble tasks? He was able to do this for the reason that in his soul there was a truly great national feeling, an invincible beginning.

Fatalism or Realism in the Image of Kutuzov?

Giving a description of the image of Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace", the student can point out: to some extent, L. N. Tolstoy makes the commander a fatalist: after all, he obeys the course of events in history. The writer does not talk about how Kutuzov prepared the soldiers for clashes after leaving Moscow and how he carried out his plan. As a realist writer, Tolstoy nevertheless strove to overcome the philosophy of fatalism, and in many of his features Kutuzov is shown correctly from a historical point of view: he is characterized by high strategic skill, he ponders the upcoming military campaign all night long, acts as an active figure. The apparent calmness of Kutuzov hides a volitional tension.

The position of the commander that led to victory

The image and characterization of Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace" will be incomplete without a description of his moral and spiritual position, the source of this military leader's wisdom. The commander protects his soldiers with all his might, leads a confrontation with the king, court generals. Soldiers and officers love him. Kutuzov knows the laws of war, he is quite capable of foreseeing the course of further events, since he takes into account the spiritual state of the army.

The main source of his wisdom is closeness to the people. And the image of the commander is most clearly revealed during the description of the Borodino battle. Napoleon is already beginning to get nervous, because crowds of frustrated and exhausted soldiers return to him. Kutuzov calmly ponders how the battle can be completed. This should be mentioned in the description of the image of Kutuzov in L. Tolstoy's novel War and Peace. After all, with his calmness, he gives rise to confidence in the soldiers. For example, to General Wolzogen, who is completely seized with panic, he says: "Victory!" Even before the end of the battle, Kutuzov announces that the battle has been won. He understands that giving Moscow away is necessary in order to save the country. After all, the French in Moscow will begin to succumb moral decay, they will become marauders, their discipline will dry out completely.

Characteristics of Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace": the commander and his age

During the first war, Kutuzov is still presented as a gallant general. However, during the Patriotic War, the commander was already old. And his enemies allow themselves to laugh at this. However, on the part of his troops, Kutuzov's age only causes respect. Kutuzov is an old man with a white head, overweight. He usually wears a white frock coat and a cap with a red band without a visor. During the meetings of the war council, he falls asleep. It is difficult for the commander to mount a horse and it is just as difficult for him to get down. The writer also emphasizes that Kutuzov is "weak for tears." He can cry, not only thinking about the fate of his country, but even at the sight of wounded soldiers. However, this quality does not diminish the image of the commander.

The image of Napoleon

The images of Kutuzov and Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" in the work are opposite to each other. They are antipodes. Tolstoy talks about the rejection of the French commander, his strategy. All the sympathies of the reader, according to the author's idea, should be on the side of Kutuzov. The fame of Napoleon spread throughout the world. However, Tolstoy writes about his army that it was "a crowd of marauders." Napoleon himself was distinguished by cruelty and treachery.

The life of his army was deeply indifferent to him. He watches with complete indifference how his soldiers die. After all, they are just a tool for achieving his purely personal goals. Popular recognition flatters the French military leader. However, Napoleon does not feel gratitude. After all, everyone was obliged, without any objection, to obey only his will. Tolstoy writes that millions of people were forced to kill each other only because of Bonaparte's lust for power.