The female image in the novel "War and Peace" who embodies?

The female image in the novel "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy is, one might say, the theme of a separate work. With his help, the author shows us his attitude to life, understanding of the woman's happiness and her destiny. On the pages of the book there are many characters and destinies of the fair sex: Natasha Rostova, Maria Bolkonskaya, Lisa Bolkonskaya, Sonya, Helen Kuragina. Each of them is worthy of our attention and shows the attitude of the great writer to this type of women. So, let's try to remember who embodies the female image in the novel "War and Peace". We will pay attention to several heroines who meet on the pages of the work.

Natasha Rostov at the beginning of the novel

This female image in the novel "War and Peace" requires the author's greatest attention, it is to Natasha that he dedicates many pages of his creation. The heroine, of course, evokes the most keen interest of readers. At the beginning of the work she is a child, but a little later we see a young enthusiastic girl. We can see how she gracefully swirls in the dance, smiles, looks at life as a newly opened book full of mysteries, wonders, adventures. This is an amazingly kind and open young lady who loves the whole world, trusts him. Every day of her life is a real holiday, she is a favorite of her parents. It seems that such an easy character will necessarily give her a happy, carefree life with a loving husband.

She admires the beauty of the moonlight night, she sees something beautiful in every moment. Such enthusiasm conquers the heart of Andrei Bolkonsky, who accidentally heard the conversation between Natasha and Sonya. Natasha, of course, also falls in love with him easily, joyfully, selflessly. However, her feelings have not passed the test of time, with the same willingness she takes courting Anatole Kuragin. Andrew can not forgive her for this, as confessed to his friend, Pierre Bezukhov. Natasha is hard to blame for infidelity, because she is so young, so she wants to learn more about life. This is the young female image in the novel "War and Peace".

Natasha Rostov. Tests in life

However, the girl falls a lot of tests, which greatly change her character. How to know, perhaps, if Natasha did not face life's difficulties, she would grow from a narcissistic selfish woman who thinks only of her interests and joys, unable to make her husband and children happy.

She willingly takes care of the dying Andrei Bolkonsky, showing himself as a fully mature, adult personality.

After the death of Andrew, Natasha very much grieves, hard going through his departure from life. Now before us is not a merry coquette, but a serious young woman who has experienced a loss.

The next blow in her life - the death of his brother Petit. She can not give in to grief, because her mother needs help, which almost went crazy because of the loss of her son. Natasha spends day and night at her bed, talking to her. Her tender voice calms the countess, who turned from a young woman into an old woman.

We see before us a completely different captivating female image in the novel "War and Peace". Natasha Rostov is now completely different, she easily sacrifices her interests for the sake of others' happiness. It seems that all the warmth that her parents gave her now pours on those around her.

Natasha Rostov at the end of the novel

Favorite female image in the novel "War and Peace" - this is for many the image of Natasha Rostov. This heroine is loved by the author himself, for good reason he gives her so much attention. At the end of the work, we see Natasha as the mother of a large family, who lives with cares for her loved ones. Now she does not at all resemble that young girl who was before us on the first pages of the work. The happiness of this woman is the well-being and health of the children and husband of Pierre. She is empty of pastime and idleness. She gives love with even greater strength, obtained at a tender age.

Of course, Natasha is now not so elegant and beautiful, she does not really watch herself, wears simple clothes. This woman lives in the interests of people close to her, giving herself entirely to her husband and children.

Surprisingly, she is absolutely happy. It is known that a person can be happy only when he lives in the interests of his loved ones, because beloved people are a continuation of ourselves. Love for children is also love for oneself, only in a broader sense.

This is how LN Tolstoy described this amazing female image in the novel War and Peace. Natasha Rostov, briefly about her difficult to tell, is the ideal of the writer's woman. He admires her graceful youth, admires the matured heroine and makes her a happy mother and wife. Tolstoy believed that the greatest happiness for a woman is marriage and motherhood. Only then is her life full of meaning.

L.N. Tolstoy also shows us how different a woman's attractiveness can be. At a young age, admiration for the world, openness to everything new, certainly enthrall those around them. However, this behavior in an adult lady may seem ridiculous. Imagine if the beauty of the night was admired not by a young girl, but by a lady of more mature age. Most likely, she might look ridiculous. Every age has its own beauty. Caring for loved ones makes an adult woman happy, and her spiritual beauty makes others admire.

When high school students are asked to write an essay on the topic "My favorite female image in the novel" War and Peace ", all without exception write about Natasha Rostova, although if desired, of course, you could write about someone else. This once again confirms that generally accepted human values are defined in the world for a long time, and the heroine of the novel written more than a hundred years ago still evokes sympathy.

Marya Bolkonskaya

Another favorite female author in the novel "War and Peace" - Marya Bolkonskaya, Andrei Bolkonsky's sister. Unlike Natasha, she did not have a liveliness of character and attractiveness. As writes about Marya Nikolaevna Tolstoy, she was ugly: a weak body, a thin face. The girl submissively obeyed her father, who wanted to develop in her activity and mind, being confident in the absolute unsightliness of her daughter. Her life consisted of classes in algebra and geometry.

However, an unusual decoration of this woman's face was the eyes, which the author himself calls the mirror of the soul. It was they who made her face "more attractive than beauty." Marya Nikolaevna's eyes, large and always sad, radiated kindness. Such an author gives them an amazing description.

The female image in the novel "War and Peace", embodied by Marya Nikolaevna, is an absolute virtue. By the way the author writes about her, it becomes clear how much he admires such women, whose existence sometimes is imperceptible.

Andrei Bolkonsky's sister, as well as Natasha, loves the family, although she was never spoiled, she was brought up in austerity. Marya endured the bad character of her father, respected him. She could not even think about discussing Nikolai Andreyevich's decisions, he was awed by everything he was doing.

Marya Nikolaevna is very impressionable and kind. She is upset by the bad mood of her father, she sincerely rejoices at the arrival of the groom, Anatol Kuragin, in which she sees kindness, masculinity, generosity.

Like any kind woman, Mary, of course, dreams of family happiness and children. She endlessly believes in destiny, in the will of the Most High. Sister Bolkonsky does not dare to desire anything for himself, her noble, deep nature is not capable of envying.

The naivety of Mary Nikolaevna does not allow her to see human vices. She sees in all the reflection of her own pure soul: love, kindness, decency.
Marya is one of those amazing people who are really happy with the happiness of others. This clever and bright woman simply is not capable of anger, envy, revenge and other low-key feelings.

So, the second adorable female image in the novel "War and Peace" - Marya Bolkonskaya. Perhaps Tolstoy loves her no less than Natasha Rostov, although she does not pay much attention to her. It is like the ideal of the author, to which Natasha will come many years later. Having no children, no family, she finds her happiness in giving the heat to other people.

Female happiness of Mary Bolkonskaya

Sister Bolkonsky was not mistaken: she did not want anything for herself, she nevertheless met a man who sincerely loved her. Marya became the wife of Nicholas Rostov.

Two seemingly completely different people perfectly fit each other. Each of them was disappointed: Marya in Anatol Kuragin, Nikolai in Alexander the First. Nikolai turned out to be the person who was able to increase the prosperity of the Bolkonsky family, making the wife's life happy.

Mary surrounds her husband with care and understanding: she approves of his desire to improve himself through hard work, through farming and caring for the peasants.

The female image in the novel "War and Peace", embodied by Marya Bolkonskaya, is a portrait of a real woman, accustomed to sacrificing herself for the sake of others' well-being and from this to be happy.

Marya Bolkonskaya and Natasha Rostov

Natasha Rostov, whom we see at the beginning of the work, is absolutely not like Marya: she wants happiness for herself. Andrei Bolkonsky's sister, as well as her brother, puts first on the feeling of duty, faith, religion.

However, the older Natasha becomes, the more she reminds Princess Mary of what she wants for others. Nevertheless, they are different. Natasha's happiness can be called more mundane, she lives everyday chores and deeds.

Marya is more concerned about the spiritual well-being of her close people.

Both heroines are undoubtedly loved by the author of the work and represent the embodiment of sacrifice - the main, according to Tolstoy, female virtue.

Sonia

Niece of Natasha Rostova's father, is another female image. In the novel "War and Peace" Sonya, it would seem, exists only to show the best qualities of Natasha.

This girl, on the one hand, is very positive: she is reasonable, decent, kind, ready to sacrifice herself. If we talk about her appearance, then she is very good. She is a graceful graceful brunette with long eyelashes and a luxurious braid.

Initially, she was in love with Nicholas Rostov, but they could not get married, because Nicholas's parents insisted on postponing the wedding.

The girl's life is more subordinate to reason, not feelings. Tolstoy does not really like this heroine, despite all its positive qualities. He leaves her alone.

The author considers her poor spiritually, while endowing her with attractive looks. It should be noted that Tolstoy is characterized by an emphasis on spiritual wealth through a not very expressive appearance.

The author considers Sonya an ordinary, ordinary and, perhaps, not worthy of happiness.

Lisa Bolkonskaya

Lisa Bolkonskaya is, you could say, the heroine of the second plan, the wife of Prince Andrew. In the light of her name "little princess." It is remembered by readers thanks to a pretty upper sponge with antennae. Lisa is an attractive person, even this small flaw gives her a unique charm unique to her. She is good, full of vitality and health. This woman easily tolerates her delicate position, everyone is fun to look at her.

For Lisa, it's important to be in the world, she's spoiled, even capricious. She is not inclined to think about the meaning of life, leads a usual way for a secular lady, loves empty conversations in salons and at evenings, rejoices in new clothes. The wife of Bolkonsky does not understand her husband, Prince Andrew, who considers it important to benefit society.

Lisa loves him superficially, as if they just need to get married. He is for her - a background that fits into the representations of secular ladies about how to be a spouse. Liza does not understand his thoughts on the meaning of life, it seems to her that everything is simple.

It's hard for them to be together. Andrew is forced to accompany her at balls and other social events, which becomes absolutely unbearable for him.

This is, perhaps, the simplest female image in the novel "War and Peace". Lisa Bolkonskaya from the first edition of the novel remained unchanged. Her prototype was the wife of one of Tolstoy's relatives, Princess Volkonskaya.

Despite the complete lack of mutual understanding between the spouses, Andrei Bolkonsky in conversation with Pierre notes that she is a rare woman with whom you can be calm for your own honor.

When Andrei leaves for the war, Lisa settles in his father's house. Her superficiality is once again confirmed by the fact that she prefers to communicate with Mademoiselle Bourriennes, and not with Princess Mary.

Lisa had a premonition that she could not survive the birth, and so it happened. She lovingly treated everyone and did not want to harm anyone. Her face also spoke after her death.

The lack of character of Lisa Bolkonskaya lies in the fact that she is superficial and selfish. However, this does not prevent her from being gentle, affectionate, good-natured. She is a pleasant and cheerful interlocutor.

However, Tolstoy refers to it coldly. He does not like this heroine because of her spiritual emptiness.

Helen Kuragina

The last female image in the novel "War and Peace" - Helen Kuragina. Rather, this is the last heroine, which we will write about in this article.

Of all the women who appear on the pages of this grandiose novel, Helen is certainly the most beautiful and luxurious.

Behind its beautiful appearance stand selfishness, vulgarity, intellectual and spiritual underdevelopment. Helen realizes the power of her beauty and uses it.

Whatever she wants, she achieves at the expense of her own appearance. Accustomed to this state of affairs, this woman has ceased to strive for the development of the individual.

Helen becomes Pierre Bezukhov's wife solely because of his rich inheritance. It does not really seek to create a strong family, to give birth to children.

The war of 1812 finally puts everything in its place. For the sake of her own well-being, Helen accepts Catholicism, while her compatriots unite against the enemy. This woman, whose image can be called "dead", really dies.

Undoubtedly, the most beautiful appearance of women in the novel "War and Peace" - Helen. Tolstoy admires her shoulders at the first ball of Natasha Rostova, but he interrupts her life, considering such an existence meaningless.

Liza Bolkonskaya, Helen Kuragina and Natasha Rostov

As already mentioned above, the deaths of Lisa and Helen were not accidental. They both lived for themselves, they were capricious, selfish.

Let us recall what Natasha Rostova was in the beginning of the novel. Just like Lisa Bolkonskaya, she admired the balls, the high light.

Like Helen Kuragin, she was attracted to something forbidden, inaccessible. It was for this reason that she was going to flee with Anatole.

However, Natasha's high spirituality prevents her from remaining forever a superficial fool and plunging, like Helen, into a depraved life. The main heroine of the novel takes the difficulties that have fallen to her share, helps the mother, cares for the deadly patient Andrei.

The deaths of Lisa and Helen symbolize that the enthusiasm for secular parties and the desire to try the forbidden should remain in their youth. Maturity requires from us a more balanced behavior and willingness to sacrifice one's own interests.

Tolstoy created a whole gallery of female images. He loved some of them, others did not, but for something he included in his novel. It is difficult to determine what is the best female image in the novel "War and Peace". Even the negative and unloved heroines were invented by the author for good reason. They show us human vices, the inability to distinguish between the superficial, the superficial and the really important. And let everyone decide for himself, what is the most attractive female image in the novel "War and Peace".