Comparative characteristics of Kutuzov and Napoleon: table. The image of Kutuzov in Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace"

One of the unique and brilliant writers known throughout the world is the "great hope of Russian literature", a man who tried to re-comprehend life, understand its laws and unravel secrets. Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy had a special view of the world order, including a theory about the role of man in history and its meaning in the context of eternity. In the novel "War and Peace" this concept embodied the generals of the two great armies. Comparative characteristics of Kutuzov and Napoleon (a table with brief conclusions on the topic will be presented below) allows to fully reveal the writer's attitude to the question: "Can one person create a story?"

Life and work of Leo Tolstoy

The life of Lev Nikolaevich is rich in events. His youth was held in St. Petersburg, where he was one of the main leaders and a famous rake. Then fate threw him to the Crimean War, after which the writer again returned to the capital. Here, already matured and seen a lot, he begins to cooperate with the magazine "Contemporary", closely communicating with the editorial staff (NA Nekrasov, AN Ostrovsky, IS Turgenev). Tolstoy publishes The Sevastopol Stories, where he paints pictures of the war he has traversed. Then she travels through Europe and remains very unhappy with her.

In 1956 he resigned and begins the life of the landowner in Yasnaya Polyana. He is married, engaged in economy and writes his most famous novels and novels: "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina", "Sunday", "Kreutzer Sonata".

Tolstoy died in 1910 at the railway station.

The novel "War and Peace"

Roman epic describes the events of the Napoleonic War (1805-1812 gg.). The work was a huge success both in Russia and in Europe. "War and Peace" - an art canvas, which has no analogues in the literature. Tolstoy succeeded in depicting all social classes, beginning with emperors and ending with soldiers. The 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 sublime impulses to ruthless, almost animal sentiments of the crowd.

The image of Kutuzov, closely connected with Russia and her people, was amazing. Opposite to him in everything appears narcissistic and selfish Napoleon. These characters will be considered in detail.

The role of personality in history: Kutuzov and Napoleon

Tolstoy, who always extolled the greatness and power of the Russian people, showed in his novel that he had won the war. Moreover, the feeling of the nation formed the basis for the main evaluation 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 Kutuzov's victory is a pledge.

Opposite to him is Napoleon, who separated himself from the world, imagines almost a god. The differences between these characters are illustrated in more detail by the comparative characteristics of Kutuzov and Napoleon (the table is placed below). However, even now one can say that, according to Tolstoy, a person who has decided to change the world alone is doomed to failure.

The image of Kutuzov

Tolstoy portrayed Kutuzov in the novel as a kind of old man who knows life well and understands what lies ahead. He knows that the battle of Austerlitz will be lost, and calmly talks about it. He falls asleep on the advice, knowing full well what will eventually result in all the talk. 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 subordinated to the great will of history itself, he is its "slave." But only this way, taking a wait-and-see attitude, it was possible to win. It was this thought of Tolstoy that embodied in the character of Kutuzov.

The image of Napoleon

Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte - the exact opposite of Kutuzov. In contrast to the integral personality of the Russian general, Tolstoy depicts the French emperor in two ways: a man and a commander. As a commander, Napoleon is talented, has a wealth of experience and knowledge of military affairs.

But for Lev Nikolayevich, it is the human component, the emotional qualities, psychological features that are the main thing . It is in this respect that the writer dethrones the romantic image of the enemy commander. Already in describing the appearance of Napoleon shows the author's attitude: "small", "fat", unremarkable, poser 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 for possession absorbed him, he is morally poor and unable to feel, love, rejoice. Napoleon goes through the corpses to his goal, because it justifies any means. "Winners are not judged," is his motto.

Comparative characteristics of Kutuzov and Napoleon: table

Table Synthesis

Comparative characteristics of Kutuzov and Napoleon (the table is presented above) is based on the opposition of individualism and nationality. Only a person who imagines himself higher and better than others could start a bloody war in order to achieve his selfish goals. Such a character can not become a hero, so Tolstoy, with his humanism and faith in folk wisdom, paints him negatively and repulsively. Appearance, gait, manners, even the character of Napoleon - all this is a consequence of his desire to show himself as a superman.

Kutuzov, wise, calm, seemingly inactive, bears in himself the full power of the Russian people. He does not make decisions - he follows the course of events. He does not try to create a story - he obeys it. In this humility lies his spiritual and moral strength, which helped win the war.

Conclusion

Incredible popular power was concluded by Leo Tolstoy in his novel War and Peace. A brief description of this force is given on the example of the image of Kutuzov, who 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 give Napoleon any positive feature. As well as he could not blacken Kutuzov's image. The heroes of the novel have little to do with real historical figures. But Lev Nikolaevich created them in order to illustrate his historical concept.