The image of Napoleon in “War and Peace”

The image of Napoleon in “War and Peace” is one of the genius artistic discoveries L.N. Tolstoy. In the novel, the French emperor acts at a time when he has transformed from a bourgeois revolutionary into a despot and conqueror. Tolstoy's diary entries during the period of work on War and Peace show that he followed a conscious intention - to tear away from Napoleon the aura of false greatness. Napoleon's idol is glory, greatness, that is, other people's opinion of him. It is natural that he strives to make a certain impression on people with his words and appearance. Hence his passion for pose and phrase. They are not so much qualities of Napoleon’s personality as obligatory attributes of his position as a “great” man. By acting, he abandons real, authentic life, “with its essential interests, health, illness, work, rest... with the interests of thought, science, poetry, music, love, friendship, hatred, passions.” The role that Napoleon plays in the world does not require highest qualities On the contrary, it is possible only for one who renounces the human in himself. “Not only does a good commander not need genius or any special qualities, but on the contrary, he needs the absence of the highest and best human qualities- love, poetry, tenderness, philosophical, inquisitive doubt. For Tolstoy, Napoleon is not great person, but an inferior, flawed person.

Napoleon is the “executioner of nations.” According to Tolstoy, evil is brought to people by an unhappy person who does not know the joys of true life. The writer wants to instill in his readers the idea that only a person who has lost the true idea of ​​himself and the world can justify all the cruelties and crimes of war. That's what Napoleon was. When he examines the field of the Borodino battle, a battlefield strewn with corpses, here for the first time, as Tolstoy writes, “a personal human feeling for a short moment took precedence over that artificial ghost of life that he had served for so long. He endured the suffering and death that he saw on the battlefield. The heaviness of his head and chest reminded him of the possibility of suffering and death for him.” But this feeling, writes Tolstoy, was brief, instantaneous. Napoleon has to hide the absence of living human feeling, imitate it. Having received a portrait of his son, a little boy, as a gift from his wife, “he approached the portrait and pretended to be thoughtfully tender. He felt that what he would say and do now was history. And it seemed to him that the best thing he could do now is that he, with his greatness... should show, in contrast to this greatness, the simplest fatherly tenderness.”

Napoleon is able to understand the experiences of other people (and for Tolstoy this is the same as not feeling like a human being). This makes Napoleon ready “...to perform that cruel, sad and difficult, inhuman role that was intended for him.” Meanwhile, according to Tolstoy, man and society are alive precisely by “personal human feeling.”

“Personal human feeling” saves Pierre Bezukhov when he, suspected of espionage, is brought in for questioning by Marshal Dove. Pierre, believing that he was sentenced to death, reflects: “Who finally executed, killed, took his life - Pierre, with all his memories, aspirations, hopes, thoughts? Who did this? And Pierre felt that it was no one. It was an order, a pattern of circumstances.” But if a human feeling appears in people who fulfill the requirements of this “order,” then it is hostile to the “order” and is saving for a person. This feeling saved Pierre. “Both of them at that moment vaguely had a presentiment of countless things and realized that they were both children of humanity, that they were brothers.”

When L.N. Tolstoy talks about the attitude of historians towards “great people”, and in particular towards Napoleon, he leaves the calm epic manner of narration and we hear the passionate voice of Tolstoy - the preacher. But at the same time, the author of “War and Peace” remains a consistent, strict and original thinker. It is not difficult to sneer at Tolstoy, who is recognized in his greatness historical figures. It is more difficult to understand the essence of his views and assessments and compare them. “And it will not occur to anyone,” Tolstoy declared, “that recognition of greatness, immeasurable by the measure of good and bad, is only recognition of one’s insignificance and immeasurable smallness.” Many reproached L.N. Tolstoy for his biased portrayal of Napoleon, but, as far as we know, no one has refuted his arguments. Tolstoy, as is typical for him, transfers the problem from an objective-abstract plane to a vital-personal one; he turns not only to the human mind, but to the whole person, to his dignity.

The author rightly believes that when a person evaluates a phenomenon, he also evaluates himself, necessarily giving himself one or another meaning. If a person recognizes as great something that is in no way commensurate with him, with his life, feelings, or even hostile to everything that he loves and values ​​​​in his personal life, then he recognizes his insignificance. To value something that despises and denies you means not to value yourself. L.N. Tolstoy disagrees with the idea that the course of history is determined by individuals. He considers this view “... not only incorrect and unreasonable, but also disgusting to the entire human being.” Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy addresses the whole “human being,” and not just the mind of his reader.

Many writers turn to historical figures in their work. The 19th century was full of various events in which prominent people took part. One of the leading leitmotifs for creating literary works became the image of Napoleon and Napoleonism. Some writers have romanticized this personality, endowing it with power, grandeur and love of freedom. Others saw in this figure selfishness, individualism, and a desire to dominate people.

The key image was Napoleon in the novel “War and Peace” by Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy. The writer in this epic dispelled the myth of Bonaparte's greatness. Tolstoy rejects the concept of the "great man" because it is associated with violence, evil, meanness, cowardice, lies and betrayal. Lev Nikolaevich believes that only a person who has found peace in his soul, who has found the path to peace, can know true life.

Bonaparte through the eyes of the novel's heroes

The role of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" can be judged from the first pages of the work. The heroes call him Buonaparte. For the first time they start talking about him in Anna Scherer's living room. Many ladies-in-waiting and close associates of the empress actively discuss political events in Europe. From the mouth of the owner of the salon come the words that Prussia declared Bonaparte invincible, and Europe cannot oppose anything to him.

All representatives of high society invited to the evening have different attitudes towards Napoleon. Some support him, others admire him, and others do not understand him. Tolstoy showed the image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" from different points of view. The writer depicted what kind of commander, emperor and person he was. Throughout the work, the characters express their opinions about Bonaparte. So, Nikolai Rostov called him a criminal. The naive young man hated the emperor and condemned all his actions. The young officer Boris Drubetskoy respects Napoleon and would like to see him. One of the representatives secular society, Count Rostopchin, compared Napoleon’s actions in Europe with those of pirates.

Vision of the great commander Andrei Bolkonsky

Andrei Bolkonsky's opinion about Bonaparte changed. At first he saw him as a great commander, a “great genius.” The prince believed that such a person was capable only of majestic deeds. Bolkonsky justifies many of the actions of the French emperor, but does not understand some. What finally dispelled the prince’s opinion about the greatness of Bonaparte? Battle of Austerlitz. Prince Bolkonsky is mortally wounded. He lay on the field, looked at the blue sky and thought about the meaning of life. At this time, his hero (Napoleon) rode up to him on horseback and said the words: “This is a wonderful death.” Bolkonsky recognized Bonaparte in him, but he was the most ordinary, small and insignificant person. Then, when they examined the prisoners, Andrei realized how insignificant the greatness was. He was completely disappointed in his former hero.

Views of Pierre Bezukhov

Being young and naive, Pierre Bezukhov zealously defended Napoleon's views. He saw in him a person who stood above the revolution. It seemed to Pierre that Napoleon gave citizens equality, freedom of speech and press. At first Bezukhov saw the French emperor great soul. Pierre took into account the murders of Bonaparte, but admitted that for the good of the empire this was permissible. The revolutionary actions of the French emperor seemed to him the feat of a great man. But Patriotic War 1812 showed Pierre the true face of his idol. He saw in him an insignificant, cruel, powerless emperor. Now he dreamed of killing Bonaparte, but believed that he did not deserve such a heroic fate.

Napoleon before the Battle of Austerlitz and Borodino

At the beginning of hostilities, Tolstoy shows the French emperor endowed with human traits. His face is filled with self-confidence and self-satisfaction. Napoleon is happy and looks like a "loving and successful boy." His portrait radiated "thoughtful tenderness."

With age, his face becomes colder, but still expresses well-deserved happiness. How do readers see him after the invasion of Russia? Before the Battle of Borodino he changed a lot. The appearance of the emperor was impossible to recognize: his face was yellow, swollen, his eyes were cloudy, his nose was red.

Description of the emperor's appearance

Lev Nikolaevich, drawing the image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace", very often resorts to his description. First he shows him among the marshals on a gray mare and in a gray overcoat. At that time, not a single muscle moved on his face, nothing betrayed his nervousness and worries. At first Bonaparte was thin, but by 1812 he had gained a lot of weight. Tolstoy describes his round big belly, white leggings on fat short thighs, high boots. He is a pompous man with a white, plump neck who smells of cologne. Readers later see Napoleon as fat, small, broad-shouldered, and clumsy. Several times Tolstoy focuses on the short stature of the emperor. He also describes the ruler's small, plump hands. Napoleon's voice was sharp and clear. He pronounced every letter. The emperor walked decisively and firmly, taking quick steps.

Quotes from Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace"

Bonaparte spoke very eloquently, solemnly, and did not hold back his irritability. He was sure that everyone admired him. Comparing himself and Alexander I, he said: “War is my craft, and his business is to reign, and not to command troops...” The emperor talks about luck with the following phrase: “... fortune is a real minx...” He spoke about military actions compares it with ordinary things that need to be completed: "... the wine is uncorked, you need to drink it..." Discussing reality, the ruler said: "Our body is a machine for life." The commander often thought about the art of war. He considered the most important thing to be stronger than the enemy at a certain moment. The words belong to him: “It’s easy to make a mistake in the heat of fire.”

Napoleon's goals in the novel "War and Peace"

The French emperor was a very purposeful person. Bonaparte moved step by step towards his goal. At first, everyone was delighted that this man, from an ordinary lieutenant, became a great ruler. What was it that drove him? Napoleon had an ambitious desire to conquer the whole world. Being a power-hungry and grandiose nature, he was endowed with egoism and vanity. The inner world of this person is frightening and ugly. Wanting to dominate the world, he dissolves in vanity and loses himself. The Emperor has to live for show. Ambitious goals turned Bonaparte into a tyrant and conqueror.

Bonaparte's indifference, depicted by Tolstoy

Napoleon's personality in the novel "War and Peace" gradually degrades. His actions are the opposite of good and truth. The fate of other people does not interest him at all. Readers are struck by Napoleon's indifference in War and Peace. People turn out to be pawns in his game with power and authority. In reality, Bonaparte does not notice people. His face did not express a single emotion as he drove around the Field of Austerlitz after the battle, all strewn with corpses. Andrei Bolkonsky noticed that the misfortunes of others gave the emperor pleasure. The terrible picture of the Battle of Borodino evokes a slight joy in him. Taking for himself the slogan “Winners are not judged,” Napoleon steps over corpses to power and glory. This is shown very well in the novel.

Other traits of Napoleon

The French Emperor considers war his profession. He loves to fight. His attitude towards the soldiers is feigned and pompous. Tolstoy shows how important luxury is to this person. Bonaparte's magnificent palace was simply amazing. The writer portrays him as a pampered and spoiled ghoul. He loves to be admired.

The real appearance of Bonaparte becomes obvious after comparing him with Kutuzov. Both of them are exponents of the historical trends of the time. The wise Kutuzov was able to lead the people's liberation movement. Napoleon stood at the head of the war of conquest. Napoleonic army died. He himself became a nonentity in the eyes of many, losing the respect of even those who once admired him.

The role of personality in the historical movement in the image of Bonaparte

The characterization of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" is needed in order to show the real meaning of events. Unfortunately, the masses sometimes become tools in the hands of great personalities. Tolstoy in his epic tried to show his vision of who leads the historical process: accidents, leaders, people, higher intelligence? The writer does not consider Napoleon great because he lacks simplicity, truth and goodness.

Tolstoy's attitude towards the French emperor

Napoleon in War and Peace is depicted by Tolstoy as follows:

  1. A limited person. He is too confident in his military glory.
  2. Human-attributed genius. In battles, he did not spare his army.
  3. A cheater whose actions cannot be called great.
  4. An upstart and a personality without convictions.
  5. Bonaparte's stupid behavior after the capture of Moscow.
  6. Sneaky man.

What concept of Napoleon’s life did Lev Nikolaevich show? The French emperor denied the expediency of historical will. He takes individual interests as the basis for history, so he sees it as a chaotic clash of someone’s desires. Napoleon is overcome by the cult of personality; he does not believe in the inner wisdom of existence. To achieve his own goals, he uses intrigue and adventure. His military campaign in Russia is the establishment of adventure as a world law. In an attempt to impose his will on the world, he is powerless, and therefore fails.

Leo Tolstoy is amazed at the complacency, false chivalry, arrogance, false gallantry, irritability, imperiousness, theatricality, delusions of grandeur of the French ruler, who threatens to erase Prussia from the European map. Tolstoy really wanted to prove that all great rulers are evil toys in the hands of history. After all, Napoleon is a very good commander, why did he lose? The writer believes that he did not see the pain of other people, was not interested inner world others, had no mercy. With the image of Napoleon in the novel War and Peace, Tolstoy showed a morally mediocre man.

Lev Nikolaevich does not see a genius in Bonaparte, because there is more of a villain in him. Depicting the personality of Napoleon in the novel War and Peace, Tolstoy applied a humanistic moral principle. Power endowed the emperor with egocentrism, which developed in him to the extreme. Napoleon's victories were based on tactics and strategy, but he did not take into account the spirit of the Russian army. According to Tolstoy, the course of history is determined by the people.

Introduction

Historical figures have always been of particular interest in Russian literature. Some are the subject of separate works, others are key images in the plots of novels. The image of Napoleon in Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace” can also be considered as such. We meet the name of the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (Tolstoy wrote precisely Bonaparte, and many heroes called him only Buonoparte) already on the first pages of the novel, and part only in the epilogue.

Heroes of the novel about Napoleon

In the living room of Anna Scherer (maid of honor and close associate of the Empress), the political actions of Europe in relation to Russia are discussed with great interest. The owner of the salon herself says: “Prussia has already declared that Bonaparte is invincible and that all of Europe can do nothing against him...”. Representatives of secular society - Prince Vasily Kuragin, the emigrant Viscount Mortemar invited by Anna Scherer, Abbot Moriot, Pierre Bezukhov, Andrei Bolkonsky, Prince Ippolit Kuragin and other members of the evening were not unanimous in their attitude towards Napoleon. Some did not understand him, others admired him. In War and Peace, Tolstoy showed Napoleon from different sides. We see him as a general-strategist, as an emperor, as a person.

Andrey Bolkonsky

In a conversation with his father, the old Prince Bolkonsky, Andrei says: “... but Bonaparte is still a great commander!” He considered him a “genius” and “could not allow shame for his hero.” At an evening with Anna Pavlovna Sherer, Andrei supported Pierre Bezukhov in his judgments about Napoleon, but still retained his own opinion about him: “Napoleon as a great man on the Arcole Bridge, in the hospital in Jaffa, where he gives his hand to the plague, but... there are other actions which are difficult to justify." But after a while, lying on the Austerlitz field and looking into the blue sky, Andrei heard Napoleon’s words about him: “This is a beautiful death.” Bolkonsky understood: “... it was Napoleon - his hero, but at that moment Napoleon seemed to him such a small, insignificant person...” While examining the prisoners, Andrei thought “about the insignificance of greatness.” Disappointment in his hero came not only to Bolkonsky, but also to Pierre Bezukhov.

Pierre Bezukhov

Having just appeared in the world, young and naive Pierre zealously defended Napoleon from the attacks of the Viscount: “Napoleon is great because he rose above the revolution, suppressed its abuses, retaining everything good - the equality of citizens, and freedom of speech and the press - and only That’s why he acquired power.” Pierre recognized the “greatness of soul” of the French emperor. He did not defend the murders of the French emperor, but the calculation of his actions for the good of the empire, the willingness to take on such a responsible task - to start a revolution - this seemed to Bezukhov a real feat, the strength of a great man. But when he came face to face with his “idol,” Pierre saw all the insignificance of the emperor, cruelty and lawlessness. He cherished the idea of ​​killing Napoleon, but realized that he was not worth it, since he did not even deserve a heroic death.

Nikolay Rostov

This young man called Napoleon a criminal. He believed that all his actions were unlawful and, out of the naivety of his soul, he hated Bonaparte “as best he could.”

Boris Drubetskoy

A promising young officer, a protégé of Vasily Kuragin, spoke of Napoleon with respect: “I would like to see a great man!”

Count Rastopchin

A representative of secular society, a defender of the Russian army, said about Bonaparte: “Napoleon treats Europe like a pirate on a conquered ship.”

Characteristics of Napoleon

The ambiguous characterization of Napoleon in Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" is presented to the reader. On the one hand, he is a great commander, a ruler, on the other, an “insignificant Frenchman,” a “servile emperor.” External features bring Napoleon down to earth, he is not as tall, not as handsome, he is fat and unpleasant as we would like to see him. It was “a plump, short figure with broad, thick shoulders and an involuntarily protruding belly and chest.” Descriptions of Napoleon are present in different parts of the novel. Here he is before the Battle of Austerlitz: “...his thin face did not move a single muscle; his shining eyes were motionlessly fixed on one place... He stood motionless... and on his cold face there was that special shade of self-confident, well-deserved happiness that happens on the face of a loving and happy boy.” By the way, this day was especially solemn for him, since it was the anniversary of his coronation. But we see him at a meeting with General Balashev, who arrived with a letter from Emperor Alexander: “...firm, decisive steps,” “round belly... fat thighs of short legs... White plump neck... On his youthful, full face... an expression of a gracious and majestic imperial greeting " The scene of Napoleon awarding the bravest Russian soldier with the order is also interesting. What did Napoleon want to show? Your greatness, the humiliation of the Russian army and the emperor himself, or admiration for the courage and steadfastness of the soldiers?

Portrait of Napoleon

Bonaparte valued himself very much: “God gave me the crown. Woe to anyone who touches her." These words were spoken by him during the coronation in Milan. Napoleon in War and Peace is an idol for some and an enemy for others. “The trembling of my left calf is a great sign,” Napoleon said about himself. He was proud of himself, he loved himself, he glorified his greatness over the whole world. Russia stood in his way. Having defeated Russia, it was not difficult for him to crush all of Europe under him. Napoleon behaved arrogantly. In the scene of a conversation with the Russian general Balashev, Bonaparte allowed himself to pull his ear, saying that it was a great honor to be pulled by the ear by the emperor. The description of Napoleon contains many words containing a negative connotation; Tolstoy characterizes the emperor’s speech especially vividly: “condescending”, “mockingly”, “viciously”, “angrily”, “dry”, etc. Bonaparte also speaks boldly about the Russian Emperor Alexander: “War is my craft, and his business is to reign, and not to command troops. Why did he take on such responsibility?”

The image of Napoleon in “War and Peace” revealed in this essay allows us to conclude: Bonaparte’s mistake was in overestimating his capabilities and excessive self-confidence. Wanting to become the ruler of the world, Napoleon could not defeat Russia. This defeat broke his spirit and confidence in his strength.

Work test

In the four-volume novel by L.N. Tolstoy depicts many people, both fictional heroes and real historical characters. Napoleon is one of them and one of the few who is present in the novel literally from the first and almost to the last page.

Moreover, for Tolstoy, Napoleon is not just a historical figure, a commander who marched troops against Russia and was defeated here. The writer is interested in him both as a person, endowed with his own human qualities, advantages and disadvantages, and as the embodiment of individualism, a person who is confident that he is above everyone and everything is allowed to him, and as a figure with whom the novelist connects the most complex moral issues.

The disclosure of this image is important both for the perception of the entire novel as a whole and a number of the main characters: Andrei Bolkonsky, Pierre Bezukhov, Kutuzov, Alexander I, and for understanding the philosophical views of the author himself. The image of Napoleon - not a great man and commander, but a conqueror and enslaver allowed Tolstoy to give in the novel his picture of the vision of the real forces of history and the role of outstanding personalities.

The novel contains a number of episodes that speak of Napoleon's undoubted military leadership experience and talent. Throughout the entire Aus-Terlitz campaign, he is shown as a commander who is well versed in the combat situation and who was not spared by military successes. He quickly understood both the tactical plan of Kutuzov, who proposed a truce near Gollabrun, and the unfortunate mistake of Murat, who agreed to begin peace negotiations. Before Austerlitz, Napoleon outwitted the Russian envoy Dolgorukov, instilling in him the false idea of ​​his fear of a general battle in order to lull the enemy’s vigilance and bring his troops as close to him as possible, which then ensured victory in the battle.

When describing the crossing of the French across the Neman, Tolstoy will mention that Napoleon was tired of applause when he devoted himself to military concerns. In the picture of the Battle of Borodino, which illustrates Tolstoy's philosophical thesis about the impossibility of the commander-in-chief keeping up with his orders with the rapidly changing situation during the battle, Napoleon reveals knowledge of the intricacies of the combat situation. He takes into account the vulnerability of the defense of the left wing of the Russian position. After Murat’s request for reinforcements, Napoleon thought: “Why are they asking for reinforcements when they have half the army in their hands, aimed at the weak, unfortified wing of the Russians.”

When describing the Battle of Borodino, Tolstoy twice talks about Napoleon’s many years of experience as a commander. It was experience that helped Napoleon understand the difficulty and results of the Battle of Borodino: “Napoleon, after his long experience of war, knew well what it meant for eight hours, after all the efforts made, for the attacker to not win a battle.” Elsewhere, the author again talks about the military erudition of the commander , who “with great tact and war experience calmly and joyfully performed his role...”.

And it is not surprising that in 1805, at the height of Napoleon’s rise and victories, twenty-year-old Pierre rushes to the defense of the French emperor, when in the Scherer salon he is called a usurper, antichrist, upstart, murderer and villain, and Andrei Bolkonsky speaks of the unsurpassed greatness of Napoleon.

But Tolstoy does not want to show in the novel the life of one person or a group of people, he strives to embody in it the thought of the people. Therefore, Napoleon is ridiculous in his belief that he controls the battles and the course of history; and Kutuzov’s strength lies in the fact that he relies on the spontaneously expressed popular will and takes into account the mood of the people.

And in general, in the first two volumes the writer prefers that the reader see Napoleon not through Tolstoy’s eyes, but through the eyes of the heroes of the novel. A triangular hat and a gray traveling frock coat, a bold and straight gait - this is how Prince Andrei and Pierre imagine him, this is how defeated Europe knew him. At first glance, Tolstoy’s story is also like this: “The troops knew about the presence of the emperor, searched for him with gases, and when they found a figure in a frock coat and hat separated from his retinue on the mountain in front of the tent, they threw their hats up and shouted: “Vivat! On the faces of these people there was one common expression of joy at the beginning of the long-awaited campaign and delight and devotion to the man in a gray frock coat standing on the mountain.”

Such is Tolstoy's Napoleon on the day when he ordered his troops to cross the Neman River, thereby starting a war with Russia. But soon it will become different, because for the writer this image is, first of all, the embodiment of war, and war is “an event contrary to human reason and human nature.”

In the third volume, Tolstoy no longer hides his hatred of Napoleon, he will give free rein to sarcasm, and will angrily mock the man whom thousands of people adored. Why does Tolstoy hate Napoleon so much?

“For him it was not a new conviction that his presence at all ends of the world, from Africa to the steppes of Muscovy, equally amazes and plunges people into the madness of self-forgetfulness... About forty lancers drowned in the river... Most washed back to this shore ... But as soon as they got out... they shouted: “Vivat!”, looking enthusiastically at the place where Napoleon stood, but where he was no longer there, and at that moment they considered themselves happy.”

Tolstoy does not like all this, moreover, it outrages him. Napoleon is indifferent when he sees people dying senselessly in the river out of sheer devotion to him. Napoleon admits the idea that he is almost a deity, that he can and must decide the destinies of other people, doom them to death, make them happy or unhappy... Tolstoy knows: such an understanding of power leads to crime, brings evil. Therefore, as a writer, he sets himself the task of debunking Napoleon, destroying the legend of his extraordinary nature.

For the first time we see Napoleon on the banks of the Neman. The second time is in the house where Alexander I lived four days ago. Napoleon receives the envoy of the Russian Tsar. Tolstoy describes Napoleon without the slightest distortion, but emphasizing the details: “He was in a blue uniform, open over a white vest that went down to his round stomach, in white leggings that hugged the fat thighs of his short legs, and in boots... His entire plump, short figure with broad, thick shoulders and an involuntarily protruding belly and chest, she had that representative, dignified appearance that forty-year-old people who live in the hall always have.”

Everything is true. And a round belly, and short legs, and thick shoulders. Tolstoy speaks several times about “the trembling of the calf in Napoleon’s left leg,” and again and again reminds him of his bulk and short figure. Tolstoy doesn’t want to see anything unusual. A man, like everyone else, has grown fat in due time; just a person who allowed himself to believe that he is not like other people. And from this follows another property that Tolstoy hated - unnaturalness.

In the portrait of Napoleon, who came out to meet the envoy of the Russian Tsar, his tendency to “do himself” is persistently emphasized: he had just combed his hair, but “one strand of hair went down over the middle of his broad forehead” - this was Napoleon’s hairstyle, known to the whole world, it was imitated, it is needed was to save. Even the fact that he smelled of cologne angers Tolstoy, because it means that Napoleon is very busy with himself and the impression he makes on others: “It was clear that for a long time for Napoleon there was no possibility of mistakes in his conviction and that in his concept, everything he did was good, not because it coincided with the idea of ​​what is good and bad, but because he did it.”

This is Tolstoy's Napoleon. Not majestic, but absurd in his conviction that history moves by his will, that all people should pray to him. Tolstoy showed how Napoleon was idolized, and how he himself always wanted to seem like a great man. All his gestures are designed to invite Special attention. He is constantly acting. He gives the signal to start the Battle of Austerlitz with a glove taken off his hand. In Tilsit, in front of the guard of honor, he tears off the glove from his hand and throws it on the ground, knowing that this will be noticed. And on the eve of the Battle of Borodino, receiving a courtier who had arrived from Paris, he performed a small performance in front of a portrait of his son. In a word, Tolstoy constantly shows in Napoleon an open desire for glory and how he constantly plays the role of a great man.

The image of Napoleon allows Tolstoy to pose the question: can greatness and glory be taken as an ideal of life? And the writer, as we see, gives a negative answer to it. As Tolstoy writes, “the exposed rulers of the world cannot oppose the Napoleonic ideal of glory and greatness, which has no meaning, with any reasonable ideal.” The denial of this selfish, artificial, illusory ideal is one of the main ways to debunk Napoleon himself in the novel War and Peace.

Therefore, Andrei Bolkonsky, on the eve of the Battle of Borodino, speaks of Napoleon’s lack of “the highest, best human qualities - love, poetry, tenderness, philosophical, inquisitive doubt.” According to Bolkonsky, he was “happy from the misfortune of others.”

Seven of the twenty chapters describing the Battle of Borodino are dedicated to Napoleon. Here he gets dressed, changes clothes, gives orders, goes around the position, listens to orderlies... For him, combat is the same game, but it is precisely this main game that he loses. And from this moment, Napoleon begins to experience a real “sense of horror in front of that enemy who, having lost half of his army, stood just as menacingly at the end as at the beginning of the battle.”

According to Tolstoy's theory, Napoleon the invader was powerless in the Russian war. To some extent this is true. But it is better to remember other words of the same Tolstoy that Napoleon simply turned out to be weaker than his opponent - “the strongest in spirit.” And such a view of Napoleon does not at all contradict either history or laws artistic perception personalities that the great writer followed.

An important place among characters novel by L.N. Tolstoy's War and Peace is occupied by Napoleon. Having appeared as an invader on Russian soil, he turns from an idol of many of his contemporaries into a negative character. The image first appears in the novel in the conversations of visitors to Anna Pavlovna Scherer’s salon, where they note that French society will soon be destroyed by intrigue and violence. Thus, from the first pages of the novel Napoleon is depicted in two planes: he is a brilliant commander and strong man, which deserves respect, but he is a despot and tyrant, dangerous not only for other nations, but above all for his own country.

Seeing the portrait of his son, Bonaparte portrays paternal tenderness in his gaze, but the reader understands that these feelings are feigned and not natural. Just like a subtle psychologist, Napoleon decided that the moment had come when it was most successful to portray tenderness. Tolstoy shows that Bonaparte himself is not so great and extraordinary as he wants to appear to be.

Napoleon sends soldiers into battle on behalf of the people, but the reader has a hard time believing the sincerity of his message. The French emperor is most interested in beautiful phrases with which he will go down in history. “This is a wonderful death,” Bonaparte exclaims pathetically, seeing Prince Andrei on the battlefield near Austerlitz. The winner's face shines with happiness and self-satisfaction. He benevolently orders his personal physician to examine the wounded, showing ostentatious humanism in the process. However, against the background of the high sky, Napoleon seems small and insignificant to Bolkonsky, since the emperor’s gaze is happy from the misfortune of others.

Tolstoy compares Napoleon with the Russian Tsar Alexander 1 and emphasizes that both of them are slaves of their vanity and personal ambitions. The author writes about Bonaparte: “He imagined that by his will there was a war with Russia, and the horror of what happened did not strike his soul.” Blinded by victories, the French emperor does not see and does not want to see the numerous victims of the war, which cripples people morally and physically. Even after conquering great Russia, he will remain a small man with an unpleasantly feigned smile. In the scene of the Borodino battle, everything surrounding nature as if he was resisting Napoleon’s aggressive plans: the sun blinded his eyes, the fog hid the enemy’s positions. The reports made by adjutants instantly become outdated and do not provide information about the real course of the battle, and marshals and generals make orders without asking for the highest command. Thus, the very course of events does not allow Napoleon to use his military skills. Having entered Moscow, Napoleon tries to restore order in it, but is unable to stop the robberies and restore discipline. Neither his appeal to the residents of Moscow, nor the messages of envoys to Kutuzov’s camp with proposals for concluding peace bring any results. Having entered the city as victors, the French troops are still forced to leave it and shamefully flee with the stolen goods, like insignificant thieves who stole some small change from a trading store. Napoleon himself gets into the sleigh and leaves, leaving his army without leadership. Thus, the tyrant-conqueror instantly turns from the ruler of the world into a pitiful, low and helpless creature. Thus comes retribution for the numerous bloody atrocities committed by this man who wanted to believe that he could make history. Numerous historians have tried to present the “departure of the great emperor from the brilliant army” as a wise strategic decision of the commander. Tolstoy writes about this fact in Bonaparte’s biography with caustic irony, emphasizing that it was a bad, weak-willed act, all the baseness and meanness of which cannot be covered up by any former greatness.

In the epilogue, Tolstoy emphasizes the accidental role of Napoleon in historical events. After defeat, he is portrayed as a pitiful and disgusting person, whom even his former allies hate.

The image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" (2nd version)

The image of Napoleon in “War and Peace” is one of the brilliant artistic discoveries of L. N. Tolstoy. In the novel, the French emperor acts at a time when he has transformed from a bourgeois revolutionary into a despot and conqueror. Tolstoy's diary entries during the period of work on War and Peace show that he followed a conscious intention - to tear away from Napoleon the aura of false greatness.

Napoleon's idol is glory, greatness, that is, other people's opinion of him. It is natural that he strives to make a certain impression on people with his words and appearance. Hence his passion for pose and phrase. They are not so much qualities of Napoleon’s personality as obligatory attributes of his position as a “great” man. By acting, he abandons real, authentic life, “with its essential interests, health, illness, work, rest... with the interests of thought, science, poetry, music, love, friendship, hatred, passions.”

The role that Napoleon plays in the world does not require the highest qualities; on the contrary, it is possible only for someone who renounces the human in himself. “Not only does a good commander not need genius or any special qualities, but on the contrary, he needs the absence of the highest and best human qualities - love, poetry, tenderness, philosophical, inquisitive doubt. For Tolstoy, Napoleon is not a great man, but an inferior, flawed person. Napoleon is the “executioner of nations.” According to Tolstoy, evil is brought to people by an unhappy person who does not know the joys of true life.

The writer wants to instill in his readers the idea that only a person who has lost the true idea of ​​himself and the world can justify all the cruelties and crimes of war. That's what Napoleon was. When he examines the field of the Borodino battle, a battlefield strewn with corpses, here for the first time, as Tolstoy writes, “a personal human feeling for a short moment took precedence over that artificial ghost of life that he had served for so long. He endured the suffering and death that he saw on the battlefield. The heaviness of his head and chest reminded him of the possibility of suffering and death for him.”

But this feeling, writes Tolstoy, was brief, instantaneous. Napoleon has to hide the absence of living human feeling, imitate it. Having received a portrait of his son, a little boy, as a gift from his wife, “he approached the portrait and pretended to be thoughtfully tender. He felt that what he would say and do now was history. And it seemed to him that the best thing he could do now is that he, with his greatness... should show, in contrast to this greatness, the simplest fatherly tenderness.”

Napoleon is able to understand the experiences of other people (and for Tolstoy this is the same as not feeling like a human being). This makes Napoleon ready “...to perform that cruel, sad and difficult, inhuman role that was intended for him.” Meanwhile, according to Tolstoy, man and society are alive precisely by “personal human feeling.” “Personal human feeling” saves Pierre Bezukhov when he, suspected of espionage, is brought in for questioning by Marshal Dove. Pierre, believing that he was sentenced to death, reflects: “Who finally executed, killed, took his life - Pierre, with all his memories, aspirations, hopes, thoughts?

The author rightly believes that when a person evaluates a phenomenon, he also evaluates himself, necessarily giving himself one or another meaning. If a person recognizes as great something that is in no way commensurate with him, with his life, feelings, or even hostile to everything that he loves and values ​​​​in his personal life, then he recognizes his insignificance. To value something that despises and denies you means not to value yourself.

L.N. Tolstoy does not agree with the idea that the course of history is determined by individuals. He considers this view “... not only incorrect and unreasonable, but also disgusting to the entire human being.”

The image of Napoleon in the novel "War and Peace" (3 version)

The epic novel War and Peace is replete with characters, both fictional and real. historical figures. An important place among them is occupied by the figure of Napoleon - it is no coincidence that his image is present from the first pages of the work to the epilogue.

Why did Tolstoy pay so much attention to Bonaparte? With this figure he connects the most important philosophical and moral issues, first of all, understanding the role of outstanding personalities in history.

The writer builds the image of the French emperor in two projections: Napoleon - the commander and Napoleon - the man.

Describing the Battle of Austerlitz and the Battle of Borodino, Tolstoy notes the unconditional experience, talent and military erudition of Napoleon the commander. But at the same time, he focuses much more attention on the socio-psychological portrait of the emperor.

In the first two volumes, Napoleon is shown through the eyes of the heroes - Pierre Bezukhov, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. The romantic aura of the hero excited the minds of his contemporaries. This is evidenced by the delight of the French troops who saw their idol, and by Pierre’s passionate speech in Anna Scherer’s salon in defense of Napoleon, “the great man who managed to rise above the revolution.”

Even when describing the appearance of the “great man,” the writer repeatedly repeats the definitions “small” and “fat thighs,” grounding the image of the emperor and emphasizing his ordinariness.

Tolstoy specifically shows the cynicism of Napoleon’s image and negative traits. Moreover, these are not so much the personal qualities of this person as their manner of behavior - “the position obliges.”

Bonaparte himself practically believed that he was a “superman”, deciding the destinies of other people. Everything he does “has a story,” even the trembling of his left calf. Hence the pomposity of manners and speech, a self-confident cold expression on his face, and constant posing. Napoleon is always concerned about how he looks in the eyes of others, whether he corresponds to the image of a hero. Even his gestures are designed to attract attention - he gives the signal for the beginning of the Battle of Austerlitz with a wave of his removed glove. All these character traits of a self-centered person - vanity, narcissism, arrogance, acting - are in no way combined with greatness.

In fact, Tolstoy shows Napoleon as a deeply flawed person, because he is morally poor, he does not know the joys of life, he does not have “love, poetry, tenderness.” The French emperor even imitates human feelings. Having received a portrait of his son from his wife, he “put on an appearance of thoughtful tenderness.” Tolstoy gives a derogatory description of Bonaparte, writing: “...never, until the end of his life, could he understand either goodness, beauty, truth, or the meaning of his actions, which were too opposite to goodness and truth...”.

Napoleon is deeply indifferent to the fate of other people: they are just pawns in a big game called “power and might,” and war is like the movement of chess pieces on a board. In life, he “looks past people” - both driving around the Austerlitz Field strewn with corpses after the battle, and indifferently turning away from the Polish lancers when crossing the Viliya River. Bolkonsky says about Napoleon that he was “happy from the misfortune of others.” Even seeing the terrible picture of the Borodino field after the battle, the Emperor of France “found reasons to rejoice.” Lost lives are the basis of Napoleon's happiness.

Violating all moral laws, professing the principle “Winners are not judged,” Napoleon literally walks over corpses to power, glory and power.

By the will of Napoleon, a “terrible thing” is happening - war. That is why Tolstoy denies greatness to Napoleon, following Pushkin, believing that “genius and villainy are incompatible.”