About Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy and his work "War and Peace" /part 4/
In the home of Bolkonski, the old Catherine Aristocrat, although everyone knows French, prefer to speak in their native Russian language. It was not accidental that his daughter refused to take advantage of the "mercy" of the French occupiers and left Lewis forest as they approached, and his son took an active part in both wars and died as a hero from the wound in Borodinian struggle. Tolstoy follows the principles of the life-style behavior of a family, and through him and a small circle of aristocrats remaining as far as their class allows, faithful to their people and their country, faithful to the high human moral requirements.
The relations between the members of the Bologna family are rigorous, but honest and human, contrary to the unfair and fake relations between Curaghini. Quite different is the setting, the home order, the notions of moral and immoral, of exalted and inferior. In the Rostov family there is some jolly misrepresentation, something in business is always wrong, but there is warmth, humanity, brotherly affection between the parents and the children, and between the children themselves. There is a Russian spirit dominated here, broken only in part by the arrival of the caretaker Berg's family. That is why the family supports the wars against Napoleon, especially the patriotic war. Not only the great son Nikolay is involved. As a volunteer, Petya Rostov, one of the enchanting heroes in War and Peace, volunteers. When leaving Moscow before the Frenchman entered, Rostov once again showed his humanity and patriotism by giving his cars to the wounded, though this is associated with the risk of losing some of his property, something one aristocrat could hardly agree.
Later, through Nikolay and Natasa Rostov, the writer shows the active aspirations of the best people in the field of spirituality to connect spiritually with the people. People from the first category of courtiers do not suffer from complex thoughts, seek ways of their personal moral improvement, are not interested in the deep sense of their human being and their own being, the fate of the people. They live empty, ludicrous and harmful as spiritually desolate. And not only that - with their active career in the field, they create the atmosphere around them, with their lushness of wealth, high ranks and posts that impede the social and spiritual advancement of society. Their heads and hearts are the place where they slowly form, with many mistakes, bitters and tragic twists, the new thought and the new feelings needed by the Russian society.
Very nice post. I have read your this part-4 post. I want to read your other parts, too. Good job. thanks a lot.