"War and Peace," an epilogue: a summary and analysis. Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy, the novel "War and Peace"

In 1869, Leo Tolstoy finished his work "War and Peace." The epilogue, the summary of which we will describe in this article, is divided into two parts.

First part

The first part tells about the following events. Seven years have passed since the war of 1812, described in the work "War and Peace". The heroes of the novel have changed both externally and internally. This we will discuss by analyzing the epilogue. In the 13th year Natasha married Bezukhov Pierre. Ilya Andreevich, the earl, died at the same time. The old family broke up with his death. The monetary affairs of the Rostovs are completely upset. However, Nikolai does not refuse the inheritance, since he sees an expression of the pangs of the memory of his father in this.

The ruin of the Rostovs

The ruin of the Rostovs is described at the end of the work "War and Peace" (epilogue). The summary of the events composing this episode is as follows. For half the price, the estate was sold under the hammer, which covered only half of the debts. Rostov, so as not to appear in the debt hole, enters the soldiers' service in St. Petersburg. He lives here in a small apartment with Sonya and his mother. Nikolay Sonia is very appreciative, believes that he is in unpaid debt to her, but understands that he could not love this girl. Nikolai's position becomes worse. However, he dislikes the idea of marrying a rich woman.

Meeting of Nicholas Rostov with Princess Marya

To the Rostovs Princess Mary comes with a visit. Nicholas meets her coldly, showing the whole view that he does not need anything from her. After this meeting the princess feels herself in an uncertain situation. She wants to understand what Nicholas covers in such a tone.

He makes a return visit to the princess under the influence of his mother. Strained and dry, their conversation turns out, but Mary feels that this is only the outer shell. The soul of Rostov is still beautiful.

Marriage of Nicholas, estate management

Princess finds out that he is behaving pride because he is poor, and Mary is rich. Nicholas in the autumn of 1814 married the princess and along with her, Sonya and mother went to live on the estate of the Bald Mountain. All he gave himself to the au pair, in which the main thing is a worker-peasant. Frozen with the peasants, Nicholas begins to skillfully manage the economy, which brings brilliant results. From other estates come men with a request to buy them. Even after the death of Nicholas, the people retain the memory of his administration for a long time. Rostov is closer to his wife, revealing new treasures of her soul every day.

Sonia is in the house of Nicholas. Mary can not somehow suppress the evil feelings in this girl. Somehow Natasha explains to her why the fate of Sonya is this: it is "vapour", something is missing in it.

How has Natasha changed Rostov?

The work "War and Peace" (epilogue) continues. The summary of his subsequent events is as follows. Three children in the house of the Rostovs, and Marya is waiting for more. Natasha is with four children with her brother. The return of Bezukhov, who left for Petersburg two months ago, is expected. Natasha has grown stout, now it is not easy to recognize her as a girl.

Her face has an expression of calm "clarity" and "softness." All those who knew before marriage to Natasha are surprised at the change that has taken place in her. Only the old countess, who understood with her mother's instinct that all the impulses of this girl pursued the goal of just getting married, to start a family, is surprised why others do not understand this. Natasha does not take care of herself, she does not follow her manners. For her the main thing is service to the house, children, husband. Very demanding of her husband, this girl is jealous. Bezukhov complies fully with the requirements of his wife. He has in place the whole family. Natasha Rostova not only fulfills her husband's desires, but also guessed them. She always shares her husband's way of thinking.

Bezukhov's conversation with Nikolai Rostov

Pierre feels happy in the marriage, seeing the reflection of himself in his own family. Natasha misses her husband, and now he comes. Bezukhov talks about fresh political news to Nicholas, says that the tsar does not go into any business, the situation in the country is heated to the limit: a coup is being prepared. Pierre believes that it is necessary to organize a society, possibly illegal, to bring people benefits. Nikolai does not agree with this. He says that he gave the oath. Different opinions express the heroes Nikolai Rostov and Pierre Bezukhov about the further development of the country in the product "War and Peace".

This conversation is discussed with his wife Nicholas. He considers Bezukhov a dreamer. Nicholas has enough of his problems. Marya notices some limitations of her husband, knows that he will never understand what she understands. From this the princess loves him more, with a touch of passionate tenderness. Rostov admires the desire of the wife to the perfect, eternal and infinite.

Bezukhov talks with Natasha about the fact that important things await him. According to Pierre, Platon Karataev would approve of his family life, and not career, because he wanted to see in everything calmness, happiness and goodness.

The dream of Nikolenko Bolkonsky

During the conversation between Pierre and Nikolai, Nikolenka Bolkonsky was present. The conversation made a deep impression on him. The boy adores Bezukhov, he worships him. His father also considers a certain deity. Николенька sees a dream. He goes with Bezukhov in front of a large army and approaches the goal. Before them, suddenly appears in a formidable pose uncle Nicholas, who is ready to kill anyone moving forward. The boy turns around and notices that next to him is no longer Pierre, but Prince Andrew, the father who caresses him. Nikolenka decides that his father was affectionate with him, approving him and Pierre. They all want the boy to learn, and he will do it. And one day everyone will admire him.

The second part

Once again, Tolstoy discusses the historical process. Kutuzov and Napoleon ("War and Peace") - two key historical figures in the work. The author says that history is not made by personality, but by popular masses, which are subject to common interests. This was understood by Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov ("War and Peace") described earlier in the work, who preferred an active strategy to the strategy of noninterference in the historical process. It was thanks to his wise command that the Russians won. In history, personality is important only to the extent that it accepts and understands people's interests. Therefore, Kutuzov ("War and Peace") - a significant person in history.

The role of the epilogue in the composition of a work

In the composition of the novel, the epilogue is the most important element in the ideological understanding. It is he who carries a huge semantic load in the design of the work. Leo Nikolayevich sums up, touching on the pressing issues, such as the role of the individual in history, the family.

Family thought

A special expression in this part of the work was the idea of the spiritual foundations of the family as an external form of uniting people. As if the differences between the spouses are blurred in it, the limitedness of souls is complemented in the intercourse between them. The epilogue of the novel develops this idea. Such, for example, the family of Mary and Nicholas Rostov. In it, in the highest synthesis, the beginnings of the Bolkonsky and the Rostovs are united.

In the Bald Mountains in the epilogue of the novel a new family gathers, which unites in itself the dissimilar in the past Bolkonsky, Rostov, and through Bezukhov also Karatai traits. As the author writes, under one roof lived several different worlds that merged into a harmonious whole.

It is no accident that this new family emerged, which includes such interesting and different images ("War and Peace"). It was the result of a nation-wide union born of the Patriotic War. The connection between the general and the individual is asserted in a new way in this part of the work. 1812 in the history of Russia brought a higher level of communication between people, removing many class restrictions and barriers, led to the emergence of broader and more complex family worlds. In the Lysogorsky family, as in any other, sometimes there are disputes and conflicts. But they only strengthen relations, they have a peaceful character. Women, Mary and Natasha, are the keepers of his foundations.

Thought folk

At the end of the epilogue, the author's philosophical reflections are presented, in which Leo Nikolayevich again discusses the historical process. In his opinion, history is not made by personality, but by the masses, who express common interests. Napoleon ("War and Peace") did not understand this, and therefore lost the war. This is the opinion of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy.

The last part of the work "War and Peace" - the epilogue - is coming to an end. We tried to make a brief summary of it in a laconic and capacious manner. This part of the work sums up the entire large-scale creation of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy. "War and Peace," whose epilogue was featured by us, is a grandiose epic that was created by the author from 1863 to 1869.