There are two very similar concepts - morality and ethics. Morality is following certain rules that exist in society, and morality is the basis of morality. For many people, the understanding of the correctness of their actions and thoughts is based on kindness, spirituality, honesty, respect for themselves and others; these are the very concepts of morality on which the morality of society is based. Throughout the narrative, as life circumstances change, the moral quest of Andrei Bolkonsky in the novel “War and Peace” reflects his views on the world and events around him at a given, specific moment in time.

But under any circumstances, Andrei Bolkonsky retains his main core of life - he always remains an honest and decent person. For him, the main principles always remain, which are based on respect for people who are worthy, from his point of view.

Changing views on the life of Andrei Bolkonsky

At the beginning of the novel, Prince Andrei suffers from the life he lives; it seems to him that everything that surrounds him is deceitful and false through and through. He is eager to go to war, dreams of exploits, of his Toulon. About glory and love of people. But here he feels sick and disgusted. “Drawing rooms, gossip, balls, vanity, insignificance - this is a vicious circle from which I cannot escape,” says Bolkonsky to Pierre, answering the question why he goes to war.

The fact that his young wife is expecting a child not only does not stop him, on the contrary, the princess irritates him with her coquetry, her usual drawing room chatter. “Of all the faces that bored him, the face of his pretty wife seemed to bore him the most,” Tolstoy writes about Bolkonsky at the beginning of the novel.

The path of Andrei Bolkonsky’s spiritual quest begins with the thought that real life is in war, the main thing in this world is not the quiet comfort of family, but military exploits in the name of glory, for the sake of human love, for the sake of the Fatherland.

Once in the war, he happily serves as Kutuzov’s adjutant. “In the expression of his face, in his movements, in his gait, the former pretense, fatigue and laziness were almost not noticeable; he had the appearance of a man who does not have time to think about the impression he makes on others, and is busy doing something pleasant and interesting. His face expressed more satisfaction with himself and those around him; his smile and gaze were more cheerful and attractive.”

Bolkonsky, before the decisive battle, reflects on the future: “Yes, it’s very possible that they will kill you tomorrow,” he thought. And suddenly, at this thought of death, a whole series of memories, the most distant and most intimate, arose in his imagination; he remembered last goodbye with father and wife; he remembered the first times of his love for her; remembered her pregnancy, and he felt sorry for both her and himself... “Yes, tomorrow, tomorrow!

He thought. - Tomorrow, perhaps, everything will be over for me, all these memories will no longer exist, all these memories will no longer have any meaning for me. Tomorrow, maybe - even probably tomorrow, I have a presentiment of it, for the first time I will finally have to show everything that I can do.”

He strives for fame, for fame: “... I want fame, I want to be famous people, I want to be loved by them, then it’s not my fault that I want this, that I want this alone, for this alone I live. Yes, for this alone! I'll never tell anyone this, but oh my God! What should I do if I love nothing but glory, human love? Death, wounds, loss of family, nothing scares me. And no matter how dear or dear many people are to me - my father, sister, wife - the most dear people to me - but, no matter how scary and unnatural it seems, I will give them all now for a moment of glory, triumph over people, for love people whom I don’t know and won’t know, for the love of these people.”

As if in mockery, in response to lofty reasoning about what at the moment seems to Andrei the most important thing in life, Tolstoy immediately inserts a stupid joke from the soldiers, who are not at all interested in the prince’s lofty thoughts:
“Titus, what about Titus?”
“Well,” answered the old man.
“Tit, go thresh,” said the joker.
“Ugh, to hell with them,” a voice rang out, covered by the laughter of the orderlies and servants.”

But even this does not knock Bolkonsky out of his heroic mood: “And yet I love and treasure only the triumph over all of them, I treasure this mysterious power and glory that floats above me in this fog!” - he thinks.

Bolkonsky dreams of exploits, and, unlike Nikolai Rostov, does not flee from the battlefield; on the contrary, the prince rouses the retreating troops to attack. And he gets seriously injured.

This is where the first turning point occurs in Bolkonsky’s consciousness, suddenly what seemed absolutely right becomes completely unnecessary and even superfluous in his life. Lying wounded under the sky of Austerlitz, Prince Andrei clearly realizes that the main thing is not to die heroically in the war, in order to earn the love of complete strangers who don’t even care about you at all! “How come I haven’t seen this high sky before? And how happy I am that I finally recognized him. Yes! everything is empty, everything is deception, except this endless sky. There is nothing, nothing, except him. But even that is not there, there is nothing but silence, calm. And thank God!.."

Even at that moment when Napoleon, his hero, approached him... 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. He didn’t care at all at that moment, no matter who stood above him, no matter what they said about him; he was glad... that these people would help him and return him to life, which seemed so beautiful to him, because he understood it so differently now.”

And now Napoleon, with his ambitious plans, seems to the prince to be an insignificant creature who does not understand the true meaning of life. “At that moment all the interests that occupied Napoleon seemed so insignificant to him, his hero himself seemed so petty to him, with this petty vanity and joy of victory, in comparison with that high, fair and kind sky that he saw and understood... Looking into the eyes To Napoleon, Prince Andrei thought about the insignificance of greatness, about the insignificance of life, the meaning of which no one could understand, and about the even greater insignificance of death, the meaning of which no one living could understand and explain.”

In delirium, without realizing it, Bolkonsky dreams about his family, about his father, sister, and even his wife and a small child who should soon be born - it was these “dreams ... that formed the main basis of his feverish ideas.” “A quiet life and calm family happiness in Bald Mountains...” suddenly became the main thing for him.

And when he returned to the family estate, having managed to catch his wife in the last minutes of her life, “... something came off in his soul that he was guilty of a fault that he could not correct or forget.” The birth of a son, the death of his wife, all the events that happened to Prince Andrei during the war changed his attitude towards life. Bolkonsky even decided to never serve in the army again; the main thing for him now is caring for his little son, who needs him. “Yes, this is the only thing left for me now,” the prince thinks.

The moral quest of Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov

Everything about the stormy public life, which is led by his father, what is happening in the army seems boring and uninteresting, all this only irritates Bolkonsky. Even the fact that while reading a letter from Bilibin, Prince Andrei suddenly awakens interest in what was written, even this interest angers him, because he does not want to take part in this alien, “over there” life.

Pierre's arrival, conversations and debates about what is better: to do good to people, as Bezukhov claims, or not to do evil, as Bolkonsky believes, these events seem to awaken the prince from sleep. This philosophical dispute reflects the moral quest of Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov in a difficult period of life for both of them.

They are both, each in their own way, right. Each of them is looking for their place in life, and each wants to understand for himself how to live in accordance with the concepts of honor and dignity. This dispute becomes another turning point in the life of Prince Andrei. Unexpectedly for him, “the meeting with Pierre was... the era from which, although in appearance it was the same, but in the inner world his new life began.”

During this period of his life, Bolkonsky compares himself to an old gnarled oak tree that does not want to obey spring and bloom, “Spring, and love, and happiness!” - as if this oak tree was saying, “and how can you not get tired of the same stupid and senseless deception. Everything is the same, and everything is a deception!

Looking at this tree, Prince Andrei convinces himself “that he didn’t need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything.”

But the whole point is that he has to convince himself of this, in the depths of his soul, not yet fully realizing, he is ready for new metamorphoses. To the point that it will turn his soul upside down and stir up in it the dormant expectation of joy and love.

Just at this moment he meets Natasha Rostova, falls in love with her and suddenly discovers that in fact he can be happy and can love, and even the old oak tree confirms his thoughts: “The old oak tree, completely transformed, spreading out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, thrilled, slightly swaying in the rays of the evening sun. No gnarled fingers, no sores, no old mistrust and grief - nothing was visible.”

Everything that was good in his life comes to his mind, and these thoughts lead him to the conclusion that in fact: “life is not over at 31.” Love, not yet fully realized, finally returns Bolkonsky to activity.

But in life everything always changes, and Prince Andrei’s relationship with Natasha will also change. Her fatal mistake will lead to a break with Bolkonsky and to the fact that he will again lose faith in life.

Not wanting to understand and forgive Natasha, the prince will go to war, and there, having come under fire and already mortally wounded, Bolkonsky will nevertheless come to the understanding that the main thing in life is love and forgiveness.

Conclusion

So what is morality in the understanding of Prince Bolkonsky in the novel “War and Peace”? This is honor and dignity, this is love for family, for women, for people.

But, often, in order to realize and reach the final verdict for himself, a person goes through serious tests. Through these trials, thoughtful people develop and grow spiritually and morally. In an essay on the topic “ Moral quest Andrei Bolkonsky” I wanted to show that for Prince Andrei the concept of morality is the basis of life, the very core on which his inner world rests.

Work test

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy loves the people he describes in various works, not for any special merits, but truly for their inner consciousness and perception of the world, for their moral qualities and foundations. So, to one of the most important attributes inner world Lev Nikolaevich attributes a person's constant desire for self-improvement. Everything would seem simple, but the author is not content with just the pursuit of moral ideals - he is interested in the path chosen to achieve this goal.

Worldwide famous novel L.N. Tolstoy's "War and Peace" is a very problematic work that highlights the difficulties of the social, political and family spheres of life. Among this, the writer identifies the basis - the search for the meaning of life and simple human well-being. In the novel “War and Peace” there are two overlapping characters - Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky, who are self-improving individuals, and whom Tolstoy closely observes, noting their ups and downs.

Pierre Bezukhov in the novel initially leads a reckless social life idle reveler. Pierre is so subject to someone else's will that he allows himself to be robbed to the skin and married to Helen Kuragina, who almost ruined Pierre's life by entangling him in a web of lies and falsehood.

The duel with Dolokhov leaves a deep moral shock and arouses hatred of secular pathos and pretense. This condition pushes Pierre to join the ranks of Freemasonry. But, after a while, he becomes disappointed in this too.

After a mental crisis, Pierre is again filled with patriotism and participates in the War of 1812. The turning point in Bezukhov’s quest was a visit to the Battle of Borodino, and the meeting with Platon Karataev, a soldier who does not complain about anything, is kind to those around him and meek, brings something new to Pierre Bezukhov’s worldview towards the common people. The final destination of Bezukhov’s quest becomes the camp of the Decembrists, where he finds himself.

Glory is what young Bolkonsky dreams of, and only for this he goes to the army. However, these youthful thoughts about dignity, valor, glory and other sublime things quickly evaporate when he visits the Field of Austerlitz. Lying on the ground and bleeding, Bolkonsky understands that fame is not the final goal of existence. This disappointment is followed by another: his idol - Napoleon - “falls” in Bolkonsky’s eyes and appears to him as a petty little man.

After these incidents, Bolkonsky decides to devote his life to a child left without a mother. Andrey, being in a depressed state, will retire to his estate. However, this is tantamount to a small death for him, so Andrei again throws himself into the cycle of life.

Arriving in St. Petersburg, he works with Speransky, but not for long. The War of 1812 caused fundamental changes in the hero's life. He takes part in the battle and feels like a necessary person here. He becomes close to the people and knows that the fate of the Motherland depends on him.

A. Bolkonsky completed his spiritual quest before his death, when he stopped being afraid of it and realized that life was given for love of one’s neighbor.

Both of these heroes strived for moral self-improvement, both started from scratch, and both reached a truth that is as old as the world: “You have to live, you have to love, you have to believe.”


Leo Tolstoy as great writer, sought to show his heroes in dynamics - they grew, developed spiritually, endured various trials and therefore changed their outlook on life. The same can be said about Andrei Bolkonsky, one of the main characters in the epic novel “War and Peace.” Spiritual quest is the main theme of his character's development. We can say that all his life he was looking for meaning, a purpose for his existence, and his fate can be divided into two parts: before the Austerlitz sky and after. At the beginning of his life's journey, Bolkonsky was still inexperienced and therefore saw him in earthly glory on the battlefield, but after several wars, he realized that there was something more than the petty interests of people. But the inability to comprehend this higher meaning morally tormented young man, he lost his taste for life, and only the love of Natasha Rostova was able to return him to it.

But it did not last forever; Bolkonsky again lost his spiritual reference point. And at the end of his short but brilliant life, on his deathbed, Prince Andrei, according to Tolstoy, finally saw a new, unearthly facet of existence, and the highest meaning that he had been looking for for so long was revealed to him.

Andrei Bolkonsky, apparently due to the influence of his father, one of the last “Catherine’s eagles,” dreamed of finding his destiny in the war and performing a feat of incredible courage that would make his name. He worked diligently at the General Staff and was an adjutant to Kutuzov himself. But in the war of 1805-1807, during the Battle of Austerlitz, Prince Andrei was wounded in the head and lay for several hours in a semi-conscious state under the beautiful Austrian sky, and it was then that he realized that all this fleeting glory, which he had put as life goal, nothing compared to the very opportunity to live. Having met face to face with his former idol Napoleon, the young man no longer experiences the same joy. On the contrary, everything that was previously dear to him, that is now dear to Napoleon, all this became alien to Andrey. He is painfully aware of how deeply he was mistaken in seeking to satisfy the ambitions of his youth in fame. It is after these events that the hero’s spiritual rebirth begins.

Between the war of 1805-1807 and Patriotic War 1812 Andrei tried himself in various activities, trying to find his place in the changing Russian world. He, as a nobleman, was involved in managing his estate, and with all responsibility. Then Bolkonsky entered the public service and became the first ally of the reformer Speransky. But Andrei was disappointed in this matter too; after a while it began to seem ridiculous and meaningless to him. Returning to the village, the morally suffocating Bolkonsky goes to visit his neighbor, the landowner Rostov, on the way to whom the famous scene of his first meeting with an old oak tree occurs. The oak tree looks completely dead, and it seems that nothing can save it. Andrei takes this as a sign that his life is over. But at the Rostovs he meets Natasha Rostova, a lively, active, cheerful girl, and love lifts these two people to a new spiritual height. The hero chooses a new goal of his existence - family happiness, which he had previously refused due to his unsuccessful marriage with the unfortunate Lisa.

But due to her youth, Natasha is cheating on Andrei with Anatoly, and Bolkonsky no longer cares at all whether he lives or dies. That is why he goes to the war of 1812, where before the Battle of Borodino he has a significant conversation with Pierre about the pointlessness of wars. He says that he has tasted too much of the tree of knowledge, and therefore his time will soon come. And he was right. On the Borodino field he is mortally wounded, and in the hospital tent, when Anatoly Kuragin, with whom the prince wanted to fight a duel, has his leg cut off, Andrei experiences a completely new and unprecedented feeling that ordinary life inaccessible to people - he loved him with all his soul, like Jesus Christ and forgave him for everything. From the emotions he experiences, Andrei cries like a child. Later, he struggles with a painful illness, and unexpectedly, when his loved ones believed that Bolkonsky was on the mend, Andrei seemed to renounce further earthly existence, and before his death a new meaning was revealed to him, the same one that he felt, but could not understand when peered into the sky over Austerlitz. The hero dies without regret and without suffering, because he fulfilled everything he could in life and renounced all this for the sake of a new plane of existence.

As a result, the spiritual quest of Andrei Bolkonsky is main theme for the character himself and one of the main ones for the entire epic novel. Prince Andrei is going through serious life trials that divide his fate into before and after. At the beginning, he saw meaning in earthly glory, but by the end of the story he comes to the conclusion that all this is nothing compared to the new existence next to God, which opens to man after death.

Spiritual quest of Andrei Bolkonsky

The heroes of the book “War and Peace” can be divided into three categories: “ dead lives”, static characters who consider the external salon manifestations of life to be its essence; heroes who “feel” life, who have the ability to feel the “fullness of life” so much that they do not see the need for reflection and analysis; and heroes seeking the truth, who are closest and most interesting to Tolstoy. Such heroes include Prince. Andrey. The starting point of the complex spiritual and philosophical quest of A.B. his psychological contradictions with the St. Petersburg salon society become apparent.

The beginning of the war and the appointment of Kutuzov to the post of adjutant fascinated him with the possibility of realizing his dream of a personal feat that would glorify him. An example of such a feat for A.B. was the capture of Toulon by Napoleon. The penetration of Napoleonic ideas is revealed in the first words of the book. Andrei getting into an argument with the Viscount at Anna Pavlovna's party. Then, having already become an adjutant, he persistently conjures up that situation - the decisive moment of the battle, his Toulon or Arcole Bridge, where he can prove himself. The night before the Battle of Austerlitz, this thought captures him so much that he seems ready to abandon his family, the people dearest to him, “for a moment of glory, triumph over people, for the love of people” whom he does not even know. Ambition forces him to inspect the terrain and positions before the battle, and draw up his own disposition plan. The desire to be in difficult places of military operations is caused by the thought that “it is he who is destined to lead the Russian army in Austria out of a hopeless situation.” The thought of glory is inseparable from the thought of triumph over people. This manifests itself in the desire to take the greatest part in the lives of other people. It is visible, say, in the “special revival of the book. Andrei, when he had to guide the young man and help him in secular success.”

The desire to be a benefactor in the lives of other people bears the features of that non-Napoleonic greatness “in the hospital in Jaffa, where he gives his hand to the plague.” Meeting of the book Andrei with captain Tushin and chief. Bagration is preparing a turning point in his ambitious plans. His ideas about heroism and glory collide with the heroism that he sees in the actions of Tushin’s battery, i.e. unconceited, caused by the consciousness of his military duty. At that time, disappointment in Toulon or the Arcole Bridge had not yet set in. Book It only seemed to Andrei that “all this was so strange, so unlike what he had hoped for,” the egoism of his glory is revealed to him on the Field of Austerlitz after being wounded.”

The sight of a high sky, not clear, but still immeasurably high, with clouds quietly creeping across it” gives rise to the realization that “everything is empty, everything is a deception, except this endless sky,” silence and tranquility. That same evening, having seen his idol, Bolkonsky “thought about the insignificance of life, the meaning of which no one could understand, and the even greater insignificance of death, the meaning of which no one living could understand and explain.” This “strict and majestic structure of thought,” raised by the “high, just and kind sky,” was that stage of Andrei’s spiritual quest, which revealed to him the insignificance of the interests that occupied Napoleon, the pettiness of his hero, with his petty vanity and the joy of victory.” And his own thoughts, which had occupied him until now, in comparison with the revealed truth, had to appear. Returning from captivity, Andrei had to experience a feeling of guilt towards his wife and responsibility for her death. When he went to war, his wife “tied” him (he was convinced that freedom from marriage was one of the conditions for achieving his goal), but disappointment in Napoleon also led to a feeling of guilt. After Auster. campaign book Andrey firmly decided to quit military service, convincing himself that he is no longer interested in her. He settled in Bogucharovo, limiting himself to worries about the estate and the child. This is precisely self-restraint, which is not internally characteristic of him.

After the book Andrei abandoned the “Napoleonic ideas” that “not almost, but completely” ruined his life; he, in his words, began to “live for himself alone.” In a dispute with Pierre, who, on the contrary, is trying to “live for others” during this period, “do good” to the peasants, Andrei argues that the peasants do not need changes, their current state is natural for them and therefore happy. Living for oneself does not violate this naturalness and brings great benefit than Pierre’s “transformation” (or at least does no harm). Book Andrei, apparently, does not consider the reforms that he easily carried out on his estate to be directed activities “for others.” In a conversation with Pierre, he sharply expressed indifference to all external events of the world, but they continued to occupy him as before. The final revival of interest in life occurs after his trip to Otradnoye and meeting with Natasha Rostova. This next stage of Bolkonsky’s spiritual search is emphasized (marked) by the famous scenes of the meeting with a “huge, two-girth oak tree” on the edge of the road. His gloomy, motionless appearance evokes in the prince’s soul. Andrei “a whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts”: he seemed to have thought about his whole life again, decided that it was already over, “that there was no need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and not wanting anything.”

A forced trip to Otradnoye and a delay there, a meeting with a girl satisfied with “her own separate, probably stupid, but cheerful life,” Sonya’s accidentally overheard conversation with Natasha - all this caused “an unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes, contradicting all his life."

After the second meeting with the same oak tree, but already “transformed, spreading out like a tent of lush dark greenery,” Prince. Andrei suddenly finally, permanently decided that “life is not over at 31.” “My life must not be for me alone, but also for it to be reflected on everyone.” From the newly emerged desire to participate in people's lives, a thirst for active activity arises. In essence, these are the same Napoleonic ideas, only on a new level, presented differently. “It seemed clear to him that all his life experiences should have been in vain and be meaningless if he had not applied them to business and taken an active part in life again.”

“The Case” is now attracting the book. Andrew as a way to help people. “But he sees an indispensable condition for his activity in the fact that it is reflected on everyone.” Therefore, he is attracted to the sphere of state interests, the “higher spheres,” where “the future was being prepared, on which the fate of millions depended.” The new idol who replaced Napoleon was Speransky, “a mysterious person who seemed to him a genius.” In the figure of Speransky, he tried to look for the living ideal of perfection to which he strived. And I easily believed in him, seeing “a reasonable, strictly thinking, enormously intelligent man who, with energy and perseverance, achieved power and uses it only for the good of Russia.” However, along with the rise of Speransky, “a huge number of people” Prince. Andrei began to consider them “despicable and insignificant creatures.” “A passionate feeling of admiration, similar to the one he once felt for Bonaparte,” was, however, weakened by some of Speransky’s shortcomings, which “unpleasantly struck” the prince. Andrei is too much contempt for people and “a variety of methods in proving” his opinion. The passion for reforms, however, grew almost unconsciously, and Andrei was busy drafting laws. Disappointment in Speransky sets in after the evening where Prince. Andrey dances with Nat. Rostova. The new feeling of emerging love contrasts with Bolkonsky’s “administrative” hobbies. After the ball, he notices that the dinner at Speransky’s, to which he was invited, is not interesting to him. Seeing Speransky at home, laughing, he may have “found his weak, human sides,” which he had not previously noticed due to “a different upbringing and moral habits.” In addition, everything that previously seemed to Andrey “mysterious and attractive in Speransky” now “suddenly became clear and unattractive.” Imagining his Bogucharov peasants and trying to apply to them the “Rights of Individuals”, which he was developing, Bolkonsky was surprised “how he could do such idle work for so long.” Disappointment and another extreme in Bolkonsky’s worldview did not follow. Communication with Natasha gave him a feeling of belonging to a very special world, filled with some joys unknown to him. He felt the presence of this world in Natasha back in Otradnoye and now “found a new pleasure in it.” The hero's discovery of something new is the next stage of his search. Something new and happy happened in Bolkonsky’s soul when he heard Natasha singing. Although he did not yet realize that he was in love with Rostova, his whole life seemed to him in a new light. The future opened with all its joys; the desire to enjoy freedom, strength and youth reveals to him a new truth: “To be happy, you must believe in the possibility of happiness.” After the engagement to Natasha, Prince. Andrei makes the mistake of agreeing with his father to postpone the wedding for a year. Apparently, he was not completely able to understand the essence of Natasha Rostova. She attracted him with her fullness of life, but this was precisely what excluded rationalism and prudence in her in any of its manifestations. She could not obey the pre-prepared plan: wait a year, which would give her the opportunity to test her feelings before the wedding. For Natasha, for whom every moment was valuable, a year of waiting was an insult because of its emptiness, the cessation of life. But life is unstoppable, it requires movement. Natasha found him running away from home with Kuragin. For Andrei Bolkonsky, the third, most severe disappointment in life came. The only incentive and lively interest he experiences is revenge on Kuragin. He returns to military service again, but without vain thoughts. However, his philosophical searches do not end with the spiritual drama, but, on the contrary, intensify. The era of 1812 largely contributes to this. Book Andrei, from the “high spheres” to which he had previously strived, descends to the people and enters to serve in the regiment. He came to the wish that history is made in the regiment, with the people, and least of all depends on the orders of headquarters. “Tomorrow will really depend on us,” says Andrei to Pierre before the Battle of Borodino. Bolkonsky here gets the opportunity to actually participate in the commission of a major historical event, which means changing the destinies of many people. This is the fulfillment of his Napoleonic dream, but on a different level. The merging of personal life and aspirations with general ones, which becomes possible here, is an expression of the Kutuzov principle. Thus, the path of book A. from the Napoleonic ideal to Kutuzov's wisdom once again affirms Tolstoy's historical concept of swarm life and the decisive role of the people in events. Looking at a grenade that fell nearby and realizing the proximity of death, Bolkonsky thinks: “I can’t, I don’t want to die, I love life...” A heightened sense of love for life opens up to him an understanding of the love “that God preached on earth”: “ compassion, love for brothers, for those who love, love for those who hate us, which Prince Marya taught.” Thoughts of the book Andrey during his illness were more active, clearer, but acted outside his will. They could break off and be replaced by unexpected ideas. Now his entire past seemed like a building made of needles or splinters, erected and destroyed to the sounds of evenly “whispering” music. Having built this building, managing to keep it in mental balance, the book. Andrei understood the essence of “divine love”: “Loving with human love, you can move from love to hatred; but divine love cannot change. Nothing... can destroy her. She is the essence of the soul.” Words of the book Andrei’s words to Natasha (“I love you more, better than before”) imply that his former human love, united with the strength acquired, becomes “bigger” and “better.” But the next stage of Bolkonsky’s spiritual evolution consists in the opposition of divine and human love and Andrei, pondering the new beginning of eternal love that had been revealed to him, renounced earthly life: “To love everyone, to sacrifice oneself for love, meant not to love anyone, it meant not to live this earthly life.” The love for earthly life, temporarily awakened by the appearance of Natasha, is defeated in the fight against death. Bolkonsky’s state, which Natasha called “it has happened,” was a manifestation of the victory of death over life.

The destruction of the barrier between life and death simultaneously erected a barrier of misunderstanding by the living of the already “half-dead.” For the book For Andrei, the consciousness of alienation from everything earthly, the joyful and strange lightness of being, made it possible to understand and feel the nearness of death, which he had previously feared, but now he saw in it an “awakening” from life, the liberation of the strength previously bound in him.

Option 1 (Plan)

I. The desire for the highest truth is the goal of the spiritual quest of the main characters of the novel. The complexity and inconsistency of the character of Prince Andrei predetermine the difficulty life search the hero, the torment of his moral insight.

P. Spiritual quest of Andrei Bolkonsky:

1. Search for a true, worthy cause:

a) dissatisfaction with secular society;

6) disappointment in family life;

c) a dream of a feat, a desire for glory;

d) the desire to gain self-confidence in military service.

2. Participation in the War of 1805:

a) a sense of military duty, brought up by the father;

b) rejection of the laws of the world among military officers;

c) the desire to experience the fate of Napoleon on oneself;

d) meeting with a true hero (Tushin’s feat in the Battle of Shengraben returns Prince Andrei to reality);

e) the meaninglessness of Prince Andrei’s feat during the Battle of Austerlitz;

f) the sky of Austerlitz (renunciation of ambitious illusions, disappointment in one’s idol, understanding of life as something more than the desire for personal glory).

3. The death of his wife and the birth of his son will help Bolkonsky understand what he sacrificed for the sake of his own selfish aspirations.

4. Withdrawal into oneself, renunciation of active life.

5. A conversation with Pierre about goodness, justice and truth is a landmark moment in life's quest Prince Andrey.

6. Meeting with Natasha in Otradnoye(the desire to be reborn), the embodiment of the thoughts of Andrei Bolkonsky in the image of an oak tree - a symbol of “fading” and “rebirth”.

7. The desire to be useful in public service(awakened ambition), rapprochement and break with Speransky.

8. Love for Natasha, a sense of duty and responsibility to a loved one.

9. Destroying hopes for personal happiness(inability to understand and forgive a loved one, focus on oneself).

10. Participation in the War of 1812 is a decisive stage in Bolkonsky’s life:

a) return to the army, the desire to be useful to the Fatherland, merging with the fate of the people;

b) the death of his father and the loss of his home do not close Prince Andrei within himself;

c) the moral feat of Prince Andrei on the Borodin field - a feat of endurance and fortitude;

d) a mortal wound reveals to Bolkonsky the eternal truth - the need for love for people;

e) feeling of pity for Kuragin;

f) revival of love for Natasha;

g) the death of Prince Andrei.

III. The fate of Andrei Bolkonsky is the path “from Napoleon to Kutuzov”, the path of a man who makes mistakes and is able to atone for his guilt, the path of a man striving for moral perfection.

Option 2 (Plan, quotes)

The path of moral quest of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky

I. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in the light:

1) Dissatisfaction with life in the world (“... this life that I lead here, this life is not for me!”); book Andrei knows the price of light: lies, hypocrisy are its laws;

2) Bolkonsky is not satisfied family life(“But if you want to know the truth...(to Princess Marya’s sister) do you want to know if I’m happy? No. Is she happy? No. Why is this? I don’t know...");

3) Friendship with Pierre Bezukhov (“You are dear to me, especially because you are the only living person among our whole world”);

4) Dreams of military glory, of your Toulon.

II. The War of 1805 in the fate of the prince. Andrey:

1) The changed mood and attitude of the book. Andrei (“...changed a lot during this time... he had the appearance of a man... busy with something pleasant and interesting”);

2) Battle of Shengraben. Book Andrei dreams of glory: “... it occurred to him that he was precisely destined to lead the Russian army out of this situation, that here he was, that Toulon, who would lead him out of the ranks of unknown officers and open up the first path to glory for him!” The first doubts are that military glory- this is exactly what should be served: true heroes remain in the shadows;

3) Battle of Austerlitz:

a) dreams of glory on the eve of battle: “I want fame, I want to be known to people, I want to be loved by them”;

b) the feat of Bolkonsky;

c) the sky of Austerlitz - the collapse of Bolkonsky’s former dreams: the former aspirations for glory, for human Love are vanity and therefore insignificant. A person should look for something else in life. But what?

III. A period of spiritual crisis. Life for yourself.

Life in Bogucharovo (Bolkonsky’s world narrowed after the death of his wife and the birth of his son. Standing by his son’s crib, he thinks: “This is the only thing left for me now”);

2) the arrival of Pierre Bezukhov and the conversation with him on the ferry is a turning point in Prince Andrei’s mood and attitude: “The meeting with Pierre was for Prince Andrei the era... with which his new life began.”

3) “New life” book. Andrey after meeting with Pierre (successful attempts to alleviate the situation of his peasants).

IV. Meeting with Natasha Rostova and love to her - the final revival of the book. Andrey to life:

1) First meeting with Natasha in Otradnoye (two meetings with an oak tree - a reflection of Prince Andrei’s two moods).

2) Thirst for active work, in the Speransky commission: “No, at 31, life did not end...”.

3) Meeting with Natasha at the big court ball (1810) and the impression Natasha made on the prince. Andrei (he loved to meet everything that did not have a secular imprint).

4) Disappointment in Speransky and the service: under the influence of love for Natasha, Bolkonsky’s worldview changes;

5) The whole meaning, the whole life for the book. Andrey - in love with Natasha (“The whole world is divided for me into two halves: one is she and there is all happiness, hope, light; the other half is everything where she is not there, there is all despondency and emptiness”).

6) Postponement of the wedding (at the request of the old Prince Bolkonsky) and the departure of the prince. Andrey abroad. Book error. Andrey: I thought a lot about my love and little about how Natasha feels.

7) Final break with Natasha. (“I said that a fallen woman must be forgiven, but I didn’t say that I could forgive. I can’t...”).

8) Prince Andrei is looking for a personal meeting with Anatole, because “having not given a new reason for the duel, Prince Andrei considered the challenge on his part to be compromising Countess Rostov.” Even offended, even humiliated, Prince Andrei cannot humiliate a woman.

V. The War of 1812 in the fate of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky.

1) Bolkonsky’s trip in search of Anatoly Kuragin, to St. Petersburg and to the Turkish army. His transfer to the Western Army to Barclay de Tolly.

2) A trip to Bald Mountains to see my father, a quarrel with him and departure to war.

3) Prince Andrei’s decision to serve not under the person of the sovereign, but in the army (“Forever lost himself in the court world, not asking to remain with the person of the sovereign, but asking permission to remain in the army”).

4) Andrei Bolkonsky on the eve of the Battle of Borodino; a meeting with Pierre and a conversation with him about the war, about the appointment of Kutuzov as commander-in-chief. Bolkonsky’s blood connection with the common people, with the soldiers (“He was completely devoted to the affairs of his regiment, he was caring about his people and officers and affectionate with them. In the regiment they called him OUR PRINCE, they were proud of him, they loved him”).

5) At the dressing station. Meeting with Anatoly Kuragin: there is no former hatred, “enthusiastic pity and love for this man filled his happy heart.” What is this? Or, as he himself thinks, that patient love for people was revealed to him. which his sister taught him!

6) Wounded prince. Andrey in the Rostov convoy. The prince's state of mind, his reconciliation with Natasha. The last moral struggle between life and death. (“That enthusiastic love for people, which he understood after being wounded, was replaced by indifference to them: to love everyone... meant not to love anyone, it meant not to live this earthly life”).

Option 3 (Plan, quotes)

The path of moral quest of Prince Andrei Bolkonsky

To live honestly, you have to rush, get confused, fight, make mistakes, start and quit... And calmness is spiritual meanness.

L.N. Tolstoy

Tolstoy's favorite heroes go through the most difficult moral quest, trying to find the truth, the truth of life, to find the real meaning of life and happiness.

We first meet Andrei Bolkonsky in the Scherer salon. Much in his behavior and appearance expresses deep disappointment in secular society, boredom from visiting living rooms, fatigue from empty and deceitful conversations. This is evidenced by his tired, bored look, the grimacing that spoiled his handsome face, the manner of squinting when looking at people. He contemptuously calls those gathered in the salon “stupid society.” Andrei is unhappy to realize that his wife Lisa cannot do without this idle circle of people. “Drawing rooms, gossip, balls, vanity, insignificance - this is a vicious circle from which I cannot escape.”

Only with his friend Pierre is he simple, natural, filled with friendly sympathy and heartfelt affection. Only to Pierre can he admit with all frankness and seriousness: “This life that I lead here, this life is not for me.” He has an irresistible thirst real life. His sharp, analytical mind is attracted to her; broad requests push him to great achievements. Their opportunity, according to Andrei, is opened up for him by the army and participation in military campaigns. Although he could easily stay in St. Petersburg and serve as an aide-de-camp here, he goes to where military operations are taking place. The battles of 1805 were a way out of the deadlock for Bolkonsky.

Army service becomes one of the important stages in the quest of Tolstoy's hero. Here he is sharply separated from the numerous seekers of a quick career and high awards who could be met at headquarters. He does not look for reasons for promotion and awards, unlike many staff officers.

Bolkonsky acutely feels his responsibility for the fate of Russia. The Ulm defeat of the Austrians and the appearance of the defeated General Mack gives rise to disturbing thoughts in his soul about what obstacles stand in the way of the Russian army.

Military service changes the prince. He has lost all pretense and fatigue, the grimace of boredom has disappeared from his face, and energy is felt in his gait and movements. According to Tolstoy, Andrei “had the appearance of a man who does not have time to think about the impression he makes on others and is busy with something pleasant and interesting. His face expressed great satisfaction with himself and those around him.” Prince Andrei insists that he be sent to where it is especially difficult - to Bagration’s detachment, of which only one tenth can return after the battle. Bolkonsky’s actions are highly appreciated by commander Kutuzov, who singled him out as one of his best officers.

Prince Andrei is unusually ambitious. Tolstoy's hero dreams of such a personal feat that would glorify him. He cherishes the thought of glory, similar to that which Napoleon received in the French city of Toulon, which would lead him out of the ranks of unknown officers. During the Battle of Shengraben, Bolkonsky boldly circles positions under enemy bullets. He alone dared to go to Tushin's battery and did not leave until the guns were removed. Here, in the Battle of Shengraben, Bolkonsky was lucky enough to witness the heroism and courage shown by the artillerymen of Captain Tushin. In addition, he himself discovered military endurance and courage here, and then one of all the officers stood up to defend the little captain. Shengraben, however, has not yet become Bolkonsky’s Toulon.

On the eve of the Battle of Austerlitz, Bolkonsky is completely in the grip of his dreams. He imagines how he “firmly and clearly speaks his opinion to Kutuzov, and Weyrother, and the emperors”, how everyone is amazed at “the fidelity of his ideas, but no one undertakes to fulfill it, and so he takes a regiment, a division... and alone wins” . Here, in the hero’s mind, a dispute between two internal voices begins.

Another inner voice objects to Prince Andrei, reminding him of death and suffering. But the first voice drowns out these unpleasant thoughts for him: “Death, wounds, loss of family, nothing scares me. And no matter how dear or dear many people are to me - my father, sister, wife - the people dearest to me - but, no matter how scary and unnatural it seems, I will give them all now for a moment of glory, triumph over people, for self-love of people I don’t know...”

In the Battle of Austerlitz, Prince Andrei’s ambitious dreams of his “Toulon” are shattered, barely having time to come true. Bolkonsky manages to prevent the panic that has engulfed the troops and raises the battalion to attack when, with the regimental banner in his hands, he rushes forward, calling on the soldiers to attack.

However, in this battle, Prince Andrei is seriously wounded, and life opens up to him in a completely different way. Bleeding on the Field of Austerlitz, Bolkonsky suddenly realizes how empty, petty and insignificant all his previous desires are. Dreams of glory, heroic deeds, the love of others, the genius of Napoleon - everything seems vain to him, far from the true meaning of life, “enclosed in the huge, endless sky” that he sees in front of him.

“How quiet, calm and solemn, not at all like how I ran,” thought Prince Andrei, “not like how we ran, shouted and fought; It’s not at all like how the Frenchman and the artilleryman pulled each other’s banners with embittered and frightened faces - not at all like how the clouds crawl across this high endless sky. How come I haven’t seen this high sky before? And how happy I am that I finally recognized him.” A kind of “revolution” occurs in the hero’s life, dramatically changing his fate.

Realizing the pettiness of his ambitious thoughts, Prince Andrey goes to privacy. He decides to no longer serve either in the army or in civilian service, in his soul there is a “cooling towards life”, in his thoughts - skepticism and unbelief, in his feelings - indifference and indifference. The disappointment in his ambitious plans was deep and difficult, because it was aggravated by personal misfortune - the death of his wife, before whom Prince Andrei felt guilty.

He isolates himself from life, takes care of only his household and his son in Bogucharovo, convincing himself that this is all that is left for him. He now intends to live only for himself, “without disturbing anyone, to live until death.”

But despite his attempts to escape from the worries of life, he is disturbed by reports of victories over Bonaparte at Preussisch-Eylau, since they were won precisely when he was not serving in the army; he is worried about Bilibin’s letter describing the campaign.

Tolstoy reveals pessimistic moods through the portrait of the hero. His gaze was “extinguished and dead”, devoid of a “joyful and cheerful shine”, “concentration and murder” were noticeable in it.

The socio-political views of Prince Andrei at this time had a pronounced noble-class character. Talking with Pierre, he expresses views that are sharply opposed to all his subsequent activities. The prince is skeptical about the need for innovation. He says this about the peasants: “If they are beaten, flogged and sent to Siberia, then I think that it is no worse for them. In Siberia he leads his same bestial life, and the scars on his body will heal, and he is as happy as he was before.” Medical assistance, according to Prince Andrei, also does not need to be provided to the peasants, it only brings them harm. During this period, Andrei Bolkonsky is only concerned about the moral peace of the nobles, and not the well-being of the people, therefore, in his opinion, serfdom must be abolished for the sake of “preserving human dignity, peace of conscience, purity” of the nobles, and not for the sake of the “backs and foreheads” of the peasants, “who, no matter how much you flog, no matter how much you beat, will all remain the same backs and foreheads.”

But Prince Andrei was not long in captivity of such views, which were so contrary to his honest and active nature.

His revival is shown by Tolstoy sequentially in a number of episodes (a meeting with Pierre, a description of Prince Andrei’s activities in the village, his perception of spring nature, a meeting with Natasha).

Bolkonsky proves to Pierre that he needs to live for himself, without thinking about global problems being. Pierre convinces his friend of the need for “life for everyone.” But such a life brought Prince Andrei only bitterness and disappointment: desiring achievement, glory and the love of those around him, he lost faith in himself, in the effectiveness and significance of any activity. “I know only two real misfortunes in life: remorse and illness. And happiness is only the absence of these two evils,” Bolkonsky says to Pierre.

Pierre believes that his friend’s mental crisis is a temporary state, that Prince Andrei’s momentary beliefs are far from the truth, which exists in the world regardless of all human misconceptions. “...There is truth and there is virtue; and man's highest happiness consists in striving to achieve them. We must live, we must love, we must believe... that we are not living just now on this piece of land, but that we have lived and will live forever...” he convinces Bolkonsky.

Pierre's words inspire Prince Andrei, and “something that has long fallen asleep, something better and joyful” awakens in his soul.

In the next two years, which the prince lived in the village, he carried out significant anti-serfdom reforms on his estates. On one estate he transferred three hundred peasants to free cultivators (this was the first experience in Russia), on others he replaced corvee with quitrent.. He organized medical care peasants and took care of their education. In Bogucharovo, the sexton taught literacy to peasant and courtyard children.

Prince Andrei's life in the village was filled with hard work. He closely followed all external events of the world, read a lot, and was much knowledgeable in the field of foreign and domestic policy. better than people who came to the village from St. Petersburg. In addition, he “was at that time engaged in a critical analysis of the last two unfortunate campaigns and drawing up a project to change our military regulations and regulations” (Vol. II, Part III, Chapter I).

The hero’s return to life” is also helped by his trip to Otradnoye. Here he meets Natasha Rostova and accidentally overhears her night conversation with Sonya. Natasha, by her very existence, her sincere love for the world, calls Bolkonsky to life. It was after the night conversation he heard that an “unexpected confusion of young thoughts and hopes” awakens in his soul; the renewed, transformed oak, reminiscent of old age, now evokes in the soul of Prince Andrei “a causeless spring feeling of joy,” a thirst for activity and love.

After a trip to Otradnoye, Prince Andrei regains the desire to “live with everyone,” his lost energy is revived, and his interest in social activities. He goes to St. Petersburg to take part in the reforms being carried out in Russia. His hero this time is Speransky. Having become a member of the commission for drawing up the military regulations, Prince Andrei experiences in St. Petersburg “a feeling similar to what he experienced on the eve of the battle, when he was tormented by restless curiosity and irresistibly drawn to higher spheres.” Speransky seems to him the ideal of a “completely reasonable and virtuous person”; he feels for him “the passionate feeling of admiration that he once felt for Bonaparte.”

However, while admiring Speransky’s extraordinary mentality, his energy and perseverance, Prince Andrei was at the same time unpleasantly struck by his cold, mirror-like gaze, which did not allow him to penetrate into his soul, and by the too great contempt for people that he noticed in this man.

At a home dinner with the Speranskys, Prince Andrei is completely disappointed in his idol. In a home environment, a person is most natural - to Bolkonsky, all gestures, poses, and speeches of Speransky seem artificial and feigned. The thin sound of Speransky's voice unpleasantly strikes Prince Andrei. And again the hero is visited by thoughts about the insignificance of what is happening, he remembers his troubles, searches, the formalism of the meetings, where “everything that concerned the essence of the matter was carefully and briefly discussed.” Having realized the futility of this work, the bureaucracy of officials, the isolation from reality, feeling that work cannot make him happier and better, and cannot be useful to society, Prince Andrei leaves public service.

In St. Petersburg, Bolkonsky meets Natasha Rostova again, and this chance meeting at the ball becomes fateful. “Prince Andrei, like all people who grew up in the world, loved to meet in the world that which did not have a common secular imprint on itself. And such was Natasha, with her surprise, joy, and timidity, and even mistakes in the French language.” In Natasha, he is unconsciously attracted to something that is not in himself - simplicity, fullness of life, acceptance of it, spontaneity of perception and enormous inner freedom. He feels in Natasha “the presence of a completely alien to him, special world, filled with some joys unknown to him...”

Bolkonsky himself was never internally free - he was constrained by social rules, moral standards, dogmas perceived by the soul, their idealistic demands for people and life. Therefore, love for Natasha is the strongest of all feelings experienced by the hero. This is his greatest impulse to life. However, Bolkonsky’s happiness was not destined to happen: Natasha unexpectedly became interested in Anatoly Kuragin and broke off her relationship with Prince Andrei.

And Bolkonsky again goes to military service. Now this service for him is salvation from personal misfortune, a desire to forget himself in the circle of new people and things. “Everything that connected his memory with the past repelled him, and therefore he tried in relation to this former world only not to be unfair and to fulfill his duty.” “Your road is the road of honor,” Kutuzov will tell him. A sense of duty does not allow him to remain indifferent to great, grandiose events. For Bolkonsky, the French invasion of Russia is exactly the same misfortune as the death of his father, as well as the break with Natasha. Prince Andrei sees his duty as defending his homeland. Arrived new stage in his life, which led to a rapprochement with the people.

A leading man of the era, a patriot, he condemns people who, wanting benefits only for themselves, “caught crosses, rubles and ranks.” All this “drone population” was concentrated in the main apartment and least of all thought about saving the Fatherland, so Prince Andrei went to serve in the regiment: “Prince Andrei lost himself forever in the court world, not asking to remain with the sovereign, but asking to serve in the army” ( vol.III, part I, chapter XI).

Together with his regiment, he walked from the western borders to the village of Borodino. At this time, his spiritual quests do not stop, which take on an increasingly pronounced democratic and patriotic character. Before the Battle of Borodino, he talks with Pierre, who arrived on the battlefield. Bolkonsky no longer believes in military genius and in the rational will of an individual. His faith now lies in the “people's feeling”, that “hidden warmth of patriotism” that unites all Russian soldiers and gives them confidence in victory. “Tomorrow, no matter what, we will win the battle!” - he says to Pierre.

In the battle, Prince Andrei is seriously wounded, after which he is operated on. Here the hero again feels the proximity of death, and only now there is a turning point in his worldview. After suffering, he feels “a bliss that he has not experienced for a long time.” His heart is filled with a previously unfamiliar feeling of Christian love. He feels pity and compassion when he sees the wounded Anatole lying next to him. “Compassion, love for brothers, for those who love us, who hate us, love for enemies - yes, the love that God preached on earth...” - all this is suddenly revealed to Prince Andrei.

However, universal, compassionate love begins to fight in the dying Bolkonsky with love for Natasha, when they meet in Mytishchi, with the love that binds him to life. And first love wins - with her, Prince Andrei “refuses” life and dies. Thus, Tolstoy in the novel contrasts life and Christian, all-forgiving love.

The whole life of Andrei Bolkonsky was imbued with the desire for an unattainable ideal. Such an ideal for him turns out to be forgiveness and compassion. Having acquired a new worldview, he overcomes the spiritual limitations of individualism and intolerance. He dies, having achieved harmony, if not with life, then at least with himself.

The spiritual quest of Prince Andrei was characteristic of the advanced nobility of the era of preparation for the Decembrist uprising. Subsequently, such quests led to the organization of secret societies in Russia, the activities of which ended with the uprising in December 1825.

And although Prince Andrei died before the organization of the first secret societies of the Decembrists, there is reason to assume that he would have been in their ranks.

When in 1820 Pierre became one of the organizers of secret societies and spoke with enthusiasm about their activities, Nikolenka (son of Prince Andrei) asked him:

“Uncle Pierre... you... no... If dad were alive... Would he agree with you?..

“I think so,” Pierre answered him. (Epilogue, part I, chapter XIV).

Option 4

Spiritual quest of Andrei Bolkonsky

The epic “War and Peace” grew out of Tolstoy’s idea to write the novel “Decemberists”. Tolstoy began to write his work, left it, returned to it again, until the Great French Revolution, the theme of which sounds from the first pages of the novel, and the Patriotic War of 1812 became the focus of his attention. The idea of ​​writing a book about the Decembrist was absorbed by a broader idea - Tolstoy began to write about a world shaken by war. This is how the epic novel turned out, where the feat of the Russian people in the War of 1812 is shown on a historical scale. At the same time, “War and Peace” is also a “family chronicle”, showing a noble society represented by several generations. And finally, it describes the life of a young nobleman, his views and spiritual formation. Tolstoy endowed Andrei Bolkonsky with many of the traits that, according to the author, a Decembrist should have.

The novel shows the whole life of Prince Andrei. Probably every person at one time in his life thinks about the questions: “Who am I? Why do I live? What am I living for? Tolstoy's hero tries to answer these and many other questions on the pages of the novel. The author has sympathy for the young Prince Bolkonsky. This is confirmed by the fact that Tolstoy endowed Prince Andrei with many of his views and beliefs. Therefore, Bolkonsky is, as it were, a conductor of the author’s own ideas.

We meet Andrei Bolkonsky in Anna Scherer's salon. Even then we see that this is an extraordinary person. Prince Andrei is handsome, he is impeccably and fashionably dressed. He is fluent French, which at that time was considered a sign of education and culture. He even pronounces the last name Kutuzov with emphasis on the last syllable, like a Frenchman. Prince Andrei is a secular man. In this sense, he is subject to all the influences of fashion, not only in clothing, but also in behavior and lifestyle. Tolstoy draws our attention to his slow, quiet, senile step and boredom in his gaze. On his face we read superiority and self-confidence. He considers those around him to be inferior to himself, and therefore inferior, hence the boredom. We soon realize that all this is superficial. Seeing Pierre in the salon, Prince Andrei is transformed. He is glad to see his old friend and does not hide it. The prince's smile becomes "unexpectedly kind and pleasant." Despite the fact that Pierre is younger than Andrey, they talk as equals, and the conversation brings pleasure to both. By the time we meet him, Andrei is already a fully formed personality, but he will still face many challenges in life. Prince Andrey will have to go through war, injury, love, slow dying, and all this time the prince will get to know himself, look for that “moment of truth” through which the truth of life will be revealed to him.

In the meantime, Andrei Bolkonsky is looking for fame. It is in pursuit of glory that he goes to the War of 1805. Andrey longs to become a hero. In his dreams, he sees how the army finds itself in a dangerous situation and he single-handedly saves it. The prince’s idol and the object of his worship is Napoleon. It must be said that many young people of that time were captivated by the personality of Napoleon. Andrey wants to be like him and tries to imitate him in everything. In such high spirits, young Bolkonsky goes to war. We see Prince Andrei at the Battle of Austerlitz. He runs ahead of the attacking soldiers with a banner in his hands, then falls, wounded. The first thing Andrei sees after the fall is the sky. A high, endless sky with clouds running across it. It calls, beckons, and fascinates with its grandeur so much that Prince Andrey is even surprised when he discovers it for the first time. “How come I haven’t seen this high sky before? And how happy I am that I finally recognized him,” thinks Andrey. But at this moment another truth is revealed to the prince. Everything that he strived for, for which he lived, now seems like a trifle, not worthy of attention. He is no longer interested in the political life to which he aspired, is not needed and military career, to which he recently wanted to devote himself entirely. His recent idol Napoleon seems small and insignificant. Prince Andrei begins to rethink life. His thoughts return to his home in Bald Mountains, where his father, wife, sisters and unborn child remained. The war turned out to be completely different from what Andrei imagined it to be. Intoxicated with a thirst for glory, he idealized military life. In fact, he had to face death and blood. The fierce battles and the embittered faces of the people showed him the real face of the war. All his dreams of military exploits now seem like child's play to him. Prince Andrei returns home. But another blow awaits him at home - the death of his wife. At one time, Prince Andrei lost some interest in her, and now he reads pain and reproach in her eyes. After the death of his wife, the prince withdraws into himself; even his little son does not bring him joy. In order to somehow occupy himself, he introduces innovations in his village. Pierre sees the spiritual state of Prince Bolkonsky, his depression and disappointment. “He was struck by the change that had occurred in Prince Andrei. The words were kind, there was a smile on his lips and face... but his gaze was dull, dead..." Pierre tries to bring Andrei back to life. True, from the moment they last meeting A lot of time passed and the friends became somewhat distant from each other. Nevertheless, the conversation in Bogucharovo made Bolkonsky think about Pierre’s words “... if there is a God and there is future life, that is, truth, is virtue; and the highest happiness of a person lies in striving to achieve them,” “one must live, one must love, one must believe.” Despite the fact that these statements seemed controversial to Prince Andrei at the time, he realizes that Pierre was right. From this moment Andrei's revival to life begins.

On the way to Otradnoye, Prince Bolkonsky sees a huge oak tree “with broken... branches and with broken bark overgrown with old sores,” which “stood like an old, angry and contemptuous monster between the smiling birch trees.” The oak is a symbol of Andrei's state of mind. This tree seems to say that there is neither spring nor happiness on earth, only deception remains. And Prince Andrei agrees with the oak tree: “... yes, he is right, this oak tree is right a thousand times... let others, young people, succumb to this deception again, but we know life - our life is over!”

In Otradnoye the prince saw Natasha. This little girl was full of happiness, energy, and cheerfulness. “And she doesn’t care about my existence!” - thought Prince Andrei. But he is already challenging fate. He understands that you can’t bury yourself alive in the village, you just need to be able to live, enjoy life the way Natasha does. And the symbolic oak tree, “all transformed, spreading out like a tent of lush, dark greenery, was thrilled, slightly swaying in the rays of the evening sun.” Natasha changed Andrei’s life in an instant, made him wake up from hibernation and believe in love again. Andrey says: “Not only... what is in me, it is necessary for everyone to know it... so that my life does not go on for me alone... so that it is reflected on everyone and so that they all live with me.”

But for now Bolkonsky leaves Natasha and leaves for St. Petersburg. There he meets the leading people of his time, participates in drawing up transformative projects, in a word, plunges into political life countries. He spends more time in St. Petersburg than he initially expected, and upon returning, Andrei finds out that Natasha has cheated on him, having become infatuated with Anatoly Kuragin. Bolkonsky loves Natasha, but he is too proud and arrogant to forgive her for her betrayal. Therefore, they are forced to part, each having an unhealed wound in their souls.

Prince Andrei meets Pierre again. Now just before the Battle of Borodino. Pierre feels that Andrei is not destined to live, and Andrei seems to understand this too. In the Battle of Borodino, Bolkonsky is again wounded. Now he is reaching for the ground. He envies grass and flowers, and not proud, domineering clouds. He himself now has nothing left of the pride that forced him to part with Natasha. For the first time, Prince Andrei thinks not about himself, but about others. It is now that the truth that Pierre told him about is revealed to him. He forgives Natasha. Moreover, he forgives Anatole too. Already on the verge of death, Andrei realizes that “a new happiness has been revealed to him, inalienable from a person... happiness that is outside of material forces, outside of material influences on a person, the happiness of one soul, the happiness of love! Every person can understand it, but only God could recognize and prescribe it.” Andrey meets Na-Tasha again. The minutes spent with her turn out to be the happiest for Andrei. Natasha brings him back to life once again. But, alas, he had very little time to live. “Prince Andrei died. But at the same moment as he died, Prince Andrei remembered that he was sleeping, and at the same moment as he died, he, making an effort on himself, woke up. From that moment “began for Prince Andrei, along with awakening from sleep, awakening from life.”

Thus, the novel shows two concepts about the happiness of Prince Andrei. At first, Andrei believes that one must live for oneself, that each person should live in his own way. There are two misfortunes in life: remorse and illness. And a person is happy only when these misfortunes are absent. And only at the end of his life Andrey realized true happiness - to live for others.