Leo Tolstoy in his famous novel"War and Peace" singled out the "folk idea" as the main idea. This theme is most multifaceted and vividly reflected in excerpts from the work in which war is described. As for the "world", the "family idea" prevails in its image. She also plays a very important role in the work of interest to us. The theme of love in the novel "War and Peace" in many respects helps the author to open this idea.
Love in the life of the characters of the novel
Almost all the characters of the workare tested with love. To moral beauty, mutual understanding and true feeling, not all of them come. In addition, this does not happen immediately. Heroes have to go through mistakes and suffering, redeeming them, purifying and developing the soul.
The life of Andrei Bolkonsky with Liza
The theme of love in the novel "War and Peace" is revealed inan example of several heroes, one of which is Andrei Bolkonsky. His path to happiness was thorny. At the age of 20, being an inexperienced youth, blinded by external beauty, he decides to marry Lisa. But to Andrey very quickly comes oppressing and painful understanding of that he was mistaken cruelly and unrepeatably. In a conversation with his friend, Pierre Bezukhov, he almost says in despair that he should not marry before he did everything he could. Andrei says that he would give a lot to not be linked nowadays with family ties.
Bolkonsky family life with his wife is notbrought peace and happiness. Moreover, he was burdened by it. Andrei did not like his wife. He rather despised her, treating her like a child from a silly empty light. Bolkonsky was oppressed by the feeling that his life was useless, that he had become an idiot and a court footman.
Soul of Andrew's soul
This hero was ahead of the sky Austerlitz,the death of Lisa, a mental breakthrough, longing, fatigue, disappointment, contempt for life. At that time, Bolkonsky was like an oak tree, which was a contemptuous, angry and old ugly creature between the smiling birches. This tree did not want to obey the charm of spring. However, suddenly in the soul of Andrew rose confusion of young hopes and thoughts, unexpected for him. As you probably guessed, the theme of love in the novel "War and Peace" is further developed. The hero leaves the estate transformed. Again in front of him on the road is an oak, but now he is not ugly and old, but covered with greenery.
Bolkdonsky's feeling for Natasha
The theme of love in the novel "War and Peace" is very important forauthor. According to Tolstoy, this feeling is a miracle that brings us back to a new life. A real feeling for Natasha, a girl so unlike the foolish and empty women of light, appeared at Bolkonsky not immediately. It renewed his soul, turned it over with incredible power. Andrey has now become a completely different person. He seemed to have come from a stuffy room. True, even the feeling for Natasha did not help Bolkonsky to humble his pride. He did not succeed in forgiving Natasha for her "treason." Only after he received a mortal wound did he rethink his life. Bolkonsky after the spiritual breakthrough understood the suffering, remorse and shame of Natasha. He realized that he was cruel, breaking off relations with her. The hero admitted that he loves her even more than before. However, nothing could stop Bolkonsky in this world, even the fiery feeling of Natasha.
Pierre's Love for Helen
The theme of love in Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace"is also disclosed in the example of Pierre. The fate of Pierre Bezukhov is somewhat similar to the fate of Andrei, his best friend. Like him, carried away in his youth by Lisa, Pierre, who had just returned from Paris, fell in love with Helen, who was doll-like beautiful. With the disclosure of the theme of love and friendship in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace, it should be noted that Pierre's feelings for Helen were childishly enthusiastic. Andrei's example did not teach him anything. Bezukhov had to make sure by his own experience that external beauty is by no means always internal, spiritual.
Unhappy marriage
This hero felt that between him and Helen was notthere are barriers that this girl was terribly close to him. Over Pierre had the power of her marble beautiful body. And although the hero understood that this was not good, he still yielded to the feeling that this depraved woman had inspired him. As a result, Bezukhov became her husband. However, the marriage was not happy. Feeling of gloomy despair, disappointment, disdain for life, to himself and to his wife embraced Pierre some time after living with Helen. Her mystery turned into stupidity, spiritual emptiness and debauchery. This is worth mentioning if you are writing an essay. The theme of love in Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" is covered on the new side in the relationship between Pierre and Natasha. About how these characters finally found their happiness, we now talk.
The new love of Pierre
Bezukhov, having met Natasha, like Andrew, wasis struck by its naturalness and purity. In his heart, the feeling for this girl began to grow timidly already when Natasha and Bolkonsky fell in love with each other. Pierre was happy for them, but this joy mixed with sadness. Kind heart Bezukhova, unlike Andrew, understood Natasha and forgave her for the case with Anatol Kuragin. Despite the fact that Pierre tried to despise her, he was able to see how much she was exhausted. And then Bezukhov's soul was filled for the first time with a feeling of pity. He understood Natasha, perhaps because her hobby for Anatole resembled his own infatuation with Helen. The girl believed that Kuragin possessed inner beauty. In communication with Anatole, she, like Pierre and Helen, sensed that there was no barrier between them.
Update the soul of Pierre Bezukhov
The path of life searches Bezukhov continuesafter a quarrel with his wife. He is fond of Freemasonry, then participates in the war. Bezukhov is visited by a half-childish idea of killing Napoleon. He sees how Moscow burns. Next, he is ready for the difficult moments of waiting for his death, and then captivity.
Pierre's soul, cleansed, renewed, pastthrough suffering, retains a love for Natasha. Once again meeting her, he discovers that this girl has also changed a lot. Bezukhov did not recognize the old Natasha in her. In the hearts of the heroes, love woke up, and suddenly "long-forgotten happiness" returned to them. They mastered, in the words of Tolstoy, "joyful madness."
Gaining happiness
Life awoke in them with love.The power of feeling brought Natasha back to life after a long mental apathy, which was caused by the death of Prince Andrew. The girl thought that with his death her life is over. However, the love for the mother, which arose in her with renewed vigor, showed Natasha that love is still alive in her. The strength of this feeling, which is the essence of Natasha, was able to evoke the people that this girl loved.
The fate of Princess Mary and Nicholas Rostov
Theme of love in Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace"is also revealed on the example of the relationship between Princess Mary and Nicholas Rostov. The destinies of these heroes were not easy. Ugly outwardly, meek, quiet princess had a beautiful soul. During the life of her father, she did not even hope to ever get married, raise children. Anatol Kuragin was the only one who had wooed her, and even then only for the sake of a dowry. Of course, he could not understand the moral beauty and high spirituality of this heroine. This was done only to Nicholas Rostov.
Tolstoy in the epilogue of his novel speaks ofspiritual unity of people, which is the basis of nepotism. At the end of the work there was a new family, which connected so different, it would seem, beginnings - Bolkonskikh and Rostov. It is very interesting to read Lev Nikolaevich's novel. Eternal themes in the novel "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy make this work relevant in our day.