How does Tolstoy solve the question of the role of personality in history? ("War and Peace") and got the best answer
Answer from GALINA [guru]
Tolstoy had his own view of the role of personality
in history.
Each person has two lives: personal and spontaneous.
Tolstoy said that a person consciously lives
for oneself, but serves as an unconscious tool
to achieve universal human goals.
The role of personality in history is negligible.
Even the most ingenious person cannot
their desire to direct the movement of history.
It is created by the masses, the people, and not an individual,
exalted above the people.
But Tolstoy believed that he deserves the name of a genius
one of the people who is gifted with the ability to penetrate
in the course of historical events, comprehend their common
meaning.
The writer considers Kutuzov to be such people.
He is the exponent of the patriotic spirit
and the moral strength of the Russian army.
This is a talented commander.
Tolstoy emphasizes that Kutuzov is a national hero.
In the novel, he appears as a truly Russian person,
alien to pretense, wise historical figure.
Napoleon, who is opposed to Kutuzov,
exposed to destructive exposure,
because he chose for himself the role of “the executioner of the peoples”;
Kutuzov is exalted as a commander,
able to subordinate all his thoughts and actions
popular feeling.
Answer from 3 answers[guru]
Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: How does Tolstoy solve the question of the role of personality in history? (" War and Peace ")
As in the novel "War and Peace" by L.N. Tolstoy decides the question of the role of personality in history?
According to L.N. Tolstoy, history is created not by individual, even super-genius personalities, but by the will of the people. The spirit of the nation is formed from many individual wills, on which the outcome of historical events depends. This was proved by the Patriotic War of 1812, when, in the face of a foreign threat, the entire nation united and found a "common life."
What folk types does L.N. Tolstoy in War and Peace?
L.N. Tolstoy shows various representatives of the people. But he notes two polar types of national character. One is capable of rebellion (Bogucharov's men), the other is non-resistance (Platon Karataev). Between them is the creator, jack of all trades Tikhon Shcherbaty, the brave elder Vasilisa, the elder Dron.
What are the views of L.N. Tolstoy embodied in the image of Platon Karataev?
In the image of Platon Karataev L.N. Tolstoy embodied the morality of the patriarchal peasantry he idealized and the theory of "non-resistance to evil by violence." Karataev leaves an impression of goodness and simplicity, a kind of spiritual harmony. Its appearance constantly emphasizes roundness as a sign of completeness. He is convinced that everything happens at the behest of God, therefore there is no need to resist anything, one must accept the world as it is. The main thing in the behavior of Platon Karataev is passivity and contemplation. Although L.N. Tolstoy gave the image of Karataev as a positive example, but he also shows that the soldiers do not admire Karataev, they even treat him condescendingly. Not passive Karataevs won the war with the French. Karataev is the Tolstoyan ideal of complete dissolution in common life, a type of "swarm man".
That L.N. Tolstoy calls it "the latent warmth of patriotism"?
IN Patriotic War In 1812, the spiritual strength and steadfastness of the people, their true patriotism, which did not need pompous words or beautiful gestures, was manifested. All as one person understood that “it was impossible to be a Frenchman”, everyone directed their actions against the enemy - this was the source of victory that L.N. Tolstoy called "the latent warmth of patriotism."
What is the significance of the opposition between Napoleon and Kutuzov?
L.N. Tolstoy recognized the role of the individual in history, but believed that she only determines the historical movement when her will coincides with the will of her people. It was this philosophy that was reflected in the antithesis Napoleon - Kutuzov. According to Tolstoy, there is no and cannot be greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth. Napoleon, on the other hand, is selfish, ambitious, people mean nothing to him - these are just figures in the games he plays. He is interested in soldiers only as a means of achieving personal glory. Unlike him, Kutuzov does not think about his own glory. He knows how to grasp the general direction of the people's spirit and direct it to victory. Kutuzov lives according to the moral standards of the people. It was thanks to the combination of the will of the people and the art of Kutuzov that Napoleon first felt the approach of defeat. Russian troops first won a moral victory, and then a historic military victory.
What is the meaning of the concepts "inner man" and "outer man"?
The concepts of "inner man" and "outer man" are born in the mind of Pierre Bezukhov during the period of his disappointment in Freemasonry. The "inner man" is the "soul in life", the people's feeling, naturalness. " Outer man"-" superfluous ", dust and death of the soul, artificiality. The embodiment of the "inner man" is Kutuzov, the "outer" one is Napoleon.
What is Tolstoy's ideal of a woman?
The ideal of Tolstoy's woman emerges from the epilogue of War and Peace. Natasha's interests are focused only on the home, children, husband. L.N. Tolstoy is an opponent of female emancipation. His ideal of a woman is close to patriarchal ideas.
Composition based on the novel "War and Peace". Tolstoy's main idea is that a historical event is something that develops spontaneously, it is an unforeseen result of the conscious activity of all people, ordinary participants in history. Is a person free in their choice? The writer claims that a person consciously lives for himself, but serves as an unconscious instrument for achieving historical universal human goals. A person is always determined by many factors: society, nationality, family, level of intelligence, etc. But within this framework, he is free in his choice. And it is a certain amount of identical "choices" that determines the type of event, its consequences, etc.
Tolstoy notes about the participants in the war: “They were afraid, rejoiced, became indignant, reflected, believing that they knew what they were doing and what they were doing for themselves, but they were still an involuntary instrument of history: they were doing something hidden from them, but understandable for us work. This is the unchanging fate of all practitioners. Providence forced all these people, who tried to achieve their goal, to assist in the implementation of one huge result, for which not a single person - neither Napoleon, nor Alexander, let alone any of the participants in the war - even hoped. "
According to Tolstoy, great person carries within itself the moral foundations of the people and feels its moral obligation to people. Therefore, Napoleon's ambitious claims betray in him a person who does not understand the meaning of the events that occur. Considering himself to be the ruler of the world, Napoleon is deprived of that inner spiritual freedom, which consists in the recognition of necessity. “There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth,” Tolstoy pronounces such a sentence to Napoleon.
Tolstoy emphasizes the moral greatness of Kutuzov and calls him a great man, since he set the interest of the whole people for the purpose of his activities. Comprehension of the historical event was the result of Kutuzov's renunciation of "everything personal", the subordination of his actions to a common goal. It expresses the people's soul and patriotism.
For Tolstoy, the will of one person is worth nothing. Yes, Napoleon, believing in the power of his will, considers himself to be the creator of history, but in fact he is a toy of fate, "an insignificant instrument of history." Tolstoy showed the inner lack of freedom of individualistic consciousness, embodied in the personality of Napoleon, since real freedom is always associated with the implementation of laws, with the voluntary submission of the will " high goal". Kutuzov is free from the captivity of vanity and ambition, and therefore understands the general laws of life. Napoleon sees only himself, and therefore does not understand the essence of events. So Tolstoy objects to the claims of one person to a special role in history.
The life path of the main characters of War and Peace, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky and Count Pierre Bezukhov, is a painful search, together with Russia, for a way out of personal and social discord to “peace”, to an intelligent and harmonious life of people. Andrey and Pierre are not satisfied with petty, selfish interests " higher world", Idle talk in secular salons. Their soul is open to the whole world. They cannot live without thinking, without planning, without solving for themselves and for people the main questions about the meaning of life, about the purpose of human existence. This brings them together, is the basis of their friendship.
Andrei Bolkonsky is an extraordinary personality, a strong nature that thinks logically and does not look for the beaten track in life. He tries to live for others, but separates himself from them. Pierre is an emotional person. Sincere, direct, sometimes naive, but immensely kind. Character traits of Prince Andrew: firmness, imperiousness, cold mind, ardent patriotism. A well-formed view of the life of Prince Andrew. He seeks his "throne", glory, power. The French Emperor Napoleon was the ideal for Prince Andrew. In an effort to test his officer rank, he goes to the army.
Feat of Andrei Bolkonsky during the Austerlitz battle. Disappointment in their ideals, previous ordeals and imprisonment in a home circle. The beginning of the renewal of Prince Andrei: the transfer of the Bogucharov peasants to free farmers, participation in the work of the Speransky committee, love for Natasha.
Pierre's life is a path of discovery and disappointment. His life and searches convey that great phenomenon in Russian history, which is called the Decembrist movement. Pierre's character traits are mind, prone to dreamy philosophical considerations, confusion, weak will, lack of initiative, inability to practically do something, exceptional kindness. The ability to awaken others to life with their sincerity, friendly sympathy. Friendship with Prince Andrey, deep, sincere love for Natasha.
Both of them begin to understand and realize that the separation of people, the loss of spirituality is the main cause of the troubles and suffering of people. This is war. Peace is agreement between people, a person's agreement with himself. The war of 1812 awakens Prince Andrew to active work. Perception of the French attack as a personal disaster. Andrei goes to the active army, refuses the offer to become Kutuzov's adjutant. Andrey's courageous behavior on the Borodino field. Fatal wound.
The Battle of Borodino is the culmination in the life of Prince Andrey. Suffering at his death helped him understand the new Christian love. Empathy, love for brothers, for those who love, for those who hate us, love for the enemy, which God preached on earth and which Andrey did not understand. Deeply "civilian" Pierre Bezukhov in the war. Pierre, being an ardent patriot of the Motherland, gives his funds to form an encirclement regiment, dreams of killing Napoleon, for which he remains in Moscow. The captivity and purification of Pierre by physical and moral suffering, the meeting with Platon Karataev helped Pierre's spiritual rebirth. He made sure of the need to restructure the state and after the war became one of the organizers and leaders of the Decembrists.
Prince Andrei and Pierre Bezukhov - people so different in character become friends precisely because both are pondering and trying to understand their purpose in life. Everyone is constantly looking for the truth and meaning of life. That is why they are close to each other. Noble, equal, moral people. Prince Andrey Bolkonsky and Count Pierre Bezukhov - the best people Russia.
Reflections of L. Tolstoy on the role of personality in history in the novel "War and Peace"
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Philosophy of history in the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace" the role of the individual and the role of the masses.
In the epic novel War and Peace, Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy was especially concerned with the question of the driving forces of history.
The writer believed that even outstanding personalities were not given a decisive influence on the course and outcome of historical events.
He argued:
"If we assume that human life can be controlled by reason, then the possibility of life will be destroyed."
According to Tolstoy, the course of history is governed by the highest superintelligent foundation - God's providence.
In the finale of the novel, historical laws are compared with the Copernican system in astronomy: "Just as for astronomy, the difficulty of recognizing the movement of the earth was to abandon the direct sense of the immobility of the earth and the same sense of planetary motion, so for history, the difficulty of recognizing the subordination of the individual to the laws of space, time and the reason is to abandon the direct feeling of independence of his personality. But as in astronomy, the new view said: "True, we do not feel the movement of the earth, but, allowing its immobility, we come to nonsense; admitting a movement that we do not feel, we come to laws ", and in history a new view says:" true, we do not feel our dependence, but allowing our freedom, we come to nonsense; admitting its dependence on outside world, time and reasons, we come to laws ".
In the first case, it was necessary to abandon the consciousness of immobility in space and recognize the motion that we cannot perceive; in the present case, in the same way, it is necessary to abandon the perceived freedom and recognize the dependence that we do not perceive. "
The freedom of a person, according to Tolstoy, consists only in realizing such dependence and trying to guess what was intended in order to follow it as much as possible. For the writer, the primacy of feelings over reason, the laws of life over plans and calculations was obvious. individuals, even the brilliant, real course of the battle over the previous disposition, the role of the masses over the role of great commanders and rulers. Tolstoy was convinced that "the course of world events is predetermined from above, depends on the coincidence of all the arbitrariness of the people participating in these events, and that the influence of Napoleons on the course of these events is only external and fictitious", since "great people are labels that give a name to an event, which, like labels, have the least connection with the event itself. " And wars do not come from the actions of people, but by the will of providence.
According to Tolstoy, the role of the so-called "great people" is reduced to following the highest command, if they are given to guess it. This is clearly seen in the example of the image of the Russian commander M.I. Kutuzov. The writer tries to convince us that Mikhail Illarionovich "despised both knowledge and intelligence and knew something else that was supposed to solve the matter." In the novel, Kutuzov is opposed both to Napoleon and to the German generals in the Russian service, who are related to each other by the desire to win the battle, only thanks to a previously developed detailed planwhere they vainly try to take into account all the surprises of living life and the future actual course of the battle. The Russian commander, in contrast to them, has the ability to "calmly contemplate events" and therefore "will not interfere with anything useful and will not allow anything harmful" thanks to supernatural intuition. Kutuzov only affects the morale of his army, since "with many years of military experience he knew and with his senile mind he understood that it was impossible for one person to lead hundreds of thousands of people fighting death, and knew that the fate of the battle was not decided by the orders of the commander-in-chief, there was no place, on which the troops stand, not the number of guns and killed people, but that elusive force called the spirit of the army, and he watched this force and led it, as far as it was in his power. " This explains the angry Kutuzov rebuke to General Volzogen, who, on behalf of another general with a foreign surname, M.B. Barclay de Tolly, reports on the retreat of the Russian troops and the capture of all the main positions on the Borodino field by the French. Kutuzov shouts at the general who brought the bad news: "How dare you ... how dare you! .. How dare you, sir, tell me this. You know nothing. Tell General Barclay from me that his information is unfair and that the real move is I, the commander-in-chief, know better than him ... The enemy is repulsed on the left and defeated on the right flank ... Please allow me to go to General Barclay and convey to him my indispensable intention to attack the enemy tomorrow ... Repulsed everywhere, for which I thank God and our brave army. The enemy is defeated, and tomorrow we will drive him out of the sacred Russian land. " Here
the field marshal is lying, for the true outcome of the Battle of Borodino, unfavorable for the Russian army, which resulted in the abandonment of Moscow, is known to him no worse than to Volzogen and Barclay. However, Kutuzov prefers to paint such a picture of the course of the battle that will be able to preserve the morale of the troops subordinated to him, to preserve that deep patriotic feeling that "lay in the soul of the commander-in-chief, as well as in the soul of every Russian person."
Tolstoy sharply criticizes the emperor Napoleon. As a commander who invades the territory of other states with his troops, the writer considers Bonaparte to be an indirect killer of many people. In this case, Tolstoy even comes into some conflict with his fatalistic theory, according to which the outbreak of wars does not depend on human arbitrariness. He believes that Napoleon was finally put to shame in the fields of Russia, and as a result, "instead of genius, there is stupidity and meanness that have no examples." Tolstoy believes that "there is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth." The French emperor after the occupation of Paris by the allied troops "no longer makes sense; all his actions are obviously pathetic and disgusting ...". And even when Napoleon again seizes power during a hundred days, he, according to the author of "War and Peace", is only needed by history "to justify the last combined action." When this action was completed, it turned out that “the last role had been played. The actor was ordered to undress and wash off the antimony and blush: he would no longer be needed.
And several years pass in that this man, alone on his island, plays in front of him a miserable comedy, intrigues and lies, justifying his deeds, when an excuse is no longer needed, and shows the whole world what it was that people accepted for strength when an invisible hand led them.
The manager, after finishing the drama and undressing the actor, showed him to us.
- Look what you believed! Here he is! Do you see now that it was not he, but I who moved you?
But, blinded by the force of the movement, people did not understand this for a long time. "
Both Napoleon and other characters in the historical process in Tolstoy are nothing more than actors playing roles in theatrical performancedirected by a force unknown to them. This latter in the face of such insignificant "great people" reveals itself to humanity, always remaining in the shadows.
The writer denied that the course of history can be determined by "countless so-called accidents."
He defended the complete predetermination of historical events. But, if in his criticism of Napoleon and other military leaders-conquerors Tolstoy followed the Christian teaching, in particular, the commandment "Thou shalt not kill", then with his fatalism he actually limited the ability of God to endow man with free will. The author of "War and Peace" left for people only the function of blindly following what was foreseen from above.
However, the positive significance of Leo Tolstoy's philosophy of history lies in the fact that he refused, in contrast to the overwhelming majority of contemporary historians to him, to reduce history to the deeds of heroes, designed to drag along an inert and thoughtless crowd.
The writer pointed to the primary role of the masses, the aggregate of millions and millions of individual wills.
As for what exactly determines their resultant, historians and philosophers argue to this day,
more than a hundred years after the publication of War and Peace.
is Pierre so supportive? Why did he change his original opinion? 3) How does L.N. Tolstoy role of personality in history? What importance does he attach to the private and swarm life of a person? 4) The crossing of the Polish uhlans across the Neman. How does the writer reveal his attitude to Bonapartism in this scene?
1 volume1. How did Tolstoy show the importance of the common collective principle in the military life of soldiers?
2. Why was there confusion and disorder in the movement of the Russian army?
3. Why did Tolstoy describe the foggy morning in detail?
4. How did the image of Napoleon (details), who looked after the Russian army, take shape?
5. What is Prince Andrey dreaming of?
6. Why did Kutuzov sharply answer the emperor?
7. How does Kutuzov behave during the battle?
8. Can Bolkonsky's behavior be considered a feat?
Volume 2
1. What attracted Pierre to Freemasonry?
2. What underlies the fears of Pierre and Prince Andrew?
3. Analysis of the trip to Bogucharovo.
4. Analysis of the trip to Otradnoye.
5. For what purpose does Tolstoy give the scene of the ball (name day)? Did Natasha remain “ugly, but alive”?
6. Natasha's dance. A property of nature that admired the author.
7. Why did Natasha get carried away by Anatole?
8. What is the basis of Anatol's friendship with Dolokhov?
9. What is the author's attitude to Natasha after the betrayal of Bolkonsky?
Volume 3
1. Tolstoy's assessment of the role of personality in history.
2. How does Tolstoy reveal his attitude to Napoleonism?
3. Why is Pierre dissatisfied with himself?
4. Analysis of the episode "retreat from Smolensk". Why do soldiers call Andrei "our prince"?
5. Bogucharovsky riot (analysis). What is the purpose of the episode? How is Nikolai Rostov shown?
6. How to understand the words of Kutuzov "your road, Andrey, this is the road of honor"?
7. How to understand Andrey's words about Kutuzov “he is Russian, despite the French sayings”?
8. Why is Shengraben given through the eyes of Rostov, Austerlitz - Bolkonsky, Borodino - Pierre?
9. How to understand Andrei's words “as long as Russia is healthy, anyone could serve her”?
10. How does the scene with the portrait of his son characterize Napoleon: “The chess is set, the game will start tomorrow”?
11. Raevsky's battery - an important episode of Borodin. Why?
12. Why does Tolstoy compare Napoleon with darkness? Does the author see the mind of Napoleon, the wisdom of Kutuzov, the positive qualities of the heroes?
13. Why did Tolstoy portray the council in Fili through the perception of a six-year-old girl?
14. Departure of residents from Moscow. What is the general mood?
15. The scene of the meeting with the dying Bolkonsky. How is the connection between the fate of the heroes of the novel and the fate of Russia emphasized?
Volume 4
1. Why did the meeting with Platon Karataev give Pierre a sense of the beauty of the world? Analysis of the meeting.
2. As the author explained the meaning guerrilla warfare?
3. What is the significance of the image of Tikhon Shcherbatov?
4. What thoughts and feelings does the death of Petya Rostov give rise to in the reader?
5. In what does Tolstoy see the main significance of the war of 1812 and what is the role of Kutuzov in it according to Tolstoy?
6. Determine the ideological and compositional meaning of the meeting between Pierre and Natasha. Could there be a different ending?
Epilogue
1. What conclusions does the author come to?
2. What are Pierre's true interests?
3. What is the basis of Nikolenka's relationship with Pierre and Nikolai Rostov?
4. Analysis of the sleep of Nikolai Bolkonsky.
5. Why does the novel end with this scene?
the writer was the drama of Russian life. He dreamed that these two principles would merge, so that Russia would become one. But as a realist writer, he depicted the reality that he saw and which he evaluated from the point of view of his artistic and historical views. the writer in the story "After the Ball"?
Composition: An image of the war of 1812 in the novel War and Peace. according to plan, supposedly (as critics) 1) introduction (whycalled war and peace. Tolstoy's views on war. (3 sentences approximately)
2) main part (depicting the war of 1812, main, thoughts of heroes, war and nature, participation in the war of the main characters (Rostov, Bezukhov, Bolkonsky), the role of commanders in the war, how the army behaves.
3) conclusion, conclusion.
Please help, I just read for a long time, and now there was no time to read. PLEASE HELP