Does Tolstoy consider Prince Andrei’s feat heroic? Life path of Andrei Bolkonsky
Andrei Bolkonsky, his spiritual quest, the evolution of his personality are described throughout the entire novel by L. N. Tolstoy. For the author, changes in the consciousness and attitude of the hero are important, because, in his opinion, this is what speaks about the moral health of the individual. Therefore, all the positive heroes of War and Peace go through the path of searching for the meaning of life, the dialectics of the soul, with all the disappointments, loss and gain of happiness. Tolstoy indicates the presence of a positive beginning in the character by the fact that, despite life’s troubles, the hero does not lose his dignity. These are Andrei Bolkonsky and Pierre Bezukhov. The common and main thing in their quest is that the heroes come to the idea of unity with the people. Let's consider what the spiritual quest of Prince Andrei led to.
Focus on Napoleon's ideas
Prince Bolkonsky first appears before the reader at the very beginning of the epic, in the salon of Anna Scherer, the maid of honor. Before us is a short man, with somewhat dry features, and very handsome in appearance. Everything in his behavior speaks of complete disappointment with life, both spiritual and family. Having married a beautiful egoist, Lisa Meinen, Bolkonsky soon gets tired of her and completely changes his attitude towards marriage. He even begs his friend Pierre Bezukhov to never marry.
Prince Bolkonsky longs for something new; for him, constant going out into society and family life is a vicious circle from which the young man strives to break out. How? Leaving for the front. This is the uniqueness of the novel “War and Peace”: Andrei Bolkonsky, as well as other characters, their dialectics of the soul, are shown within a certain historical setting.
At the beginning of Tolstoy's epic, Andrei Bolkonsky is an ardent Bonapartist who admires Napoleon's military talent and is an adherent of his idea of gaining power through military feat. Bolkonsky wants to get “his Toulon.”
Service and Austerlitz
With his arrival in the army, a new milestone in the quest of the young prince begins. The life path of Andrei Bolkonsky made a decisive turn in the direction of bold, courageous actions. The prince shows exceptional talent as an officer; he displays courage, valor and courage.
Even in the smallest details, Tolstoy emphasizes that Bolkonsky made the right choice: his face became different, stopped expressing fatigue from everything, feigned gestures and manners disappeared. The young man did not have time to think about how to behave correctly; he became real.
Kutuzov himself notes how talented Andrei Bolkonsky is as an adjutant: the great commander writes a letter to the young man’s father, noting that the prince is making exceptional progress. Andrei takes all victories and defeats to heart: he sincerely rejoices and experiences pain in his soul. He sees Bonaparte as an enemy, but at the same time continues to admire the genius of the commander. He still dreams of “his Toulon.” Andrei Bolkonsky in the novel “War and Peace” is an exponent of the author’s attitude towards outstanding personalities; it is from his lips that the reader learns about the most important battles.
The center of this stage of the prince’s life is the One who showed great heroism, seriously wounded, he lies on the battlefield and sees the bottomless sky. Then Andrey comes to the realization that he must reconsider his life priorities and turn to his wife, whom he despised and humiliated with his behavior. And his once idol, Napoleon, seems to him to be an insignificant little man. Bonaparte appreciated the young officer’s feat, but Bolkonsky didn’t care. He dreams only of quiet happiness and an impeccable family life. Andrei decides to end his military career and return home to his wife,
The decision to live for yourself and loved ones
Fate is preparing another heavy blow for Bolkonsky. His wife, Lisa, dies in childbirth. She leaves Andrey a son. The prince did not have time to ask for forgiveness, because he arrived too late, he is tormented by guilt. Andrei Bolkonsky's life path further is caring for his loved ones.
Raising his son, building an estate, helping his father form the ranks of the militia - these are his life priorities at this stage. Andrei Bolkonsky lives in solitude, which allows him to focus on his spiritual world and search for the meaning of life.
The progressive views of the young prince are revealed: he improves the life of his serfs (replaces corvée with quitrents), gives status to three hundred people. However, he is still far from accepting a sense of unity with the common people: every now and then thoughts of disdain for the peasantry and ordinary soldiers slip into his speech .
Fateful conversation with Pierre
The life path of Andrei Bolkonsky moves into another plane during the visit of Pierre Bezukhov. The reader immediately notices the kinship of the souls of the young people. Pierre, who is in a state of elation because of the reforms carried out on his estates, infects Andrei with enthusiasm.
Young people discuss for a long time the principles and meaning of changes in the life of the peasantry. Andrei does not agree with something; he does not accept Pierre’s most liberal views on serfs at all. However, practice has shown that, unlike Bezukhov, Bolkonsky was able to really make the life of his peasants easier. All thanks to his active nature and practical view of the serfdom.
Nevertheless, the meeting with Pierre helped Prince Andrei to delve well into his inner world and begin moving towards transformations of the soul.
Revival to a new life
A breath of fresh air and a change in outlook on life came from meeting Natasha Rostova, the main character of the novel “War and Peace.” Andrei Bolkonsky, on matters of acquiring land, visits the Rostov estate in Otradnoye. There he notices a calm, cozy atmosphere in the family. Natasha is so pure, spontaneous, real... She met him on a starry night during the first ball in her life and immediately captured the heart of the young prince.
Andrey seems to be born again: he understands what Pierre once told him: he needs to live not only for himself and his family, he needs to be useful to the whole society. That is why Bolkonsky goes to St. Petersburg to make his proposals to the military regulations.
Awareness of the meaninglessness of “state activity”
Unfortunately, Andrei did not manage to meet with the sovereign; he was sent to Arakcheev, an unprincipled and stupid man. Of course, he did not accept the young prince’s ideas. However, another meeting took place that influenced Bolkonsky’s worldview. We are talking about Speransky. He saw good potential for public service in the young man. As a result, Bolkonsky is appointed to a position related to the drafting of wartime laws. In addition, Andrei heads the commission for drafting wartime laws.
But soon Bolkonsky becomes disappointed with the service: the formal approach to work does not satisfy Andrei. He feels that he is doing unnecessary work here and that he will not provide real help to anyone. More and more often, Bolkonsky recalls life in the village, where he was truly useful.
Having initially admired Speransky, Andrei now saw pretense and unnaturalness. More and more often, Bolkonsky is visited by thoughts about the idleness of St. Petersburg life and the absence of any meaning in his service to the country.
Breakup with Natasha
Natasha Rostova and Andrei Bolkonsky were a very beautiful couple, but they were not destined to get married. The girl gave him the desire to live, to do something for the good of the country, to dream of a happy future. She became Andrei's muse. Natasha compared favorably with other girls of St. Petersburg society: she was pure, sincere, her actions came from the heart, they were devoid of any calculation. The girl sincerely loved Bolkonsky, and did not just see him as a profitable match.
Bolkonsky makes a fatal mistake by postponing his wedding with Natasha for a whole year: this provoked her passion for Anatoly Kuragin. The young prince could not forgive the girl. Natasha Rostova and Andrei Bolkonsky break off their engagement. The blame for everything is the prince's excessive pride and unwillingness to hear and understand Natasha. He is again as self-centered as the reader observed Andrei at the beginning of the novel.
The final turning point in consciousness - Borodino
It is with such a heavy heart that Bolkonsky enters 1812, a turning point for the Fatherland. Initially, he thirsts for revenge: he dreams of meeting Anatoly Kuragin among the military and avenging his failed marriage by challenging him to a duel. But gradually the life path of Andrei Bolkonsky changes once again: the impetus for this was the vision of the tragedy of the people.
Kutuzov entrusts the command of the regiment to the young officer. The prince completely devotes himself to his service - now this is his life’s work, he has become so close to the soldiers that they call him “our prince.”
Finally, the day of the apotheosis of the Patriotic War and the quest of Andrei Bolkonsky comes - the Battle of Borodino. It is noteworthy that L. Tolstoy puts his vision of this great historical event and the absurdity of wars into the mouth of Prince Andrei. He reflects on the pointlessness of so many sacrifices for the sake of victory.
The reader sees here Bolkonsky, who has gone through a difficult life: disappointment, death of loved ones, betrayal, rapprochement with the common people. He feels that he now understands and realizes too much, one might say, foreshadows his death: “I see that I have begun to understand too much. But it is not fit for a man to eat of the tree of good and evil.”
Indeed, Bolkonsky is mortally wounded and, among other soldiers, ends up in the care of the Rostovs’ house.
The prince feels the approach of death, he thinks about Natasha for a long time, understands her, “sees her soul,” dreams of meeting his beloved and asking for forgiveness. He confesses his love to the girl and dies.
The image of Andrei Bolkonsky is an example of high honor, loyalty to duty to the Motherland and people.
Plan.
Image of the war of 1805-1807.
1.Historical specificity in Tolstoy’s depiction of the war.
2.The versatility of the depiction of war.
3. Showing Tolstoy the uselessness and unpreparedness of this war. The attitude of Kutuzov and the soldiers towards her. View scene at Braunau.
4. Tolstoy’s attitude to war. His assertion of the senselessness and inhumanity of war. Her image is “in blood, in suffering, in death.” Storyline of Nikolai Rostov.
5. Description of the Battle of Shengraben:
a) Tolstoy’s portrayal of the cowardice of Zherkov and the staff officer, the ostentatious courage of Dolokhov, the true heroism of Timokhin and Tushin;
b) the behavior of Prince Andrei, dreams of “Toulon”.
6. Description of the Battle of Austerlitz:
a) by whom and how it was conceived; Tolstoy's ironic attitude towards “dispositions”;
b) how nature influences the course of the battle;
c) Kutuzov and Emperor Alexander; Russian flight;
d) the feat of Prince Andrei and his disappointment in “Napoleonic” dreams.
7. Austerlitz is an era of shame and disappointment for all of Russia and individual people. “Austerlitz” by Nikolai Rostov, Pierre Bezukhov and others.
1-2 "In July 1805" gathered her evening A.P. Scherer. “In October 1805, Russian troops occupied villages and cities of the Archduchy of Austria. The historical genre of the novel required authenticity. The narrative moves to the battlefields of Austria, many heroes appear: Alexander 1, the Austrian Emperor Franz, Napoleon, commanders of the armies Kutuzov and Mak, military leaders Bagration, Weyrother, ordinary commanders, staff officers, soldiers.
WHAT WERE THE OBJECTIVES OF THE WAR?
3. The Russian government entered the war out of fear of the spread of revolutionary ideas and the desire to prevent Napoleon's aggressive policy. Tolstoy successfully chose the scene of the review in Braunau for the initial chapters about the war. There is a review of people and battle. What will it show? Is the Russian army ready for war?
CONCLUSION. By scheduling a review in the presence of Austrian generals, Kutuzov wanted to convince the latter that the Russian army was not ready for a campaign and should not join the army of General Mack. For Kutuzov, this war was not a sacred and necessary matter. Therefore, his goal is to keep the army from fighting.
4. The author's attitude to the war can be traced through the storyline of Nikolai Rostov. He has not yet become a military man; this will be his first time taking part in a war. Tolstoy deliberately shows the war not in a heroic way, but focuses on “blood, suffering, death.” N. Rostov at first sought to get to the war, but became disillusioned with it: romantic ideas about war collided with its real cruelty and inhumanity, and wounded, he thought, “Why did I end up here?”
5. The Battle of Shengraben, undertaken on the initiative of Kutuzov, gave the Russian army the opportunity to join forces with its units coming from Russia. Kutuzov still considers the war unnecessary, but here it was about saving the army. Tolstoy once again shows Kutuzov’s experience and wisdom, his ability to find a way out in a difficult historical situation.
BATTLE OF SHENGRABEN. The behavior of a warrior in battle: cowardice and heroism, feat and military duty can be traced in the episodes of this battle.
Timokhin's company, in conditions of confusion, when the troops taken by surprise fled, “alone in the forest kept in order and then unexpectedly attacked the French.” After the battle, Dolokhov alone boasted of his merits and wounds. His courage is ostentatious; he is characterized by self-confidence and pushing himself to the fore. True heroism is accomplished without calculation and without showing off one’s exploits.
BATTERY TERMINAL. THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE BATTLE.
In the hottest area, in the center of the battle, Tushin’s battery was located without cover. Tushin, to whom they owed the “success of the day,” not only did not demand “glory and human love.” But he didn’t even know how to stand up for himself in the face of unfair accusations from his superiors, and his feat generally went unrewarded. It was precisely this feat that Prince Andrei Bolkonsky dreamed of when he went to war. To achieve “his Toulon”, in which he saw the meaning of life, which would lead him to glory. This was the original idea of the book. Andrei about his place in battle and the nature of the feat. Participation in the Battle of Shengraben makes him look at things differently. And the meeting with Tushin before the battle and at the battery, then after the battle in Bagration’s hut made him see real heroism and military feat. He did not give up his idea of heroism, but everything he experienced that day makes him think.
This is the compositional center. All the threads of an inglorious and unnecessary war go to him.
- The concept of the battle and the mood of its participants, the author’s attitude to the carefully thought-out plan of General Weyrother. Advice the day before. Kutuzov's behavior.
- Battle, confusion, fog.
CONCLUSION: the lack of moral incentive for waging war, the incomprehensibility and alienness of its goals to the soldiers, distrust between the allies, confusion in the troops - all this was the reason for the defeat of the Russians. According to Tolstoy, it was in Austerlitz that the true end of the war of 1805-1807 occurred. “The era of our failures and our shame” - this is how Tolstoy himself defined the war.
Austerlitz became an era of shame and disappointment not only for all of Russia, but also for individual heroes. N. Rostov behaved not at all the way he would have liked. Even the meeting on the battlefield with the sovereign, whom Rostov adored, did not bring him joy.
On the eve of the Battle of Austerlitz, Prince Andrei thinks only about his future glorious feat.
And now the feat of Prince Andrei seems to be carried out exactly in that classical picture. As it seemed to him in his dreams: “with a banner in my hand, I will go forward.” Just as he dreamed, he happened to “go ahead of the army,” and the entire battalion ran after him.
This, of course, is a glorious feat worthy of the family honor of the Bolkonskys. Honor of a Russian officer. But for Tolstoy, the inner essence, the very type of feat, is important. After all, Napoleon also has unconditional personal courage and he is able to go ahead of the army. But this feat is not poeticized in the novel. His feat adds another touch to his portrait of an impeccable soldier.
Prince Andrei also lies on Pratsenskaya Mountain with a feeling of great disappointment in Napoleon, who was his hero. Napoleon appeared to him as a small, insignificant man, “with an indifferent, limited look and happy at the misfortune of others.” True, the wound to Prince Andrei brought not only disappointment in the futility and insignificance of exploits in the name of personal glory, but also the discovery of a new world, a new meaning of life. The immeasurably high, eternal sky, the blue infinity, opened a new system of thoughts in him, and he would like people to “help him and return him to life, which seemed so beautiful to him, because he understood it so differently now.”
The GENERAL RESULT is a feeling of disappointment in life as a result of realizing the mistakes made by the heroes. In this regard it is remarkable. That next to the Austerlitz battle scenes there are chapters telling about Pierre’s marriage to Helen. For Pierre, this is his Austerlitz, the era of his shame and disappointment.
UNIVERSAL AUSTERLIZ - this is the result of volume 1. A war started for the sake of glory, for the sake of the ambitious interests of Russian court circles, it was incomprehensible and not needed by the people and therefore ended with Austerlitz. This outcome was all the more shameful because the Russian army could be courageous and heroic when the goals of the battle were at least somewhat clear to it, as was the case at Shengraben.
a) depiction of scenes from the War of 1812 and the peaceful life of the heroes
b) reflects the multi-valued idea of the work and the principle of constructing a system of images
c) in the soul of each of the characters in the work there is “war” and “peace”
d) “war” and “peace” - a historically accurate reproduction of reality
A2. What significance did his wound on the Field of Austerlitz have in the quest of Prince Andrei?
a) came to understand God c) realized that his previous aspirations were insignificant
b) was disappointed in his idol d) managed to become famous
A3. What trait is not typical for members of the Bolkonsky family?
a) simplicity and naturalness c) external coldness and calmness
b) true patriotism d) sense of duty
A4. For what purpose does L.N. Tolstoy introduce a description of the Bogucharov rebellion into the novel?
a) emphasize the people’s tendency to revolt
b) show the heterogeneity of the peasant masses
c) show the people’s desire for the will that Napoleon promised to the Bogucharovites
d) show the “meaninglessness and mercilessness” of the Russian revolt
A5. Why does L.N. Tolstoy depict the Battle of Borodino through the perception of Pierre?
a) Pierre is not a military man, his perception of the battle is more objective
b) this is necessary for the development of Pierre’s character
c) it is important for the author to show the human condition in an extreme situation
d) he is more interested in military operations than others
A6. Which of the novel's heroes led a partisan detachment during wartime?
a) Andrey Bolkonsky c) Denisov
b) Dolokhov d) Nikolay Rostov
A7. What helped Natasha “resurrect” after escaping with Anatoly Kuragin?
a) time has dulled the power of suffering c) her sick mother needed her love and care
b) Natasha was able to forgive herself d) Andrey forgave her
A8. Which of the novel’s heroes admits to himself: “I want fame, I want to be known to people...”?
a) Prince Andrey c) Pierre
b) Berg d) Boris Drubetskoy
A9. What is the meaning of the image of Platon Karataev?
a) helps Andrey return to life after a mental collapse
b) show the diversity of peasant characters
c) expression of the views of most of the characters in the work
d) conveys the philosophical and Christian views of the author
A10. The fate of which hero most clearly demonstrates the inhumanity of war?
a) Andrei Bolkonsky c) Natasha
b) Kutuzova d) Petit Rostova
A11. Why doesn't L.N. Tolstoy show the end of the war on the territory of Western Europe?
a) didn’t have time to finish the novel c) there was no war there at all
b) only the liberation war is significant d) does not want to show the defeat of the Russians
A12. How does Pierre's fate develop in the epilogue?
a) holds an important government position
b) becomes a member of a secret political society
c) withdraws, lives in the interests of the household and family
d) goes abroad
The tasks in Part 2 require a short answer formulated independently.
IN 1. What technique does L.N. Tolstoy use when depicting A.P. Sherer, Helen, Berg, Drubetsky, etc.?
AT 2. What is the “driving force of history” from the point of view of Leo Tolstoy?
AT 3. Which character in the novel looked like this:
“...he was a short, very handsome young man with definite and dry features. Everything in his figure, from his tired, bored look to his quiet, measured step, represented the sharpest contrast with his little, lively wife.”
AT 4. What means of artistic expression contribute to the creation of a figurative picture: “Black clouds of smoke from the fires rose and diverged from both sides. On the street, not in rows, but like ants from a scattered hummock, soldiers in different uniforms and in different directions walked and ran through”?
Goals and objectives of the lesson: to identify the ideological and artistic features of the image of the Battle of Austerlitz as the compositional center of the entire war of 1805-1807; realize the role of Andrei Bolkonsky in this episode; be able to answer questions; build a monologue speech; contribute to the education of patriotic feelings.
Lesson format: group.
Features of the lesson: differentiated approach.
Equipment: text of 1 volume of the novel “War and Peace”, cards with questions, illustrations, computer, DVD.
During the classes.
- Repetition of covered material. Conversation on issues.
What were the causes of the war of 1805-1807? How does Tolstoy feel about this war? How did Timokhin’s company and Tushin’s battery perform in the Battle of Shengraben? What are cowardice and heroism? What thoughts did Andrei B. go to war with? What feelings did he experience while participating in this war?
Teacher. To summarize all that has been said, we conclude: the Russian government entered the war out of fear of the spread of revolutionary ideas and the desire to prevent Napoleon’s aggressive policy. Tolstoy has a negative attitude towards war. She is cruel and senseless. After all, all people are brothers. But even here the soldiers showed miracles of heroism. Timokhin's company, in conditions of confusion, "alone in the forest held out and attacked the French." In the hottest area, in the center of the battle, Tushin’s battery fought. Andrei Bolkonsky goes to war to accomplish a military feat and win glory. At the initial stage of the war, he understands that heroes are not necessarily people of officer rank, but ordinary soldiers. He saw that heroism in war is a common thing.
Yes, Prince Andrei went to war for heroism and glory. Let's see if he managed to do it?
We divide into three groups. Each group is given tasks and questions on cards.
Question: During the development of the disposition (action plan), Kutuzov openly sleeps. Why?
Students try to find the answer. Because any, even the most carefully developed plan, can be interfered with by various circumstances. And any outcome of a case is decided by people. You can't predict how they will behave.
(Students from grade 1 read an excerpt about the beginning of the battle)
Question: What happened? What chance intruded into the disposition?
Fog was not provided.
Question: How did the soldiers behave when they saw the French in front of them? And panic began.
Question: How else can we explain the flight of the soldiers?
Lack of moral incentive to wage war, the alienness of its goals for the people.
Question: How does Kutuzov behave in the decisive moments of the battle?
He is in the midst of a crowd of his soldiers. He doesn’t try to break out of it, he painfully tries to understand what is happening.
Question: How did Tolstoy reveal Kutuzov’s state of mind?
Kutuzov experiences complete powerlessness before the flight of his soldiers, he experiences anguish from what he sees. He calls on Andrei Bolkonsky for help. He is ashamed and bitter.
What is Prince Andrei doing?
(Students of grades 2-1 read an excerpt of Prince Andrei’s behavior in battle.)
Questions: What did Andrei B. feel when he saw the soldiers running from the battlefield?
What prompted Prince Andrei to grab the banner and run forward?
What does Andrei B. see and hear when he runs against the enemy with a banner in his hands?
Prince Andrei was obsessed with one thought: this shame must be stopped, the flight must be stopped. Before Austerlitz, he thinks only about his feat. And then everything happened as he imagined: he happened to “go ahead of the troops” with a banner in his hands, and the entire battalion ran after him. He only hears the whistle of bullets and sees the banner dragging along the ground. Prince Andrei did not feel the beauty of the feat.
Question: Why is this feat not poeticized in the novel?
This is a glorious feat worthy of the honor of a Russian officer. But for Tolstoy, the inner essence of the feat is important. After all, Napoleon can also go ahead of his troops. This inner essence of Andrei Bolkonsky’s feat is the reason why the feat is not poeticized.
(Students of grade 3 read the final passage of the chapter).
Questions: How did Andrei B. feel about Napoleon before the war?
Why does Napoleon now seem small and insignificant to the wounded Prince Andrei?
Previously, Prince Andrei considered Napoleon a hero. And now he saw his true essence, learned how he gained fame by walking over the corpses of his soldiers. Andrei Bolkonsky became disillusioned with Napoleon. Napoleon appeared to him as a “small, insignificant man”, “with an indifferent, limited look and happy at the misfortune of others.”
What did Prince Andrey discover for himself while looking at the high sky?
What is the significance of the “high sky” imagery in this episode?
In this image of the sky there is greatness, infinity of aspiration, coldness. Heaven is absolute, fair, Prince Andrei seeks justice and perfection in life. Life shouldn't be confusing. Prince Andrei sees the sky, looking beyond human life.
Question: What did Austerlitz become for Prince Andrei and for Russia?
Austerlitz brought Prince Andrey the discovery of a new world, a new meaning of life. He would like people to “help him and return him to life, which seemed so beautiful to him, because he understood it differently now.” The world opened up to Andrei Bolkonsky in another dimension, where ambitious dreams, fame, honors - everything was insignificant compared to the endless sky.
Austerlitz became an era of shame and disgrace for Russia. Terrible, like any war, with the destruction of human life, this war did not have, according to Tolstoy, even a goal explaining its inevitability, started for the sake of the ambitious interests of court circles, it was incomprehensible and not needed by the people. That's why it ended with Austerlitz. But the Russian army could be courageous and heroic when the goals of the battle were clear to it.
Homework. To choose from:
- Write a mini-essay “What, according to Tolstoy, is the inner essence of any human act, including heroic?”;
- Create a chapter outline;
- Create the OSK "Austerlitz";
- Illustrate the chapter.
The page contains a fragment.
When young Napoleon Bonaparte ran up the Arcole Bridge, soldiers followed him, only hesitating for a moment. At Austerlitz, it was a matter of momentary hesitation - the outcome of the battle was predetermined. Perhaps Prince Andrei even understood this, rushing forward with the banner in his hands. Just yesterday he thought that this day would bring him death. But to act differently: the only way to get rid of shame, from his personal disgrace, was for him to remain honest and courageous when everyone was running. Kutuzov understood this. This is war, as Tolstoy sees it, with blood and dirt, with pain and suffering; war without embellishment; and she roughly beats the most noble, exalted person, as if with a stick, he falls on his back and no longer sees anything above him, “except the sky - the high sky, not clear, but still immeasurably high, with gray flowers quietly crawling across it.” clouds." And on the right flank, Bagration does at this time what Kutuzov failed to do near the king - he delays time in order to save his detachment. He sends Rostov to find Kutuzov (and Nikolai dreams of a tsar) and ask whether it is time for the right flank to join the battle. Bagration hoped that the messenger would return no earlier than in the evening... Until now; we saw the battle through the eyes of Prince Andrei, who understood with bitterness what was happening in front of him. Now Tolstoy transfers the observation position to the completely unaware, enthusiastic Rostov. Having gone to look for Kutuzov “in that frame of mind in which everything seems easy, fun and possible,” he could not even imagine that everyone was running on the left flank. He “could neither understand nor make out anything of what was happening,” and kept his spirits up with one thought, very characteristic of him: “I don’t know how it will be there, but everything will be fine!” Cavalrymen are galloping towards him - attacking the French, and Boris Drubetskoy meets him, happily enlivened by his participation in the attack... And Berg stops Rostov with a fantastically absurd story about how he, wounded in his right hand, took the sword in his left: “In our breed, the background Bergov, Count, all were knights...” “Rostov thought about it and drove right along the stump where they told him they would kill him.” He feels sorry for himself - just as he felt sorry for his mother, he remembers her last letter and feels sorry for himself for her... But all this is different, not as it was under Shengraben, because he learned, hearing his fear, not to listen to it. He keeps driving forward, “no longer hoping to find anyone, but only to clear his conscience before himself,” and suddenly he sees his adored emperor - alone, in the middle of an empty field, and does not dare to drive up, turn, help, show your devotion. And indeed, what is there to ask now, when the day goes to evening, the army is defeated, and only Bagration’s detachment is saved thanks to the reasonable cunning of its commander. * “Prince Andrei realized that this was said about him and that Napoleon was saying this... He knew that it was Napoleon - his hero, but at that moment Napoleon seemed to him such a small, insignificant person in comparison with what was happening between him soul and this high endless sky with clouds running across it...” What did Prince Andrei understand on the field of Austerlitz? No, he did not come to God, as his sister, Princess Marya, dreamed, putting on him an icon that had been taken away, and now, after a conversation with Napoleon, returned by French soldiers. Princess Marya's faith seems too clear and simple to Prince Andrei; everything is actually more complicated. But he understood one thing under the high and kind sky: the previous aspirations for glory, for human love are vain and therefore insignificant. A person should look for something else in life, but what? Life, meanwhile, the real life of people with their essential interests of health, illness, work, rest, with their interests of thought, science, poetry, music, love, friendship, hatred, passions, went on, as always, independently and without political affinity or enmity with Napoleon Bonaparte and beyond all possible transformations."