One of the unique and brilliant writers known all over the world, "the great hope of Russian literature", a man who tried to rethink life, understand its laws and unravel the mysteries. Leo Tolstoy had a special view of the world order, including his theory of the role of man in history and its significance in the context of eternity. In the novel "War and Peace" this concept was embodied by the generals of the two great armies. A comparative description of Kutuzov and Napoleon (a table with brief conclusions on the topic will be presented below) allows you to fully reveal the writer's attitude to the question: "Can one person create history?"

Life and work of L. N. Tolstoy

The life of Lev Nikolaevich is rich in events. His youth was spent in St. Petersburg, where he was one of the main ringleaders and a famous rake. Then fate threw him into the Crimean War, after which the writer returned to the capital again. Here, having already matured and seen a lot, he begins to cooperate with the Sovremennik magazine, closely communicating with the editorial staff (N. A. Nekrasov, A. N. Ostrovsky, I. S. Turgenev). Tolstoy publishes Sevastopol Tales, where he draws pictures of the war he went through. Then he travels around Europe and remains very dissatisfied with her.

In 1956 he retired and began the life of a landowner in Yasnaya Polyana. Marries, takes care of the household and writes his most famous novels and stories: "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina", "Sunday", "Kreutzer Sonata".

Novel "War and Peace"

The epic novel describes the events of the Napoleonic War (1805-1812). The work was a huge success both in Russia and in Europe. "War and Peace" is an artistic canvas that has no analogues in literature. Tolstoy managed to depict all social classes, from emperors to soldiers. An unprecedented evolution of characters and the integrity of images, each hero appears as a living full-blooded person. The writer managed to feel and convey all the facets of the psychology of the Russian people: from lofty impulses to ruthless, almost bestial moods of the crowd.

The image of Kutuzov, closely connected with Russia and its people, turned out to be surprising. The opposite of him in everything is the narcissistic and selfish Napoleon. These characters will be discussed in detail.

The role of personality in history: Kutuzov and Napoleon

Tolstoy, who always praised the greatness and power of the Russian people, showed in his novel that it was he who won the war. Moreover, the feeling of nationality formed the basis of the main assessment of the actions of the characters in the novel. Therefore, Kutuzov - a commander and an outstanding military man - appears as one of the Russian people, he is not so much a person as a part of the country. It is in unity with the people that the guarantee of Kutuzov's victory.

The opposite of him is Napoleon, who separated himself from the world, imagined that he was practically a god. In more detail, the differences between these characters are illustrated by Kutuzov and Napoleon (table below). However, it can already be said that, according to Tolstoy, a person who decides to change the world alone is doomed to defeat.

The image of Kutuzov

Tolstoy portrayed Kutuzov in the novel as a kind of old man, who knows life perfectly and understands what lies ahead. He knows what will be lost and calmly talks about it. He falls asleep at the council, knowing full well what all the conversations will eventually lead to. Kutuzov feels the beating of life, understands its laws. His inaction turns into folk wisdom, his actions are guided by intuition.

Kutuzov is a commander, but all his actions are subject to the great will of history itself, he is her "slave". But only in this way, taking a wait-and-see attitude, it was possible to win. It was this idea of ​​Tolstoy that was embodied in the character of Kutuzov.

Image of Napoleon

Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte is the exact opposite of Kutuzov. In contrast to the whole personality of the Russian general, Tolstoy portrays the French emperor in two forms: a man and a commander. As a commander, Napoleon is talented, has rich experience and knowledge of military affairs.

But for Lev Nikolayevich, the main thing is precisely the human component, spiritual qualities. It is in this respect that the writer debunks the romantic image of the enemy commander. Already in Napoleon one can see the attitude of the author: “small”, “fat”, unremarkable, poseur and egoist.

Napoleon is the emperor of France, but he has little power over his country, he sees himself as the ruler of the world, considers himself superior to others. The desire to possess consumed him, he is morally poor and incapable of feeling, loving, rejoicing. Napoleon goes over the corpses to his goal, because it justifies any means. "Winners are not judged" - that's his motto.

Comparative characteristics of Kutuzov and Napoleon: table

Generalization of the table

A comparative description of Kutuzov and Napoleon (the table is presented above) is built on the opposition of individualism and nationality. Only a person who imagines himself superior and better than others could start a bloody war in order to achieve his selfish goals. Such a character cannot become a hero, so Tolstoy, with his humanism and faith in folk wisdom, draws him negatively and repulsively. Appearance, gait, manners, even the character of Napoleon - all this is a consequence of his desire to be a superman.

Kutuzov, wise, calm, seemingly inactive, carries all the power of the Russian people. He does not make decisions - he follows the course of events. He does not try to create history - he submits to it. This humility contains his spiritual and moral strength, which helped win the war.

Conclusion

Incredible national power was concluded by L. N. Tolstoy in his novel "War and Peace". A brief description of this force is given on the example of the image of Kutuzov, which is opposed to the spiritually poor, who does not understand his people, Napoleon. The great Russian commander and the French emperor embodied two principles: creative and destructive. And, of course, the humanist Tolstoy could not endow Napoleon with a single positive trait. As he could not denigrate the image of Kutuzov. The heroes of the novel have little in common with real historical figures. But Lev Nikolaevich created them in order to illustrate his historical concept.

In a special chapter, where Tolstoy in generalized terms defines the historical greatness of Kutuzov, it is again not about his “passivity”, but about his conscious activity, imbued with common goals, consistent and fulfilling the tasks of the leading historical necessity. “His (Kutuzov’s) actions,” Tolstoy writes, “everything, without the slightest retreat, is all directed towards the same goal, which consists of three things:
1) strain all your strength to clash with the French;
2) defeat them and
3) expel from Russia, making it easier as far as

Perhaps the disasters of the people and the troops. Everything that was outside these goals or interfered with their implementation - all this met with decisive resistance from Kutuzov. Only when the French were expelled, Kutuzov, having stopped in Vilna, ceased his activities. It is known that of all the historical figures in the novel "War and Peace" only one Kutuzov is singled out by the author as a "great man".
Tolstoy sees his greatness in the fact that he set the goal of general necessity as the goal of his personal activity. Kutuzov, according to Tolstoy, "comprehending the will of providence", "subdued his personal will to it." In what, according to Tolstoy, Kutuzov's comprehension of the will of "providence" consisted, it is necessary to dwell on this.
Kutuzov in War and Peace, less than others, considers it possible to know in advance the sum of the expected circumstances. Like others, according to Tolstoy, Kutuzov, for example, could not know and did not know how the battle of Borodino would turn out. According to Tolstoy's description, the Battle of Borodino took place without the direct intentions of Napoleon and Kutuzov, and far from being according to the plans outlined by both sides. “Giving and accepting the Battle of Borodino,” Tolstoy wrote, “Kutuzov and Napoleon acted involuntarily.” And after the Battle of Borodino, and after leaving Moscow, Kutuzov has long been in constant and painful anxiety. Consequently, there can be no talk of Kutuzov "foreseeing" the course and result of events.
There can be no talk of the fact that Kutuzov in Tolstoy comprehends the will of "providence" in its final stated goals.
Where Tolstoy speaks of the boundless multi-causality of events and the ultimate “mysteriousness” of the will of “providence” in history, in this context Kutuzov is no different from other people, in this case he becomes in line with all participants in the events, including Napoleon , and with Alexander, and with a simple soldier, and with a Moscow lady, who, for her own reasons, left Moscow. Kutuzov was singled out by Tolstoy in the sense that “one, contrary to the opinion of everyone, could guess so correctly the meaning of the people’s meaning of the event” and “never betrayed him in all his activity.” In other words, not about the final, global insight of Kutuzov, Tolstoy is talking about, but about an insight taken within the limits of a “general”, but only a national-historical “folk” meaning.
This is what Tolstoy says when he claims that Kutuzov alone understood then "the whole enormous meaning of the event." With this feature of Kutuzov as a "great man" in the novel, the correct moral feeling inherent in Kutuzov is combined.
The image of Kutuzov in "War and Peace" among the historical literature of that time acts as a deeply positive phenomenon. In "War and Peace" Kutuzov for the first time in a consistent ideological justification was shown as a great commander and as a folk hero. In this sense, in the history of studying and highlighting the activities of Field Marshal M. I. Kutuzov, the image of Kutuzov in “War and Peace” for his time

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It consisted of a combination of three forces: first, patience; second, time; thirdly, reliance on the morale of the troops. he himself speaks of this to Prince Andrei: "Patience and time, my dear, - there is no stronger than these two warriors, they will do everything." It turned out that such a strategy is an ancient strategy of popular and guerrilla warfare. This means that Kutuzov is not indifferent and not inactive, as it seemed, but active and active, but in a special way, without fuss and internal hesitation.

And what is the strength and greatness of Kutuzov?

Tolstoy writes the following about this: “And only this popular feeling put him on that highest human height from which he, the commander in chief, directed all his forces not to kill and exterminate people, but to save and pity them” . This means that the greatness of Kutuzov lies in the inseparability of the commander-in-chief and the humanist, the commander and the modest man, the field marshal and the people, that is, in the fusion of politics and morality. Claiming the greatness of Kutuzov, Tolstoy does not at all deny the role of great people, as it seemed to the critics, but shows his original understanding of greatness. Tolstoy sees the greatness of a person in personal nobility, in humanism, in self-denial for the sake of higher spiritual values, in generosity and mercy, that is, in the spirit of simplicity, goodness and truth. Turning to historical events and persons, Tolstoy seeks to find moral content in them, to determine their ethical level. Both historical figures and fictional heroes are evaluated by Tolstoy by one criterion - the criterion of morality. Consequently, Tolstoy does not reject great people in history, but opposes the exaggeration of the role of individual people, that is, against the cult of individual, great people in history. Because such a cult of a great man automatically gives him power over other people, and Tolstoy was a principled opponent of any power of some over others, asserting the principle of complete equality of people.

Andrei Bolkonsky noticed the absence of everything personal in the old commander, he even says that Kutuzov did not have passions, “but only the habits of passions”, that is, Kutuzov, unlike everyone else, did not have any of his own, separate, personal task, except for one - to serve the "inevitable course of events." It can be said that he is so imbued with the will of history and merges with this supreme outside personal power that it becomes his individual will. Professor Lidia Ginzburg writes: "In the activities of Kutuzov, the will of the people is revealed in the purest absolute form." Such complete dedication, such obedience to the will of the common and such preoccupation with the common destiny is the second unique property of Kutuzov along with the first property - the humanistic goal of all his actions. (Such complete disinterestedness is entrusted in the novel only to the people, Karataev, Natasha Rostova and Pierre Bezukhov). With this interpretation of the historical role of Kutuzov, Tolstoy waged a sharp dispute with all historiography contemporary to him. He saw that many modern critics did not recognize the greatness of the image of Kutuzov he created. In response to these judgments, Tolstoy wrote: “Art has laws ... And if I am an artist, and if Kutuzov is depicted by me well, then this is not because I wanted to (I have nothing to do with it), but because this figure has artistic conditions, while others do not ... To which there are many lovers of Napoleon, and not a single poet has yet made an image out of him; and never will." And for those people who did not believe in the objective laws of art, in its lack of deceit, Tolstoy remarked with cold sarcasm: "... for a lackey there cannot be a great person, because a lackey has his own (lackey's) concept of greatness."

On the pages of the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy develops his theory of the people and the individual in history. While asserting the determining role of the people, Tolstoy completely denies the role of the individual. He is convinced that "the spontaneous power of the masses excludes any possibility of influencing the course of history by the will of one person." The course of events is predetermined from above and therefore a person is not able to make any significant changes in the process of history - such is Tolstoy's philosophical and historical concept.

The image of Kutuzov in the novel is built from beginning to end in accordance with Tolstoy's conviction that the cause of war went on, "never coinciding with what people thought up, but proceeding from the essence of mass relations." Tolstoy makes Kutuzov the spokesman for his views. They are based on the consciousness that the creator of history, historical events is the people, and not individuals, and that all rationalistically constructed theories, no matter how good they may seem, are nothing before the force that is the mood and spirit of the masses.

“With many years of military experience, Kutuzov knew and understood with an senile mind that it was impossible for one person to lead hundreds of thousands of people fighting death, and he knew that the fate of the battle was not decided by the orders of the commander in chief, not by the place on which the troops stood, not by the number of guns and killed people , and that elusive force called the spirit of the army, and he followed this force and led it ... ". Tolstoy attributed to Kutuzov his erroneous, fatalistic view of history, according to which the outcome of historical events is predetermined. Andrei Bolkonsky says about Kutuzov: “He does not invent anything, does not undertake anything, but he will listen to everything, remember everything, put everything in its place, will not interfere with anything useful and will not allow anything harmful. He understands that there is something stronger and more significant than his will, this is the inevitable course of events, and he knows how to see them, knows how to understand their meanings and, in view of this meaning, knows how to renounce participation in these events, from his personal will.

Obeying his philosophy, Tolstoy makes Kutuzov a fatalist, to a certain extent passively following the course of events. The writer does not show how Kutuzov, after the surrender of Moscow, prepared the army for the fight, how he carried out his plan to defeat Napoleon's troops.

A realist artist, Tolstoy sometimes nevertheless overcame the philosophy of fatalism, and in a number of essential features Kutuzov is shown historically correctly: he has great strategic skill, thinks through the campaign plan for long nights, acts as an active figure, behind external calmness hides enormous volitional tension.

The most important feature of Kutuzov is patriotism. He is a Russian person and suffers deeply, seeing the difficult situation of the motherland, he considers saving it the goal of his life, he believes in the victory of the Russian people. "Give me time, give me time, the French will eat horse meat." Upon learning that Napoleon had left Moscow, Kutuzov laughs and cries at the same time, repeating: “Russia is saved!”

Kutuzov takes care of the soldiers, fights against the tsar, courtiers and staff generals. He is loved by soldiers and officers, he is a truly people's commander. The king was to appoint him commander-in-chief at the request of the people. Kutuzov knows the army and the laws of war, he can foresee the course of events, since he takes into account the morale of the troops. The main source of his wisdom is his connection with the people, and his great goal is the liberation of Russia.

The image of Kutuzov is most clearly revealed in the scene of the Battle of Borodino. Napoleon is nervous, he is powerless to influence the outcome of the battle, the troops sent by him return in the form of frustrated and frightened crowds. Kutuzov calmly ponders the course of the battle and, with his calmness, gives rise to confidence in the victory of others.

To General Wolzogen, seized with panic, he says: "Victory!" Kutuzov is remarkably versed in the course of the battle and, even before it is over, announces that it has been won.

Kutuzov understands that it is necessary to give up Moscow in order to save the army and save Russia, that in Moscow the French troops will decompose morally, turn into marauders, and lose discipline. “It is not difficult to take a fortress, it is difficult to win a campaign. There is nothing stronger than those two warriors - patience and time.

Tolstoy portrays Kutuzov as a great commander who surpassed Napoleon, defeated his hitherto invincible army. The image of Kutuzov is revealed in the novel in a variety of ways. During the first war with Napoleon, Mikhail Kutuzov was still a gallant general, but during World War II he was already an old man. His enemies, especially the German generals, laugh at this.

But on the part of Russian soldiers, his old age commands respect. He is an old man with a white head, stout, inactive, usually walks in a long frock coat, in a cap with a red band without a visor. He falls asleep at meetings of the military council, it is difficult for him to get on and off his horse. He is “weak for tears,” says Tolstoy, crying not only thinking about the fate of Russia, but also at the sight of the wounded, but all this does not belittle the image of Kutuzov.

On the contrary, all these features help us to see him as a living person with the inherent weaknesses of old age. However, Kutuzov has tremendous spiritual strength, great life experience, directness, contempt for staff sophistication. All this allows him to be a truly popular commander.

The greatness of Kutuzov becomes especially clear in comparison with Napoleon. For Bonaparte, the main thing is himself, his unique personality. Especially sharply marked is such a feature of him as posturing. Napoleon behaves like an actor on stage. In front of the portrait of his son, he “made an appearance of thoughtful tenderness,” and this happens almost in front of the entire army. Such an open display of love seems to Tolstoy an unworthy spectacle.

Napoleon in all his actions is guided by the desire for personal glory and unlimited power. Taking his next step, he constantly thought about the "forty centuries", as if looking at him. And therefore his greatness seems imaginary, his grandiose plans - adventurous. Leo Tolstoy exposes Bonapartism in the person of Napoleon and emphasizes the importance of Kutuzov, who serves the cause of saving the people and the Fatherland from foreign invasion.

“There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness, truth,” says Tolstoy. The great Russian commander Kutuzov possesses these highest moral qualities. He embodies folk wisdom and folk feelings, which he carried in himself "in all their purity and strength."

Kutuzov in the novel "War and Peace"

There is no other work in Russian literature where the power and greatness of the Russian people would be conveyed with such persuasiveness and strength, as in the novel "War and Peace". With the whole content of the epic novel, Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy showed that it was the people who had risen to fight for independence that expelled the French and ensured victory. Kutuzov's unity with the people is explained by the "people's feeling that he carried in himself in all its purity and strength." Thanks to this spiritual quality, Kutuzov is the "representative of the people's war."

For the first time Tolstoy shows Kutuzov in the military campaign of 1805-1807. at the review in Braunau. The Russian commander did not want to look at the full dress uniform of the soldiers, but began to examine the regiment in the state in which it was, pointing to the Austrian general at the broken soldier's shoes, with such an expression that he did not seem to reproach anyone for this, but he could not help but see how it was bad. L.N. Tolstoy depicts a review in Braunau and a review near Olmutz in contrast. Soldiers in gray overcoats and broken shoes, and “smartly cleaned and dressed up troops”, “smart cavalry”, soldiers with freshly shaved and washed faces and cleaned ammunition to the last possible shine. “In this contrast, Tolstoy skillfully shows how different are the interests of Kutuzov and Alexander and their attitude towards the soldiers, and consequently towards the people. If Kutuzov “went through the ranks, occasionally stopping and saying a few kind words to the officers whom he knew from the Turkish war, and sometimes to the soldiers, then Emperor Alexander, riding a horse, only stopped sometimes to greet any regiment. If at Kutuzov the review was simple, of course, at home, the commander talked with the soldiers, then in Olmutz the “masses of the troops”, “stretching their breasts”, “joined the roar of the entire line that the sovereign had already passed. “That is, this is not the sons’ love of soldiers for Kutuzov, but the wild delight of the crowd,“ the masses of people ”. And in this contrast, Tolstoy especially clearly shows the unity of Kutuzov with the army, the paternal attitude towards soldiers and military commanders, the naturalness and simplicity of the Russian commander.

In the battle of Borodino, the greatness of Kutuzov was manifested, which consisted in the fact that he led the spirit of the army: “With many years of military experience, he knew and understood with an senile mind 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 orders commander-in-chief, not the place where the troops stand, 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.

LN Tolstoy shows how much the Russian spirit in this people's war surpasses the cold prudence of foreign military leaders. So Kutuzov sends the Prince of Witembourg "to take command of the first army", but then, before reaching the army, he asks for more troops, and then the commander recalls him and sends the Russian Dokhturov, knowing that he will stand for the Motherland to the death. The writer shows that the noble Barclay de Tolly, seeing all the circumstances, decided that the battle was lost, while the Russian soldiers fought to the death and held back the onslaught of the French. No, Barclay de Tolly is not a bad commander, but there is no Russian spirit in him. But Kutuzov is close to the people and this folk spirit, and the commander gives the order to attack, although the army could not attack in such a state. But this order proceeded “not from cunning considerations, but from a feeling that lay in the soul of every Russian person,” and, having heard this order, “the exhausted and wavering people were comforted and encouraged.”

But Tolstoy the artist often contradicts Tolstoy the philosopher, since Kutuzov leads the real battle, showing his will. Tolstoy the philosopher denies the active role of the commander in this or that battle, but even in the words of Bolklnsky: “He will not invent anything, will not do anything ... but he will listen to everything, remember everything, put everything in its place, will not interfere with anything useful and nothing harmful will be allowed.” Recognition of the active role of Kutuzov. On the one hand, with Tolstoy, Kutuzov did not make “any orders”, but on the other hand, he “agreed or disagreed with what was offered to him”, “given orders”, that is, he nevertheless led the course of the battle. This is the contradiction of Tolstoy as an artist and as a philosopher.

In the epic novel “War and Peace”, Tolstoy’s true bearer of goodness, beauty and truth is the people, and therefore the people’s commander Kutuzov. Kutuzov is great, for "there is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth."