"War and Peace": Characteristics of the Heroes (briefly). "War and Peace": characters

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One of the main characters in the novel. Pierre is the illegitimate son of the rich and influential Count Bezukhov, from whom he received the title and inheritance only after his death. The young count lived abroad until the age of 20, where he received an excellent education. Arriving in St. Petersburg, he almost immediately became one of the richest young people, and was very confused, because he was not ready for such a great responsibility and did not know how to manage estates and dispose of serfs.

One of the main heroines of the novel, when we meet with her, she is only 13 years old. She was the daughter of a not very wealthy count, so it was believed that she should find herself a rich groom, although her parents first of all cared about her happiness.

One of the main characters of the work. He was the son of Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky, their family belonged to a very rich, noble and respected family. Andrey received an excellent education and upbringing. Bolkonsky possessed such qualities as pride, courage, decency and honesty.

The daughter of Prince Vasily, a socialite, a typical representative of the secular salons of her time. Helen is very beautiful, but her beauty is only external. At all receptions and balls, she looked dazzling, and everyone admired her, but when they got to know better, they realized that her inner world was very empty. She was like a beautiful doll, whose purpose is to lead a monotonous, cheerful life.

The son of Prince Vasily, an officer, a ladies' man. Anatole always gets into some unpleasant stories, from which his father always pulls him out. His favorite pastime is playing cards and carousing with his friend Dolokhov. Anatole is stupid and not talkative, but he himself is always sure of his uniqueness.

The son of Count Ilya Ilyich Rostov, an officer, a man of honor. At the beginning of the novel, Nikolai leaves the university and goes to serve in the Pavlograd hussar regiment. He was distinguished by courage and courage, although in the Shengraben battle he, having no idea of the war, rushes too bravely into the attack, therefore, seeing a Frenchman in front of him, throws a weapon at him and rushes to run, as a result of which he is wounded in the arm.

A prince, an influential person in society, holding important court posts. He is known for his patronage and condescension, when talking to everyone he was attentive and respectful. Prince Vasily did not stop at anything to achieve his goals, although he did not want any harm to anyone, just to carry out his plans he used the circumstances and his connections.

Daughter of old prince Nikolai Bolkonsky and sister of Andrey. Since childhood, she lived on her father's estate, where she had no friends, except for her companion, Mademoiselle Bourier. Marya considered herself ugly, but her huge expressive eyes gave her a little attractiveness.

Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky was a retired general exiled to the village of Lysye Gory. The prince lived on the estate constantly with his daughter Marya. He loved order, punctuality, never wasted his time on trifles and therefore raised children according to his harsh principles.

For the first time we meet Fedor Dolokhov in the company of Anatol Kuragin and several young officers, to whom Pierre Bezukhov will soon join. Everyone is playing cards, drinking wine and having fun: out of boredom, Dolokhov, on a bet, drinks a bottle of rum while sitting on the third-floor window with his legs out. Fedor believes in himself, does not like to lose and is very fond of taking risks, so he wins the argument.

Niece of Count Rostov, who from childhood lived and was brought up in their family. Sonya was very quiet, decent and restrained, outwardly she was beautiful, but her inner beauty cannot be seen, since she did not have the love of life and spontaneity, like Natasha.

The son of Prince Vasily, a socialite living in St. Petersburg. If his brother Anatole and sister Helene shone in society and were very beautiful, then Hippolytus was the complete opposite. He always dressed ridiculously, and this did not bother him at all. His face always expressed idiocy and disgust.

Anna Pavlovna Sherer is the first heroine we meet on the pages of the novel “War and Peace.” Anna Sherer is the hostess of the most fashionable high-society salon in St. Petersburg, the lady-in-waiting and confidant of Empress Maria Feodorovna. In her salon, political news of the country is often discussed, and visiting this salon is considered good form.

Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace" is presented not only as the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, but also as a character connected by ordinary relations with other heroes of the novel. For the first time we meet with Kutuzov at the inspection near Braunau, where he seems absent-minded, but shows his knowledge and pays great attention to all the soldiers.

In the novel War and Peace, Napoleon Bonaparte is a negative hero, as he brings hardships and the bitterness of war to Russia. Napoleon is a historical character, French emperor, hero of the war of 1812, although he did not win.

Tikhon Shcherbaty is an ordinary Russian man who joined Denisov's detachment to fight for the Motherland. He got his nickname for the fact that he was missing one front tooth, and he himself looked a little scary. In the detachment, Tikhon was indispensable, as he was the most agile and could easily cope with the dirtiest and most difficult work.

In the novel, Tolstoy showed us many different images, with different characters and views on life. Captain Tushin is a controversial character who played a large role in the war of 1812, although he was very cowardly. Seeing the captain for the first time, no one could think that he could accomplish at least some feat.

In the novel, Platon Karataev is considered an episodic character, but his appearance is of great importance. A modest soldier of the Absheron regiment shows us the unity of the common people, the desire for life and the ability to survive in difficult conditions. Plato had the ability to become attached to people, to devote himself completely to the common cause.

), the invasion of the French into Russia, the Battle of Borodino and the capture of Moscow, the entry of the allied forces into Paris; the end of the novel is dated to 1820. The author has re-read many historical books and memoirs of his contemporaries; he understood that the task of the artist does not coincide with the task of the historian and, without striving for complete accuracy, he wanted to create the spirit of the era, the originality of its life, the picturesqueness of its style.

Lev Tolstoy. War and Peace. The main characters and themes of the novel

Of course, the historical faces of Tolstoy are somewhat modernized: they often speak and think like the author's contemporaries. But this renewal is inevitable in the historian's creative perception of the process as a continuous stream of life. Otherwise, the result is not a work of art, but a dead archeology. The author did not invent anything - he only chose what seemed to him the most revealing. “Everywhere,” writes Tolstoy, “where only in my novel historical figures speak and act, I did not invent, but used materials from which, during my work, a whole library of books was formed.”

For "family chronicles", placed in the historical framework of the Napoleonic wars, he used family memoirs, letters, diaries, unpublished notes. The complexity and richness of the "human world" depicted in the novel can only be compared with the gallery of portraits of the multivolume "Human Comedy" by Balzac. Tolstoy gives more than 70 detailed characteristics, outlines many minor faces with a few strokes - and they all live, do not merge with each other, remain in memory. One sharply grasped detail defines the figure of a person, his character and behavior. In the waiting room of the dying Count Bezukhov, one of the heirs, Prince Vasily, walks on tiptoe in confusion. "He couldn't walk on tiptoe and jumped awkwardly with his whole body." And in this bouncing, the whole nature of a dignified and imperious prince is reflected.

The external feature takes on a deep psychological and symbolic meaning in Tolstoy. He has incomparable visual acuity, brilliant observation, almost clairvoyance. By one turn of the head or the movement of the fingers, he guesses the person. Every feeling, even the most fleeting one, is immediately embodied for him in a bodily sign; Movement, posture, gesture, expression of the eyes, the line of the shoulders, trembling of the lips are read by him as a symbol of the soul. Hence - that impression of mental-bodily wholeness and completeness, which is produced by his heroes. In the art of creating living people with flesh and blood, breathing, moving, casting a shadow, Tolstoy has no equal.

Princess Marya

In the center of the action of the novel are two noble families - the Bolkonskys and the Rostovs. The senior prince Bolkonsky, general-in-chief of Catherine's times, a Voltairian and clever gentleman, lives on the Lysye Gory estate with his daughter Marya, ugly and no longer young. Her father loves her passionately, but brings her up harshly and torments her with algebra lessons. Princess Marya "with beautiful radiant eyes", with a shy smile is an image of high spiritual beauty. She resignedly carries the cross of her life, prays, accepts “God's people” and dreams of becoming a wanderer ... “All the complex laws of mankind were concentrated for her in one simple and clear law of love and self-denial, taught to her by the One Who with love suffered for humanity when Himself He is God. What did she care about the justice or injustice of others? She had to suffer and love herself, and she did it. "

And yet she sometimes worries about the hope of personal happiness; she wants to have a family, children. When this hope is fulfilled and she marries Nikolai Rostov, her soul continues to strive for the "infinite, eternal perfect."

Prince Andrey Bolkonsky

Princess Marya's brother, Prince Andrew, does not look like a sister. This is a strong, intelligent, proud and frustrated person who feels superior over others, weighed down by his chirping, frivolous wife and is looking for practically useful activity. He collaborates with Speransky in the commission for drafting laws, but soon gets tired of this abstract office work. He is seized by a thirst for glory, he goes on a campaign in 1805 and, like Napoleon, awaits his "Toulon" - exaltation, greatness, "human love." But instead of "Toulon", the Austerlitz field awaits him, on which he lies wounded and looks into the bottomless sky. Everything is empty, he thinks, everything is deception except this endless sky. Nothing, nothing but him. But even that is not even there, there is nothing but silence, reassurance. "

Andrey Bolkonsky

Returning to Russia, he settles in his estate and plunges into the "longing of life." The death of his wife, the betrayal of Natasha Rostova, who seemed to him the ideal of girlish charm and purity, plunge him into dark despair. And only slowly dying from the wound received in the Borodino battle, in the face of death, does he find that "truth of life", which he always sought so unsuccessfully: "Love is life," he thinks. - Everything, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love. Love is God, and to die means to me, a particle of love, to return to a common and eternal source. "

Nikolay Rostov

Difficult relations connect the Bolkonsky family with the Rostov family. Nikolai Rostov is a whole, spontaneous nature, like Eroshka in Cossacks or Volodya's brother in Childhood. He lives without question or doubt, he has a "common sense of mediocrity." Straightforward, noble, brave, cheerful, he is surprisingly attractive despite his limitations. Of course, he does not understand the mystical soul of his wife Marya, but he knows how to create a happy family, raise kind and honest children.

Natasha Rostova

His sister Natasha Rostova is one of the most charming female images of Tolstoy. She enters the life of each of us as a beloved and close friend. From her lively, joyful and soulful face, a radiance emanates, illuminating everything around her. When she appears, everyone becomes cheerful, everyone starts to smile. Natasha is full of such an excess of vitality, such a "talent for life" that her whims, frivolous hobbies, selfishness of youth and thirst for "the pleasures of life" - everything seems charming.

She is constantly on the move, intoxicated with joy, inspired by feeling; she does not reason, “does not deign to be clever,” as Pierre says of her, but the clairvoyance of the heart replaces her mind. She immediately "sees" a person and aptly defines him. When her fiancé Andrei Bolkonsky leaves for the war, Natasha is carried away by the brilliant and empty Anatol Kuragin. But the break with Prince Andrey and then his death overturned her whole soul. Her noble and truthful nature cannot forgive herself for this guilt. Natasha falls into hopeless despair and wants to die. At this time, the news comes about the death of her younger brother Petya in the war. Natasha forgets about her grief and selflessly takes care of her mother - and this saves her.

“Natasha thought,” writes Tolstoy, “that her life was over. But suddenly love for her mother showed her that the essence of her life - love - was still alive in her. Love woke up and life woke up. " Finally, she marries Pierre Bezukhov and turns into a child-loving mother and devoted wife: she refuses all the "pleasures of life" that she loved so passionately before, and gives herself up to her new, difficult responsibilities with all her heart. For Tolstoy, Natasha is life itself, instinctive, mysterious and holy in its natural wisdom.

Pierre Bezukhov

The ideological and compositional center of the novel is Count Pierre Bezukhov. All the complex and numerous lines of action coming from two "family chronicles" - the Bolkonskys and the Rostovs, are drawn to it; he clearly enjoys the author's greatest sympathy and is the closest to him in terms of spirit. Pierre belongs to people "seeking", reminds Nikolenka, Nekhlyudova, Venison, but most of all Tolstoy himself. Before us pass not only the external events of life, but also the consistent history of his spiritual development.

The path of searches of Pierre Bezukhov

Pierre was brought up in an atmosphere of Rousseau's ideas, he lives with feeling and is inclined to "dreamy philosophizing." He seeks "the truth", but due to weak will he continues to lead an empty social life, to revel, play cards, go to balls; the absurd marriage to the soulless beauty Helen Kuragina, the break with her and the duel with his former friend Dolokhov make a profound revolution in him. He's interested in freemasonry, thinks to find in him "inner peace and harmony with himself." But soon disappointment sets in: the philanthropic activity of the Masons seems to him insufficient, their addiction to uniforms and magnificent ceremonies outrages him. A moral numbness, a panic fear of life finds him.

The "tangled and terrible knot of life" strangles him. And on the Borodino field, he meets the Russian people - a new world opens up to him. The spiritual crisis was prepared by stunning impressions that suddenly befell him: he sees the fire of Moscow, is captured, spends several days awaiting the death sentence, and is present at the execution. And then he meets "Russian, kind, round Karataev." Joyful and light, he saves Pierre from spiritual death and leads him to God.

“Before, he sought God for the goals that he set for himself,” writes Tolstoy, and suddenly he learned in his captivity, not by words, not by reasoning, but by direct feeling, what the nanny had already told him for a long time; that God is here He is, here, everywhere. In captivity, he learned that God in Karataev is greater, infinite and incomprehensible than in the Architecton of the universe recognized by the Freemasons. "

Religious inspiration embraces Pierre, all questions and doubts disappear, he no longer thinks about the “meaning of life,” for the meaning has already been found: love for God and selfless service to people. The novel ends with a picture of Pierre's complete happiness, who married Natasha Rostova and became a devoted husband and loving father.

Platon Karataev

The soldier Platon Karataev, a meeting with whom in Moscow occupied by the French made a revolution in the seeker of truth, Pierre Bezukhov, is conceived by the author as a parallel to the "people's hero" Kutuzov; he, too, is a person without personality, passively giving in to events. This is how Pierre sees him, that is, the author himself, but the reader sees him differently. Not impersonality, but the extraordinary originality of his personality amazes us. His apt words, jokes and sayings, his constant activity, his bright cheerfulness of spirit and sense of beauty ("goodness"), his active love for neighbors, humility, cheerfulness and religiosity do not add up in our imagination to the image of an impersonal "part of the whole", but into the amazingly whole face of the righteous man of the people.

Platon Karataev is as much a “great Christian” as the holy fool Grisha in Childhood. Tolstoy intuitively sensed his spiritual identity, but his rationalistic explanation slipped over the surface of this mystical soul.

He not only wrote a wonderful work "War and Peace", but also showed Russian life for several decades. Researchers of Tolstoy's work have calculated that the writer has depicted more than 600 characters on the pages of his novel. Moreover, each of these characters has a clear and apt characterization of the writer. This enables the reader to draw a detailed portrait of each character.

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The character system in War and Peace

Of course, the main character of Tolstoy's work is the people. According to the author, this is the best thing in the Russian nation. According to the novel, the people include not only ordinary people who have nothing, but also nobles who live not for themselves, but for others. But the people in the novel are opposed to aristocrats:

Kuraginy.
Visitors to the salon Anna Sherer.

Immediately from the description, you can determine that all these heroes are negative characters of the novel... Their life is spiritless and mechanical, they commit artificial and lifeless acts, are incapable of compassion, and are selfish. These heroes cannot change even under the influence of life.

Lev Nikolaevich portrays his positive characters in a completely different way. Their actions are guided by the heart... These positive actors include:

Kutuzov.
Natasha Rostov.
Platon Karataev.
Alpatych.
Officer Timokhin.
Officer Tushin.
Pierre Bezukhov.
Andrey Bolkonsky.

All these heroes able to empathize, develop and change... But it is the war of 1812, the trials that it brought, that makes it possible to understand to which camp the characters in Tolstoy's novel can be attributed.

Peter Rostov is the central character of the novel

Count Peter Rostov is the youngest child in the family, Natasha's brother. At the beginning of the novel, the reader sees him as a child. So, in 1805 he was only 9 years old. And if at this age the writer only notices that he is fat, then to the characteristics of Peter at the age of 13 is added the fact that the teenager turns out to be beautiful and cheerful.

At the age of 16, Peter went to war, although he was supposed to enter the university, and soon became a real man, an officer. He is a patriot and worries about the fate of his Fatherland. Petya spoke excellent French and could feel sorry for the captive French boy. Going to war, Petya dreams of doing something heroic.

And despite the fact that at first his parents did not want to let him go to the service, and then found a place where it was safer, he still, together with a friend, goes into the active army. As soon as he was appointed assistant general, he was immediately taken prisoner. Having decided to take part in the battle with the French, helping Dolokhov, Petya dies, being wounded in the head.

Natasha Rostova, who will never be able to forget her brother, with whom she was so close, will call her only son by his name.

Secondary male characters

There are many secondary characters in War and Peace. Among them, the following heroes stand out:

Drubetskoy Boris.
Dolokhov.

Tall and blond Boris Drubetsky was brought up in the Rostov family and was in love with Natasha. His mother, Princess Drubetskaya, was a distant relative of the Rostov family. He is proud and dreams of a military career.

Having got into the guard thanks to the troubles of his mother, he also takes part in the military campaign of 1805. The writer’s characterization of him is unflattering, since Boris tries to make only “useful” acquaintances. So, he is ready to spend all the money to be known as a rich man. He becomes the husband of Julie Kuragina, as she is rich.

Guard officer Dolokhov is a striking secondary character in the novel. At the beginning of the novel, Fyodor Ivanovich is 25 years old. He was born to the venerable lady Marya Ivanovna, belonging to a poor noble family. The officer of the Semyonovsky regiment was liked by women, because he was handsome: of medium height, with curly hair and blue eyes. A hard voice and a cold look were harmoniously combined in Dolokhov with his education and intelligence. Despite the fact that Dolokhov is a player and loves a revelry life, society still respects him.

Fathers of the Rostov and Bolkonsky families

General Bolkonsky has long been retired. He is rich and respected in society. He performed his service even during the reign of Catherine II, so Kutuzov is his good friend. But the character of the father of the Bolkonsky family is difficult. Nikolai Andreevich happens not only strict, but also severe... He looks after his health and values order in everything.

Count Ilya Andreevich Rostov is a positive and vivid hero of the novel... His wife is Anna Mikhailovna Shinshina. Ilya Andreevich is raising five children. He is rich and cheerful, kind and self-confident by nature. The old prince is very trusting and easily deceived.

Ilya Andreevich is a sympathetic person, a patriot. Receives wounded soldiers in his house. But he did not monitor the state of the family at all, so he becomes the culprit of the ruin. The prince dies in 1813, trying to survive the tragedies of his children.

Minor female characters

In the work of Leo Tolstoy, there are many secondary characters who make it possible to understand the events that the author describes. In the work "War and Peace", female characters are represented by the following heroines:

Sonya Rostova.
Julie Kuragina.
Vera Rostova.

Sonya Rostova is the second cousin of Natasha Rostova, the main character of the novel War and Peace. Sofya Alexandrovna is an orphan and a dowry. Readers first see her at the beginning of the novel. Then, in 1805, she was barely 15 years old. Sonya looked beautiful: her waist was thin and petite, a large and thick black braid twisted around her head twice. Even a glance, soft and closed, was bewitching.

The older the girl got, the more beautiful she looked. And at 22, she, according to Tolstoy's description, was somewhat similar to a kitty: smooth, flexible and soft. She was in love with Nikolenka Rostov. She even refuses her love to the "brilliant" groom Dolokhov. Sonya knew how to masterfully read in front of different audiences. She usually read in a thin voice and very diligently.

But Nikolai chose to marry Marya Bolkonskaya... And the economic and patient Sonya, who so skillfully ran the household, stayed to live in the house of the young Rostov family, helping them. At the end of the novel, the writer shows her at the age of 30, but she is also not married, but is busy with the Rostovs' children and caring for the sick princess.

Julie Kuragin is a minor heroine of the novel. It is known that after the death of her brothers in the war, having remained with her mother, the girl becomes a rich heiress. At the beginning of the novel, Julie is already 20 years old and the reader learns that she is from a respectable noble family. She was brought up by virtuous parents, and in general, Julie was familiar to the Rostov family from childhood.

Julie had no special external data. The girl was chubby and ugly. But on the other hand, she dressed fashionably and always tried to smile. Because of her red face, poorly powdered, and wet eyes, no one wanted to marry her. Julie is a little naive and very stupid. She tries not to miss a single ball or theatrical performance.

By the way, Countess Rostova dreamed of marrying Julie Nicholas profitably. But for the sake of money, Boris Drubetskoy marries her, who hates Julie and hopes to see her very rarely after the wedding.

Another minor female character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace is Vera Rostova. This is the eldest and least favorite daughter of Princess Rostova. After marriage, she became Vera Berg. At the beginning of the novel, she was 20 years old, and the girl was four years older than her sister Natasha. Vera is a beautiful, intelligent and well-mannered and educated girl with a pleasant voice. Both Natasha and Nikolai believed that she was too correct and somehow insensitive, as if she had no heart at all.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy in his epic novel "War and Peace" provided a wide system of images. His world is not limited to a few noble families: real historical characters mixed with fictional, main and secondary ones. This symbiosis is sometimes so confusing and unusual that it is extremely difficult to determine which heroes perform a more or less important function.

Representatives of eight noble families act in the novel, almost all of them occupy a central place in the narrative.

The Rostov family

This family is represented by Count Ilya Andreevich, his wife Natalya, their four children together and their pupil Sonya.

The head of the family, Ilya Andreevich, is a sweet and good-natured person. He was always wealthy, therefore he does not know how to save money, he is often deceived by acquaintances and relatives for mercenary purposes. The count is not a selfish person, he is ready to help everyone. Over time, this attitude, reinforced by his addiction to the game of cards, became disastrous for his entire family. Due to the squandering of the father, the family has been on the verge of poverty for a long time. The count dies at the end of the novel, after the wedding of Natalia and Pierre, a natural death.

Countess Natalya is very similar to her husband. She, like him, is alien to the concept of self-interest and the race for money. She is ready to help people in difficult situations, she is overwhelmed with feelings of patriotism. The countess had to endure many sorrows and troubles. This state of affairs is associated not only with unexpected poverty, but also with the death of their children. Of the thirteen born, only four survived, subsequently the war took another - the youngest.

The Count and Countess Rostovs, like most of the characters in the novel, have their own prototypes. They were the grandfather and grandmother of the writer - Ilya Andreevich and Pelageya Nikolaevna.

The Rostovs' eldest child is named Vera. This is an unusual girl, unlike all other family members. She is rough and callous at heart. This attitude applies not only to strangers, but also to immediate family members. The rest of the Rostovs' children subsequently make fun of her and even come up with a nickname for her. The prototype of Vera was Elizaveta Bers, L. Tolstoy's daughter-in-law.

The next oldest child is Nikolai. His image is sketched in the novel with love. Nikolai is a noble man. He takes a responsible approach to any occupation. He tries to be guided by the principles of morality and honor. Nikolai is very similar to his parents - kind, sweet, purposeful. After the experience of distress, he constantly took care not to find himself in a similar situation anymore. Nikolai takes part in military events, he is repeatedly awarded, but nevertheless he leaves military service after the war with Napoleon - his family needs him.

Nikolai marries Maria Bolkonskaya, they have three children - Andrei, Natasha, Mitya - and a fourth is expected.

The younger sister of Nikolai and Vera, Natalya, is the same character and temperament as her parents. She is sincere and trusting and it almost ruins her - Fyodor Dolokhov fools the girl and persuades her to run away. These plans were not destined to come true, but Natalya's engagement to Andrei Bolkonsky was terminated, and Natalya fell into a deep depression. Subsequently, she became the wife of Pierre Bezukhov. The woman stopped following her figure, those around her began to speak of her as an unpleasant woman. Natalia's prototypes were Tolstoy's wife, Sofya Andreevna and her sister, Tatyana Andreevna.

The youngest child of the Rostovs was Petya. He was the same as all Rostovs: noble, honest and kind. All these qualities were enhanced by youthful maximalism. Petya was a sweet eccentric, to whom all the pranks were forgiven. The fate of Petya was extremely unfavorable - he, like his brother, went to the front and died there very young and young.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the summary of the second part of the first volume of the novel by L.N. Tolstoy's "War and Peace".

Another child was brought up in the Rostov family - Sonya. The girl was related to the Rostovs; after the death of her parents, they took her into foster care and treated her like their own child. Sonya was in love with Nikolai Rostov for a long time, this fact did not allow her to get married on time.

Presumably, she remained alone until the end of her days. Its prototype was Tolstoy's aunt, Tatyana Aleksandrovna, in whose house the writer was brought up after the death of his parents.

We get to know all the Rostovs at the very beginning of the novel - they are all active throughout the entire story. In the "Epilogue" we learn about the further continuation of their kind.

The Bezukhov family

The Bezukhov family is not represented in such a numerous form as the Rostov family. The head of the family is Kirill Vladimirovich. The name of his wife is not known. We know that she belonged to the Kuragin family, but it is unclear who exactly she was. Count Bezukhov has no children born in wedlock - all of his children are illegitimate. The eldest of them - Pierre - was officially named by the father as the heir to the estate.

After such a statement by the count, the image of Pierre Bezukhov began to appear in the public plane. Pierre himself does not impose his society on those around him, but he is a prominent groom - the heir of unthinkable wealth, so they want to see him always and everywhere. Nothing is known about Pierre's mother, but this does not become a reason for indignation and ridicule. Pierre received a decent education abroad and returned to his homeland full of utopian ideas, his vision of the world is too idealistic and divorced from reality, so all the time he is faced with unthinkable disappointments - in social activities, personal life, family harmony. His first wife was Elena Kuragina, a whore and a freak. This marriage brought a lot of suffering to Pierre. The death of his wife saved him from the unbearable - he did not have the strength to leave Elena or change her, but he could not come to terms with such an attitude towards his person. The second marriage - with Natasha Rostova - became more successful. They had four children - three girls and a boy.

Princes Kuragin

The Kuragin family is stubbornly associated with greed, debauchery and deceit. The reason for this was the children of Vasily Sergeevich and Alina - Anatole and Elena.

Prince Vasily was not a bad person, he possessed a number of positive qualities, but his desire for enrichment and gentleness of character in relation to his son brought all the positive aspects to nothing.

Like any father, Prince Vasily wanted to ensure a comfortable future for his children, one of the options was a profitable marriage. This position not only affected the reputation of the whole family in a bad way, but also later played a tragic role in the lives of Elena and Anatole.

Little is known about Princess Alina. At the time of the story, she was a rather ugly woman. Her hallmark was envy of her daughter Elena.

Vasily Sergeevich and Princess Alina had two sons and a daughter.

Anatole - became the cause of all the troubles of the family. He led the life of a squander and a rake - debts, debauches were a natural occupation for him. This behavior left an extremely negative imprint on the family's reputation and financial situation.

Anatole was seen in love with his sister Elena. The possibility of a serious relationship between brother and sister was suppressed by Prince Vasily, but, apparently, it still took place after Elena's marriage.

Kuragin's daughter Elena possessed incredible beauty, like her brother Anatol. She skillfully flirted and after marriage had a love affair with many men, ignoring her husband Pierre Bezukhov.

Their brother Hippolytus was completely unlike them in appearance - he was extremely unpleasant in appearance. In terms of the composition of his mind, he was not much different from his brother and sister. He was too stupid - this was noted not only by those around him, but also by his father. Yet Hippolytus was not hopeless - he knew foreign languages well and worked at the embassy.

Princes Bolkonsky

The Bolkonsky family is far from the last place in society - they are rich and influential.
The family includes Prince Nikolai Andreevich - a man of old schooling and peculiar morals. He is rather rude in dealing with his family, but still he is not devoid of sensuality and tenderness - he is anxious about his grandson and daughter, in a peculiar way, but nevertheless, he loves his son, but he is not very successful in showing the sincerity of his feelings.

Nothing is known about the prince's wife, even her name is not mentioned in the text. In the marriage of the Bolkonskys, two children were born - a son Andrei and a daughter Marya.

Andrei Bolkonsky is partially similar in character to his father - he is quick-tempered, proud and a little rude. He is distinguished by his attractive appearance and natural charm. At the beginning of the novel, Andrei is successfully married to Lisa Meinen - the couple has a son, Nikolenka, but his mother dies the night after giving birth.

After a while, Andrei becomes the fiancé of Natalya Rostova, but he did not have to get married - all plans were translated by Anatol Kuragin, which earned him personal dislike and exceptional hatred on the part of Andrei.

Prince Andrew takes part in the military events of 1812, is seriously wounded on the battlefield and dies in the hospital.

Maria Bolkonskaya, Andrei's sister, is devoid of such pride and stubbornness as her brother, which allows her, not without difficulty, but nevertheless to get along with her father, who is not distinguished by a docile character. Kind and meek, she understands that she is not indifferent to her father, therefore she does not hold grudges against him for nit-picking and rudeness. The girl is raising her nephew. Outwardly, Marya does not look like her brother - she is very ugly, but this does not prevent her from marrying Nikolai Rostov and living a happy life.

Liza Bolkonskaya (Meinen) was the wife of Prince Andrew. She was an attractive woman. Her inner world was not inferior to her appearance - she was sweet and pleasant, she loved to do needlework. Unfortunately, her fate did not turn out in the best way - childbirth turned out to be too difficult for her - she dies, giving life to her son Nikolenka.

Nikolenka lost his mother early, but the boy's troubles did not stop there - at the age of 7 he also loses his father. Despite everything, he is characterized by the cheerfulness inherent in all children - he grows up as an intelligent and inquisitive boy. The image of a father becomes key for him - Nikolenka wants to live in such a way that his father can be proud of him.

Mademoiselle Burienne also belongs to the Bolkonski family. Despite the fact that she is just a companion, she has a significant meaning in the context of the family. First of all, it consists in a pseudo friendship with Princess Mary. Often Mademoiselle acts meanly in relation to Mary, enjoys the girl's favor in relation to her person.

The Karagin family

Tolstoy does not really spread about the Karagin family - the reader gets to know only two representatives of this family - Marya Lvovna and her daughter Julie.

Marya Lvovna first appears before readers in the first volume of the novel, her daughter also begins acting in the first volume of the first part of War and Peace. Julie has an extremely unpleasant appearance, she is in love with Nikolai Rostov, but the young man does not pay any attention to her. Its enormous wealth does not save the situation either. Boris Drubetskoy actively pays attention to her material component, the girl realizes that the young man is courting her only because of the money, but does not show it - for her, this is actually the only way not to remain an old maid.

Princes Drubetskoy

The Drubetskoy family is not particularly active in the public sphere, therefore Tolstoy avoids a detailed description of the representatives of the family and focuses the readers' attention only on actively acting characters - Anna Mikhailovna and her son Boris.

Princess Drubetskaya belongs to an old family, but now her family is going through hard times - poverty has become a constant companion of the Drubetskoys. This state of affairs gave rise to a sense of prudence and self-interest in the representatives of this family. Anna Mikhailovna tries to derive as much benefit as possible from friendship with the Rostovs - she has been living with them for a long time.

Her son, Boris, was a friend of Nikolai Rostov for some time. As they matured, their views on life values and principles began to differ greatly, which led to a detachment in communication.

Boris more and more begins to show self-interest and the desire to get rich at any cost. He is ready to marry for money and does it successfully, taking advantage of the unenviable position of Julie Karagina

Dolokhov family

Representatives of the Dolokhov family are also not all active in the life of society. Among all, Fedor stands out brightly. He is the son of Marya Ivanovna and the best friend of Anatoly Kuragin. In his behavior, he also did not go far from his friend: revelry and an idle way of life are a common occurrence for him. In addition, he is famous for his love affair with Pierre Bezukhov's wife, Elena. A distinctive feature of Dolokhov from Kuragin is his affection for his mother and sister.

Historical figures in the novel "War and Peace"

Since Tolstoy's novel takes place against the backdrop of historical events associated with the war against Napoleon in 1812, it is impossible to do without at least partial mention of real-life characters.

Alexander I

The most active in the novel describes the activities of Emperor Alexander I. This is not surprising, because the main events take place on the territory of the Russian Empire. First, we learn about the positive and liberal aspirations of the emperor, he is an "angel in the flesh." The peak of his popularity falls on the period of Napoleon's defeat in the war. It was at this time that Alexander's authority reached incredible heights. The Emperor can easily make changes and improve the lives of his subjects, but he does not. As a result, this attitude and inactivity become the reason for the appearance of the Decembrist movement.

Napoleon I Bonaparte

On the other side of the barricade in the events of 1812 is Napoleon. Since many Russian aristocrats were educated abroad, and French was their everyday language, the attitude of the nobles towards this character at the beginning of the novel was positive and bordering on admiration. Then disappointment occurs - their idol from the category of ideals becomes the main villain. With the image of Napoleon, such connotations as egocentrism, lies, and pretense are actively used.

Mikhail Speransky

This character is significant not only in Tolstoy's novel, but also during the real era of Emperor Alexander.

His family could not boast of antiquity and significance - he is the son of a priest, but still he managed to become the secretary of Alexander I. He is not a very pleasant person, but everyone notes his importance in the context of events in the country.

In addition, historical characters of lesser importance than emperors act in the novel. These are the great commanders Barclay de Tolly, Mikhail Kutuzov and Peter Bagration. Their activities and the disclosure of the image take place on the battlefields - Tolstoy tries to describe the military part of the narrative as realistic and captivating as possible, therefore these characters are described not only as great and unsurpassed, but also in the role of ordinary people who are subject to doubts, mistakes and negative character traits.

Other characters

Among the rest of the characters, the name of Anna Scherer should be distinguished. She is the "owner" of a secular salon - here the elite of society meet. Guests are rarely left to their own devices. Anna Mikhailovna always strives to provide her visitors with interesting interlocutors, she often pimps - this arouses her special interest.

Adolph Berg, the husband of Rostova's faith, is of great importance in the novel. He is an ardent careerist and selfish person. With his wife, he is brought together by temperament and attitude to family life.

Another significant character is Platon Karataev. Despite his ignoble origins, his role in the novel is extremely important. Possession of folk wisdom and understanding of the principles of happiness gives him the opportunity to influence the formation of Pierre Bezukhov.

Thus, both fictional and real-life characters are active in the novel. Tolstoy does not burden his readers with unnecessary information about the genealogy of families; he actively talks only about those representatives who are actively working within the framework of the novel.