The Russian epic War and Peace hails as one of the most highly acclaimed novels ever composed. Written by Leo Tolstoy and first published in 1869, the novel presents itself as a panorama of Russian society during the Napoleonic Wars. Throughout the work, Tolstoy illustrates the divide between the reality of war and the naïve and false perceptions of battle perceived by those who know only peace. War and Peace offers a vast depiction of individual struggles against immorality and social conflict. Lack of interest in the common good and the selfish detachment of Russian aristocracy from the toils of reality act as prominent elements in the story. The structure of the novel entails a shifting focus between different characters, namely Countess Natasha Rostova, Prince Andrey Bolkonsky, and Pierre Bezukhov. The three major characters each experience an internal transformation in response to the war. In the story, the encroaching conflict causes the characters to evaluate their previous ideals, morality, and affectations. The inclusion of Tolstoy’s somewhat controversial reflections on the history in the work contrast with the traditional methods used by historians. However, the novel proved widely popular upon its release to the public. War and Peace addresses the artificiality and separation of Russian high society, even in the wake of destruction, as a social dilemma and demonstrates the impact of war upon humanity.
War and Peace illustrates the conflict between the reality of war and the pretense of peace postured in Russia during the Napoleonic Wars and depicts a social dilemma of society’s prioritization of personal interests above the concerns of others. Throughout the novel, Tolstoy stresses the inauthenticity and selfishness ...
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...apoleon’s approaching army. After Natasha discovers the truth of Anatole’s intentions and his marriage to another woman, Natasha enters a deep depression and endures the absurd and expensive ministrations of many doctors. Natasha illustrates the social dilemma presented in the work as she begins to adopt the same selfish mindset of her peers without consideration to how it will affect those around her, specifically Andrey. After Napoleon’s invasion of Moscow and Prince Andrey’s death, Natasha realizes the triviality her previous behavior and experiences a self-transformation. Throughout the remainder of the novel, Natasha presents herself as mature and reserved character, contrasting greatly to Tolstoy’s depiction of her in earlier passages. Pierre also a faces a similar transformation and through the ongoing struggles of the war, overcomes his own moral dilemma.
Tolstoy, Leo. "The Death of Ivan Ilyich." Norton Anthology of World Literature: 1650 to the present. 3RD ed. Volume E. Puchner, Akbari, Denecke, et al. New York, London: W. W Norton, 2012. 740-778. Print.
People usually believe following society is the “right” way of living. In Leo Tolstoy’s novel, Death of Ivan Ilyich, Tolstoy uses a recurring theme of conformity. He illustrates Ivan Ilyich, the protagonist, a middle class man as a modern day conformist. His character lives for society’s approval and in doing so, distracts himself from seeking true happiness. Throughout the novel, Leo Tolstoy uses satire to expose the upper-middle class people as conformists. Tolstoy portrays the damaging effects propriety has on an individual when the individual chooses to disregard compassion and fulfillment in favor of society’s norms.
War and peace exist in more ways than large military conflicts, occurring between ideas and between people. Themes often explored in literature, war and peace, can be represented simply as personal conflicts, such as those between close friends. John Knowles’ A Separate Peace deals with the issue of war and peace by showing Peace, personified by Phineas, to be happy, naïve and confident, and War, personified by Gene, to be tortured, malicious and insecure, and that resolution to the conflict between them comes only from an understanding of the world around them.
Ivan Ilych is living during the industrial revolution, a time of technological advancement, that mainly advances the upper class, which he is apart of. Ivan’s number one priority in life is to be comfortable and to do the correct thing at all times. Every decision he makes, including who he chooses to marry, is with the intent that it does not damage his “easy, agreeable, and always decorous character of his life,” (Tolstoy 213). Ivan is convinced that the best way to have an easy and agreeable life is to be wealthy, marry a woman from his own class, and live in a house full of modern conveniences and luxury. Ironically, it...
... destroy and reinstate the bonds of family and Russian nationalism. Turgenev explores hoe this generational divide interacts with the division among classes and how the powers of the aristocracy affects the younger generation and feminine identity. Throught these interactions the power of love as redemption is seen in the relationship between Arkady and Katya as well as Anna and Bazarov. The women in Fathers and Sons symbolize the diversity found within the same class and generational margins these women challenge the men they encounter and cease power over their relationships. The struggle for power, between the sexes is dependent upon the roles and social standings of the perspective character. The female characters whether aristocratic or dependent, “mothers” or “daughters” find power in their gender and utilize their womanly intellect to find eventual resolve.
Tolstoy establishes his satire instantly after the death of Ivan through the cruel and selfish reactions of his friends. The death of a friend would normally conjure feelings of grief and compassion, yet for Ivan’s close associates, thoughts of their futures drowned out any thoughts of death. “So on receiving the news of Ivan Ilych's death the first thought of each of the gentlemen in ...
Pierre Bezhukov, the illegitimate son and eventual heir to his father’s massive fortune, is not well-suited for the high society of Russia. Intelligent and honest, Pierre is one of the few characters in the upper echelons of society that is genuine. As a major character, Pierre experiences one of the most marked character developments in the novel. Although his kind and decent nature remains relatively unchanged throughout the story, Pierre is occasionally induced into a rage, one of which is actually directed against his first wife, Helene.
The opposing tyrant, Imam Shamil, acquires a few favorable characteristics that Hadji Murat fails to demonstrate. Shamil’s blunt and direct attitude prove to be effective throughout some parts of this novel. His attitude makes people frightened of him and therefore “people were afraid to disobey Shamil” (7). Tolstoy also introduces Tsar Nicholas, a ignorant and petty leader that is driven more by flattery and lust than any consideration for the citizens that obey his every
Tolstoy, Leo. Anna Karenina. Trans. Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. New York, NY: Penguin, 2000. Print.
It is instructive to the reader to point out that Tolstoy's usage of the word “art” speaks of a wide sphere of artistic expressions. Among these expressions are literature, poetry, painting, sculptures and music. According to Tolstoy, it is art that brings mankind together and allows for the commonalities in humanity to be emphasized. Tolstoy describes these commonalities as man's need for union with God and with one another. Good art, for Tolstoy, is art that expresses itself through religious perception. This religious perception is how the culture of its current time views its most important values. This is similar to William Wordsworth’s ideas for literature. It is important to Wordsworth that the author of the work express emotions that the common man can relate to. It is fundamental to Tolstoy, as with Wordsworth, that the work be accessible and understandable to all people. This is why Tolstoy supposed that music is the...
Tolstoy, Leo. "Tolstoy Defends War and Peace". Tolstoy: The Critical Heritage. Ed. A.V. Knowles. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1978. 124-133.
Tolstoy's choice of title immediately sets up expectations in the reader; expectations that are destined to be disappointed. Although the reader may anticipate a straightforward tale of a woman's descent into adultery, they will find that that element is enclosed by and permeated with the equally dominant tale of a man's quest for harmony and love, and a good deal of extraneous material. Levin serves as a mouthpiece for Tolstoy's beliefs, and on occasions his activities take on a pseudo-biographical aspect. At times it seems that Anna's involvement in the novel is minimal - with episodes involving her being sparsely distributed - and the reader may well wonder why the novel is so entitled.
Alongside with these historical events, Tolstoy describes the different classes of Russian society in terms of their participation in the war and what kind of an impact war had on their lives. In the beginning of the novel, the Russian aristocratic class, which was in the czar’s circle, wanted Russia to participate in the war. They wanted a quick victory and pride for the Russian nobility. They did not anticipate that the war would destroy homes, agriculture, and take many Russian lives. This class is shown in Anna Pavlova Sharer’s salon, with it’s upper class aristocracy, who talk only in French, viewing the Russian language as uncivilized and useful only for peasants. They adopted French culture and wear French style clothing, and at the same time they want to fight Napoleon. However, the majority of this class doesn’t want to participate themselves in the war, but want to win the war with the hands of the peasants. These aristocrats, despite their high education and power, will do nothing to help win the war. They live like parasites on the body of Russia’s society. This is how Tolstoy describes this class in general, but he also depicts two representatives of this upper class, Andrew Bolkonsky and Pierre Bisuhov, who were the more intellectual ones, and whose lives and views of war and life changed as the result of the war.
War has the capacity to foster love while equalizing social status. The novels The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje and A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute substantiate the fact, through fiction, that during war-time men and women who are not of the same station in life can find an incomparable love with one another. Each novel also gives evidence of love igniting during war and surviving the trials of time and distance. Hana and Kip from The English Patient and Jean and Joe both go through these trials and tribulations associated with love and war. Whether that love is doomed for failure or a future together forever…it never dies.
Tolstoy was convinced that philosophical principles can only be understood in their concrete expression in history. Tolstoy's major work, War and Peace, appeared between the years 1865 and 1869. The epic tale depicted the story of five families against the background of Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Its vast canvas includes 580 characters, many historical, others fictional. The story moves from family life to the headquarters of Napoleon, from the court of Alexander to the battlefields of Austerlitz and Borodino.