In this article we will talk about the novel of LeoNikolayevich Tolstoy "War and Peace". Particular attention will be paid to the Russian noble society, carefully described in the work, in particular, we will be interested in the Kuragin family.
The novel "War and Peace"
The novel was completed in 1869.In his work Tolstoy depicted the Russian society of the era of the war with Napoleon. That is, the novel covers the period from 1805 to 1812. The writer very long hatched the idea of a novel. Initially, Tolstoy intended to describe the story of the hero Decembrist. Gradually, however, the writer came to the conclusion that it was best to start the work from 1805.
First started publishing by individual chapters in1865 the novel "War and Peace". The Kuragin family is already appearing in these passages. The reader almost at the very beginning of the novel meets its members. However, let us discuss in more detail why such a large place in the novel is occupied by the description of high society and noble families.
The role of high society in the work
In the novel Tolstoy takes the place of a judge whobegins the process of higher society. The writer first of all evaluates not the position of a person in the world, but his moral qualities. And the most important virtues for Tolstoy were truthfulness, kindness and simplicity. The author seeks to disrupt the brilliant covers of the secular gloss and show the true essence of the nobility. Therefore, the reader from the first pages becomes a witness to the low actions committed by the nobles. Recall, at least, the drunken debauchery of Anatol Kuragin and Pierre Bezukhov.
The Kuragin family, among other noble families, finds itself under the watchful eye of Tolstoy. How does a writer see each member of this family?
General idea of the Kuragin family
Толстой видел в семье основу человеческого society, therefore, attached such great importance to the image of noble families in the novel. Kuragin writer presents the reader as the embodiment of immorality. All members of this family are hypocritical, self-serving, ready to commit a crime for the sake of wealth, irresponsible, selfish.
Among all the families depicted by Tolstoy, onlyKuragins are guided in their actions solely by personal interest. It was these people who destroyed the lives of other people: Pierre Bezukhov, Natasha Rostova, Andrei Bolkonsky, etc.
Even the Kuragin family ties are different.The members of this family are not connected by the poetic intimacy, the kinship of souls and care, but by instinctive solidarity, almost mutual responsibility, which more closely resembles animal relations than people.
The family of the Kuragin family: Prince Vasily, Princess Alina (his wife), Anatole, Helene, Hippolytus.
Vasily Kuragin
Prince Vasily - the head of the family.For the first time, the reader sees him in the salon of Anna Pavlovna. He was dressed in court uniform, stockings and headdresses and had a “bright expression on his flat face”. The prince speaks in French, always flaunting, lazily, like an actor playing a role in an old play. The prince was a respected man among the society of the novel "War and Peace". The Kuragin family was generally quite favorably received by other nobles.
Prince Kuragin, with all kind and to allcomplacent, was close to the emperor, he was surrounded by a crowd of enthusiastic fans. However, behind the external well-being there was an incessant internal struggle between the desire to appear moral and dignified and the real motives of his actions.
Tolstoy loved to use the mismatch techniqueinternal and external character of the character. He took advantage of them, creating the image of Prince Vasily in the novel “War and Peace”. The Kuragin family, whose characteristic interests us so much, is generally different from other families by this duplicity. Which clearly speaks against her.
As for the count himself, his true face appeared in the scene of the struggle for the inheritance of the deceased Count Bezukhov. It is here that the hero's ability to intrigue and dishonorable actions is shown.
Anatole Kuragin
Anatole is also endowed with all the qualities thatpersonifies the Kuragin family. The characteristic of this character is primarily based on the words of the author himself: “Simple and with carnal inclinations.” For Anatol, life is a continuous fun that everyone should arrange for him. This person never thought about the consequences of his actions and the people around him, guided only by his desires. The idea that it was necessary to answer for their actions, Anatole never even entered her head.
This character is completely free fromresponsibility. Anatol's egoism is almost naive and good-natured, it comes from its animal principle, which is why it is absolute. This egoism is an integral part of the hero, he is inside him, in his feelings. Anatole is deprived of the opportunity to think about what will happen after momentary pleasure. He lives only in the present. In Anatole, the conviction that everything around is intended only for his pleasure is strong. He knows no torments of conscience, regret or doubt. At the same time, Kuragin is sure that he is a wonderful person. That is why in his very movements and appearance so much freedom.
However, this freedom stems from Anatole's senselessness, since he is sensually suited to the perception of the world, but does not realize it, does not try to comprehend, such as, for example, Pierre.
Helen kuragina
Еще один персонаж, воплощающий в себе the duality that the Kuragin family carries. The characteristic of Helene, like Anatole, is perfectly given by Tolstoy himself. The writer describes the girl as a beautiful antique statue that is empty inside. Behind Helene's appearance there is nothing, she is soulless, though beautiful. No wonder the text is constantly found comparing it with marble statues.
The heroine becomes a personification in the novelviciousness and immorality. Like all Kuragins, Helen is an egoist who does not recognize moral standards; she lives according to the laws of her wishes. An excellent example of this is her marriage to Pierre Bezukhov. Helen marries only in order to improve their well-being.
After marriage, she is not at allchanged, continuing to follow only their base desires. Helen begins to cheat on her husband, while she has no desire to have children. That is why Tolstoy leaves her childless. For a writer who believes that a woman should be devoted to her husband and raise children, Helen became the embodiment of the most impartial qualities that a female representative can have.
Hippolyte Kuragin
The Kuragin family in the novel "War and Peace"personifies the destructive power that causes harm not only to others, but also to itself. Each family member is a carrier of some vice, from which he himself suffers as a result. The only exception is Hippolyte. His character harms only him, but does not destroy the lives of others.
Prince Hippolyte looks very similar to his sisterHelene, however, he is completely stupid with himself. His face was “clouded with idiocy,” and his body was weak and thin. Hippolyte is incredibly stupid, but because of the confidence with which he speaks, everyone cannot understand whether he is smart or impassable. He often speaks out of place, inserts inappropriate remarks, does not always understand what he is talking about.
Thanks to the patronage of his father, Hippolyte doesmilitary career, but among the officers he is reputed to be a jester. Despite all this, the hero is a success with women. Prince Vasily himself speaks of his son as a "deceased fool."
Comparison with other noble families
As noted above, noble families havegreat value for understanding the novel. And for good reason Tolstoy takes several families at once to describe. So, the main heroes are the members of five noble families: Bolkonsky, Rostovy, Drubetskoye, Kuragins and Bezukhovs.
Each noble family describes a differenthuman values and sins. The Kuragin family in this regard stands out against the background of other representatives of the high society. And not for the better. In addition, as soon as Kuraginsky egoism invades a foreign family, it immediately causes a crisis in it.
Family Growth and Kuragin
As noted above, Kuragins are low,callous, depraved and selfish people. They have no affection and care for each other. And if they give help, it is only for mercenary reasons.
Отношения в этой семье резко контрастируют с the atmosphere that prevails in the house of the Rostovs. Here family members understand and love each other, they sincerely care about their loved ones, showing warmth and participation. So, Natasha, seeing Sonya’s tears, also begins to cry.
It can be said that the Kuragin family in the novel War and Peace is opposed to the Rostov family, in which Tolstoy saw the embodiment of family values.
Indicative and the relationship in marriage Helen and Natasha.If the former cheated on her husband and did not want to have children at all, the latter became the personification of the feminine in the understanding of Tolstoy. Natasha became an ideal wife and an excellent mother.
Interesting and communication episodes of brothers and sisters. How unlikely intimate conversations between Nikolenka and Natasha are the cold phrases of Anatole and Helene.
Family of Bolkonsky and Kuragins
These noble families are also very dissimilar.
For a start, let's compare the fathers of two families.Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky is an outstanding person who values intelligence and activity. If necessary, he is ready to serve his homeland. Nikolai Andreevich loves his children, sincerely cares about them. Prince Vasili, who thinks only about his own benefit and is not at all worried about the well-being of his children, is not at all like him. For him, the main thing is money and position in society.
In addition, Bolkonsky Sr., as well as his laterson, was disappointed in the society, which so attracts all Kuragins. Andrew is the successor of the affairs and views of his father, while the children of Prince Basil go their own way. Even Marya inherits strictness in raising children from Bolkonsky Sr. A description of the Kuragin family clearly indicates the absence of any continuity in their family.
Thus, in the Bolkonsky family, despitethe visible severity of Nikolai Andreevich, love and mutual understanding, continuity and care reign. Andrei and Marya are sincerely attached to their father and have respect for him. The relationship between brother and sister was cool for a long time, until the common grief - the death of the father - rallied them.
Kuragin is alien to all these feelings. They are not able to sincerely support each other in a difficult situation. Their destiny is only destruction.
Conclusion
In his novel, Tolstoy wanted to show whatideal family relationships are being built. However, he also had to present the worst variant of the development of kinship ties. This was the option of the Kuragin family, which embodied the worst human qualities. Using the example of the fates of the Kuragins, Tolstoy shows the consequences of moral decline and animal egoism. None of them have found such a desired happiness precisely because they thought only of themselves. People with such an attitude towards life, according to Tolstoy, do not deserve well-being.
