What social class does Andrei Bolkonsky belong to? The life path of Andrei Bolkonsky. L.N. Tolstoy, “War and Peace. Bolkonsky's military service
Roman L.N. Tolstoy's "War and Peace" reflects the most important moments in the life of the people, the mentality of different social strata during times of peace and during times of war. The author despises high society and very carefully describes the life of ordinary Russian people. However, even among aristocrats there are people worthy of respect and admiration. These include Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, whose life is filled with the search for answers to the most important moral questions, the desire to comprehend the meaning of existence, and the desire for truth and kindness.
Prince Andrei at the beginning of the novel
At the very first appearance of Prince Andrei on the pages of the novel, the reader sees him as a man who does not find peace, who is not satisfied with his own life. All his dreams come down to a single goal - to be useful to society. Therefore, in 1805, he went to serve in the army, full of enthusiastic thoughts about Bonaparte.
Bolkonsky is not interested in ranks, so he first serves with the rank of adjutant. He is a patriot, with every cell of his soul he feels responsible for the future of Russia and the Russian army.
The issue of patriotism and heroism is one of the main ones in the novel. Bolkonsky will no doubt give his life for his native fatherland, he himself asks to go to the hottest spots, just to help the army win decisive battles, even at the cost of his life.
The spiritual quest of Prince Bolkonsky
In the midst of a military campaign, Andrei receives news of the birth of a child and the death of his wife, before whom he feels guilty due to his lack of love for her. This news shocked the hero and increased feelings of spiritual emptiness and despair. Life for him was nearing its logical conclusion; disappointment in everything gripped his entire being.
The revival of Prince Andrei occurred after seeing the high sky of Austerlitz, when the hero found himself on the verge of life and death. Subsequently, the hero’s soul was healed in conversations with Pierre Bezukhov and after meeting young Natasha Rostova, who finally brought him back to life. The hero begins to understand that not everything is over yet.
Meeting with Natasha
A meeting with young, cheerful, cheerful Natasha again awakens in Andrey dreams of simple human happiness - family, children, a new life. Bolkonsky lacked Natasha’s dreaminess and poetry, this is what attracted him to her.
Gradually, having opened up to the girl about his feelings, Andrei begins to feel responsible for his beloved and at the same time be afraid of obligations. After postponing the wedding for a year, the characters begin to understand how different they are. The prince has experience, trials, misfortunes, war, injury behind him. Natasha saw life for her wife, but did not feel its taste. She lives by feelings, Andrey lives by mind.
The need for constant activity, a change of feelings and places, new acquaintances and events brings an inexperienced girl into the world of the Kuragins - cynical and cold people. Natasha could not resist Anatole’s charm, thereby destroying Bolkonsky’s hopes for a happy family. The prince turns to service again.
The last stage of the life of Prince Andrei
The army makes Andrei forget personal failures, disappointments and grievances. Here you have to think about the fate of your regiment. The soldiers love and are proud of such a leader and call him “our prince.”
Before the Battle of Borodino, confidence in victory did not leave Bolkonsky; he believed in the strength of his soldiers, in his own strength. He was leisurely admiring the beauty of his native nature when he received a mortal wound. Looking into the eyes of death, Prince Andrei understands his own unity with the world around him, feels all-consuming love and forgiveness.
Having met Natasha for the last time, Andrei sees significant changes in her - she has become more mature, the suffering she has experienced and the awareness of her own guilt before Bolkonsky appeared in her eyes. He grants her forgiveness and plunges into love for Natasha, loves her sublimely, with unearthly love. These feelings color the last hours of his life. So Prince Andrei found faith, united the sublime and the earthly in his consciousness - he did what he had been striving for all his life.
Since birth, Andrei has faced difficulties.He was born into a wealthy, privileged family of an aristocrat from an old and noble family.However, his mother apparently died when he was just a boy, as she is not mentioned at all in the novel. The father was not distinguished by attentiveness and caring. He was a tough and stubborn person, which bothered Andrei in childhood. Over time, their relationship becomes more tense, the boy no longer tries to win his father’s favor, and any attempts to get closer and communicate end in scandals. Andrey also has a sister, Marya. Even though she was not outwardly attractive, her heart was full of love and kindness. She developed a warm, close relationship with her brother, which remained until the hero’s death.Appearance (quoted characteristic)
The author describes him as a short man, but very handsome. “Prince Bolkonsky was small in stature, a very handsome young man with definite and dry features.” Tolstoy does not give a detailed description, pointing only to the reaction of other heroes who consider Andrei Bolkonsky very handsome and graceful. "...The women's society and the world welcomed him cordially, because he was a rich and noble groom...".Important! Andrey was very attractive. Leo Tolstoy more than once notes his beauty and attractiveness to other people, especially women.
Character traits of Andrei Bolkonsky
Speaking about the complex character of his father, one would think that Andrei was also a difficult hero. However, there was no radical rigidity in it.Important! The character of the hero is dominated by positive qualities: he is noble and purposeful.Andrey can gain authority from his interlocutor and commands respect from everyone, including those who don’t like him. He can behave with dignity both at a social reception and in the company of his army comrades.
Important! At the beginning of the story, Andrei is not alien to the desire for success in the service, however, he wants fame and recognition not so much for himself, but in order to be able to bring good to the people.Despite his merits, Bolkonsky is still distinguished by some rudeness and arrogance. Sometimes he allows himself to ignore people, behave inappropriately, express non-verbal signs of disdain (looks, smiles, etc.), and sometimes unpleasant statements.
Important! This is a person who is somewhat confused and has lost his internal guidelines. Like many nobles, he is full of searches for the meaning of life, his place in it.This hero is very reserved, you can’t call him cheerful - more often than not his face remains impartial. At the same time, Andrey is very kind and generous towards anyone, regardless of social status.
The prince's relationship with women
Andrei Bolkonsky appears before us as an already married man, whose first child is about to be born.He married Lisa Meinen, who was Kutuzov's niece.He considers his wife a soulless and stupid doll. This marriage is not happy for the hero. During childbirth, Lisa dies, and Andrei is left with baby Nikolenka, whom he raises together with his sister Marie. After the death of Lisa, Bolkonsky is tormented by guilt in front of his wife, whom he did not appreciate during his lifetime. Andrei has always been successful with women, but for a long time he did not think about getting married again. HoweverAt the ball he meets Natasha Rostova.The hero falls in love with her and receives reciprocity - Natasha is impressed by the beauty and gallantry of the gentleman. Communication with Natasha awakens the brightest traits in the dry and callous character of the hero; he wants to be loved, appreciates every moment of life. Bolkonsky proposes to Natasha and her parents agree, but his father forces him to postpone his marriage for a year. Andrey agreed and went abroad. And Natasha meets Anatoly Kuragin and falls madly in love with him, planning her escape. This hurts Andrei deeply. Proud and principled, after this he constantly seeks a meeting with Kuragin in order to take revenge on him.
Bolkonsky's military service
Andrei Bolkonsky has dreamed of military service since childhood. His hero was Napoleon, and he longs for similar glory and honors. He takes part in the battles of Austerlitz, at the decisive moment showing himself to be a hero, performing a feat. He saves the battalion and leads it into battle boldly and without a shadow of a doubt, trying to protect the Motherland. In this battle he receives a serious wound and, bleeding, lies on the battlefield. This event radically changes his views. He understands how unimportant and senseless the war is. Then the heroic image of Napoleon collapses - Andrei sees his idol smiling, looking at a field with dead and wounded soldiers, and this disgusts him. The death of his wife forces him to abandon his service. He returns and decides to devote his life to his family.Bolkonsky meets with his friend and realizes that he can benefit the Motherland not only on the battlefield.He is actively involved in various projects that will benefit the people, for example, in drawing up a plan for the abolition of serfdom.
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Any reader who thoughtfully delves into Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy’s legendary epic novel “War and Peace” encounters images of amazing heroes. One of these is Andrei Bolkonsky, an extraordinary man with a multifaceted character.
Description of Andrei Bolkonsky
“...Short stature, a very handsome young man with certain dry features,” is how Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy describes his hero when the reader first meets him at Anna Pavlovna Sherer’s evening. “Everything in his figure, from his tired, bored look to his quiet, measured step, represented the sharpest contrast with his little, lively wife.
Apparently, everyone in the living room was not only familiar to him, but he was so tired of it that looking at them and listening to them was very boring for him...” Most of all, the young man was bored when he saw his wife’s face.
It would seem that nothing at this evening could lift the young man’s spirits, and he perked up only when he saw his friend Pierre Bezukhov. From this we can conclude that Andrey values friendship.
The young Prince Bolkonsky is characterized by such qualities as nobility, respect for elders (it is enough to see how he loved his father, calling him “You, father ...”), as well as education and patriotism.
There will come a time of difficult trials in his destiny, but for now he is a young man who is loved and accepted by secular society.
Thirst for fame and subsequent disappointment
Andrei Bolkonsky's values gradually change throughout the novel War and Peace. At the beginning of the work, an ambitious young man strives at all costs to gain human recognition and glory as a brave warrior. “I love nothing but fame, human love. Death, wounds, loss of family, nothing scares me,” he exclaims, wanting to go to war with Napoleon.
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Social life seems empty to him, but the young man wants to be useful to society. At first he serves as Kutuzov’s adjutant, but in the Battle of Austerlitz he is wounded and ends up in the hospital. The family considers Andrei missing, but for Bolkonsky himself this time has become very important for reassessment of values. The young man is disappointed in his former idol Napoleon, seeing him as a worthless man rejoicing in the death of people.
“At that moment Napoleon seemed to him such a small, insignificant person in comparison with what was now happening between his soul and this high, endless sky with clouds running across it.” Now that Bolkonsky’s goal in life - to achieve fame and recognition - has collapsed, the hero is overcome by strong emotional experiences.
Having recovered, he decides not to fight anymore, but to devote himself to his family. Unfortunately, this did not happen.
Another shock
The next blow for Andrei Bolkonsky was the death during childbirth of his wife Elizabeth. If it were not for the meeting with his friend Pierre Bezukhov, who tried to convince him that life is not over, and he needs to fight, despite the trials, it would have been much more difficult for the hero to survive such grief. “I live and this is not my fault, therefore, I need to live until death somehow better, without interfering with anyone,” he lamented, sharing his experiences with Pierre.
But, thanks to the sincere support of a comrade, who convinced his friend that “you have to live, you have to love, you have to believe,” the hero of the novel survived. During this difficult period, Andrei not only gained courage in his soul, but also met his long-awaited love.
For the first time, Natasha and Andrei meet at the Rostov estate, where the prince comes to spend the night. Disappointed in life, Bolkonsky understands that finally the happiness of true and bright love has smiled on him.
A pure and purposeful girl opened his eyes to the fact that he needed to live for the people, do good for those around him. A new, hitherto unknown to him, feeling of love flared up in Andrei’s heart, which Natasha shared.
They got engaged, and maybe would have become a wonderful couple. But circumstances intervened again. A fleeting hobby appeared in the life of Andrei’s beloved, which led to disastrous consequences. It seemed to her that she had fallen in love with Anatoly Kuragin, and although the girl later repented of her betrayal, Andrei could no longer forgive her and treat her the same way. “Of all the people, I have never loved or hated anyone more than her,” he admitted to his friend Pierre. The engagement was called off.
Death of Andrei in the War of 1812
Going to the next war, Prince Bolknonsky no longer pursues ambitious plans. His main goal is to protect his homeland and his people from the attacking enemy. Now Andrei is fighting alongside ordinary people, soldiers and officers, and does not consider this shameful. “...He was entirely devoted to the affairs of his regiment, he was caring for his people and officers and affectionate with them. In the regiment they called him our prince, they were proud of him and loved him...” writes Leo Tolstoy, characterizing his favorite hero.
The wound in the Battle of Borodino was fatal for Prince Andrei.
Already in the hospital, he meets with his former lover Natasha Rostova, and feelings between them flare up with renewed vigor. “...Natasha, I love you too much. More than anything else…” he admits.
However, this revived love does not stand a chance, because Bolkonsky is dying. The devoted girl spends the last days of Andrei’s life next to him.
He not only knew that he would die, but he felt that he was dying, that he was already half dead. He experienced a consciousness of alienation from everything earthly and a joyful and strange lightness of being. He, without haste and without worry, awaited what lay ahead of him. That formidable, eternal, unknown, distant, the presence of which he never ceased to feel throughout his entire life, was now close to him and - due to the strange lightness of being that he experienced - almost understandable and felt...”
This is how the earthly life of Andrei Bolkonsky ended sadly. He experienced many sorrows and troubles, but the path to eternity opened ahead.
If it weren't for the war...
Every thoughtful reader can conclude: how much grief and misfortune the war brought to humanity. After all, if not for the mortal wound that Andrei received on the battlefield, perhaps their love with Natasha Rostova would have had a happy continuation. After all, they loved each other so much and could symbolize the ideal of family relationships. But, alas, man does not spare his own kind and absurd confrontations claim many lives of people who, if they remained alive, could bring considerable benefit to the Fatherland.
It is this idea that runs through the entire work of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy.
An essay on the topic “War in the world of Prince Adrei Bolkonsky”, written based on the work of L. N. Tolstoy “War and Peace”. The essay describes the change in Andrei's attitude towards the war as the events of the work progress.
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War in the world of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky
At the beginning of the novel, Prince Andrei had a positive attitude towards the war. He needs war to achieve his goals: to accomplish a feat, to become famous: “I will be sent there,” he thought, “with a brigade or division, and there, with a banner in my hand, I will go forward and break everything that comes before me.” me". For Bolkonsky, Napoleon was his idol. Andrei did not like the fact that at twenty-seven years old Napoleon was already commander-in-chief, and he, at that age, was only an adjutant.
In September the prince goes to war. He was pleased to think about leaving. Even when he said goodbye to Marya, he was already thinking about the war. When Andrei arrived at the front, he met two staff officers: Nesvitsky and Zhirkov. From the moment they met, the relationship between them “didn’t work out,” since Nesvitsky and Zhirkov were very different from Andrei. They were stupid and cowardly, while Bolkonsky was distinguished by intelligence and courage. These differences emerged when the officers met with General Mack. The staff officers laughed at the defeat of the Austrian army, and Andrei was very dissatisfied: “...we are either officers who serve the Tsar and the Fatherland and rejoice in the common success and are sad about the common failure, or we are lackeys who do not care about the master’s business. Forty thousand people died, and the army allied to us was destroyed, and you can joke about it.” Bravery is shown in the episode when the prince asks Kutuzov to remain in Bagration’s detachment, while Nesvitsky, on the contrary, does not want to participate in the battle and retreats to the rear.
At the Battle of Schöngraben, Prince Bolkonsky demonstrated not only courage, but also courage. He dared to go to Tushin's battery. And it is here that Andrei sees the courage that Tushin’s artillerymen showed. After the battle, he was the only one who stood up for the captain before Bagration, although Andrei does not like that Tushin cannot recognize his merit, his feat and tries not to mention it.
After the Battle of Schöngraben, Bolkonsky participates in another battle - Austerlitz. Here he manages to accomplish a feat: during the retreat of the battalion, he picks up the banner and, by his example, encourages the soldiers to return and rush into the attack: “As if with all their might, with a strong stick, one of the nearby soldiers, as it seemed to him, hit him in the head.” After being wounded, Andrei sees the sky and admires it: “... How come I didn’t see this high sky? And how happy I am that I finally recognized him... there is nothing but silence, calm. And thank God". During this battle, he becomes disillusioned with Napoleon - he seems to him “a small, insignificant person.” Andrei realized that life is more important than everything, even exploits and glory. He realized that war is not a means of achieving a brilliant career, but dirty, hard work. The Battle of Austerlitz forces him to reconsider his priorities - now he values his family above all else. And, after captivity, he returns home to the Bald Mountains, where he finds his wife dead: Lisa dies during childbirth. The prince feels guilty before the little princess and understands that he can no longer atone for this guilt. After these events - the Austerlitz campaign, the death of his wife and the birth of his son - Prince Andrei “firmly decided never to serve in military service again.”
When the Patriotic War began, Prince Bolkonsky went to the army of his own free will, but he went there no longer for Toulon, but because of revenge. Andrei was offered service in the emperor's retinue, but he refused, because only by serving in the army would he be useful in war. Before Borodino, the prince told Pierre the reason for his return to the army: “The French have ruined my house and are going to ruin Moscow, they have insulted and are insulting me every second. They are my enemies, they are all criminals, according to my standards.”
After Andrei was appointed commander of the regiment, he “was entirely devoted to the affairs of his regiment, he was caring about his people and officers and affectionate with them. The regiment called him “our prince.” They were proud of him and loved him.”
On the eve of the battle, Bolkonsky was confident in the victory of the Russian regiments; he believed in the soldiers. And he said to Pierre: “We will win the battle tomorrow. Tomorrow, no matter what, we will win the battle."
At the battle of Borodino, Andrei Bolkonsky's regiment stood in reserve. Cannonballs often hit there, the soldiers were ordered to sit down, but the officers walked. A cannonball falls next to Andrey, but he does not lie down and is mortally wounded by a fragment from this cannonball. He is taken to Moscow, the prince takes stock of his life. He understands that relationships should be built on love.
In Mytishchi, Natasha comes to him and asks for forgiveness. Andrei understands that he loves her and he spends the last days of his life with Natasha. Right now he understands what happiness is and what, in fact, is his meaning in life.
>Characteristics of heroes War and Peace
Characteristics of the hero Andrei Bolkonsky
Andrei Bolkonsky is one of the main characters in Leo Tolstoy's work, War and Peace. He was the son of Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky, their family belonged to a very rich, noble and respected family. Andrey received an excellent education and upbringing. Bolkonsky had such qualities as pride, courage, decency and honesty.
At the beginning of the novel, Andrei is dissatisfied with the emptiness of society, and therefore goes to military service in the active army. In war, he shows courage and bravery; his soldiers characterize him as a strong, courageous and demanding officer. He puts honor, duty and justice first. During the Battle of Austerlitz, Andrei accomplishes a feat: he rouses the soldiers to attack and runs ahead of everyone with a banner in his hands. But when he falls seriously wounded, he reassesses all his values. After all, during the war, Andrei thought that his destiny was to serve the sovereign and perform a heroic act, and after being wounded he realized that he would rather live a quiet, family life.
Andrei considers himself unhappy in his marriage to Lisa, but after her death he realizes that she was dear to him and begins to raise his son. Having lived on the estate for two years, he travels on business and on the way stops by to visit the Rostovs. Hearing how Natasha admires an ordinary moonlit night, she understands that life is beautiful and that love exists. He proposes to Natasha, but under the influence of his father, he postpones the wedding for one year. After Natasha cheated on him with Kuragin, in order to forget and find Anatole, he leaves again for the war, where he does not want to serve at the headquarters, but wants to participate in the battle.
The Battle of Borodino becomes his last battle, he is mortally wounded and leaves Moscow in the Rostov convoy. Seeing Natasha again, Andrei forgives her and understands the true meaning of the power of love, but his happiness next to his beloved does not last long and he dies.
