War and Peace central characters. The main characters are war and peace

All characters can be divided into the following groups:

  • Bolkonsky family;
  • Rostov family;
  • Bezukhov family;
  • Drubetsky family;
  • Kuragin family;
  • Historical figures;
  • Heroes 2 plans;
  • Other heroes.
The classification is convenient for analyzing entire families at once and comparing characters with each other. A detailed description of the main characters is given below.

Characteristics of the Bolkonskys

The Bolkonsky family originates from princes who were related to Rurik. They are rich and wealthy. The authoritarian rule of the father reigns in the family, and because of this there is a tense atmosphere at home. The Bolkonskys strictly follow family traditions and orders. Relations within the family are strained, and the house was divided into two “camps”:
  • The first “camp” was headed by Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky. His opinion was shared by Mademoiselle Bourien and Mikhail Ivanovich, the prince's architect.
  • The second group included: the prince’s daughter Marya, Andrei Bolkonsky’s son Nikolai and all the nannies and maids.
Andrei Bolkonsky was not part of any group, as he was often on the road.

Characteristics of Andrei Bolkonsky

Andrei Bolkonsky is a wealthy heir and son of Prince Nikolai Bolkonsky. His mother is no longer alive; his other relatives include his sister Marya, whom he loves very much. Andrey is the best friend of another main character in the novel. Andrey is a short, handsome guy. He is described as having a constantly bored look and walking slowly and deliberately, in contrast to his wife Lisa, who had a cheerful and easy-going character. Bolkonsky looked more like a teenager than a man - the author often mentions that Andrei has small hands and a child's neck. The hero was distinguished by an inquisitive mind, he was well-read and educated, and adopted some of the traits of his father - rudeness and severity towards loved ones. Andrei Bolkonsky is a liberal landowner, loves his peasants and makes their lives easier. At the time of writing the novel, Andrei Bolkonsky was 27 years old.

Characteristics of Marya Bolkonskaya

Sister of the main character Andrei Bolkonsky. She is a young and, according to many heroes, an ugly girl, but with sad and impressive eyes. Marya was rather clumsy and had a heavy gait. Her father taught her. Thanks to home schooling, she learned order and discipline. She knows how to play the clavichord and loves life in the village, unlike her brother. Princess Marya Bolkonskaya had a kind and calm character and believed in God. When communicating with people, she assessed them for their spiritual qualities, and not for their status and position.

Nikolai Bolkonsky - prince, head of the family. He was distinguished by a bad character and cruel actions towards his household. Prince Nikolai was an old man, with a thin face and body. Bolkonsky always dressed according to his status - he was a retired general-in-chief. The prince was more feared than respected. He was distinguished by his willfulness and rather domineering position. But at the same time, Nikolai Bolkonsky is distinguished by his hard work - he is always busy with something: either writing memoirs, or teaching mathematics to the younger generation, or his favorite hobby - making snuff boxes.

Nikolai Andreevich knew Catherine II and Prince Potemkin, which he was very proud of.The prince is very worried about the invasion of French troops into Russian territory, and dies of a heart attack.

Characteristics of Lisa Bolkonskaya

Andrei Bolkonsky's wife is a cheerful and cheerful girl. She wasn't very smart, but she made up for it with kindness and a good attitude. She was a short girl, had a mustache on her lips, and always wore her hair up. Elizaveta Karlovna comes from the German Meinen family. She received education and social manners in the family. Princess Bolkonskaya loved to gossip and chat, but at the same time she was observant. She loved her husband very much, but was unhappy with him. She died after the birth of her son Nikolai.

Characteristics of Nikolai Bolkonsky

Born in 1806. After the death of his mother, Liza Bolkonskaya, he was raised by his aunt Marya. Marya Bolkonskaya gives him Russian and music lessons. At the age of 7, he sees the death of his father Andrei after being wounded. In the epilogue of the novel, Nikolai is a 15-year-old handsome young man, with curly hair, very similar to his father.

Characteristics of the Rostov family

Noble noble family. The author describes the Rostov family as an ideal family - good-natured, with good relationships between relatives.

Characteristics of Count Ilya Rostov

Ilya Andreevich Rostov is the head of the family, a cheerful and good-natured count. He is rich and has several villages under his control. A plump physique, a gray head with receding hairline, always a clean-shaven face and blue eyes - the appearance of Ilya Andreevich. Those around him consider him stupid and funny, but the count was loved for his generosity and kindness. Sometimes this generosity turned into squandering. He loves his wife and children, spoils them and allows everything. Ilya Andreevich does not like to get into arguments; he is better off eating and having fun. Because of this fun, he loses all his money and ruins his family. After a series of misfortunes in the Rostov family, he falls ill and dies.

Characteristics of Countess Natalia Rostova

Wife of Ilya Andreevich, 45 years old. Mother of 12 children, however, the story is told only about four. Natalya Rostova had a beautiful oriental appearance, she was often tired, but at the same time she commanded respect from her relatives. She married the Count when she was 16 years old. Like her husband, she is not thrifty and loves to spend money. She tries to be strict with children, but because of her kindness she fails. Countess Natalya helps others (for example, her friend Drubetskaya). By the end of the work, after the deaths she has experienced, she becomes like a ghost.

Characteristics of Natasha Rostova

Daughter of Count Nikolai Rostov and Natalia Rostova. She was brought up with affection and love, she was a little spoiled, but at the same time she remained a kind and sincere girl. L. Tolstoy describes little Natasha this way: “with black eyes, a large mouth, a rather ugly, but charming and cheerful girl, with curly hair, thin legs and arms.” By the age of 16, Natasha had changed, began to wear long dresses and dance at balls. She became even more beautiful at the age of 20. She wore beautiful lace dresses, braided her hair, with an intelligent look and a sensitive attitude towards others.
Important! Natasha is good at understanding people, but when it comes to love relationships, she gets lost (like falling in love with Kuragin).
After Bolkonsky's death, she marries Pierre Bezukhov, becomes sloppy and no longer takes care of herself, gives birth to 3 children and lives only for them.

Characteristics of Sonya Rostova

Second cousin of Natasha and Nikolai Rostov. Raised in the Rostov family from birth. A beautiful and sweet girl, smart and educated. He helps his friend Natasha in every possible way. Loves to recite poetry in front of an audience. She is secretly in love with Nikolai Rostov, but Natalya Rostova does not accept this love. As a result, Sonya remains unmarried.

Characteristics of Pierre Bezukhov

Another main character of the novel. A large young man, wears glasses, is strong, but clumsy. The author often compares Pierre to a bear. He is the illegitimate son of Count Bezukhov, but is his favorite. Pierre lived and studied in Europe for more than 10 years. At the age of 20 he came back to Russia. Bezukhov has a beautiful childish smile, sees only good qualities in people, because of this he was often deceived. His wife Helen Kuragina did just that to him, deceived him and forcibly married him. He cannot find a job he likes, is not really interested in anything, and is often idle. When Pierre becomes the heir to the Bezukhovs' fortune, he begins to farm, but even there he often fails. Only after being captured by the French does he begin to behave differently, becoming more restrained and calculating. At the end of the novel, he marries Natasha Rostova, after which he is perceived not as a clumsy talker, but as a competent and respected person.

Characteristics of the Kuragin family

Another secular family in the novel. Unlike the Bolkonskys and Rostovs, they are not distinguished by their nobility and kindness towards people. Prince Vasily wants to give away all his children profitably, and does not skimp on deception. There is complete harmony in the family between parents and children, both parties want to benefit.

Characteristics of Vasily Kuragin

Vasily Sergeevich Kuragin - prince 50 years old. Married to an ugly and fat lady. Almost bald, likes to dress immaculately, courteous. He had a beautiful low voice and always spoke slowly. Self-confident, indifferent, loves to laugh at other people.Communicates only for his own benefit.

Characteristics of Anatoly Kuragin

The youngest son of Prince Vasily. Handsome, stately with big eyes and beautiful hands. He was always well and neatly dressed. He was educated in Europe and upon arrival became an officer. He has a cheerful character, loves to drink and gather company. Due to carousing and drinking, he is constantly in debt. For the sake of money, he was ready to marry Princess Marya. Anatole is a vile person; he deceives Natasha Rostova, promising to marry her. Kuragin thinks only of himself. After the Battle of Borodino he is wounded, and he changes.

Characteristics of Ellen Kuragina

Elena Vasilievna Kuragina (after her marriage to Pierre became Bezukhova), the elder sister of Anatoly Kuragin and the daughter of Prince Vasily. Refined appearance, beautiful thin arms, thin neck, marble-colored skin are her external characteristics noted by the author. Helen was tall and impressed all the men. Her outfits were often too revealing, although she was a graduate of the Smolny Institute. Helen is stupid, according to Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky, but others consider her charming and smart. Helen Kuragina knows how to achieve her goal by any means, even if it is deception and hypocrisy. She is ready to do anything for money. Thus, all of the listed heroes are only part of the huge world of “War and Peace” by L. N. Tolstoy. It should be understood that the minor characters of the novel also make up a more complete picture. We should not forget about the descriptions of historical figures such as Napoleon and Kutuzov, who also influenced the course of thoughts of the main characters. We also invite you to watch a video in which, for a better understanding of the content, there is a clear systematization of all the characters in the novel “War and Peace.”

Tolstoy’s favorite characters in the novel “War and Peace” are Pierre Bezukhov and Andrei Bolkonsky. They are united by the quality that the writer himself most valued in people. In his opinion, to be a real person, you need to “tear, struggle, get confused, make mistakes, start and quit” all your life, and “calmness is spiritual meanness.” That is, a person should not calm down and stop, he should search for meaning all his life and strive to find an application for his strengths, talents, and mind.

In this article we will look at the characteristics of the main characters of the novel “War and Peace” by Tolstoy. Pay attention to why Tolstoy endowed these heroes with such traits and what he wanted to tell his readers by this.

Pierre Bezukhov in the novel "War and Peace"

As we have already noted, speaking about the main characters of Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace,” it is definitely worth discussing the image of Pierre Bezukhov. The reader first sees Pierre in the aristocratic St. Petersburg salon of Anna Pavlovna Scherer. The hostess treats him somewhat condescendingly, because he is just the illegitimate son of a rich nobleman of Catherine’s times, who has just returned from abroad, where he received an education.

Pierre Bezukhov differs from other guests in his spontaneity and sincerity. Drawing a psychological portrait of his main character, Tolstoy points out that Pierre was a fat, absent-minded person, but all this was redeemed by “an expression of good nature, simplicity and modesty.” The owner of the salon was afraid that Pierre would say something wrong, and indeed, Bezukhov passionately expresses his opinion, argues with the viscount and does not know how to follow etiquette rules. At the same time, he is good-natured and smart. The qualities of Pierre, shown in the first chapters of the novel, will be inherent in him throughout the entire narrative, although the hero himself will go through a difficult path of spiritual evolution. Why can Pierre Bezukhov be safely considered one of the main characters of Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace”? Consideration of the image of Pierre Bezukhov helps to understand this.

Pierre Bezukhov is so loved by Tolstoy because this main character of the novel tirelessly searches for the meaning of life, asks himself painful questions: “What is bad? What well? What should you love, what should you hate? Why live, and what am I? What is life, what is death? What force controls everything?

Pierre Bezukhov goes through a difficult path of spiritual quest. He is not satisfied with the St. Petersburg revelries of the golden youth. Having received an inheritance and becoming one of the richest people in Russia, the hero marries Helen, but he blames himself for the failures of family life and even his wife’s infidelities, since he proposed without experiencing love.

For a while he finds meaning in Freemasonry. He is close to the idea of ​​his spiritual brothers about the need to live for the sake of others, to give as much as possible to others. Pierre Bezukhov is trying to change and improve the situation of his peasants. But soon disappointment sets in: the main character of Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace” understands that most of the Masons are trying to make acquaintances with influential people in this way. Further, the image and characteristics of Pierre Bezukhov are revealed in an interesting aspect.

The most important stage on the path of spiritual formation of Pierre Bezukhov is the War of 1812 and captivity. On the Borodino field, he understands that the truth is in the universal unity of people. In captivity, the peasant philosopher Platon Karataev reveals to the main character how important it is to “live with people” and stoically accept everything that fate presents.

Pierre Bezukhov has an inquisitive mind, thoughtful and often ruthless introspection. He is a decent person, kind and a little naive. He asks himself and the world philosophical questions about the meaning of life, God, the purpose of existence, without finding an answer, he does not brush aside painful thoughts, but tries to find the right path.

In the epilogue, Pierre is happy with Natasha Rostova, but personal happiness is not enough for him. He becomes a member of a secret society preparing transformations in Russia. So, discussing who the main characters are in Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace,” we focused on the image of Pierre Bezukhov and his characteristics. Let's move on to the next key character of the novel - Andrei Bolkonsky.

Andrei Bolkonsky in the novel "War and Peace"

The Bolkonsky family is united by common generic traits: a sharp analytical mind, nobility, the highest sense of honor, an understanding of their duty in serving the Fatherland. It is no coincidence that, seeing off his son to war, the father, admonishing him, says: “Remember one thing, Prince Andrei: if they kill you, it will hurt me, an old man... And if I find out that you did not behave like the son of Nikolai Bolkonsky, I will ... ashamed!" Undoubtedly, Andrei Bolkonsky is a bright character and one of the main characters in the novel “War and Peace” by Tolstoy.

During military service, Bolkonsky is guided by considerations of the common good, and not his own career. He heroically rushes forward with a banner in his hands, because it pains him to see the flight of the Russian army on the Field of Austerlitz.

Andrei, like Pierre, faces a difficult path of searching for the meaning of life and disappointments. At first he dreams of the glory of Napoleon. But after the Austerlitz sky, in which the prince saw something infinitely lofty, beautiful and calm, the former idol seems to him small, insignificant with his vain aspirations.

The main character of the novel “War and Peace” Tolstoy experiences disappointment in love (Natasha betrays him, deciding to run away with the fool Anatoly Kuragin), in life for the sake of his family (he understands that this is not enough), in public service (Speransky’s activities turn out to be meaningless vanity, not bringing true benefit).

Prince, father of Helen, Anatole and Hippolyte. This is a very famous and quite influential person in society; he occupies an important court post. Prince V.'s attitude towards everyone around him is condescending and patronizing. The author shows his hero “in a courtly, embroidered uniform, in stockings, shoes, under the stars, with a bright expression on a flat face,” with a “perfumed and shining bald head.” But when he smiled, there was “something unexpectedly rude and unpleasant” in his smile. Prince V. specifically does not wish harm on anyone. He simply uses people and circumstances to carry out his plans. V. always strives to get closer to people who are richer and higher in position than him. The hero considers himself an exemplary father; he does everything possible to arrange the future of his children. He is trying to marry his son Anatole to the rich princess Marya Bolkonskaya. After the death of the old Prince Bezukhov and Pierre receiving a huge inheritance, V. notices a rich groom and cunningly marries his daughter Helene to him. Prince V. is a great intriguer who knows how to live in society and make acquaintances with the right people.

Anatol Kuragin

Son of Prince Vasily, brother of Helen and Hippolyte. Prince Vasily himself looks at his son as a “restless fool” who constantly needs to be rescued from various troubles. A. very handsome, dandy, impudent. He is frankly stupid, not resourceful, but popular in society because “he had both the ability of calm and unchangeable confidence, precious for the world.” A. Dolokhov’s friend, constantly participates in his revelries, looks at life as a constant flow of pleasures and pleasures. He doesn't care about other people, he is selfish. A. treats women with contempt, feeling his superiority. He was used to being liked by everyone without experiencing anything serious in return. A. became interested in Natasha Rostova and tried to take her away. After this incident, the hero was forced to flee Moscow and hide from Prince Andrei, who wanted to challenge the seducer of his bride to a duel.

Kuragina Elen

Daughter of Prince Vasily, and then wife of Pierre Bezukhov. A brilliant St. Petersburg beauty with an “unchanging smile”, white full shoulders, glossy hair and a beautiful figure. There was no noticeable coquetry in her, as if she was ashamed “of her undoubtedly and too powerfully and victoriously acting beauty.” E. is unperturbed, giving everyone the right to admire herself, which is why she feels like she has a gloss from many other people’s glances. She knows how to be silently dignified in the world, giving the impression of a tactful and intelligent woman, which, combined with beauty, ensures her constant success. Having married Pierre Bezukhov, the heroine reveals to her husband not only limited intelligence, coarseness of thought and vulgarity, but also cynical depravity. After breaking up with Pierre and receiving a large part of the fortune from him by proxy, she lives either in St. Petersburg, then abroad, or returns to her husband. Despite the family breakup, the constant change of lovers, including Dolokhov and Drubetskoy, E. continues to remain one of the most famous and favored ladies of St. Petersburg society. She is making very great progress in the world; living alone, she becomes the mistress of a diplomatic and political salon, gaining a reputation as an intelligent woman

Anna Pavlovna Sherer

Maid of honor, close to Empress Maria Feodorovna. Sh. is the owner of a fashionable salon in St. Petersburg, the description of the evening in which opens the novel. A.P. 40 years old, she is artificial, like all the high society. Her attitude towards any person or event depends entirely on the latest political, courtly or secular considerations. She is friends with Prince Vasily. Sh. is “full of animation and impulse,” “being an enthusiast has become her social position.” In 1812, her salon demonstrates false patriotism by eating cabbage soup and fining her for speaking French.

Boris Drubetskoy

Son of Princess Anna Mikhailovna Drubetskaya. From childhood he was brought up and lived for a long time in the house of the Rostovs, to whom he was a relative. B. and Natasha were in love with each other. Outwardly, he is “a tall, blond young man with regular, delicate features of a calm and handsome face.” Since his youth, B. has dreamed of a military career and allows his mother to humiliate herself in front of her superiors if it helps him. So, Prince Vasily finds him a place in the guard. B. is going to make a brilliant career and makes many useful contacts. After a while he becomes Helen's lover. B. manages to be in the right place at the right time, and his career and position are especially firmly established. In 1809 he meets Natasha again and becomes interested in her, even thinking about marrying her. But this would hinder his career. Therefore, B. begins to look for a rich bride. He eventually marries Julie Karagina.

Count Rostov

Rostov Ilya Andreevi - count, father of Natasha, Nikolai, Vera and Petya. A very good-natured, generous person who loves life and does not really know how to calculate his money. R. is capable of hosting a reception or a ball better than anyone; he is a hospitable host and an exemplary family man. The count is accustomed to living in grand style, and when his means no longer allow this, he gradually ruins his family, from which he suffers greatly. When leaving Moscow, it is R. who begins to give carts for the wounded. So he deals one of the last blows to the family budget. The death of Petya's son finally broke the count; he comes to life only when he prepares a wedding for Natasha and Pierre.

Countess of Rostov

The wife of Count Rostov, “a woman with an oriental type of thin face, about forty-five years old, apparently exhausted by children... The slowness of her movements and speech, resulting from weakness of strength, gave her a significant appearance that inspires respect.” R. creates an atmosphere of love and kindness in his family and is very concerned about the fate of his children. The news of the death of her youngest and beloved son Petya almost drives her crazy. She is accustomed to luxury and fulfillment of the slightest whims, and demands this after the death of her husband.

Natasha Rostova


Daughter of Count and Countess Rostov. She is “black-eyed, with a big mouth, ugly, but alive...”. N.'s distinctive features are emotionality and sensitivity. She is not very smart, but she has an amazing ability to read people. She is capable of noble deeds and can forget about her own interests for the sake of other people. So, she calls on her family to take out the wounded on carts, leaving their property behind. N. takes care of his mother with all his dedication after Petya’s death. N. has a very beautiful voice, she is very musical. With her singing, she is able to awaken the best in a person. Tolstoy notes N.'s closeness to the common people. This is one of her best qualities. N. lives in an atmosphere of love and happiness. Changes in her life occur after meeting Prince Andrei. N. becomes his bride, but later becomes interested in Anatoly Kuragin. After a while, N. understands the full force of her guilt before the prince; before his death, he forgives her, she remains with him until his death. N. feels true love for Pierre, they understand each other perfectly, they feel very good together. She becomes his wife and completely devotes herself to the role of wife and mother.

Nikolay Rostov

Son of Count Rostov. “A short, curly-haired young man with an open expression on his face.” The hero is distinguished by “impetuousness and enthusiasm”, he is cheerful, open, friendly and emotional. N. participates in military campaigns and the Patriotic War of 1812. In the Battle of Shengraben, N. goes on the attack very bravely at first, but is then wounded in the arm. This wound causes him to panic, he thinks about how he, “whom everyone loves so much,” could die. This event somewhat diminishes the image of the hero. After N. becomes a brave officer, a real hussar, remaining faithful to duty. N. had a long affair with Sonya, and he was going to do a noble deed by marrying a dowry woman against the will of his mother. But he receives a letter from Sonya in which she says that she is letting him go. After the death of his father, N. takes care of the family and retires. She and Marya Bolkonskaya fall in love and get married.

Petya Rostov

The youngest son of the Rostovs. At the beginning of the novel we see P. as a small boy. He is a typical representative of his family, kind, cheerful, musical. He wants to imitate his older brother and follow the military line in life. In 1812, he was full of patriotic impulses and joined the army. During the war, the young man accidentally ends up with an assignment in Denisov’s detachment, where he remains, wanting to take part in the real deal. He accidentally dies, having shown all his best qualities in relation to his comrades the day before. His death is the greatest tragedy for his family.

Pierre Bezukhov

The illegitimate son of the wealthy and socially famous Count Bezukhov. He appears almost before his father’s death and becomes the heir to the entire fortune. P. is very different from people belonging to high society, even in appearance. He is a “massive, fat young man with a cropped head and glasses” with an “observant and natural” look. He was brought up abroad and received a good education there. P. is smart, has a penchant for philosophical reasoning, he has a very kind and gentle disposition, and he is completely impractical. Andrei Bolkonsky loves him very much, considers him his friend and the only “living person” among all the high society.
In pursuit of money, P. is entangled by the Kuragin family and, taking advantage of P.’s naivety, they force him to marry Helen. He is unhappy with her, understands that she is a terrible woman and breaks off relations with her.
At the beginning of the novel we see that P. considers Napoleon his idol. Afterwards he becomes terribly disappointed in him and even wants to kill him. P. is characterized by a search for the meaning of life. This is how he becomes interested in Freemasonry, but when he sees their falsehood, he leaves from there. P. tries to reorganize the lives of his peasants, but he fails due to his gullibility and impracticality. P. participates in the war, not yet fully understanding what it is. Left in burning Moscow to kill Napoleon, P. is captured. He experiences great moral torment during the execution of prisoners. There P. meets with the exponent of “people's thought” Platon Karataev. Thanks to this meeting, P. learned to see “the eternal and infinite in everything.” Pierre loves Natasha Rostova, but she is married to his friend. After the death of Andrei Bolkonsky and the revival of Natasha to life, Tolstoy's best heroes get married. In the epilogue we see P. a happy husband and father. In a dispute with Nikolai Rostov, P. expresses his beliefs, and we understand that before us is a future Decembrist.


Sonya

She is “a thin, petite brunette with a soft look, shaded by long eyelashes, a thick black braid that wrapped around her head twice, and a yellowish tint to the skin on her face and especially on her bare, thin but graceful arms and neck. With the smoothness of her movements, the softness and flexibility of her small limbs, and her somewhat cunning and restrained manner, she resembles a beautiful, but not yet formed kitten, which will be a lovely cat.”
S. is the niece of the old Count Rostov, and is being brought up in this house. Since childhood, the heroine has been in love with Nikolai Rostov, and is very friendly with Natasha. S. is reserved, silent, reasonable, and capable of sacrificing herself. The feeling for Nikolai is so strong that she wants to “love always, and let him be free.” Because of this, she refuses Dolokhov, who wanted to marry her. S. and Nikolai are bound by word, he promised to take her as his wife. But the old Countess of Rostov is against this wedding, he reproaches S... She, not wanting to pay with ingratitude, refuses the marriage, releasing Nikolai from his promise. After the death of the old count, he lives with the countess in the care of Nicholas.


Dolokhov

“Dolokhov was a man of average height, curly hair and with light blue eyes. He was about twenty-five years old. He did not wear a mustache, like all infantry officers, and his mouth, the most striking feature of his face, was completely visible. The lines of this mouth were remarkably finely curved. In the middle, the upper lip energetically dropped onto the strong lower lip like a sharp wedge, and something like two smiles constantly formed in the corners, one on each side; and all together, and especially in combination with a firm, insolent, intelligent look, it created such an impression that it was impossible not to notice this face.” This hero is not rich, but he knows how to position himself in such a way that everyone around him respects and fears him. He loves to have fun, and in a rather strange and sometimes cruel way. For one case of bullying a policeman, D. was demoted to soldier. But during the hostilities he regained his rank of officer. He is a smart, brave and cold-blooded person. He is not afraid of death, is reputed to be an evil person, and hides his tender love for his mother. In fact, D. does not want to know anyone except those he really loves. He divides people into harmful and useful, sees mostly harmful people around him and is ready to get rid of them if they suddenly get in his way. D. was Helen's lover, he provokes Pierre into a duel, dishonestly beats Nikolai Rostov at cards, and helps Anatole arrange an escape with Natasha.

Nikolai Bolkonsky

The prince, general-in-chief, was dismissed from service under Paul I and exiled to the village. He is the father of Andrei Bolkonsky and Princess Marya. He is a very pedantic, dry, active person who cannot stand idleness, stupidity, or superstition. In his house, everything is scheduled according to the clock; he has to be on the job all the time. The old prince did not make the slightest changes to the order and schedule.
ON THE. short in stature, “in a powdered wig... with small dry hands and gray drooping eyebrows, sometimes, as he frowned, obscuring the brilliance of intelligent and seemingly young sparkling eyes.” The prince is very restrained in expressing his feelings. He constantly torments his daughter with nagging, although in fact he loves her very much. ON THE. a proud, intelligent person, constantly concerned about preserving family honor and dignity. He instilled in his son a sense of pride, honesty, duty, and patriotism. Despite his withdrawal from public life, the prince is constantly interested in political and military events taking place in Russia. Only before his death does he lose sight of the scale of the tragedy that happened to his homeland.


Andrey Bolkonsky


The son of Prince Bolkonsky, the brother of Princess Marya. At the beginning of the novel we see B. as an intelligent, proud, but rather arrogant person. He despises people of high society, is unhappy in his marriage and does not respect his pretty wife. B. is very reserved, well educated, and has a strong will. This hero is experiencing great spiritual changes. First we see that his idol is Napoleon, whom he considers a great man. B. gets into war and is sent to the active army. There he fights along with all the soldiers, showing great courage, composure, and prudence. Participates in the Battle of Shengraben. B. was seriously wounded in the Battle of Austerlitz. This moment is extremely important, because it was then that the spiritual rebirth of the hero began. Lying motionless and seeing the calm and eternal sky of Austerlitz above him, B. understands all the pettiness and stupidity of everything that is happening in the war. He realized that in fact there should be completely different values ​​in life than those that he had until now. All exploits and glory do not matter. There is only this vast and eternal sky. In the same episode, B. sees Napoleon and understands the insignificance of this man. B. returns home, where everyone thought he was dead. His wife dies in childbirth, but the child survives. The hero is shocked by the death of his wife and feels guilty towards her. He decides not to serve anymore, settles in Bogucharovo, takes care of the household, raising his son, and reads a lot of books. During a trip to St. Petersburg, B. meets Natasha Rostova for the second time. A deep feeling awakens in him, the heroes decide to get married. B.'s father does not agree with his son's choice, they postpone the wedding for a year, the hero goes abroad. After his fiancee betrays him, he returns to the army under the leadership of Kutuzov. During the Battle of Borodino, he was mortally wounded. By chance, he leaves Moscow in the Rostov convoy. Before his death, he forgives Natasha and understands the true meaning of love.

Lisa Bolkonskaya

Prince Andrei's wife. She is the darling of the whole world, an attractive young woman whom everyone calls “the little princess.” “Her pretty upper lip, with a slightly blackened mustache, was short in teeth, but the more sweetly it opened and the more sweetly it sometimes stretched out and fell onto the lower one. As is always the case with quite attractive women, her flaw—short lips and half-open mouth—seemed special to her, her actual beauty. It was fun for everyone to look at this pretty expectant mother, full of health and vivacity, who endured her situation so easily.” L. was everyone’s favorite thanks to her constant liveliness and courtesy of a society woman; she could not imagine her life without high society. But Prince Andrei did not love his wife and felt unhappy in his marriage. L. does not understand her husband, his aspirations and ideals. After Andrei leaves for the war, L. lives in the Bald Mountains with the old Prince Bolkonsky, for whom he feels fear and hostility. L. has a presentiment of his imminent death and actually dies during childbirth.

Princess Marya

D the daughter of old Prince Bolkonsky and the sister of Andrei Bolkonsky. M. is ugly, sickly, but her whole face is transformed by beautiful eyes: “... the princess’s eyes, large, deep and radiant (as if rays of warm light sometimes came out of them in sheaves), were so beautiful that very often, despite the ugliness of her whole face , these eyes became more attractive than beauty." Princess M. is distinguished by her great religiosity. She often hosts all kinds of pilgrims and wanderers. She has no close friends, she lives under the yoke of her father, whom she loves but is incredibly afraid of. Old Prince Bolkonsky had a bad character, M. was absolutely overwhelmed by him and did not believe in her personal happiness at all. She gives all her love to her father, brother Andrei and his son, trying to replace little Nikolenka’s deceased mother. M.'s life changes after meeting Nikolai Rostov. It was he who saw all the wealth and beauty of her soul. They get married, M. becomes a devoted wife, completely sharing all the views of her husband.

Kutuzov

A real historical figure, commander-in-chief of the Russian army. For Tolstoy, he is the ideal of a historical figure and the ideal of a person. “He will listen to everything, remember everything, put everything in its place, will not interfere with anything useful and will not allow anything harmful. He understands that there is something stronger and more significant than his will - this is the inevitable course of events, and he knows how to see them, knows how to understand their meaning and, in view of this meaning, knows how to renounce participation in these events, from his personal will directed to something else." K. knew that “the fate of the battle is decided not by the orders of the commander-in-chief, not by the place where the troops stand, not by the number of guns and killed people, but by that elusive force called the spirit of the army, and he followed this force and led it, as far as it was in his power." K. blends in with the people, he is always modest and simple. His behavior is natural; the author constantly emphasizes his heaviness and senile weakness. K. is the exponent of folk wisdom in the novel. His strength lies in the fact that he understands and knows well what worries the people, and acts in accordance with this. K. dies when he has fulfilled his duty. The enemy has been driven beyond the borders of Russia; this folk hero has nothing more to do.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy in his epic novel “War and Peace” provided a wide system of images. His world is not limited to a few noble families: real historical characters are mixed with fictional ones, major and minor. This symbiosis is sometimes so confusing and unusual that it is extremely difficult to determine which heroes perform a more or less important function.

The novel features representatives of eight noble families, almost all of them occupy a central place in the narrative.

Rostov family

This family is represented by Count Ilya Andreevich, his wife Natalya, their four children together and their pupil Sonya.

The head of the family, Ilya Andreevich, is a sweet and good-natured person. He has always been wealthy, so he does not know how to save; he is often deceived by friends and relatives for selfish purposes. The Count is not a selfish person, he is ready to help everyone. Over time, his attitude, reinforced by his addiction to card games, became disastrous for his entire family. Due to the father's squandering, the family has been on the brink of poverty for a long time. The Count dies at the end of the novel, after the wedding of Natalia and Pierre, a natural death.

Countess Natalya is very similar to her husband. She, like him, is alien to the concept of self-interest and the race for money. She is ready to help people who find themselves in difficult situations; she is filled with feelings of patriotism. The Countess had to endure many sorrows and troubles. This state of affairs is associated not only with unexpected poverty, but also with the death of their children. Of the thirteen born, only four survived, and subsequently the war took another one - the youngest.

Count and Countess Rostov, like most of the characters in the novel, have their own prototypes. They were the writer’s grandfather and grandmother – Ilya Andreevich and Pelageya Nikolaevna.

The Rostovs' eldest child's name is Vera. This is an unusual girl, unlike all the other family members. She is rude and callous at heart. This attitude applies not only to strangers, but also to close relatives. The rest of the Rostov children subsequently make fun of her and even come up with a nickname for her. The prototype of Vera was Elizaveta Bers, daughter-in-law of L. Tolstoy.

The next oldest child is Nikolai. His image is depicted in the novel with love. Nikolai is a noble man. He approaches any activity responsibly. Tries to be guided by the principles of morality and honor. Nikolai is very similar to his parents - kind, sweet, purposeful. After the disaster he experienced, he was constantly concerned about not being in a similar situation again. Nikolai takes part in military events, he is repeatedly awarded, but still he leaves military service after the war with Napoleon - his family needs him.

Nikolai marries Maria Bolkonskaya, they have three children - Andrei, Natasha, Mitya - and a fourth is expected.

The younger sister of Nikolai and Vera, Natalya, is the same in character and temperament as her parents. She is sincere and trusting, and this almost destroys her - Fyodor Dolokhov fools the girl and persuades her to escape. These plans were not destined to come true, but Natalya's engagement to Andrei Bolkonsky was terminated, and Natalya fell into deep depression. Subsequently, she became the wife of Pierre Bezukhov. The woman stopped watching her figure; those around her began to speak of her as an unpleasant woman. The prototypes of Natalya were Tolstoy’s wife, Sofya Andreevna, and her sister, Tatyana Andreevna.

The Rostovs' youngest child was Petya. He was the same as all the Rostovs: noble, honest and kind. All these qualities were enhanced by youthful maximalism. Petya was a sweet eccentric to whom all pranks were forgiven. Fate was extremely unfavorable for Petya - he, like his brother, went to the front and died there very young and young.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the summary of the second part of the first volume of the novel by L.N. Tolstoy “War and Peace”.

Another child was raised in the Rostov family - Sonya. The girl was related to the Rostovs; after the death of her parents, they took her in and treated her like their own child. Sonya was in love with Nikolai Rostov for a long time; this fact did not allow her to get married on time.

Presumably she remained alone until the end of her days. Its prototype was L. Tolstoy’s aunt, Tatyana Alexandrovna, in whose house the writer was brought up after the death of his parents.

We meet all the Rostovs at the very beginning of the novel - they all actively act throughout the entire narrative. In the “Epilogue” we learn about the further continuation of their family.

Bezukhov family

The Bezukhov family is not represented in such a large number as the Rostov family. The head of the family is Kirill Vladimirovich. The name of his wife is not known. We know that she belonged to the Kuragin family, but it is unclear who exactly she was to them. Count Bezukhov has no children born in marriage - all his children are illegitimate. The eldest of them, Pierre, was officially named by his father as heir to the estate.


After such a statement by the count, the image of Pierre Bezukhov begins to actively appear in the public sphere. Pierre himself does not impose his company on others, but he is a prominent groom - the heir to unimaginable wealth, so they want to see him always and everywhere. Nothing is known about Pierre's mother, but this does not become a reason for indignation and ridicule. Pierre received a decent education abroad and returned home full of utopian ideas, his vision of the world is too idealistic and divorced from reality, so all the time he faces unimaginable disappointments - in social activities, personal life, family harmony. His first wife was Elena Kuragina, a minx and a fidgety woman. This marriage brought a lot of suffering to Pierre. The death of his wife saved him from the unbearable - he did not have the power to leave Elena or change her, but he also could not come to terms with such an attitude towards his person. The second marriage - with Natasha Rostova - became more successful. They had four children - three girls and a boy.

Princes Kuragin

The Kuragin family is persistently associated with greed, debauchery and deceit. The reason for this was the children of Vasily Sergeevich and Alina - Anatol and Elena.

Prince Vasily was not a bad person, he had a number of positive qualities, but his desire for enrichment and gentleness of character towards his son brought all the positive aspects to naught.

Like any father, Prince Vasily wanted to provide a comfortable future for his children; one of the options was an advantageous marriage. This position not only had a negative impact on the reputation of the entire family, but also later played a tragic role in the lives of Elena and Anatole.

Little is known about Princess Alina. At the time of the story, she was a rather ugly woman. Her distinguishing feature was her hostility towards her daughter Elena out of envy.

Vasily Sergeevich and Princess Alina had two sons and a daughter.

Anatole became the cause of all the family’s troubles. He led the life of a spendthrift and a rake - debts and rowdy behavior were a natural pastime for him. This behavior left an extremely negative imprint on the family’s reputation and financial situation.

Anatole was noticed to be amorously attracted to his sister Elena. The possibility of a serious relationship between brother and sister was suppressed by Prince Vasily, but, apparently, it still took place after Elena’s marriage.

The Kuragins' daughter Elena had incredible beauty, like her brother Anatoly. She skillfully flirted and after marriage had affairs with many men, ignoring her husband Pierre Bezukhov.

Their brother Hippolytus was completely different from them in appearance - he was extremely unpleasant in appearance. In terms of the composition of his mind, he was not much different from his brother and sister. He was too stupid - this was noted not only by those around him, but also by his father. Still, Ippolit was not hopeless - he knew foreign languages ​​well and worked at the embassy.

Princes Bolkonsky

The Bolkonsky family occupies far from the last place in society - they are rich and influential.
The family includes Prince Nikolai Andreevich, a man of the old school and unique morals. He is quite rude in communicating with his family, but still not devoid of sensuality and tenderness - he is kind to his grandson and daughter, in a peculiar way, but still, he loves his son, but he is not very good at showing the sincerity of his feelings.

Nothing is known about the prince's wife; even her name is not mentioned in the text. The Bolkonskys’ marriage produced two children – son Andrei and daughter Marya.

Andrei Bolkonsky is somewhat similar in character to his father - he is hot-tempered, proud and a little rude. He is distinguished by his attractive appearance and natural charm. At the beginning of the novel, Andrei is successfully married to Lisa Meinen - the couple gives birth to a son, Nikolenka, but his mother dies the night after giving birth.

After some time, Andrei becomes Natalya Rostova’s fiancé, but there was no need to have a wedding - Anatol Kuragin translated all the plans, which earned him personal hostility and exceptional hatred from Andrei.

Prince Andrei takes part in the military events of 1812, is seriously wounded on the battlefield and dies in the hospital.

Maria Bolkonskaya - Andrei's sister - is deprived of such pride and stubbornness as her brother, which allows her, not without difficulty, but still to get along with her father, who is not distinguished by an easy-going character. Kind and meek, she understands that she is not indifferent to her father, so she does not hold a grudge against him for his nagging and rudeness. The girl is raising her nephew. Outwardly, Marya does not look like her brother - she is very ugly, but this does not prevent her from marrying Nikolai Rostov and living a happy life.

Lisa Bolkonskaya (Meinen) was the wife of Prince Andrei. She was an attractive woman. Her inner world was not inferior to her appearance - she was sweet and pleasant, she loved to do needlework. Unfortunately, her fate did not work out in the best way - childbirth turned out to be too difficult for her - she dies, giving life to her son Nikolenka.

Nikolenka lost his mother early, but the boy’s troubles did not stop there - at the age of 7 he lost his father. Despite everything, he is characterized by the cheerfulness inherent in all children - he grows up as an intelligent and inquisitive boy. The image of his father becomes key for him - Nikolenka wants to live in such a way that his father can be proud of him.


Mademoiselle Burien also belongs to the Bolkonsky family. Despite the fact that she is just a hangout companion, her importance in the context of the family is quite significant. First of all, it consists of pseudo friendship with Princess Maria. Mademoiselle often acts meanly towards Maria and takes advantage of the girl’s favor towards her person.

Karagin family

Tolstoy does not talk much about the Karagin family - the reader gets acquainted with only two representatives of this family - Marya Lvovna and her daughter Julie.

Marya Lvovna first appears before readers in the first volume of the novel, and her daughter also begins to act in the first volume of the first part of War and Peace. Julie has an extremely unpleasant appearance, she is in love with Nikolai Rostov, but the young man does not pay any attention to her. Her enormous wealth does not help the situation either. Boris Drubetskoy actively draws attention to her material component; the girl understands that the young man is being nice to her only because of money, but does not show it - for her, this is actually the only way not to remain an old maid.

Princes Drubetsky

The Drubetsky family is not particularly active in the public sphere, so Tolstoy avoids a detailed description of the family members and focuses readers’ attention only on the active characters - Anna Mikhailovna and her son Boris.


Princess Drubetskaya belongs to an old family, but now her family is going through not the best of times - poverty has become a constant companion of the Drubetskayas. This state of affairs gave rise to a sense of prudence and self-interest in the representatives of this family. Anna Mikhailovna tries to benefit as much as possible from her friendship with the Rostovs - she lives with them for a long time.

Her son, Boris, was Nikolai Rostov's friend for some time. As they grew older, their views on life values ​​and principles began to differ greatly, which led to distance in communication.

Boris begins to show more and more selfishness and the desire to get rich at any cost. He is ready to marry for money and successfully does so, taking advantage of the unenviable position of Julie Karagina

Dolokhov family

Representatives of the Dolokhov family are also not all active in society. Fedor stands out brightly among everyone. He is the son of Marya Ivanovna and the best friend of Anatoly Kuragin. In his behavior, he also did not go far from his friend: carousing and an idle way of life are a common occurrence for him. In addition, he is famous for his love affair with Pierre Bezukhov’s wife, Elena. A distinctive feature of Dolokhov from Kuragin is his attachment to his mother and sister.

Historical figures in the novel "War and Peace"

Since Tolstoy’s novel takes place against the backdrop of historical events associated with the war against Napoleon in 1812, it is impossible to do without at least partial mention of real-life characters.

Alexander I

The activities of Emperor Alexander I are most actively described in the novel. This is not surprising, because the main events take place on the territory of the Russian Empire. First we learn about the positive and liberal aspirations of the emperor, he is an “angel in the flesh.” The peak of its popularity falls during the period of Napoleon's defeat in the war. It was at this time that Alexander’s authority reached incredible heights. The Emperor could easily make changes and improve the lives of his subjects, but he doesn't. As a result, such an attitude and inactivity become the reason for the emergence of the Decembrist movement.

Napoleon I Bonaparte

On the other side of the barricade in the events of 1812 is Napoleon. Since many Russian aristocrats received their education abroad, and French was an everyday language for them, the attitude of the nobles towards this character at the beginning of the novel was positive and bordered on admiration. Then disappointment occurs - their idol from the category of ideals becomes the main villain. Connotations such as egocentrism, lies, and pretense are actively used with the image of Napoleon.

Mikhail Speransky

This character is important not only in Tolstoy's novel, but also during the real era of Emperor Alexander.

His family could not boast of antiquity and significance - he is the son of a priest, but still he managed to become the secretary of Alexander I. He is not a particularly pleasant person, but everyone notes his importance in the context of events in the country.

In addition, the novel features historical characters of lesser importance than the emperors. These are the great commanders Barclay de Tolly, Mikhail Kutuzov and Pyotr Bagration. Their activities and the revelation of the image take place on the battlefield - Tolstoy tries to describe the military part of the story as realistically and captivating as possible, therefore these characters are described not only as great and unsurpassed, but also in the role of ordinary people who are subject to doubts, mistakes and negative character traits.

Other characters

Among the other characters, the name of Anna Scherer should be highlighted. She is the “owner” of a secular salon - the elite of society meet here. Guests are rarely left to their own devices. Anna Mikhailovna always strives to provide her visitors with interesting interlocutors; she often pimps - this arouses her special interest.

Adolf Berg, the husband of Vera Rostova, is important in the novel. He is an ardent careerist and selfish. He and his wife are brought together by their temperament and attitude towards family life.

Another significant character is Platon Karataev. Despite his ignoble origins, his role in the novel is extremely important. Possession of folk wisdom and understanding of the principles of happiness gives him the opportunity to influence the formation of Pierre Bezukhov.

Thus, both fictional and real-life characters are active in the novel. Tolstoy does not burden readers with unnecessary information about the genealogy of families; he actively talks only about those representatives who actively act within the framework of the novel.

In the novel “War and Peace,” Leo Tolstoy conveyed the author’s vision of morals, the state of thoughts and worldview of the advanced stratum of Russian society at the beginning of the 19th century. Problems of the state arise as a result of great world events and become the concern of every conscious citizen. The main characters of the novel “War and Peace” are representatives of influential families at the emperor’s court.

Andrey Bolkonsky

The image of a Russian patriot who died in the fight against the French occupiers. He is not attracted to a quiet family life, social receptions and balls. The officer takes part in every military campaign of Alexander I. The husband of Kutuzov's niece, he becomes the adjutant of the famous general.

In the Battle of Schoenberg, he raises a soldier to attack, carrying a fallen banner, like a real hero. In the Battle of Austerlitz, Bolkonsky is wounded and captured, freed by Napoleon. In the Battle of Borodino, a shell fragment hits a brave warrior in the stomach. The ladle died in agony in the arms of his beloved girl.

Tolstoy showed a man whose life priorities are national duty, military valor and the honor of his uniform. Representatives of the Russian aristocracy have always been bearers of the moral values ​​of monarchical power.

Natasha Rostova

The young countess grew up in luxury, surrounded by parental care. A noble upbringing and excellent education could provide a girl with a profitable match and a cheerful life in high society. The war changed the carefree Natasha, who suffered the loss of dear people.

Having married Pierre Bezukhov, she became a mother of many children, finding peace in family concerns. Leo Tolstoy created a positive image of the Russian noblewoman, patriot and keeper of the hearth. The author is critical of the fact that after giving birth to four children, Natasha stopped taking care of herself. The author wants to see a woman unfading, fresh and well-groomed throughout her life.

Maria Bolkonskaya

The princess was raised by her father, Potemkin’s contemporary and friend of Kutuzov, Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky. The old general attached importance to education, especially the study of technical sciences. The girl knew geometry and algebra and spent many hours reading books.

The father was strict and biased, he tormented his daughter with lessons, this is how he demonstrated his love and care. Marya sacrificed her youth to her parent's old age and was with him until his last days. She replaced the mother of her nephew Nikolenka, trying to surround him with parental tenderness.

Maria met her fate during the war in the person of her savior Nikolai Rostov. Their relationship developed for a long time, both did not dare to take the first step. The gentleman was younger than his lady, this embarrassed the girl. The princess had a large inheritance from the Bolkonskys, which stopped the guy. They made a good family.

Pierre Bezukhov

The young man was educated abroad and was allowed to return to Russia at the age of twenty. High society received the young man with caution, because he was the illegitimate son of a noble nobleman. However, before his death, the father asked the king to recognize Pierre as the legal heir.

In an instant, Bezukhov became a count and the owner of a huge fortune. The inexperienced, slow and gullible Pierre was used in selfish intrigues; he was quickly married to his daughter by Prince Vasily Kuragin. The hero had to go through the pain of betrayal, humiliation of his wife's lovers, a duel, Freemasonry and drunkenness.

The war cleansed the count’s soul, saved him from empty mental ordeals, and radically changed his worldview. Having gone through fire, captivity and the loss of dear people, Bezukhov found the meaning of life in family values, in the ideas of new post-war political reforms.

Illarion Mikhailovich Kutuzov

Kutuzov's personality is a key figure in the events of 1812, because he commanded the army defending Moscow. Leo Tolstoy in the novel “Vona and Peace” presented his vision of the general’s character, his assessment of his actions and decisions.

The commander looks like a kind, fat old man who, with his experience and knowledge of conducting large battles, is trying to lead Russia out of a difficult retreat situation. The Battle of Borodino and the surrender of Moscow was a cunning military combination that led to victory over the French army.

The author described the famous Kutuzov as an ordinary person, a slave to his weaknesses, who has experience and wisdom accumulated over many years of life. The general is an example of an army commander who takes care of the soldiers, worries about their uniforms, food and sleep.

Leo Tolstoy tried, through the image of the main characters of the novel, to convey the difficult fate of representatives of high society in Russia who survived the European military storm of the early 19th century. Then a generation of Decembrists was formed, who would lay the foundation for new reforms, the result of which would be the abolition of serfdom.

The main feature that unites all the heroes is patriotism, love for the Motherland, and respect for parents.